The Exoteric Ahmad Ibn Idris: A Sufi's Critique of the Madhahib and the Wahhabis : Four Arabic Texts With Translation and Commentary (Islamic History and Civilization) [Hardcover]

Bernd Radtke (Author), John O'Kane (Author), Knut S. Vikor (Author), R. S. O'Fahey (Author)

Book Description

Series: Islamic History and Civilization | Publication Date: December 1999

The Moroccan mystic and theologian A?mad b. Idr's (1749-1837) was one of the most dynamic personalities in the Islamic world of the 19th century. Through his teachings and the activity of his students important Sufi orders were founded which exerted wide-ranging social and political influence, orders such as the San?siyya in Libya and the Khatmiyya in the Sudan. To date, publications dealing with him have especially focused on his biography and particular aspects of his mystical doctrines. In the present work an Arabic edition and translation with commentary of two texts are made available which throw light on Ibn Idr?s' attitude towards the religious-dogmatic questions of his day and age. The first text, "Ris?lat al-Radd 'al? ahl al-ra'y," provides information about Ibn Idr?s' relation to the Islamic schools of jurisprudence, in particular his position regarding the "ijtih?d-taql?d" debate which was so significant in the 18th and 19th centuries. Like many similarly minded scholars of his time, A?mad b. Idr's categorically rejects the authority of the established schools of jurisprudence and favors instead the application of personal methods in deriving a legal judgement. The second text presented here is a vivid report by one of his students describing a debate which Ibn Idr?s, at an advanced age, entered into with a Wahh?b? theologian in the Yemenite city of saby? in 1832. The text makes clear with regard to which points Ibn Idr's hoped to establish agreement with the Wahh?b?s, and where it was not possible to reach any mutual understanding. The introduction of the present book examines the tumultuous political circumstances in which both Arabic texts were composed and sketches thelarger cultural and intellectual context which shaped Ibn Idr?s' world of ideas.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'..".constitue un outil pricieux et un vivant iclairage de premihre main sur le monde islamique au dibut du XIXe sihcle.'
N. Grandin, "Comptes Rendus.
'..".a fine example of scholarly teamwork and shows how many hitherto neglected aspects of later Sufi history can still be discovered.'
Annemarie Schimmel, "Journal of Islamic Studies, 2001.

Language Notes

Text: English, Arabic (translation)
Original Language: Arabic

Product Details

• Hardcover: 225 pages
• Publisher: Brill Academic Pub (December 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9004113754
• ISBN-13: 978-9004113756
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,373,231 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars rare type of book written by a sufi saint, June 11, 2000

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abdul kaffur - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Exoteric Ahmad Ibn Idris: A Sufi's Critique of the Madhahib and the Wahhabis : Four Arabic Texts With Translation and Commentary (Islamic History and Civilization) (Hardcover)

This is a very interesting book which offers the writer who is a sufi saint viewpoint that blind adherence to islamic sharia and those who oppose it both get a rebuttal.The book is quite good it could have been better if only the english translation was reproduced without the arabic text nonetheless those who understand arabic will appreciate it much more,I opine that the author does not have the final answer to this polemical subject,as viewponits are subjective to the conditions of the faith of the people