New edited volume on the relationship between Islamic theology and Islamic law published

The anthology “Dynamics of Tradition: Islamic Theology and Law in Relation”, edited by the AIWG short-term research group of the same name, was recently published by Brill. In this volume, an interdisciplinary group of researchers examines the historical connection, common developments and interactions between Islamic theology (kalām) and jurisprudence (uṣūl al-fiqh) in nine contributions. The editors are Jun.-Prof. Dr. Idris Nassery and Prof. Dr. Muna Tatari.

This volume summarises results presented at the conference of the same name held in September 2021 that was organised by the AIWG short-term research group ‘On the Dynamics of Tradition: The Relationships between Law and Theology,’ which was jointly implemented from 2018 to 2022 by researchers at University of Erlangen–Nuremberg and Paderborn University.

The volume is divided into three parts. In the first part, the authors provide new perspectives on classic debates on the history of Islamic legal theory. The second part is devoted to the presentation of diverse technical processes through which theology and legal theory were brought together in various political, theological, and social contexts. The third part focuses on individual historical movements and personalities who triggered historical paradigm shifts in theology and law. Examples include Muḥammad b. Idrīs aš-Šāfiʿī, to whom the Shafi’i school of law ascribes itself, and Muḥammad b. Muḥammad al-Māturīdī, who is considered the founder of the theological school of thought named after him.

By linking historical, methodological and contemporary perspectives, the editors aim to stress the ongoing relevance and dynamism of the subject matter. First editor Idris Nassery comments:

„The encounter between kalām and uṣūl al-fiqh reveals that Islamic tradition is a living process. The dynamic unfolding between divine truth and human interpretation anchors Islam in its history and at the same time opens Islam to the present.“

The book is part of the series Studies in Islamic Law and Society and is available as both e-book and hardcover.