The present volume is fascicle A of volume III of Arabic Literature of Africa, edited by J.O. Hunwick and R.S. O'Fahey. The fascicle, compiled by O'Fahey and several collaborators, covers the Islamic writings of Northeastern Africa in Arabic and in several local languages, including Amharic, Tigrinya, Harari and Somali.
Geographically, the fascicle covers the modern states of Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia. Although the Islamic literature of the region is limited, it includes an important poetic tradition in Somali and Harari and the writings of a major scholar of the colonial period in Eritrea. The volume is divided into four chapters and follows the usual ALA format. It will be followed by fascicle B, which will cover East Africa, especially Kenya and Tanzania.