Caliphate and Imamate: An Anthology of Medieval Muslim Texts on Political Theology
Edited and translated by Hassan Ansari and Nebil Husayn
Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 978-1-316-64973-2
Translations of seven texts by Islamic authors from the 11th to 13th centuries that deal with politics and theology. They examine the question of who holds political authority and why, whether caliphs or imams.
Abstract:
Rather than focusing on the often controversial debates between Sunnis and Shiites over the best companion to succeed the Prophet, this book focuses on the question of the theological functions and qualifications of a legitimate caliph. In the following chapters, we have tried to translate texts that discuss the teachings of one school regarding the office, without delving into controversial historiography or polemics about specific figures.
Who is this book for?
This book is useful for the study of Islamic theology or medieval political thought. The texts themselves are somewhat difficult to understand without knowledge of Islamic history, but offer medieval scholars an interesting insight into the connection between religion and politics.
The publishers
Hassan Ansari is a research associate at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. Nebil Husayn is an associate professor at the University of Miami.
You can find out more about this book in the Publisher’s website
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