Servants of the Sharia

This volume contains the full Qadi Records of Brava (1893 - 1900). The importance of these records for those studying Southern Somalia and the Swahili coast cannot be overestimated. The register is like a daily journal of events in a typical Swahili town. The information in the records covers a wide range of issues: Slavery, the role of women and their usage of the court system in the 19th century, the role of the Ulama, trade, inheritance, et cetera. The register is signed and stamped by the Italian Commander/governor in Asmara, Eritrea where it was taken and authenticated and bears the Official Stamp of the Royal Italian Government. This volume contains both the Arabic original and a translation into English. The print edition is available as a set of two volumes (9789004131224).