Al-Ghazali's "Moderation in Belief"

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University of Chicago Press, Sep 20, 2013 - Philosophy - 336 pages
Centuries after his death, al-Ghazali remains one of the most influential figures of the Islamic intellectual tradition. Although he is best known for his Incoherence of the Philosophers, Moderation in Belief is his most profound work of philosophical theology. In it, he offers what scholars consider to be the best defense of the Ash'arite school of Islamic theology that gained acceptance within orthodox Sunni theology in the twelfth century, though he also diverges from Ash'arism with his more rationalist approach to the Quran. Together with The Incoherence of the Philosophers, Moderation in Belief informs many subsequent theological debates, and its influence extends beyond the Islamic tradition, informing broader questions within Western philosophical and theological thought.
The first complete English-language edition of Moderation in Belief, this new annotated translation by Aladdin M. Yaqub draws on the most esteemed critical editions of the Arabic texts and offers detailed commentary that analyzes and reconstructs the arguments found in the work’s four treatises. Explanations of the historical and intellectual background of the texts also enable readers with a limited knowledge of classical Arabic to fully explore al-Ghazali and this foundational text for the first time.
With the recent resurgence of interest in Islamic philosophy and the conflict between philosophy and religion, this new translation will be a welcome addition to the scholarship.

From inside the book

Contents

On the Acts of God
157
Fourth Treatise
197
Interpretive Essay
251
Bibliography
291
Index of Qurʾānic Verses
297
Index of Ḥadīths
299
Subject Index
301
Copyright

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About the author (2013)

Aladdin M. Yaqub is associate professor of philosophy at Lehigh University. He is the author of The Liar Speaks the Truth and An Introduction to Logical Theory. He lives in Catasauqua, PA.

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