Early Muslim Dogma: A Source-Critical Study

by Michael Cook

Overview

The key sources for the reconstruction of the early history of Muslim dogma are a group of texts ascribed to authors of the late first century of the Hijra. These texts bear on two major doctrinal controversies, the Murji'ite and the Qadarite, raising issues related on the one hand to the judgement of the events of the First Civil War, and on the other to the dilemma of predestination and free will. Part I and II of this study present a new source for the early history of the Murji'a, and argue new positions regarding the early doctrine and politics of the movement. Parts III and IV are an investigation of the authenticity and dating of this and half a dozen similar sources; the issues thereby raised are fundamental for the history of Muslim dogma, and have ramifications for the study of early Muslim history at large. The book also discusses the origin of particular Muslim doctrines in the religious and intellectual trends of late antiquity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521545723
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	12/04/2003
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.55(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.67(d)

Table of Contents

Preface; Part I. The Sirat Salim and the Early Epistles: 1. Salim b. Dhakwan and his epistle; 2. Literary parallels; 3. The role of Korean and hadith; Part II. The Sirat Salim and Early Murji'ism: 4. The sirat salim on the murji'a: translation; 5. Murji'ite doctrine; 6. Murji'ite politics; 7. Murji'ite origins; Part III. The Dating of the Early Epistles: 8. The letters of Ibn Ibad to 'Abd al-Malik; 9. The K. al-irja'; 10. The sirat salim; Part IV. The Documents of the Qadarite Controversy: 11. The dating of traditions; 12. The epistle of Hasan of Basra; 13. The epistle of 'Umar II; 14. The questions of Hasan b. Muhammad; 15. An epistle of Jacob of Edessa; 16. Conclusion; Appendix; Notes; Addenda; Indexes.