Papers presented at a conference on Ibn Tamiyya and his times, held at Princeton University during 8-10 April 2005.

This book investigates Ibn Taymiyya's approach to some of the core ethical and theological questions of the classical period of Islam and, in doing so, sheds new light on his intellectual identity.

Ibn Taymiyya (1263–1328) of Damascus was one of the most prominent and controversial religious scholars of medieval Islam. He called for jihad against the Mongol invaders of Syria, appealed to the foundational sources of Islam for reform, and battled against religious innovation. Today, he inspires such diverse movements as Global Salafism, Islamic revivalism and modernism, and violent jihadism. This volume synthesizes the latest research, discusses many little-known aspects of Ibn Taymiyya’s thought, and highlights the religious utilitarianism that pervades his activism, ethics, and theology.

A unique collection of studies, the present volume sheds new light on central themes of Ibn Taymiyya's (661/1263-728/1328) and Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya's (691/1292-751/1350) thought and the relevance of their ideas to diverse Muslim societies. Investigating their positions in Islamic theology, philosophy and law, the contributions discuss a wide range of subjects, e.g. law and order; the divine compulsion of human beings; the eternity of eschatological punishment; the treatment of Sufi terminology; and the proper Islamic attitude towards Christianity. Notably, a section of the book is dedicated to analyzing Ibn Taymiyya's struggle for and against reason as well as his image as a philosopher in contemporary Islamic thought. Several articles present the influential legacy of both thinkers in shaping an Islamic discourse facing the challenges of modernity. This volume will be especially useful for students and scholars of Islamic studies, philosophy, sociology, theology, and history of ideas.

Islam's fourth caliph, Ali, can be considered one of the most revered figures in Islamic history. His nearly universal portrayal in Muslim literature as a pious authority obscures centuries of contestation and the eventual rehabilitation of his character. In this book, Nebil Husayn examines the enduring legacy of the nawasib, early Muslims who disliked Ali and his descendants. The nawasib participated in politics and scholarly discussions on religion at least until the ninth century. However, their virtual disappearance in Muslim societies has led many to ignore their existence and the subtle ways in which their views subsequently affected Islamic historiography and theology. By surveying medieval Muslim literature across multiple genres and traditions including the Sunni, Mu'tazili, and Ibadi, Husayn reconstructs the claims and arguments of the nawasib and illuminates the methods that Sunni scholars employed to gradually rehabilitate the image of Ali from a villainous character to a righteous one.

For various reasons the West has not been able to appreciate Ibn Taymiyyah's place in Islam. His criticism of Ash'ari Kalam, Greek logic and philosophy, monistic Sufism, Shi'i doctrines, and Christian faith have proved great obstacles to appreciating his contribution. His way of writing has also been to an extent responsible. Most of his writings are short or long responsa (fatawa) to particular questions, often recurring, put to him by different men at different times, rather than planned, systematic works on particular subjects. This makes the appreciation of his contribution somewhat difficult. Henri Laoust in France was the first to take serious notice of him. Since the publication of his Essay on the Social and Political Doctrines of Ibn Taymiyyah (1939), a few articles and books have appeared on Ibn Taymiyyah's thought, but they are far from giving any clear idea of his overall contribution to Islam, even less of assessing his role in its revival and renewal (tajdid). In fact, there has been little understanding of the concept of tajdid in Islam. This volume consists of selections from various writings of Ibn Taymiyyah included in Majmu' Fatawa Shaykh Al Islam (37 volumes) as well as some of his major works such as Minhaj as Sunnah An Nabawiyyah, Dar Ta'arud al Aql wa-An Naql, kitab Ar Rad alaa Mantaqayyin, Al-Istiqamah, and Iqtida As Sirat Al Mustaqeem. These selections will present a clearer and complete view of Ibn Taymiyyah's concept of Islamic faith, life and society. They are primarily intended to highlight his positive position and mention his criticisms and refutations of other positions only to the extent needed.

This revisionist account of the history of Islamic political thought from the early to the late medieval period focuses on Ibn Taymiyya, one of the most brilliant theologians of his day. This original study demonstrates how his influence shed new light on the entire trajectory of Islamic political thought. Although he did not reject the Caliphate ideal, as is commonly believed, he nevertheless radically redefined it by turning it into a rational political institution intended to serve the community (umma). Through creative reinterpretation, he deployed the Qur'anic concept of fitra (divinely endowed human nature) to centre the community of believers and its common-sense reading of revelation as the highest epistemic authority. In this way, he subverted the elitism that had become ensconced in classical theological, legal and spiritual doctrines, and tried to revive the ethico-political, rather than strictly legal, dimension of Islam. In reassessing Ibn Taymiyya's work, this book marks a major departure from traditional interpretations of medieval Islamic thought.

Ibn Taymiyya remains one of the most controversial Islamic thinkers today because of his supposed influence on many fundamentalist movements. The common understanding of his ideas have been filtered through the bits and pieces of his statements that have been misappropriated by alleged supporters and avowed critics alike. However, most people still have limited access to his beliefs and opinions as expressed in his own writings. Epistle on Worship: Risalat al-'Ubudiyya, aims to begin filling this gap by presenting an annotated translation of one of Ibn Taymiyya's most important epistles on the theology behind the concept of worship. The introduction gives the reader an overview of his biography and situates Ibn Taymiyya in the broader world of Islamic intellectual history by explaining his methodological arguments and theological opinions. The annotated translation captures the immediacy of his ideas as they impacted his world as well as the relevance they have for our times.

Ibn Taymiyyah is often seen through a simplistic anti-rationalist prism, that is, as someone with strict and literal inclinations towards hadith which he over emphasized and preferred to acceptance of broader legal theories and principles. The present text would suffice to undermine the view. Raf al Malaam an AlAimmat al A'lam is a short text in which the reader observes Ibn Taymiyyah as a jurist Par excellence. In this treatise, which has a balanced tone and is couched in erudite language, he proceeds to argue as to why a mujtahid might depart from directly acting upon a hadith text and follow instead his methodological principles (Usul). This forms the basis of his delineating the reasons underlying the disagreements found among Muslim jurists in general and their holding differing legal opinions and proffering divergent arguments in support of those opinions.

This small book contains a collection of letters demonstrating a side of the personality of Shaykul-Islaam ibn Taymeeyah which is not commonly recognized. Usually, it is his tough and uncompromising stances and his truthful, sometimes harsh retorts that are remembered. However, as this work demonstrates he was also a concerned son, a devoted teacher and a passionate defender of the religion. These letters were selected and introduced by Shaykul Muhammad Sulaiman al-Abdah. Born in Syria in 1941, and now residing in London, he has taught in the religious institutes and the Islaamic University of Madeenah. He now devotes his time to work in Islamic Da'wah.