Mohammedan Saints and Sanctuaries in Palestine - by Tawfiq Canaan

Mohammedan Saints and Sanctuaries in Palestine, authored by Palestinian physician and ethnographer Tawfiq Canaan, is a seminal ethnographic study of popular religious practices in Palestine, focusing on the cults, shrines (awlia), and sanctuaries (maqamat) associated with Muslim saints. Published by the Syrian Orphanage Press and later reprinted, this work reflects Canaan’s commitment to documenting Palestinian folklore amid rapid cultural changes under British Mandate rule. As a medical professional and nationalist, Canaan combined field observations with scholarly analysis, producing a detailed examination of peasant religion that remains a cornerstone of Palestinian ethnography.