The Legal Thought of Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūṭī: Authority and Legacy (Oxford Islamic Legal Studies)

Présentation de l'éditeur : "This book offers a new theoretical perspective on the thought of the great fifteenth-century Egyptian polymath, Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 1505). In spite of the enormous popularity that al-Suyuti's works continue to enjoy amongst scholars and students in the Muslim world, he remains underappreciated by western academia. This project contributes to the fields of Mamluk Studies, Islamic Studies, and Middle Eastern Studies not only an interdisciplinary analysis of al-Suyuti's legal writing within its historical context, but also a reflection on the legacy of the medieval jurist to modern debates. The study highlights the discursive strategies that the jurist uses to construct his own authority and frame his identity as a superior legal scholar during a key transitional moment in Islamic history. The approach aims for a balance between detailed textual analysis and 'big picture' questions of how legal identity and religious authority are constructed, negotiated and maintained. Al-Suyuti's struggle for authority as one of a select group of trained experts vested with the moral responsibility of interpreting God's law in society finds echoes in contemporary debates, particularly in his native land of Egypt. At a time when increasing numbers of people in the Arab world have raised their voices to demand democratic forms of government that nevertheless stay true to the principles of Shari'a, the issue of who has the ultimate authority to interpret the sources of law, to set legal norms, and to represent the 'voice' of Shari'a principles in society is still in dispute." Présentation de l'éditeur : "This book offers a new theoretical perspective on the thought of the great fifteenth-century Egyptian polymath, Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 1505). In spite of the enormous popularity that al-Suyuti's works continue to enjoy amongst scholars and students in the Muslim world, he remains underappreciated by western academia. This project contributes to the fields of Mamluk Studies, Islamic Studies, and Middle Eastern Studies not only an interdisciplinary analysis of al-Suyuti's legal writing within its historical context, but also a reflection on the legacy of the medieval jurist to modern debates. The study highlights the discursive strategies that the jurist uses to construct his own authority and frame his identity as a superior legal scholar during a key transitional moment in Islamic history. The approach aims for a balance between detailed textual analysis and 'big picture' questions of how legal identity and religious authority are constructed, negotiated and maintained. Al-Suyuti's struggle for authority as one of a select group of trained experts vested with the moral responsibility of interpreting God's law in society finds echoes in contemporary debates, particularly in his native land of Egypt. At a time when increasing numbers of people in the Arab world have raised their voices to demand democratic forms of government that nevertheless stay true to the principles of Shari'a, the issue of who has the ultimate authority to interpret the sources of law, to set legal norms, and to represent the 'voice' of Shari'a principles in society is still in dispute." This Book Looks At The Thought Of A Key Figure In Islamic History From The Vantage Point Of Different Forms Of Authority. In Addition To Providing Detailed Textual Analysis Of Al-suyuti's Legal Writing In Its Historical Context, The Study Also Connects The Pre-modern Figure To Contemporary Debates In Post-2011 Egypt. 1. Authority By Persuasion: Power Relations In Al-suyūṭī's Legal Opinion On Scharly Stipends -- 2. Authority By Association: Consensus Vs. Ignorance In Al-suyūṭī 's Legal Opinion On Logic -- 3. Authority By Articulation: The Language Of Religious Revival And Reform In Al-suyūṭī 's Tajdīd Genre -- 4. Authority By Aggregation And Abstraction: The Pragmatics Of Communication In Al-suyūṭī 's Book On Legal Precepts -- 5. Authority By Allusion: The Legacy Of Al-suyūṭī In Contemporary Egypt. Rebecca Skreslet Hernandez. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 223-234) And Index. Cover Series The Legal Thought of Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūṭī Copyright Table of Contents Introduction 1 Authority by Persuasion: Power Relations in al-​Suyūṭī’s Legal Opinion on Scholarly Stipends 2 Authority by Association: Consensus vs. Ignorance in al-​Suyūṭī’s Legal Opinion on Logic 3 Authority by Articulation: The Language of Religious Revival and Reform in al-​Suyūṭī’s Tajdīd Genre 4 Authority by Aggregation and Abstraction: The Pragmatics of Communication in al-​Suyūṭī’s Book on Legal Precepts 5 Authority by Allusion: The Legacy of al-​Suyūṭī in Contemporary Egypt Conclusion Bibliography Index "This text looks at the thought of a key figure in Islamic history from the vantage point of different forms of authority. In addition to providing detailed textual analysis of al-Suyuti's legal writing in its historical context, the study also connects the pre-modern figure to contemporary debates in post-2011 Egypt." -- OCLC