Geoffrey Khan Books

The book explores the evolution of Biblical Hebrew, tracing its vocalization and accent systems back to medieval manuscripts and the work of Tiberian Masoretes during the early Islamic period. It highlights the oral traditions that predate these systems and examines how modern grammatical textbooks are influenced by centuries of European scholarship. A key paradox discussed is the lack of direct access that this European tradition had to the authentic pronunciations established by the Tiberian scholars.

The book offers a critical edition of Arabic documents from the 11th and 12th centuries, uncovered at the Nubian fortress Qär Ibr m. It includes English translations and in-depth analyses, revealing insights into Egypt-Nubia relations during the High Middle Ages, particularly the Fatimid period. These documents are significant as they provide a fresh perspective, contrasting with earlier studies that relied heavily on later historiographical sources, which often presented biased interpretations of historical events.