The Revival of Islamic Rationalism
Logic, Metaphysics and Mysticism in Modern Muslim Societies

A rapidly expanding Islamic revival movement shows that Islamic rationalism and not jihadism is to define twenty-first century Islam.

Masooda Bano (Author)

9781108485319, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 16 January 2020

266 pages, 2 maps 1 table
23.5 x 16 x 1.9 cm, 0.51 kg

In this book, Masooda Bano presents an in-depth analysis of a new movement that is transforming the way that young Muslims engage with their religion. Led by a network of Islamic scholars in the West, this movement seeks to revive the tradition of Islamic rationalism. Bano explains how, during the period of colonial rule, the exit of Muslim elites from madrasas, the Islamic scholarly establishments, resulted in a stagnation of Islamic scholarship. This trend is now being reversed. Exploring the threefold focus on logic, metaphysics, and deep mysticism, Bano shows how Islamic rationalism is consistent with Sunni orthodoxy and why it is so popular among young, elite, educated Muslims, who are now engaging with classical Islamic texts. One of the most tangible results of this revival is that Islamic rationalism - rather than jihadism - is emerging as one of the most influential movements in the contemporary Muslim world.

1. Global shifts and the rise of Islamic rationalism
Part I. Specialist versus Tacit Knowledge: 2. What is Islam?
3. Learning from the old geographies of Islam
4. Teaching in the new geographies of Islam
5. Mixing dispersed knowledge
Part II. Affluence and Creativity: 6. Material conditions and attitudes towards the texts
7. Elites and institutional consolidation.

Subject Areas: Islamic theology [HRHT], Islamic life & practice [HRHP], Islamic worship, rites & ceremonies [HRHC], Philosophy of religion [HRAB], Philosophy: logic [HPL], Philosophy: metaphysics & ontology [HPJ], Islamic & Arabic philosophy [HPDC]