La rançon du serment

Abstract

This article presents the record of proceedings from the court of Ṭalīt, a village in the southern Fayyūm. The document, which dates from the reign of caliph al-Ḥākim, records an amicable settlement between a Muslim and a Christian regarding repayment of a debt. The text provides valuable information about the complex relationships between Ṭalīt and the neighbouring town of Ṭuṭūn, and exemplifies the procedure by which, according to several legal schools, a defendant could avoid taking an oath by paying his adversary a settlement.

Keywords

• courts
• al-Ḥākim
• Fatimide Egypt
• Fayyūm
• Ṭalīt
• Ṭuṭūn