Alyssa Gabbay’s new book consists of both descriptive and prescriptive research that analyzes the examples of bilateral descent in the medieval and early modern Islamic world (3). Aside from exemplifying three manifestations of bilateral descent, the book emphasizes Fatima as a possessor of female agency and an impressive precedent for recognizing bilateral descent in Sunni and Shiʿi societies.
Alongside the introduction and the epilogue, the volume is organized into three main parts, each comprising two chapters. Gabbay’s study first examines the Sunni and Shiʿi texts belonging to Islam’s high textual tradition, including hadith collections, Qurʾan commentaries, and histories, while depicting Fatima fulfilling each function. The book continues with the questions of how other women fulfilled these functions in medieval and premodern Islamic societies (6). In her exploratory survey, Gabbay uses various other sources, such as biographical dictionaries, historical chronicles, endowment deeds, and poetry related to dynasties and empires (the Byzantine,...
