IFAO

Writing about prisons and prisoners during the time of the Mamluks is a little problematic. The first difficulty is lexicographic : what is the exact meaning of sijn and ḥabs ? The second is legal : nothing is written about prisons as a legal penalty in the Quran. However, Mamluk authors mention many incarcerations during the late period of the dynasty’s rule with numerous details about prisoners (gender, age, social activities, legal status, religion, nationalities and general reasons for imprisonment). Such descriptions create an image of the jails as a great melting-pot. All this information leads to the possible conclusion that everybody was vulnerable and could have been thrown in jail during this period. However, what circumstances might lead to incarceration? Reasons for imprisionment are various. Common examples were for actions punished by ḥudûd (burglary, murders, religious and sexual offences, etc.). Others are more “ subjective ” and are difficult to determine because they are in relation with the authorities, such as the incurring of disfavour without reason. Prison as penalty seems to have been corporal, coercive and used as precautionary measures. If the authors are prolix about the prisoners and their crimes, they are more secretive about the buildings, the imprisonment and the routines of the jail. This makes it difficult to get a real idea of prison life.