Question

"If it were asked, why do we accept the theory of contagion, when already the divine law has refuted the notion of contagion, we will answer: The existence of contagion has been proved by experience, deduction, the senses, observation, and by unanimous reports. And it is not a secret to whoever has looked into this matter or has come to be aware of it that those who come into contact with plague patients mostly die, while those who do not come into contact survive. And amidst the horrible afflictions that the plague has imposed upon the people, God has afflicted the people with some learned religious scholars who issue fatwas* against fleeing the plague, so that the quills with which the scholars wrote these fatwas were like swords upon which the Muslims died. In conclusion, to ignore the proofs of plague contagion is an indecency and an affront to God and holds cheap the lives of Muslims."

*rulings on Islamic law

Lisan al-Din Ibn al-Khatib, A Very Useful Inquiry into the Horrible Sickness, Granada, Spain, 1349-1352

The passage by al-Khatib is best understood in the context of which of the following?


A) The continuing endemic presence of malaria in the Mediterranean

B) The spread of the Black Death in the aftermath of the Mongol conquests

C) The spread of syphilis in Spain as a result of increased contacts with the Western Hemisphere

D) The increase in diseases associated with improvements in diet and longevity

Answer 1

The passage by al-Khatib is best understood in the context of the spread of the Black Death in the aftermath of the Mongol conquests. The author mentions the existence of contagion and the experience of people coming into contact with plague patients mostly dying, which aligns with the effects of the Black Death. This devastating epidemic, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, spread rapidly across Europe in the 14th century, resulting in the deaths of millions of people.

Step-by-step explanation:

The passage by al-Khatib is best understood in the context of the spread of the Black Death in the aftermath of the Mongol conquests. The author mentions the existence of contagion and the experience of people coming into contact with plague patients mostly dying, which aligns with the effects of the Black Death. This devastating epidemic, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, spread rapidly across Europe in the 14th century, resulting in the deaths of millions of people.

Furthermore, the passage mentions the behaviours and attitudes of religious scholars during the plague, which reflects the religious explanations and recommendations found in plague texts of the time. These texts, influenced by the Quran and religious law, often framed the epidemic as noncontagious and encouraged acceptance of God's will.