This definitive sourcebook presents more than fifty authoritative new translations of key Islamic texts. Edited and translated by three leading specialists and clearly contextualized for introductory-level students, it illustrates the growth of Islamic thought from its seventh-century origins, through to the end of the medieval period. Eight thematically-organized sections cover the Qur'an and its interpretation, the life of Muhammad, hadîth, law, ritual, mysticism, and Islamic history. Among the selections are Ibn 'Abb's's account of the heavenly journey; al-Taft'z'nî on the uncreatedness of the Qur'an as God's speech; al-F'r'bî' on the faculties of the soul; and extracts from Rûmî's Mathnawî.Classical Islam includes a glossary, extensive bibliography and explanatory prefaces for each text. With many extracts translated here for the first time into English, this is an essential resource for the study of early and medieval Islam and its legacy.

Norman Calder, who died in 1998, was a Senior Lecturer in Arabic at the University of Manchester.

Preface

ix

Acknowledgements

xi

PART ONE Formation and salvation history

1

(94)

The Qur'an

3

(13)

Warning: surat al-humaza (104), `The backbiter'

6

(1)

Faith: surat al-bayyina (98), `The clear sign'

7

(1)

The hereafter: surat al-nazi'at (79), `The pullers'

8

(2)

The religion of Islam: a selection from surat al Imran (3), `The people of Imran'

10

(2)

Legal requirements: a selection from surat al-bara'a (9), `The acquittal'

12

(3)

The birth of Jesus: a selection from surat Maryam (19), `Mary'

15

(1)

The life of Muhammad

16

(20)

Muhammad in the Qur'an

16

(3)

Selection from surat al Imran, `The people of Imran' (3)

17

(1)

Selection from surat al-akhzab, `The confederates' (33)

17

(1)

Selection from surat Muhammad, `Muhammad' (47)

18

(1)

Selection from surat al-fath, `Victory' (48)

18

(1)

Surat al-duha, `The morning' (93)

18

(1)

Ibn Abbas on the heavenly ascension

19

(8)

Al-Waqidi on the raid at Bi'r Ma'una

27

(3)

Ibn Sa'd on Muhammad's wives

30

(6)

Hadith

36

(23)

Malik ibn Anas, selection from al-Muwatta' on zakat

36

(3)

Al-Bukhari, selection from al-Sahih on zakat

39

(3)

Ibn Hajar, commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari on zakat

42

(5)

Abu Dawud, selection from al-Sunan on zakat

47

(3)

Ibn Babawayh, selection from Man la yahduruh al-faqih on khums

50

(4)

Al-Kulayni, selection from al-Kafi on temporary marriage

54

(5)

Religious history

59

(36)

Al-Tarafi on Mary, the mother of Jesus

59

(5)

Al-Tha'labi on Abraha and the expedition of the elephant

64

(9)

Al-Wahidi on the occasions of revelation of surat al-baqara (2)

73

(7)

Ibn Atiyya on the collection of the Qur'an

80

(3)

Al-Suyuti on the assassination of Uthman

83

(5)

Al-Ya' qubi and al-Muqaddasi on building the Dome of the Rock

88

(2)

Umar II and the `protected people'

90

(5)

PART TWO Elaboration of the tradition

95

(175)

Qur'anic interpretation

97

(37)

Al-Qurtubi on interpretation of the Qur'an

97

(6)

Al-Qummi on Shi'i alternative readings in the Qur'an

103

(2)

Muqatil ibn Sulayman on surat al-bayyina (98)

105

(3)

Al-Farra' on surat al-bayyina (98)

108

(3)

Furat al-Kufi on surat al-bayyina (98)

111

(3)

Al-Tabari on surat al-bayyina (98)

114

(5)

Al-Zamakhshari on surat al-bayyina (98)

119

(2)

Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, selections on surat al-bayyina (98)

121

(7)

Ibn Kathir on surat al-bayyina (98)

128

(6)

Theology and philosophy

134

(44)

Abu Ubayd on faith

134

(9)

Al-Nawawi on faith and the divine decree

143

(4)

Ibn Qutayba on the partisans of theological reasoning

147

(3)

Al-Ghazali on theological reasoning

150

(2)

Abd al-Jabbar on knowledge

152

(3)

Al-Nasafi and al-Taftazani on God's speech

155

(4)

Ibn al-Jawzi on the edicts of the caliph al-Qadir

159

(4)

Al-Nawbakhti on the Imamiyya

163

(3)

Al-Tusi and al-'Allama al-Hilli on prophecy

166

(4)

Al-Farabi on the soul

170

(8)

Law and ritual

178

(50)

Ibn Abd al-Barr on the status of the sunna

178

(7)

Ibn Qudama on the status of the mujtahid

185

(7)

Al-Nawawi on the ranks of muftis

192

(5)

The fatwas of al-Nawawi

197

(5)

Ibn Hazm on dispute and variation in law

202

(5)

Al-Shirazi on the distribution of alms

207

(3)

Al-Sarakhsi on zakat

210

(5)

Al-Tusi on the division of khums

215

(4)

Al-Muhaqqiq al-Hilli on the distribution of zakat

219

(4)

Nasir-i Khusraw on zakat

223

(5)

Sufism

228

(42)

Al-Ghazali on the path of the Sufis

228

(5)

Al-Sarraj on the sunna and musical audition

233

(4)

Abu Nu'aym's biography of al-Bastami

237

(6)

Al-Qushayri on the term Sufi, Sufi states and satisfaction

243

(5)

Hujwiri on drunkenness and sobriety

248

(5)

Rumi and the Mathnawi

253

(9)

Shah Ni'mat Allah Wali on the path to union

262

(8)

Glossary-index

270

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