Original Islam: Malik And The Madhhab Of Madina

Book Summary

"Original Islam" investigates the primacy of Madinan Islam and the madhhab (school of law) of its main exponent, Malik ibn Anas. It contains an annotated translation of Intisar al-faqir al-salik li-tarjih madhhab al-Imam al-kabir Malik, which was written by al-Ra'i, a 15th century Andalusian scholar resident in Cairo. This book includes: a comprehensive section on the scholarly credentials of the great 8th century Madinan jurist Malik ibn Anas a detailed examination of a number of theoretical and practical disputed legal issues examples of the inter-madhhab rivalry and prejudice prevalent in 15th century Cairo an extensive introduction giving background information on al-Ra'i and his life and times It also highlights the significance of the text for contemporary Muslim discourse, in which both 'modernist' and 'fundamentalist' elements often equate the concept of madhhab with an outmoded tradition which must be rejected as irrelevant to the practice of Islam in a globalized world. This book aims to put this ongoing controversy about madhhab, particularly the Maliki madhhab and its "pre-madhhab" Madinan origins, on a surer footing. Original Islam provides access to a hitherto little known area of Islamic law and is essential reading for those with interests in this area.

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