Judarī Disease in the Umayyad Dynasty (661-750 AD): A Study on Individual and Social Cases

This research focuses on the identification of the individuals and societies who were exposed to the disease of judarī individually or collectively during the Umayyad period and the examination of the general characteristics of the disease. Judarī is a contagious skin disease characterised by a purulent swelling on the skin and acute fever. Judarī, which is called smallpox in English, is a disease with different types, some of which can lead to fatal consequences, while others can be cured and overcome. This disease can leave permanent scars on survivors and cause loss of vision. Judarī has affected various societies in the historical process, and has been recorded in texts providing information about the Umayyad period. In these records, eight individuals who were infected with judarī during the Umayyad period were identified and two social cases in which judarī was seen were identified. The identities of the individuals affected by the judarī, how they were affected, and how this disease was seen in which communities and social events are the main subjects of our study. In the context of this subject, the introduction of the article discusses the nature of judarī and what kind of a disease it is. Then, the individuals affected by judarī in the Umayyad period and the social cases of judarī in the Umayyad period were examined under two separate headings, and the data on the cases of judarī in the period were analysed. However, the subject was analysed more comprehensively with the narrations that were thought to be related to the issues discussed. This study, which deals with the effect of judarī in the Umayyad period from various aspects, is important in terms of examining the effects of a contagious skin disease on early Islamic society and revealing its impact on social life. This research aims to determine the effects of the disease on individuals and the consequences societies faced with the disease during the Umayyad period. In this way, it is aimed to shed light on the social history of the Umayyad period and to reveal the medical knowledge of the period. In order to evaluate the effects of the disease on individuals and its consequences in social cases, medical texts written in the Middle Ages and historical records of the Umayyad period were evaluated together. In our study, qualitative research method was adopted and primary and secondary sources from the period were analysed. Through narrative analyses, historical narratives in which the disease is mentioned were evaluated, and care was taken to handle the information in different sources in a comparative manner. In addition, historical interpretation techniques have been used to make a comprehensive evaluation of the effects of judarī on individual and social cases.