Seven Classical Perspectives for Islam and Science

This book examines how seven major classical Islamic thinkers, from Abū Manṣūr al-Māturīdī to Taqī al-Dīn Ibn Taymiyya, developed distinctive metaphysical and theological worldviews that continue to shape how Muslims might engage questions of science and religion today. Each thinker represents a unique school within the broader Islamic intellectual tradition, from the rationalism of the Muʿtazilīs and the philosophical vision of Ibn Sīnā to the mystical cosmology of Ibn ʿArabī and the realist theology of Ibn Taymiyya. Through a shared analytic framework, the chapters present how these figures understood God, causality, nature, chance, miracles, and human uniqueness, highlighting their enduring insights and divergences. The result is a coherent and accessible comparative study that bridges classical kalām, falsafa, and Sufism with contemporary discussions in science and theology. This volume is written for researchers, educators, and students of theology, philosophy, and science and religion, and for anyone seeking to understand how classical Islamic thought can offer fresh resources for engaging contemporary science.

The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

Shoaib Ahmed Malik is Lecturer in Science and Religion at the School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh.