The last two books were published together five years ago, and a third, published last year, is unlike its predecessors in its methodology and text, being closer to literature. This is a gratuitous compliment that might inflate my ego, but in truth, I am in a different place. For decades, history has been my primary interest, even as literature remained at its core.

The book is primarily dedicated to a friend who departed too soon, Joseph Harb, the great poet of his time. The dedication was the impetus for its publication, and it is the least that befits the late friend. The title is 'Maqam wa Maqal' (A Station and an Article), and the first article is an elegy aptly titled: 'Much Sorrow and Some Memories'.

It was not easy to select the research for this book, especially since most of it is new in its subject matter and has not been previously explored. Examples include: 'Islamic Influences in Kalila wa Dimna – Correspondences with Nahj al-Balagha,' 'Manifestations of Hanifism in Mecca Before Islam,' 'The Commerce of Hejaz in Early Islam,' and 'The Conquest of Constantinople and the Fall of Granada, The Problem of the Paradox,' among other unprecedented theses.

I believe the reader may find the style of historical writing in this book unfamiliar. However, for a long time, I have been undertaking this difficult experiment. If a topic is not new, I see no point in the effort of writing. Otherwise, the experiment achieves its goal when its tools of culture, language, criticism, and analysis are complete and integrated into a methodology that commands the subject from beginning to end.

• Publishing House: Dar Al-Farabi for Publishing and Distribution
• Number of Pages: 360
• Year of Publication: 2018
• ISBN: 9786144329092