Description
Book SynopsisThis book offers a long-overdue intellectual biography of the late Egyptian Shaykh Mohammed al-Ghazali (d.1996). But its main purpose is to shed light on Shari'a, a highly politicized concern of our times. Instead of the standard accounts of Islam emphasizing 'extremists,' 'traditionalists,' 'moderates,' or 'modernists,' the book introduces a multi-layered approach to understanding the contours of Shari'a rulemaking. It highlights the technical and historical trajectory of this rulemaking process, thereby challenging the prevailing academic narrative as well as popular Muslim narratives. In using this contemporary influential Muslim scholar as a reference, the book assesses what so many Sunni Muslims see in Shari'a, at least in this Egyptian context, and how such devotion could hinder or promote genuine reform.
Table of ContentsIntroduction: Shari'a, Ghazali and their StudyPart I: Portraits from a Muslim Journey into the 20th CenturyChapter 1:The Contexts: The Modern al-Ghazali and his World Chapter 2: The Texts: On the Shelves Chapter 3: Elusive Texts: Book of Tension Chapter 4: Untidy Texts: Ghazali vs Ghazali Chapter 5: Case of Women: Textualising Context Chapter 6: The Contents (Scripture): God and Women LeadersPart II: Shari'a Rulemaking TrajectoryChapter 7: Is Shari'a a Method? Is it a Law? Does it Matter? Chapter 8: Shari'a and Telling of the Muslim StoryEpilogue: What's in a Historical Narrative?
