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This article examines and proposes a chronology for the extant correspondence of the Syrian legal scholar al-Awzāʿī (d. 157/773-4), arguing that the majority of the letters belong to the Abbasid phase of the scholar's career. The letters are then used to highlight the network in which al-Awzāʿī operated and the role he played for the frontier communities. Finally, these letters shed light on the conditions of life of the Syrian frontier communities and their interaction with the Abbasid authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the history of women and their contribution to the battles and war during the early Islamic period wherein the understanding of military undertakings were linked to the concept of masculinity. Topics discussed include the nature of Umm 'Umara, a female prophet companion who participated in some battles to help the injured, an overview of women's work in the early Muslim armies, and the practices of the early Islamic military.