In the modern period, the traditional bazaars
have adapted to the new global consumer econ-
omy. Many have become centers of tourism, such
as the old marketplaces of Fez, Cairo, JerUsalem,
damascUs, Aleppo, istanbUl, Jeddah, Delhi, and
Hyderabad (in southern india). But even in these
changed circumstances, the heritage of the tra-
ditional bazaar can still be felt when one walks
down their streets. Also, as it has in the past, the
contemporary marketplace can become a flash-
point for political protest, as happened in iran,
where bazaaris joined with the Shii ulama to
spearhead the revolution that brought about the
downfall of the monarchy in 1978–79.
See also hisba.
Further reading: Michael Cook, Forbidding Wrong in
Islam: An Introduction (Cambridge: Cambridge Uni-
versity Press, 2003); Yitzhak Nakash, The Shiis of Iraq
(Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1994);
Andre Raymond, The Great Arab Cities in the 16th–18th
Centuries: An Introduction (New York: New York Uni-
versity Press, 1984); Lewis Werner, “Suq—4,000 Years
Behind the Counter in Aleppo.” Saudi Aramco World 55
(March/April 2004): 24–35; Paul Wheatley, The Places
Where Men Pray Together: Cities in Islamic Lands, 7th
through the 10th Centuries (Chicago: University of Chi-
cago Press, 2001).
Bedouin
The Bedouin are arab dwellers of the desert who
traditionally follow a nomadic lifestyle. Their
name is based on an Arabic word meaning to be
plain, to be open (badaa), from which the word
desert (badiya) is formed, which suggests that
deserts are thought of as wide-open lands or
plains. The meaning of the word Bedouin stands
in contrast to the Arabic word for civilized town
dwellers (hadar). Bedouin is often, but not always,
used as a synonym for Arab. Bedouin peoples
have historically lived in the desert regions of
the Arabian Peninsula, syria, Jordan, israel and
palestine, iraq, egypt, North Africa, and outly-
ing areas of Africa and Central Asia. People liv-
ing in cities and towns stereotype the Bedouin
as an uncultured lot, yet the Bedouin are also
recognized for their strong sense of tribal honor,
egalitarianism, generosity, courage, and poetic
eloquence. Medieval Muslim scholars thought the
“pure” Arabic of the qUran was closely related to
the Bedouin dialect of the qUraysh tribe, but most
modern scholars believe it was a common poetic
language used throughout western Arabia. Several
have noted that values of Bedouin culture are
embedded in the religious language of the Quran.
Bedouin traditionally make their living by herding
pastoral animals (sheep, goats, camels, horses,
and cattle), which they lead to different grazing
areas and water sources within their tribal territo-
ries on a seasonal basis. Because of their seasonal
migrations and lifestyle, they dwell in tents that
can be easily transported from place to place.
Historical and ethnographic studies reveal
that pastoral peoples such as the Bedouin live in
a symbiotic relationship with town dwellers. For
example, they trade animal products for agricul-
tural products and goods produced by settled
populations. In times of drought, Bedouin take up
residence in urban lands until conditions improve.
On the other hand, town dwellers have relied on
Bedouin warriors for their defense and to guide
caravans to their destinations. Bedouin warriors
were also known for their raids on other nomadic
tribes, caravans, and settlements. Today the Bed-
ouin, like other nomadic peoples in the Middle
East and elsewhere, are being forced to become
more sedentary by extensive conversion of lands
to agricultural development and government set-
tlement policies. In the kingdoms of saUdi arabia
and Jordan, however, the Bedouin have been
recruited to form elite corps in their royal armed
forces. Bedouin ideals still color the cultural life of
peoples living in the Arabian Peninsula, as can be
seen in styles of dress, social customs, and fond-
ness for camping in the desert.
The religious outlook of the Bedouin is rec-
ognized for its simplicity. In pre-Islamic Arabia,K 98 Bedouin