This work is concerned mainly with the metaphysical thought of Shah Wali Allah (1114-1176/1703-1762), the greatest Muslim scholar of eighteenth century India. From the intellectual point of view, eighteenth century has a similar importance for the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent as it has for the West. By that time, Shah Wali Allah set out to reformulate the religio-intellectual legacy of Islam in order to reorganize the Muslims on the basis of their religion. The most distinguished feature of this movement was that theological and metaphysical issues were interpreted rationally. Reason was used not as a weapon against religious truth but as instrument for supporting it.
This book examines and analyses the legitimacy of the widely held claim that Mulla Sadra's philosophy (al-hikmah al-muta'aliyyah) is a synthesis of principles and doctrines drawn from revelation (wahy), gnosis ('irfan/ma'rifah) and discursive philosophy (al-hikmah al-bahthiyyah). In Mulla Sadra's view, these three major sources of knowledge can be brought together without contradiction and accorded their respective roles in the human quest for true and certain knowledge. This book discusses and demonstrates how Mulla Sadra achieves this synthesis as contained in and exemplified by his text, al-Hikmah al-'arshiyyah or Wisdom from the Divine Throne. An evaluation on whether or not Mulla Sadra's synthesis is successful is also undertaken. The criteria used for the evaluation are the internal coherence of his ideas, their conformity to Islamic teachings and impact on Islamic thinkers after him.
Nasr examines the life and thought of Mawlana Mawdudi, one of the first and most important Islamic ideological thinkers. Mawdudi was the first to develop a modern political Islamic ideology, and a plan for social action to realize his vision. The prolific writings and indefatigable efforts of Mawdudi's party, the Jamaat-i-Islami, first in India and later in Pakistan, have disseminated his ideas far and wide. His views have informed revivalism from Morocco to Malaysia. Nasr discerns the events that led Mawdudi to a revivalist perspective, and probes the structure of his thought, in order to gain fresh insights into the origins of Islamic revivalism. He argues that Islamic revivalism did not simply develop as a cultural rejection of the West, rather it was closely tied to questions of communal politics and its impact on identity formation, discourse of power in plural societies, and nationalism. Mawdudi's discourse, though aimed at the West, was motivated by Muslim-Hindu competition for power in British India. His aim, according to Nasr, was to put forth a view of Islam whose invigorated, pristine, and uncompromising outlook would galvanize Muslims into an ideologically uniform and hence politically indivisible community. In time, this view developed a life of its own and evolved into an all-encompassing perspective on society and politics, and has been a notable force in South Asia and Muslim life and thought across the Muslim world.
The Present Book Deals With The Least Known Reformative, Academic And Social Service Related Matters Where Muslims Have Contributed Clandestinely. Contents: 1. Ghazzali And Revival Of Islamic Sciences; 2. Ibn Taimiyah- An Introduction; 3. The Attitude Of Ibn-Taimiyah To Philosophy And Ilm Al Kalam; 4. Ibn Taimiyah`S Critique Of Greek Logic-A Study Of Ar-Raddo `Alal-Mantiqiyin; 5. Ilmul-Al-Kalam Of Shah Wali Allah Of Dehalawi; 6. The Background Of The Maktubat Of Shaikh Ahmad Sarhindi; 7. Rational Sciences In Medieval India; 8. Sufism In Kashmir; 9. Spiritual Economy-Syed Ali Hamadani And His Role In The Advancement Of Arts And Crafts In Kashmir; 10. Muslims Contribution To Medical Sciences.
Islamic philosophy has often been treated as being largely of historical interest, belonging to the history of ideas rather than to philosophical study. This volume successfully overturns that view. Emphasizing the living nature and rich diversity of the subject, it examines the main thinkers and schools of thought, discusses the key concepts of Islamic philosophy and covers a vast geographical area. This indispensable reference tool includes a comprehensive bibliography and an extensive index.
Islamic Thought is a fresh and contemporary introduction to the philosophies and doctrines of Islam. Abdullah Saeed, a distinguished Muslim scholar, traces the development of religious knowledge in Islam, from the pre-modern to the modern period. The book focuses on Muslim thought, as well as the development, production and transmission of religious knowledge, and the trends, schools and movements that have contributed to the production of this knowledge. Key topics in Islamic culture are explored, including the development of the Islamic intellectual tradition, the two foundation texts, the Qur’an and Hadith, legal thought, theological thought, mystical thought, Islamic Art, philosophical thought, political thought, and renewal, reform and rethinking today. Through this rich and varied discussion, Saeed presents a fascinating depiction of how Islam was lived in the past and how its adherents practise it in the present. Islamic Thought is essential reading for students beginning the study of Islam but will also interest anyone seeking to learn more about one of the world’s great religions.
