Islam Books

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThroughout the Middle East, and in the west as well, there has been much discussion concerning the notion of Islamic rule and the application of shari‘ah by the state. Central to these debates are the three key themes that Mohammad Abed al-Jabri looks at in this book: democracy, human rights and law. Jabri, one of the most influential political philosophers in the contemporary Middle East, examines how these three concepts have been applied in the history of the Arab world, and shows that they are determined by political and social context, not by Islamic doctrine. Jabri argues that in order to develop democratic societies in which human rights are respected, the Arab world cannot simply rely on old texts and traditions. Nor can it import democratic models from the West. Instead, he says, a new tradition will have to be forged by today's Arabs themselves, on their own terms. Through analysis of contemporary Arab ideology, its doubts about democracy, whether human rights are universal and the role of women and minorities in Islamic society, he expounds on the most pertinent issues in modern political philosophy. This lively interrogation of the building blocs of western conceptions of a modern state is a classic text and is vital for all students of modern Islamic political thought. Mohammed Abed al-Jabri (1936-2010) was Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Rabat. As one of the most influential political philosophers in the contemporary Arab world, he authored many acclaimed books including, in Arabic: The Structure of Arab Reason, Arab Political Reason' and Arab Ethical Reason, and in English: The Formation of Arab Reason: Text, Tradition and the Construction of Modernity in the Arab World (I.B.Tauris, 2011).Table of ContentsVOLUME I: Religion, State and the Application of Islamic Shari‘ah Part One: The Question of Religion and the State Chapter 1: Religion and the State in the Authoritative Cultural Referent Chapter 2: Religion and State in the Renaissance Authoritative Referent Chapter 3: Religion, Politics and Civil War Part Two: The Question of Applying al-Shari‘ah Chapter 4: Awakening and Renewal Chapter 5: Traditionalism (al-salafiyah)… or The Historical Experience of the Nation? Chapter 6: Extremism: Right and Left Chapter 7: Extremism Between Creed and al-Shari‘ah Chapter 8: For the Procession of Ijtihad Chapter 9: The Rationality of the Rulings of al-Shari‘ah Chapter 10: Rulings and Dependence Chapter 11: Every Age has its Special Needs Chapter 12: ‘Avoid the Hudud Penalties when in Doubt’ Chapter 13: Concerning ‘Complete Application of al-Shari‘ah’ VOLUME II: Democracy and Human Rights Part One: Democracy: Its Historical Role in the Arab World Chapter 1: A Demands in the Arab World Chapter 2: Al-Shura and Democracy are not One and the Same Chapter 3: The Difficult Birth Chapter 4: Partnership in Human Governance Chapter 5: Democracy and the Right to Speak Chapter 6: No Way Out Except Through a Historical Bloc Part Two: Democracy and the Current Arab Reality Chapter 7: The Problem of the Transition to Democracy Chapter 8: Objective Situations Conducive to Democracy Chapter 9: Contemporary Arab Ideology and its Doubts about Democracy Chapter 10: Dispersing the Doubts about Democracy Chapter 11: The State that Swallows up Society Chapter 12: Civil Society and the Elites in the Arab Nation Chapter 13: Elites Fear Democracy Chapter 14: Democracy, a Necessity Part Three: Cultural Implantation of Human Rights in the Contemporary Arab Conscience Chapter 15: Human Rights: Particularity and Universality Chapter 16: Universality of Human Rights in the European Point of Reference Chapter 17: Universality of Human Rights in the Islamic Authoritative Point of Reference: Reason and Innate Nature Chapter 18: Universality of Human Rights in the Islamic Authoritative Point of Reference: Covenant and al-Shura Chapter 19: Philosophy of Human Rights and Religion Chapter 20: Freedom is One Things, Apostasy Another Chapter 21: Women’s Rights in Islam: Between the Fundamental Principles of al-Shari‘ah and its Particular Rulings Part Four: Enhancing Awareness of Human Rights in Islam Chapter 22: The Concept of the Human Being in Modern Though Chapter 23: The Concept of the Human Being in the Qur’an Chapter 24: The Right to Life and its Enjoyment Chapter 25: The Right to Freedom of Belief, Knowledge and Difference Chapter 26: Al-Shura between the Qur’an and the Circumstantial Interpretations Chapter 27: The Right to Equality and the Question of ‘Preference’ Chapter 28: Slavery and the Rights of Women Chapter 29: The Right to Justice: The Strength of the Qur’anic Text and the Vacillation of the ‘Advisory Discourse’ Chapter 30: The Rights of the Weak Oppressed: The Right of the Poor to the Wealth of the Rich Chapter 31: Social Security in Islam: Necessity of Development Chapter 32: The Rights of God, the Rights of People: Application of al-Shari‘ah

Read more less

Book SynopsisInterest in Shi'i Islam is running at unprecedented levels. International tensions over Iran, where the largest number of Shi'i Muslims live, as well as the political resurgence of the Shi'i in Iraq and Lebanon, have created an urgent need to understand the background, beliefs and motivations of this dynamic vision of Islam. Abbas Amanat is one of the leading scholars of Shi'ism. And in this powerful book, a showcase for some of his most influential writing in the field, he addresses the colourful and diverse history of Shi' Islam in both premodern and contemporary times.Focusing specifically on the importance of apocalypticism in the development of modern Shi'i theology, he shows how an immersion in messianic ideas has shaped the conservative character of much Shi'i thinking, and has prevented it from taking a more progressive course. Tracing the continuity of apocalyptic trends from the Middle Ages to the present, Amanat addresses such topics as the early influence on Shi'ism of Zoroastrianism; manifestations of apocalyptic ideology during the Iranian Revolution of 1979; and the rise of the Shi'i clerical establishment during the 19th and 20th centuries. His book will be an essential resource for students and scholars of both religious studies and Middle Eastern history.Trade Review'Abbas Amanat is among the brightest stars in the firmament of historians who have treated Shiite millenarian movements in depth. He always avoids the easy temptation to dismiss them as outbursts of irrational fanaticism, instead patiently tracing their roots in social discontent and teasing out the significance of their often recondite writings. Any historian can mine the British archives for imperial reactions to such popular manifestations. But Amanat is among the few with the linguistic and historiographic skills to be able to offer us the inside story, full of drama, texture and immense local significance. Those who wish to understand the Iranian Shiite tradition must come to terms with this essential aspect of it. No better guide than the magisterial Amanat could be found.' - Juan R I Cole, Richard P Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History, University of Michigan.Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements and Citations Note on Transliteration Introduction Part One: Apocalypticism in the Islamic Middle East Apocalyptic Anxieties and Millennial Hopes in the Salvation Religions of the Middle East The Resurgence of the Apocalyptic in Modern Islam Part Two: Millennial Cycles and Commemorating Martyrs The Nuqtavi Movement of Mahmud Pasikhani and His Persian Cycle of Mystical-Materialism Nuqtavi Agnostics and Shaping of the Doctrine of ‘Universal Peace’ (sulh-i kull) in Mughal India Meadow of the Martyrs: Kashifi’s Persianisation of the Shi’i Martyrdom Part Three: The Babi Movement and the Baha’i Faith The Persian Bayan and the Shaping of the Babi Renewal in Iran The Historical Roots of the Babi and the Baha’i Persecution in Iran Part Four: Clerical Encounters with Modernity Mujtahids and Missionaries: Shi’i Responses to Christian Polemics in the Early Qajar Period In Between the Madrassa and the Marketplace: the Designation of Clerical Leadership in Modern Shi’ism From ijtihad to wilayat-i faqih: The Evolving of the Shi’i Legal Authority to Political Power Part Five: Satan and Salvation in the Islamic Revolution Khomeini’s Great Satan: Demonizing the American Other in the Islamic Revolution of Iran Messianic Aspirations in Contemporary Iran

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis final volume in the successful series "The Idea of Iran" addresses the astonishing impact made by Islam during and after the Arab conquest of Iran in the middle of the seventh century. As the Sasanian dynasty crumbled before the invaders' triumphant onslaught, its state religion of Zoroastrianism was unceremoniously dismantled to make way for the new faith of the victorious desert warriors. Yet why, if Iran jettisoned its indigenous religion, did it still manage to retain its Persian language and distinctive Iranian identity once Muslim governance took hold?These, and other intriguing questions, are addressed by the book, which includes distinguished contributions from world-renowned scholars such as Hugh Kennedy, Edmund Bosworth, Robert Hillenbrand and Ehsan Yarshater. Discussing a large variety of subjects which covers the whole spectrum of life in early Islamic Iran, the volume offers one of the most ambitious perspectives on Persian religion, society and culture to be published to date. It will be consulted by all students of Iranian history, and will be regarded as essential reading for scholars of Islam, the Middle East and medieval religion alike.Table of ContentsIntroduction - Vesta Curtis and Sarah Stewart Iranian Identity after Conversion to Islam - Ehsan Yarshater Why Iran is Not an Arab Country - Hugh Kennedy The Persistent Older Heritage in the Medieval Iranian Lands - Edmund C Bosworth Social and Economic Life in Early Islamic Iran - Richard W Bulliet Quddities, Algorithms, Oranges - Iran in Islamic Science and Beyond - Lutz Richter-Bernberg The Cross and the Lotus: An Armenian Miscellany - James R Russell What Happened to the Sasanian Hunt in Islamic Art? - Robert Hillenbrand Bibliography

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe second largest branch of Islam, with between 130 and 190 million adherents across the globe, Shi'i Islam is becoming an increasingly significant force in contemporary politics, especially in the Middle East. This makes an informed understanding of its fundamental spiritual beliefs and practices both necessary and timely. Mohammad Ali Amir-Moezzi is one of the most distinguished scholars of Shi'i history and theology, and in this volume he offers a wide-ranging and engaging survey of the core texts of Shi'i Islam. Examining in turn the origins and later developments of Shi'i spirituality, the author reveals the profoundly esoteric nature of the beliefs which accrued to the figures of the early Imams, and which became associated with their interaction between the material and spiritual worlds. Many of these beliefs have remained much misunderstood even within the wider Muslim world. Furthermore, Western scholarship has tended to follow the lead of the earlier orientalists and critics, viewing Shi'i teachings as marginal. In this study the author shows, by contrast, how central and creative the very nature of spirituality was to the development of Shi'i Islam, as well as to classical Muslim civilisation as a whole. In this comprehensive treatment, the esoteric nature of Shi'i spirituality emerges as an essential phenomenon for understanding Shi'i Islam.

Read more less

Book SynopsisInterest in Shi'i Islam is running at unprecedented levels. International tensions over Iran, where the largest number of Shi'i Muslims live, as well as the political resurgence of the Shi'i in Iraq and Lebanon, have created an urgent need to understand the background, beliefs and motivations of this dynamic vision of Islam. Abbas Amanat is one of the leading scholars of Shi'ism. And in this powerful book, a showcase for some of his most influential writing in the field, he addresses the colourful and diverse history of Shi' Islam in both premodern and contemporary times.Focusing specifically on the importance of apocalypticism in the development of modern Shi'i theology, he shows how an immersion in messianic ideas has shaped the conservative character of much Shi'i thinking, and has prevented it from taking a more progressive course. Tracing the continuity of apocalyptic trends from the Middle Ages to the present, Amanat addresses such topics as the early influence on Shi'ism of Zoroastrianism; manifestations of apocalyptic ideology during the Iranian Revolution of 1979; and the rise of the Shi'i clerical establishment during the 19th and 20th centuries. His book will be an essential resource for students and scholars of both religious studies and Middle Eastern history.Trade Review'Abbas Amanat is among the brightest stars in the firmament of historians who have treated Shiite millenarian movements in depth. He always avoids the easy temptation to dismiss them as outbursts of irrational fanaticism, instead patiently tracing their roots in social discontent and teasing out the significance of their often recondite writings. Any historian can mine the British archives for imperial reactions to such popular manifestations. But Amanat is among the few with the linguistic and historiographic skills to be able to offer us the inside story, full of drama, texture and immense local significance. Those who wish to understand the Iranian Shiite tradition must come to terms with this essential aspect of it. No better guide than the magisterial Amanat could be found.' - Juan R I Cole, Richard P Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History, University of Michigan.Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements and Citations Note on Transliteration Introduction Part One: Apocalypticism in the Islamic Middle East Apocalyptic Anxieties and Millennial Hopes in the Salvation Religions of the Middle East The Resurgence of the Apocalyptic in Modern Islam Part Two: Millennial Cycles and Commemorating Martyrs The Nuqtavi Movement of Mahmud Pasikhani and His Persian Cycle of Mystical-Materialism Nuqtavi Agnostics and Shaping of the Doctrine of ‘Universal Peace’ (sulh-i kull) in Mughal India Meadow of the Martyrs: Kashifi’s Persianisation of the Shi’i Martyrdom Part Three: The Babi Movement and the Baha’i Faith The Persian Bayan and the Shaping of the Babi Renewal in Iran The Historical Roots of the Babi and the Baha’i Persecution in Iran Part Four: Clerical Encounters with Modernity Mujtahids and Missionaries: Shi’i Responses to Christian Polemics in the Early Qajar Period In Between the Madrassa and the Marketplace: the Designation of Clerical Leadership in Modern Shi’ism From ijtihad to wilayat-i faqih: The Evolving of the Shi’i Legal Authority to Political Power Part Five: Satan and Salvation in the Islamic Revolution Khomeini’s Great Satan: Demonizing the American Other in the Islamic Revolution of Iran Messianic Aspirations in Contemporary Iran

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Fatimid empire was a highly sophisticated and cosmopolitan regime that flourished from the beginning of the 10th to the end of the 12th century. Under the enlightened rule of the Fatimid Caliphs, Cairo was founded as the nucleus of an imperium that extended from Arabia in the east to present-day Morocco in the west. Dynamic rulers like the the fourth caliph al-Mu'izz (who conquered Egypt and founded his new capital there) were remarkable not only for their extensive conquests but also for combining secular with religious legitimacy. As living imams of the Ismaili branch of Shi'ism, they exercised authority over both spiritual and secular domains. The sacred dimension of their mandate was manifested most powerfully twice a year, when the imam-Caliphs personally delivered sermons, or khutbas, to their subjects, to co-incide with the great feasts and festivals of fast-breaking and sacrifice.While few of these sermons have survived, those that have endured vividly evoke both of the atmosphere of the occasion and the words uttered on it. Paul E Walker here provides unique access to these orations by presenting the Arabic original and a complete English translation of all the khutbas now extant. He also offers a history of the festival sermons and explores their key themes and rhetorical strategies.Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgements PART ONE A History of the Fatimid khutba Rhetoric and Themes in the Surviving khutbas PART TWO Translations The khutbas of al-Qa’im The khutbas of al-Mansur The khutbas of al-Mu’izz The khutbas of Qirwash The khutbas of al-Amir PART THREE Arabic Texts Glossary Bibliography Arabic and English indexes

Read more less

Book SynopsisWahhabism has been generating controversy since it first emerged in Arabia in the 18th century. In the wake of September 11th instant theories have emerged that try to root Osama Bin Laden's attacks on Wahhabism. Muslim critics have dismissed this conservative interpretation of Islam that is the official creed of Saudi Arabia as an unorthodox innovation that manipulated a suggestible people to gain political influence. David Commins' book questions this assumption. He examines the debate on the nature of Wahhabism, and offers original findings on its ascendance in Saudi Arabia and spread throughout other parts of the Muslim world such as Afghanistan and Pakistan. He also assesses the challenge that radical militants within Saudi Arabia pose to the region, and draws conclusions which will concern all those who follow events in the Kingdom. "The Wahhabi Mission and Saudi Arabia" is an essential reading for anyone interested in the Middle East and Islamic radicalism today.Table of Contents* Preface * Acknowledgements * Map of Arabia * Introduction * Islam Began as a Stranger and Will Return a Stranger * Holding Fast Against Idolatry * Abd al-Aziz ibn Saud and the Taming of Wahhabi Zeal * Wahhabism in a Modern State * The Wahhabi Mission and Islamic Revivalism * Challenges to Wahhabi Hegemony * Conclusion * Al al-Sheikh * Chronology * Glossary * Notes * Bibliography * Index *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Qur'an is the sacramental foundation of prayer in Islam. Its inspirational power is perpetually renewed through being recited and meditated upon by Muslims on a daily basis throughout their lives. This succinct monograph provides a unique contemporary insight into the spiritual, intellectual and moral dynamics set in motion by the short Qur'anic chapters recited in their prayers by Muslims of all traditions, but which are particularly recommended within Shi'i Islam. Dr Shah-Kazemi engages creatively with the chapters of the Qur'an, including the 'Opening' (al-Fatiha) chapter, basing his own philosophical reflections on the teachings of Imam 'Ali. He focuses in particular on the relationship between the moral and the mystical aspects of the texts. The result is a stimulating philosophical meditation probing the depths of meaning comprised within the verses of a Revelation by which the spiritual quest of Muslims has constantly been inspired, nourished and fulfilled.Table of ContentsN/A

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn secular Europe the veracity of modern science is almost always taken for granted. Whether they think of the evolutionary proofs of Darwin or of spectacular investigation into the boundaries of physics conducted by CERN's Large Hadron Collider, most people assume that scientific enquiry goes to the heart of fundamental truths about the universe. Yet elsewhere, science is under siege. In the USA, Christian fundamentalists contest whether evolution should be taught in schools at all. And in Muslim countries like Tunisia, Egypt, Pakistan and Malaysia, a mere 15 per cent of those recently surveyed believed Darwin's theory to be 'true' or 'probably true'. This thoughtful and passionately argued book contends absolutely to the contrary: not only that evolutionary theory does not contradict core Muslim beliefs, but that many scholars, from Islam's golden age to the present, adopted a worldview that accepted evolution as a given. Guessoum suggests that the Islamic world, just like the Christian, needs to take scientific questions - 'quantum questions' - with the utmost seriousness if it is to recover its true heritage and integrity. In its application of a specifically Muslim perspective to important topics like cosmology, divine action and evolution, the book makes a vital contribution to debate in the disputed field of 'science and religion'.Trade Review'This book is essential reading for all those who wish to understand the relationship between Islam and science from both historical and contemporary perspectives. From Averroes to al-Ghazzali, and from Iqbal to Nasr, the author provides a well-informed survey and critique of the very different ways in which Islamic philosophers and scientists have contributed to the scientific enterprise. Muslims and non-Muslims alike will find that this fascinating overview fills a gap in the current literature on science and religion. Firmly committed to mainstream science, the author gives short shrift to those who attempt to find scientific truths hidden in different verses of the Qu'ran. Instead Prof. Guessoum sees the theistic framework as providing the basis for the intrinsic rationality and coherence of the universe, a framework within which the scientific enterprise can continue to flourish in a way that is consonant with religious belief.' - Denis Alexander, Director, The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, St. Edmund's College, University of Cambridge; 'Islam's Quantum Question is a sensitive and nuanced account of Islam and science by an author who is intimately acquainted with both. Well written and thoroughly researched, it offers a lively and comprehensive introduction to both historical and contemporary issues. For those seeking guidance in a difficult and sometimes contentious field, Guessoum's stimulating book is to be highly recommended.' - Peter Harrison, Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion, University of Oxford; 'Prophetic and brilliantly written.' - Philip Clayton, Professorof Religion and Philosophy, Claremont Graduate UniversitTable of ContentsPrologue: Averroes and I Introduction: Islam and Science Today PART I: Fundamentals (First things first): God, the Qur’an, and Science Chapter 1: Allah, the Creator and Sustainer Chapter 2: The Qur’an and its Philosophy of Knowledge/Science Chapter 3: Science and Its Critics Chapter 4: Can One Develop an “Islamic Science”? Chapter 5: I`jaz - Modern Science in the Qur’an? Summary and Conclusions of Part I PART II: Islam and Contemporary Science Issues Chapter 6: Islam and Cosmology Chapter 7: Islam and Design Chapter 8: Islam and the Anthropic Principle Chapter 9: Islam and Evolution (Human and Biological) PART III: Outlook Chapter 10: Islam and Science tomorrow Epilogue - A conversation with my students Appendix A: Towards an Open-Minded Science (Collective Article) Appendix B: The Flaws in 'A New Astronomical Quranic Method for The Determination Of The Greatest Speed C' by Dr. Mansour Hassab-Elnaby Appendix C: Survey of ‘Science and Religion’ Views at the American University of Sharjah, UAE Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor centuries the Islamic world has, by turns, been both reviled and admired in the West. Since the time of the Crusades, Europeans have viewed Muslim culture and religion through the unique distorting lens of Orientalism, colouring all aspects of their perception and generating a curious blend of fascination and distrust. Historian, sociologist and Middle East specialist Maxime Rodinson presents an account of this relationship, in a history that is balanced and concise yet insightful.Trade Review'sure to become a favourite of American scholars of the Middle East. It is short, succinct, erudite, and greatly reassuring' -Richard W. Bulliet 'Is the history of Islam and the West... merely a record of battles and bigotry? This book makes clear that the relationship has been much subtler. By chronicling, succinctly and elegantly, the West's changing images of Islam, Rodinson - one of the leading French scholars of Islam and the Middle East - demolishes the notion of two monolithic blocs frozen in eternal hostility' -London Review of Books 'Rodinson's serious work is an analytical history of Europe's varying attitudes, positive and negative, towards Islam and the Middle East... Deserves reading.' -The EconomistTable of ContentsPart 1 Western views of the Muslim world: the Middle Ages; toward a less polemical image; coexistence and reconciliation; from coexistence to objectivity; the birth of Orientalism; the enlightenment; the 19th century; challenges to Eurocentrism. Part 2 Toward a new approach to Arab and Islamic studies: traditional Orientalism in the past; the present crisis and current problems; the present state of the craft - the continuance of the past impetus; theologocentrism in scholarship; new fields and disciplines; regional influences in Islamic studies; the modalities of future progress; proposals for future study.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe revival and power of religious feelings among Muslims since the Iranian revolution presents a complicated and often perplexing picture of the politics of modern Islam. What are the ideas which have influenced the direction of these trends? Here, Hamis Enayat provides an answer by describing and interpreting some of the major Islamic political ideas, especially those expressed by Iranians and Egyptians, as well as thinkers from Pakistan, India, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. He examines the political differences between the two main schools in Islam - Shi'ism and Sunnism. Also covered in the book is: the concept of the Islamic state; and the Muslim response to the challenge of alien and modern ideologies such as nationalism, democracy and socialism - as well as notions of Shi'i modernism.Trade Review'Enayat's book makes a significant contribution to understanding the complexities of a situation involving the two most important Muslim communities as they are forced to share a single political space.'- Asian AffairsJOURNAL OF ORIENTAL AND AFRICAN STUDIES'...this title will for long remain a classic and redoubtable piece of scholarship...an essential reading for all those interested in and "insider's" analysis of the Islamic political thought and indeed for all students of political history.- Amidu Olalekan Sanni, Lagos State University

Read more less

Book SynopsisAl-Ghazali was one of the great Muslim theologians. In this book the author provides a translation of some of his works, including his spiritual autobiography. Al-Ghazali's description of his own emergence from scepticism anticipates the philosophical method of systematic doubt employed by Descartes. Another work translated here sets out Al-Ghazali's ideal of how a religious person should order his life from hour to hour and day to day.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe demise of apartheid in South Africa in the 1980s followed an unprecedented unity in struggle against oppression from members of different faith traditions. This work details how South African Muslims were brought into conflict with the Qu'ran, which denied virtue outside Islam, and so did not allow them to co-operate with other oppressed groups. It reflects on passages from the Qu'ran and provides interpretations which support solidarity for change, combining social history, politics and theology.Trade Review"This book establishes Esack as one of the few liberation theologians in contemporary Islam." * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *"This book focuses on the imperative of real, engaged cooperation between groups of various religious backgrounds for the goals of establishing a just society that addresses the central needs of each community. * Review & Expositor *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 1. The Context 19 2. between text and Context 49 3. Hermeneutical Keys 82 4. Redefining Self and Other 114 5. The Qur'an and the other 146 6. Redefining Comrades and Opponents 179 7. From the Wilderness to the Promised land.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis clearly written text explores the rational theology of Islam, the conflict between the "defenders of God" and the "defenders of reason", and the controversy's historical roots.Table of ContentsIntroduction - a tale of two texts; the rise and fall of the Mu'tazila in premodern Islam; the life and works of Qadi' abd Al-Jabbar; a "thick description" of the five Usul; Kiab Al-Usul Al-Khamsa (book of the five fundamentals) - a translation; the persistance of traditionalism and rationalism; the significance of Mu'tazilism in Indonesia; Harun Naustion's defense of Mu'tazilism; Kaum Mu'tazilah dan Pandangan Rasionalanya (the Mu'Tazila and rational philosophy) - a translation; modern and postmodern glosses of Mu'tazilism; the implication of modernity - deconstructing the argument.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis text gives a formative account of the development of Islamic thought from the death of Muhammad in 632, to 950. It demonstrates how various religions and political movements within Islam contributed to what has become standard form, including the positive contribution of sects later regarded as heretical, and the key interaction of religion and politics. Drawing on many previously unresearched Arabic sources, it presents a comprehensive, balanced and clear picture of the main lines of philosophical development in this important period.Table of ContentsPart 1 The beginnings: the Kharaijites; Proto-Shi'ite phenomena under the Umayyads; the general religious movement; God's determination of events; faith and community. Part 2 The century of struggle (750-850): the establishment of the 'Abbasids; the attraction of reasoning; the great Mu'tazilites. Part 3 The triumph of Sunnism; the political background; the maturing of Sunnite theology.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis authoritative book argues that what is considered today to be Islamic fundamentalism is inconsistent with the true meaning of this faith. Rahman demonstrates that the true roots of Islamic teachings advocate adaptability, creativity, and innovation.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOffering authoritative coverage of an increasingly popular area, this is a stimulating introduction to both the life and times of the great Sufi thinker, Rab'ia of Basra, and to the contribution made by other women mystics to the rich heritage of Islam. Drawing on a wide array of sources, from the words of tenth-century thinkers to the works of modern scholars, Margaret Smith provides a clear and accessible guide, not only to Rab'ia's remarkable life, but also to her asceticism, her miracles, and her teachings and writings. In addition to this, a perceptive survey traces t he roles of other female saints in Islam, from Naf sa, who recited the Qur'an six thousand times prior to her death, to the Indian princess F tima, who renounced her royal duties to become a renowned mystic.With its suggestion that the autonomy of these great female figures could serve as a religious and social model for today's Muslim women, this is a sensitive and readable survey, which balances historical information with an interesting contemporary perspective.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBased on a symposium on the theme 'Islam and the History of Religions', this important work features thoughtful essays on the study of Islam. In essays organized around five themes in religious studies, the scholars in this volume call for an increase in the attention given to Islam as part of religious studies and for greater clarity in our understanding both of Islam and of religion in terms of Islam. Influential and powerful, when first published in 1985, this text helped bring about the transition of Islamic studies from Orientalism and area studies to religious studies.Trade Review'Virtually no one else has even considered such a vast but essential undertaking. It goes beyond existing works on almost every score.' Bruce B. Lawrence, Nancy and Jeffrey Marcus Professor of Religion, Duke UniversityTable of ContentsForeward by Charles J. Adams Preface Part One - Scripture and Prophet Part Two - Ritual and Community Part Three - Religion and Society Part Four - Scholarship and Interpretation Part Five - Challenge and Criticism Part Six - Reference Manual

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe late Annemarie Schimmel drew exhaustively on an enourmous range of sources both ancient and modern to create this thorough survey of a unique body of literature. Travelling from continent to continent and across the centuries, this story of Islamic poetry encompasses a wide spectrum of traditions and cultures, from Arabic religious verse to the ecstasies of the persian Sufis and the popular folk poetry of India and Pakistan.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction 1. Flowers of the Desert: The Development of Arabic Mystical Poetry 2. Tiny Mirros of Divine Beauty: Classical persian Mystical Poetry 3. Sun Triumphal - Love Triumphant: Maulana Rumi and the Metaphors of Love 4. The Voice of Love: Mystical poetry in the Vernaculars 5. God's Beloved and Intercessor for Man: Poetry in Honor of the Prophet Abbreviations Used in Notes and Bibliography Notes Bibliography Index of Selected Quotations Index of Proper Names Index of Technical Terms

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe only comprehensive introduction to al-Farabi - the first Islamic philosopher to translate the works of Plato and Aristotle. This new survey from a leading scholar documents the philosopher's life, writings and achievements.Table of ContentsPreface Introduction 1 LIFE AND WORKS 2 AL-FĀRĀBI AND THE GREEK LEGACY The genesis of philosophy Philosophy and religion Presocratics, stoics and peripatetics Plato and his philosophy The philosophy of Aristotle The harmony of Plato and Aristotle 3 THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE SCIENCES The interrelation of the sciences Logic and mathematics Physics and metaphysics Ethics and politics The Islamic sciences 4 AL-FĀRĀBI AS LOGICIAN The logical corpus The analysis of logical terms The demonstrative art Rhetoric and poetics 5 THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE The nature of scientific knowledge The various senses of the term ‘intellect’ (‘aql) The Active Intellect 6 EMANATION VERSUS CREATION The Neoplatonic legacy The nature of the First Being or the One The intellect, as the first emanation The heavenly bodies The material world The human soul and its faculties Prophecy and the imaginative faculty 7 ETHICAL THEORY The attainment of happiness The moral virtues and their acquisition Evil and not-being Justice and friendship 8 POLITICAL THEORY The principles of political association The master organ and the master ruler (ra’īs) The qualification of the chief ruler (ra’īs) The virtuous city The non-virtuous cities The outgrowths (nawābit) as a hybrid class Lawlessness and discord Political justice and religious piety The fate of the soul after death 9 AL-FĀRĀBI AND MUSIC 10 AL-FĀRĀBI IN HISTORY The triumph of Neoplatonism Al-Fārābi’s philosophical legacy Al-Ghazāli’s onslaught on Al-Fārābi and Ibn Sīna Ibn Bājjah and the Andalusian interlude Ibn Rushd (Averroes) Neoplatonism and Sufism Al-Fārābi and the West Conclusion Appendix Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisDeveloped in response to the events of September 11, 2001, these 14 articles from prominent Muslim thinkers offer a provocative reassessment of Islam's relationship with the modern world. Confronting issues such as racism, justice, sexuality and gender, this book reveals the real challenges faced by Muslims of both sexes in contemporary Western society. A probing, frank, and intellectually refreshing testament to the capacity of Islam for renewal, change, and growth, these articles from fifteen Muslim scholars and activists address the challenging and complex issues that confront Muslims today. Avoiding fundamentalist and apologetic approaches, the book concentrates on the key areas of debate in progressive Islamic thought: "Contemporary Islam," "Gender Justice," and "Pluralism." With further contributions on subjects as diverse and controversial as the alienation of Muslim youth; Islamic law, marriage, and feminism; and the role of democracy in Islam, this volume will prove thought-provoking for all those interested in the challenges of justice and pluralism facing the Muslim world as it confronts the twenty-first century.Trade Review"A significant and welcome efforet providing an analytic overview by some contemporary progressive Muslim scholars. The book offers a very incisive critique and highlights the compelling need for a wholesome and rational approach to the issues." * Islamic Studies Journal *Table of ContentsIntroduction: The times they are a-changin’ – a Muslim quest for justice, gender equality and pluralism Omid Safi Part I PROGRESSIVE MUSLIMS AND CONTEMPORARY ISLAM 1 The ugly modern and the modern ugly: reclaiming the beautiful in Islam Khaled Abou El Fadl 2 In search of progressive Islam beyond 9/11 Farid Esack 3 Islam: a civilizational project in progress Ahmet Karamustafa 4 The debts and burdens of critical Islam Ebrahim Moosa 5 On being a scholar of Islam: risks and responsibilities Tazim R. Kassam Part II PROGRESSIVE MUSLIMS AND GENDER JUSTICE 6 Transforming feminism: Islam, women and gender justice Sa‘diyya Shaikh 7 Progressive Muslims and Islamic jurisprudence: the necessity for critical engagement with marriage and divorce law Kecia Ali 8 Sexuality, diversity and ethics in the agenda of progressive Muslims Scott Siraj al-Haqq Kugle 9 Are we up to the challenge? The need for a radical re-ordering of the Islamic discourse on women Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons Part III PROGRESSIVE MUSLIMS AND PLURALISM 10 Muslims, pluralism, and interfaith dialogue Amir Hussain 11 American Muslim identity: race and ethnicity in progressive Islam Amina Wadud 12 Islamic democracy and pluralism Ahmad S. Moussalli 13 How to put the genie back in the bottle? “Identity” Islam and Muslim youth cultures in America Marcia Hermansen 14 What is the victory of Islam? Towards a different understanding of the Ummah and political success in the contemporary world Farish A. Noor Further Reading Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisFeaturing over 250 key thinkers both major and less well-known, and spanning three centuries, this is a comprehensive survey of early Shi’ite literature, and the first of its kind. For each figure, the author offers a summary of their life and achievements, before outlining their literary and scholarly contributions to the canon, and documenting all sources for their writings, even those long-since vanished. Each entry includes information on further reading for the figure in question, in addition to detailed footnotes and a full bibliography.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is the first comprehensive study of the role of animals in the Islamic tradition. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including classic texts in philosophy, literature and mysticism, Foltz traces the development of Islamic attitudes towards animals over the centuries and confronts some of the key ethical questions facing Muslims today.Trade Review"For those who wish to learn about animal rights and Islam, but who are beginners when it comes to either or both, this will be an interesting book and an easy read." * American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences *"Drawing on a wide range of sources, including classic texts in philosophy, literature and mysticism, Foltz traces the development of Islamic attitudes towards animals over the centuries and confronts some of the key ethical questions facing Muslims today." * Concordia Journal *"Foltz's book encapulates, in a very brief and handy volume, most of the available information about animals in Islam." * Eco Islam *--Positive review in the magazine of the Danish Vegetarian Society, it is written in Danish. * Vegetaren *"This book endeavours to enlighten and inform the reader about the place of animals in Islam" * Muslim World Book Review *Article "For Pet's Sake: A religious debate on whether there's an afterlife for animals" mentions the books and discusses some of Foltz views. * Newsday.com *"For those who wish to learn about animal rights and Islam, but who are beginners when it comes to either or both, this will be an interesting book and an easy read." * American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences *"A thoroughly researched and comprehensive study on Islam and Animal Welfare." * Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics *"Drawing on a wide range of sources, including classic texts in philosophy, literature and mysticism, Foltz traces the development of Islamic attitudes towards animals over the centuries and confronts some of the key ethical questions facing Muslims today." * Concordia Journal *"A thoroughly researched and comprehensive study on Islam and Animal Welfare." * Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics *"Foltz's book encapulates, in a very brief and handy volume, most of the available information about animals in Islam." * Eco Islam *--Positive review in the magazine of the Danish Vegetarian Society, it is written in Danish. * Vegetaren *"This book endeavours to enlighten and inform the reader about the place of animals in Islam" * Muslim World Book Review *Article "For Pet's Sake: A religious debate on whether there's an afterlife for animals" mentions the books and discusses some of Foltz views. * Newsday.com *Table of ContentsPreface xi Introduction: Islam, Muslims, and Non-human Animals 1 Muslims and Islam: Some Facts and Definitions 8 1 Animals in Islamic Source Texts 11 2 Animals in Islamic Law 29 3 Animals in Philosophy and Science 47 4 Animals in Literature and Art 65 5 Contemporary Muslim Views on 6 Towards an Islamic Vegetarianism 105 7 Muslim Attitudes Towards Dogs 129 Conclusions 145 Notes 153 Bibliography 173 Organizations 181 Index 184

Read more less

Book SynopsisWandering dervishes formed a prominent feature of most Muslim communities well into the modern period, surviving in some regions even today. Shocking in appearance, behavior, and speech, these social misfits were revered by the public, yet denounced by cultural elites. /God's Unruly Friends/ is the first in-depth and comprehensive survey of this enigmatic type of piety, tracing the history of the different dervish groups that roamed the lands. As the definitive appraisal of this neglected topic, /God's Unruly Friends/ will fascinate both scholars of religion and those who seek to challenge and broaden their conception of Islam.Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. Renunciation through Social Deviance 3. Renunciation, Deviant Individualism, and Sufism 4. Ascetic Virtuosi 5. Dervish Groups in Full Bloom, 1200-1500 6. Dervish Groups in the Ottoman Empire, 1450-1550 7. Renunciation in the Later Middle Period 8. Conclusion

Read more less