Islam, Christianity and Tradition

Offers a unique comparative exploration of the role of tradition in Islam and Christianity.The idea of ‘tradition’ has enjoyed a variety of senses and definitions in Islam and Christianity, but both have cleaved at certain times to a supposedly ‘golden age’ of tradition from the past. In comparing the role of tradition in Islam and Christianity, key themes are explored:• The roles of authority• Fundamentalism• The use of reason• Ijtihad (independent thinking)• Original comparisons between Islamic Salafism and Christian LefebvrismThe author suggests there has been a chain of thinkers from classical Islam to the twentieth century who share a common interest in ijtihad (or independent thinking). Drawing on past and present evidence, and using Christian tradition as a focus for contrast and comparison, the author highlights the seemingly paradoxical harmony between tradition and itjihad in Islam.The author draws on a variety of primary and secondary sources including contemporary newspaper and journal articles, documents and letters, adding an immediacy to a lucid and stimulating text.Key Features• Proposes a new vocabulary for the articulation of Islam• Offers original comparisons between Salafism and Lefebvrism• Highlights the paradoxical harmony between tradition and itjihad in Islam• Articulates the yearning amongst today’s Muslim and Christian traditionalists for a revival of a ‘golden age’ from whence, they believe, all good traditions derive

Ian Richard Netton is Emeritus Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Exeter. He is the author or editor of 22 other books and is an internationally acclaimed authority in the field of Islamic Studies. His particular research interests include Islamic Philosophy and theology, Islamic anthropology, Sufism, and medieval Arab travellers.