A Muslim Theologian in the Sectarian Milieu

A Muslim Theologian in the Sectarian Milieu
Author: Gabriel Reynolds
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 317
Release: 2005-02-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 904740582X

In 385 AH/AD 995 the Qāḍī ‘Abd al-Jabbār, well known for his Mu‘tazilī theological writings, wrote the Confirmation of the Proofs of Prophecy, a work that includes a creative polemic against Christianity. ‘Abd al-Jabbār reinterprets the Bible, Church history (especially the lives of Paul and Constantine) and Christian practice to argue that Christians changed the Islamic religion of Jesus. The present work begins with an examination of the controversial theory that this polemic was borrowed from an unkown Judaeo-Christian group. The author argues that ‘Abd al-Jabbār's polemic is better understood as a response to his particular milieu and the on-going inter-religious debates of the medieval Islamic world. By examining the life and thought of ‘Abd al-Jabbār, along with the Islamic, Christian and Jewish antecedants to his polemic, the author uncovers the intimate relationship between sectarian controversy and the development of an Islamic doctrine on Christianity.

The Development of Exegesis in Early Islam

The Development of Exegesis in Early Islam
Author: Herbert Berg
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 262
Release: 2013-04-03
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1136115145

The most important debate in Islamic origins is that of the reliability of the lists of transmitters (isnads) that are said to guarantee the authenticity of the materials to which they are attached. Many scholars have come to the conclusion that most traditions (hadiths), which claim to preserve the words and deeds of Muhammad and early Muslim scholars, are spurious. Other scholars defend hadiths and their isnads, arguing for an early continuous written transmission of these materials. The first purpose of this study is to summarize and critique the major positions on the issue of the authenticity of hadiths in general and exegetical hadiths in particular. The second purpose is to devise a means of evaluating isnads that does not rely on circular arguments and to use it to determine if the hadiths in the Tafsir of al-Tabari, attributed to Ibn 'Abbas, are genuine.

Quranic Studies

Quranic Studies
Author: John E. Wansbrough
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2004
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9781591022015

Originally published in 1977 by one of the most innovative thinkers in the field of Islamic Studies, "Quranic Studies" presents an in-depth textual exegesis of the Quran, based on form analysis.

Muhammad and the People of the Book

Muhammad and the People of the Book
Author: Sahaja Carimokam
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
Total Pages: 567
Release: 2010-09-17
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1453537856

Muhammad and the People of Book by Sahaja Carimokam asks the question, what was the nature of Muhammad’s relationship to non-Muslims, particularly Jews and Christians, and how did it change over time? This work is based on a chronological reading of the chapters of the Qur’an supplemented with Muslim commentary literature and biographical materials on the life of Muhammad. Carimokam traces Muhammad’s evolving religious viewpoint based on his borrowings of primarily Jewish and some Christian traditional/apocryphal materials. He shows how Muhammad’s inaccurate and anachronistic rendition of Jewish traditional literature ensured that the Jews would reject him as a Prophet. This rejection lead to his ultimatum to the Jews early in the Medinan period of the Qur’an and culminated with his call to Jihad against all non-Muslims, including those Jews and Christians who refused to acknowledge his Prophethood. The origins of takfir, declaring Muslims to be non-Muslims, are considered. Comparisons are made of moderate and traditional interpreters of the Qur’an. Historical-critical issues regarding the background provided by Muslim historical propaganda is considered in one chapter. The book concludes with a controversial issue for the interpretation of Islamic law in the 21st century based on the actual canonical practices of Muhammad.

The Oxford Handbook of New Religious Movements

The Oxford Handbook of New Religious Movements
Author: James R. Lewis
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 545
Release: 2016-04-12
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0190611529

The study of New Religious Movements (NRMs) is one of the fastest-growing areas of religious studies, and since the release of the first edition of The Oxford Handbook of New Religious Movements in 2003, the field has continued to expand and break new ground. In this all-new volume, James R. Lewis and Inga B. T?llefsen bring together established and rising scholars to address an expanded range of topics, covering traditional religious studies topics such as "scripture," "charisma," and "ritual," while also applying new theoretical approaches to NRM topics. Other chapters cover understudied topics in the field, such as the developmental patterns of NRMs and subcultural considerations in the study of NRMs. The first part of this book examines NRMs from a social-scientific perspective, particularly that of sociology. In the second section, the primary factors that have put the study of NRMs on the map, controversy and conflict, are considered. The third section investigates common themes within the field of NRMs, while the fourth examines the approaches that religious studies researchers have taken to NRMs. As NRM Studies has grown, subfields such as Esotericism, New Age Studies, and neo-Pagan Studies have grown as distinct and individual areas of study, and the final section of the book investigates these emergent fields.

Johannine Sectarianism in Perspective

Johannine Sectarianism in Perspective
Author: Kåre Fuglseth
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 465
Release: 2005
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9004144110

The investigation evaluates the nature of the Johannine community by using sociological research on new religious movements today and by comparing John with Philo and the Dead Sea Scrolls. This novel procedure in Johannine research generates several alternative characteristics of John.

Popular Religious Movements and Heterodox Sects in Chinese History

Popular Religious Movements and Heterodox Sects in Chinese History
Author: Hubert Michael Seiwert
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 584
Release: 2003-01-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9789004131460

Annotation In rough chronological order from antiquity to the 19th century, Seiwert (comparative religion, Leipzig U.) identifies and describes religious communities and movements outside the official religion. For the period before the Ming dynasty, he looks at prophecies and messianism in Han Confucianism, popular sects and the early Daoist tradition, heterodox movements in medieval Buddhism, and popular sectarianism during the Song and Yuan dynasties. He devotes the second half of the book to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Ma Xisha (world religions, Chinese Academy for the Social Sciences) collaborated on the work. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

Government and Politics of the Contemporary Middle East

Government and Politics of the Contemporary Middle East
Author: Tareq Y. Ismael
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 469
Release: 2012-10-02
Genre: History
ISBN: 1136941398

This exciting new book for students of Middle Eastern politics provides a comprehensive introduction to the complexities of the region, its politics and people. Combining a thematic framework for examining patterns of politics with individual chapters dedicated to specific countries, the book explores current issues within an historical context. Presenting information in an accessible and inclusive format, the book offers: coverage of the historical influence of colonialism and major world powers on the shaping of the modern Middle East a detailed examination of the legacy of Islam analysis of the political and social aspects of Middle Eastern life: alienation between state and society, poverty and social inequality, ideological crises and renewal case studies on countries in the Northern Belt (Turkey and Iran); the Fertile Crescent (Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, Israel and Palestine); and those West and East of the Red Sea (Egypt and the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council). extensive pedagogical features, including original maps and detailed further reading sections, provide essential support for the reader. A key introductory text for students of Middle Eastern politics and history at advanced undergraduate and postgraduate levels, this book will also be a significant reference for policy-makers and any motivated reader.

Aramaica Qumranica

Aramaica Qumranica
Author: Katell Berthelot
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 654
Release: 2010-11-11
Genre: Literary Collections
ISBN: 9004187863

The articles in this book tackle important linguistic, exegetical and historical questions concerning the Aramaic scrolls from Qumran, addressing for instance the issue of their relevance to the development of apocalypticism and messianism in the Jewish tradition.