Mahm=ud Shalt=ut and Islamic Modernism [Hardcover]

Kate Zebiri (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0198263309 | ISBN-13: 978-0198263302 | Publication Date: November 25, 1993

Shaykh Mahmud Shaltut (1897-1963) was a scholar and reformer who held the most senior position in Egypt open to Sunni Muslim religious scholars--that of Rector of the Azhar University in Cairo. His period of office (1958-63) was a turbulent time in Egypt and within the Azhar itself, with President Nasser's socialist government initiating a radical reorganization of that institution in accordance with its policy of exerting greater control over the forces of Islam in Egypt. By focusing on the work of an essentially traditional religious scholar, this study of Shaltut's life and thought will fill a serious gap in modern Islamic studies.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'The fascination of the volume is its concentration on Shaltut's work as an interpreter of the Qur'an and a scholar of jurisprudence.' Jorgen S. Nielsen, Centre for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, Birmingham, Reviews in Religion and Theology, August 1994

'a detailed, in-depth study of his life and thought ... The study is based on careful, detailed, and exhaustive research and is likely to remain the authoritative work on Shalmut for some time to come ... written in a style that is readily accessible to non-specialists.' M. Swartz, Boston University, Choice, May '94

'Zebiri has provided us with a very important study on the modernist `Ulama', especially Muhammad 'Abduh's legacy ... The book fills a gap in that direction and in answering why the modernist 'ulama' have not succeeded in modernizing and also why they have not failed.' Ahmad S. Moussalli, American University of Beirut, Journal of Islamic Studies, Vol. 6, No. 1, 1995

`The overall thesis is clear and convincing ... Specialists in religion and jurisprudence will appreciate Zebiri's detailed attention to Quranic exegesis and modern interpretations of the sharia ... this carefully argued monograph has made an important start in a neglected field and provides a solid basis on which other studies can build.' International Journal of Middle East Studies

`She propounds a learned comparative study intended to clarify the similarities and divergences between Shaltut's exegesis, on the one hand, and that of `Abduh, on the other. The author demonstrates her grasp of this important field by comparing Shaltut's tafsir with other contemporary ones.' British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies

`...Zebiri is to be congratulated for her summaries of Shaltut's style and his use of sources. Zebiri's overall assessment of Shaltut is sober and fair. Her book is clealy written and interesting, critical and sympathetic...it would make an excellent textbook for students at many levels.' Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies

About the Author

Kate Zebiri is a Lecturer in Arabic and Islamic Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies at University of London.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (November 25, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198263309
• ISBN-13: 978-0198263302
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,189,557 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.