Truth and narrative : the untimely thoughts of ʻAyn al-Quḍāt al-Hamadhānī

'Ayn al-Qudat is one of the great multi-dimensional geniuses of Islamic intellectual history and has even been described as the true father of deconstructionism, yet he remains little known and even less understood in the English speaking world. Hamid Dabashi has filled this gap with a compelling and sophisticated analysis of this seminal 12th century writer and thinker. Prof. Dabashi frees 'Ayn al-Qudat from the static categorizations of mystic, philosopher, theologian, poet or social critic and allows the dynamism and subversive thrust of his life and intellect to emerge. Untimely thoughts provides a clearly written critical introduction to the intellectual, literary, religious and philosophical struggles of the time as expressed by one of Islam's greatest and most radical writers. In one of the few commentaries that Orientalist scholars have written on 'Ayn al-Qudat al-Hamadhani, this is how he is introduced: The most famous victim of outraged orthodoxy was al-Hallaj, 'martyr-mystic of Islam' as he was called by the late Louis Massignon....