This intimate portrayal of the devotional life in early medieval Islamic society demonstrates how Islamic law defined holy behavior.

Introduction; 1. The persistence of asceticism; 2. 'Devote yourself to deeds you can bear': voluntary fasting and bodily piety; 3. Charity, food, and the right of refusal; 4. The devil at the fountain: problems in ritual; Conclusion.

Megan H. Reid is Assistant Professor of Religion at the University of Southern California.