BOOK: Emad HAMDEH, Salafism and Traditionalism - Scholarly Authority in Modern Islam (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020). ISBN 9781108485357, 75.00 GBP

 

(Source: CUP)

Cambridge University Press is publishing a new book on the history of Islamic scholarship and scholarly authority in the 20^th century, with a focus on Salafism.

ABOUT THE BOOK

One of the most contentious topics in modern Islam is whether one should adhere to an Islamic legal school or follow scripture directly. For centuries, Sunni Muslims have practiced Islam through the framework of the four legal schools. The 20th century, however, witnessed the rise of individuals who denounced the legal schools, highlighting cases where they contradict texts from the Qur'ān or Sunna. These differences are exemplified in the heated debates between the Salafi ḥadīth scholar Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī and his Traditionalist critics. This book examines the tensions between Salafis and Traditionalists concerning scholarly authority in Islam. Emad Hamdeh offers an insider's view of the debates between Salafis and Traditionalists and their differences regarding the correct method of interpreting Islam. He provides a detailed analysis of the rise of Salafism, the impact of the printing press, the role of scholars in textual interpretation, and the divergent approaches to Islamic law.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emad Hamdeh, Embry-Riddle University

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part I. History:

1. Traditionalism and Salafism

2. A controversial Salafi

3. Gatekeepers of knowledge: self-learning and Islamic expertise

Part II. Islamic Law:

4. Can two opposing opinions be valid? Legal pluralism in Islam

5. Qur'an and Sunna or the Madhhabs?

6. The pursuit of authencity: reevaluating weak Hadith

7. Challenging early Hadith Scholarship.

 

More info here