Salafism and Traditionalism
Scholarly Authority in Modern Islam

Provides a detailed reconstruction of the heated debates between Salafis and Traditionalist over the contested role of Islamic scholarly authority.

Emad Hamdeh (Author)

9781108485357, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 18 March 2021

240 pages
23.5 x 15.7 x 1.9 cm, 0.5 kg

'By presenting in turn the arguments of al-Albānī and those of his detractors, the author offers a guide to understanding one of the most bitter debates (ad personam attacks are commonplace) that plagued Islam in the 20th century and whose repercussions are still felt today, a debate that concerns nothing less than the source of religious authority. For this reason alone, his work deserves to be studied and discussed. However, the author does not simply present al-Albānī in the text; he situates his thought in the context of the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the secularization of politics, and the widespread spread of education. In doing so, he makes an important contribution to the study of the emergence of religious fundamentalisms in the modern world.' Jason Dean, Revue d'histoire et de philosophie religieuses

One of the most contentious topics in modern Islam is whether one should adhere to an Islamic legal school or follow scripture directly. For centuries, Sunni Muslims have practiced Islam through the framework of the four legal schools. The 20th century, however, witnessed the rise of individuals who denounced the legal schools, highlighting cases where they contradict texts from the Qur'ān or Sunna. These differences are exemplified in the heated debates between the Salafi ḥadīth scholar Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī and his Traditionalist critics. This book examines the tensions between Salafis and Traditionalists concerning scholarly authority in Islam. Emad Hamdeh offers an insider's view of the debates between Salafis and Traditionalists and their differences regarding the correct method of interpreting Islam. He provides a detailed analysis of the rise of Salafism, the impact of the printing press, the role of scholars in textual interpretation, and the divergent approaches to Islamic law.

Part I. History: 1. Traditionalism and Salafism
2. A controversial Salafi
3. Gatekeepers of knowledge: self-learning and Islamic expertise
Part II. Islamic Law: 4. Can two opposing opinions be valid? Legal pluralism in Islam
5. Qur'an and Sunna or the Madhhabs?
Part III. Hadith: 6. The pursuit of authencity: reevaluating weak Hadith
7. Challenging early Hadith scholarship.

Subject Areas: Legal history [LAZ], Islamic theology [HRHT], Islamic life & practice [HRHP], Islam [HRH], Middle Eastern history [HBJF1]