Philosophy of Religion in Islam

‘‘A remarkable and indispensable resource for those with an avid interest in the historicaldevelopment of Islamic philosophy. By meticulously compiling and translating key texts frommedieval Islamic scholars—many of which are being made available in English for the first time—this work provides an unparalleled window into the rich intellectual traditions that shaped Islamicthought during the classical period. Beyond its historical significance, this anthology is also highlyrelevant to contemporary discussions, bridging past and present by offering insights that continueto influence modern debates on faith, reason, and the philosophy of religion. It is an essential readfor historians, philosophers, and anyone engaged in the ongoing exploration of Islamic intellectualheritage.’’

– Shoaib Ahmed Malik * Lecturer in Science and Religion, University of Edinburgh, UK *

‘‘Rather than theorize about Islam’s relationship to such topics of central importance as God,prophecy, death, ethics, miracles, scripture, and religious diversity, this anthology shows us howmany of the Islamic intellectual tradition’s foremost pre-modern representatives approached thesematters in their own language, and on their own terms … An unparalleled resource for theclassroom, as well as for those interested in expanding their horizons beyond the hackneyedapproach to philosophy of religion characteristic of much contemporary Anglo-Americanphilosophy.’’

– Mohammed Rustom * Professor of Islamic Thought and Global Philosophy, Carleton University, Canada *

‘‘There is no such thing as a philosophy of religion in the Islamic intellectual tradition of the classicalperiod. This volume, however, shows that several topics discussed within this tradition belong towhat we know today as the ‘philosophy of religion’… Acar and Kaya provide an excellent anthology ofphilosophical, theological, juridical, and Sufi texts that capture what can be called the ‘Philosophy ofReligion in Islam’.”

– Luis Xavier López Farjeat * Professor of Philosophy, Panamerican University, Mexico *

‘‘This superbly curated anthology of excerpts from classical Islamic sources will allow Anglophonereaders a deeper insight into the debates, discussions, and arguments of various thinkers from theclassical period. A rich resource for students and instructors alike.’’

– Lloyd Strickland * Professor of Philosophy and Intellectual History, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK *

‘‘This judiciously edited book succeeds in conveying the breadth and depth of Islamic reflection uponthe philosophy of religion. The editors not only show that classical Islamic scholars contended withphilosophical questions akin to ours, but that the answers they provided remain valuable to us today.’’

– Ramon Harvey * Lecturer in Islamic Studies, Cambridge Muslim College, UK *

Rahim Acar is Professor of Philosophy of Religion at Marmara University, Turkey.

M. Cüneyt Kaya is Professor of Islamic Philosophy at Istanbul University, Turkey.