Camels and Horses in al-Aṣmaʿī’s Monographs

In this study, two works of al-Aṣmaʿī (d. 216/831), Kitāb al-ḫayl and Kitāb al-ibil, will be examined. Due to the similar subject matters– description of an animal species – the structure of the two works is also very similar. For both animal species, the most important topic is birth and reproduction, which is why al-Aṣmaʿī’s two books begin with this issue. The most suitable time for conception is determined based on experience, tradition, and observation, ensuring that the female animal can conceive and give birth to a healthy calf or foal. The fertility and abundant milk-production of camels, and the speed and endurance of horses, are thought to be ensured by their nobility, that is, the careful selection of pedigrees and ancestors, through the knowledge of genealogy.