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

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

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.