Good intro to the richness of Islamic thought
September 30, 2006
This is perhaps the best introduction on Islamic thought for general readers (non-specialists). Recommended for anyone who wishes to have a broad understanding of the subject.
Contents:
Transmission of Religious Knowledge and Islamic Thought
• early trends
• Kharjis
• Shi’a
• Murji’is
• Jabris
• Qadaris
• Mu’tazilis
• Sunnis
• Sufis
• dissemination of knowledge
The Qur’an: The Primary Foundation Text
• as revelation
• structure
• major themes
• understanding and interpreting
• exegesis
• schools of exegesis
The Sunna of the Prophet
• anatomy of hadith
• hadith scholarship today
Legal Thought
• shari’a and fiqh
• early development
• sources of law
• schools of law
• ijtihad
• islamic law in modernity
Theological Thought
• development of kalam
• early theological debates
• Mu’tazila
• Ash’ari
• Maturidi
• Imami Shi’a theology
• decline in kalam
• kalam in the modern period
Mystical Thought: Sufism
• development of sufi orders
• critique of sufism
• sufism today
Artistic Expression
• art and representation
• music and singing
• architecture and mosques
Philosophical Thought
• greek and roman philosophy
• near eastern philosophy
• indian and persian philosophy
• muslim philosophy
• muslim philosophical trends
• great muslim philosophers
• modern philosophical thought
Political Thought
• historical context
• debates on imamate and leadership
• Shi’a
• Sunnis
• separation of religion from politics
• state and citizenship
• Khomeni
• Ghannushi
Renewal, Reform and Muslim Modernism
• premodern reform movements
• colonialism and jihad movements
• muslim modernism
• neo-modernism
Trends In Islamic Thought Today
• legalist traditionalist
• political islamists
• secular muslims
• theological puritans
• militant extremists
• progressive ijtihadis
Title: Islamic Thought: An Introduction
Author: Abdullah Saeed
You might be interested in these:
- In-store Event: Philosophical Foundations of Islamic Metaphysics
- What Salad Are You?
- Best Read of 2007
- New Arrivals September 2011
- Wardah Best Reads of 2008
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