Theology and Creed in Sunni Islam : The Muslim Brotherhood, Ash'arism, and Political Sunnism

The history of Sunni theology is little known, but the impact of its demise has profoundly shaped modern Islam. This book explores the correlation between anti-theological thought and the rise of Islamism in the twentieth century by examining Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood and the leadership of Umar al-Tilmisani (d. 1986). The sociopolitical implications of anti-theological creedalism and its postcolonial intermarriage with the modern nation-state are also analyzed. Ultimately, this study seeks to know whether a revival of Sunni theology, as a rational discourse on religion, can dilute the absolutism of increasingly pervasive Islamist thought in the contemporary Muslim world Front Matter....Pages i-vii Introduction The Unthinkable....Pages 1-11 The Doctrines of Sunni Theology....Pages 13-31 The Demise of ’Ilm al-Kalam....Pages 33-57 Between Theology and Creed....Pages 59-81 The Guide through the Storm....Pages 83-113 The Taliban and the Maturidite School....Pages 115-125 The Promise of Ash’arite Semiotics....Pages 127-141 Conclusion The Revival of Kalam?....Pages 143-157 Back Matter....Pages 159-188 "This book explores the correlation between anti-theological thought and the rise of Islamism in the twentieth century by examining Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood and the leadership of Umar al-Tilmisani (d. 1986)." -- Publisher website