Commanding Right and Forbidding Wrong in Islamic Thought

Michael Cook's magnum opus charts the history of 'commanding right and forbidding wrong' in Islamic thought.

Michael Cook (Author)

9780521661744, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 25 January 2001

724 pages
23.7 x 16.3 x 4.6 cm, 1.26 kg

Review of the hardback: '… this will leave his readers in awe of not only the scope and depth of his research and understanding but also the eloquence, precision, and detail with which the results are presented. … eminently readable … a true sense of intellectual synthesis pervades the book … We are presented with a treasure trove of Islamic thought throughout the centuries of its existence, with a veritable comprehensive intellectual history focused on legal and theological positions. … I cannot imagine any scholar of Islam, classical or modern, who would not find something of considerable interest and substantial intellectual value in this book.' Journal of the American Oriental Society

What kind of duty do we have to try to stop other people doing wrong? The question is intelligible in just about any culture, but few of them seek to answer it in a rigourous fashion. The most striking exception is found in the Islamic tradition, where 'commanding right' and 'forbidding wrong' is a central moral tenet already mentioned in the Koran. As an historian of Islam whose research has ranged widely over space and time, Michael Cook is well placed to interpret this complex subject. His book represents the first sustained attempt to map the history of Islamic reflection on this obligation. It covers the origins of Muslim thinking about 'forbidding wrong', the relevant doctrinal developments over the centuries, and its significance in Sunni and Shi'ite thought today. In this way the book contributes to the understanding of Islamic thought, its relevance to contemporary Islamic politics and ideology, and raises fundamental questions for the comparative study of ethics.

Part I. Introduction: 1. The goldsmith of Marw
2. Koran and Koranic exegesis
3. Tradition
4. Biographical literature about early Muslims
Part II. The Hanbalites: 5. Ibn Hanbal
6. The Hanbalites of Baghdad
7. The Hanbalites of Damascus
8. The Hanbalites of Najd
Part III. The Mu'tazilities and Shi'ites: 9. The Mu'tazilites
10. The Zaydis
11. The Imamis
Part IV. Other Sects and Schools: 12. The Hanafis
13. The Shafi'ites
14. The Malikis
15. The Ibadis
16. Ghazzali
17. Classical Islam in retrospect
Part V. Beyond Classical Islam: 18. Modern Islamic developments
19. Origins and comparisons
20. Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Islamic & Arabic philosophy [HPDC]