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خليفة الله السلطة الدينية في العصور الإسلامية الأولى
ويشرح الكتاب مدى التداخل الديني بالسياسة في موقع "الخلافة" وتنامي ذلك التداخل مع توالي العصور الإسلامية من عصر الخلافة الأول مرورًا بالعصر الأموي ثمّ العباسي، الأمر الذي وصل في مراحل تاريخية إلى حدّ اعتبار أن رأس السلطة هو "خليفة الله" الذي يعمل ويُقرّر بتفويضٍ إلهي، في تقارب ملحوظ مع فكرة الإمامة المعصومة في الوسط الشيعي، وما نتج من ذلك من صراع مع علماء الشريعة الرافضين لهيمنة السُلطة السياسية على مرجعية الحكم الشرعي.
288 pages, Paperback
First published October 9, 1986
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289 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Crone
25 books103 followersPatricia Crone was Professor Emerita in the School of Historical Studies, where she served as the Andrew W. Mellon Professor from 1997 until her retirement in 2014. Crone’s insightful work, compellingly conveyed in her adventurous and unconventional style, shed important new light on the critical importance of the Near East—in particular on the cultural, religious and intellectual history of Islam—in historical studies. Her influence is strongly felt at the Institute, where, along with Oleg Grabar (1929–2011), Crone helped to establish the Institute as a recognized center for the pursuit of the study of Islamic culture and history.
https://www.ias.edu/scholars/patricia...
https://www.ias.edu/scholars/patricia...
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 16, 2019
لا شك أن فكرة الكتاب مهمة وتفتح للقارئ آفاقا وتلفته لأمور ربما لم يكن منتبها لها
لم النجمة الواحدة إذا؟
للمنهج "العفشيكي" الذي اتبعه المؤلفان
يأتيان بروايات من كتاب الأغاني والعقد الفريد يبنيان عليها رؤيتهما
ثم إذا جاء نص يخالف فكرتهما، ببساطة، يقولان أنه مشكوك فيه
وإن لم يستطيعوا التملص من النص أو إلقاء ظلال الشك عليه، تأولوه تأويلات باردة سمجة في استغباء علني للقارئ
قد ينطلي منهجهما على القارئ الأجنبي، لكنه لا ينبغي أن ينطلي على القارئ العربي
لم النجمة الواحدة إذا؟
للمنهج "العفشيكي" الذي اتبعه المؤلفان
يأتيان بروايات من كتاب الأغاني والعقد الفريد يبنيان عليها رؤيتهما
ثم إذا جاء نص يخالف فكرتهما، ببساطة، يقولان أنه مشكوك فيه
وإن لم يستطيعوا التملص من النص أو إلقاء ظلال الشك عليه، تأولوه تأويلات باردة سمجة في استغباء علني للقارئ
قد ينطلي منهجهما على القارئ الأجنبي، لكنه لا ينبغي أن ينطلي على القارئ العربي
December 30, 2011
This book turns centuries of convention and common sense upside down, disturbingly shakes it, then leaves an effluence of confusion and question marks. What exactly was the early caliphate?
Sunnism's is widely regarded as being most loyal to the Islamic tradition because of its simplicity and demographic dominance. Not necessarily so, according to this book.
Instead, we find ourselves in the kind of Mahayana-Theravada school debate, whereby both sides claim to faithfully adhere to the original teachings and order of the founder, whilst neither actually seem to cut the mustard. This book critically examines and challenges the sunni side of the argument, but as a western non-Muslim scholar using the scientific and social studies method, not a theological standpoint. So what do we learn?
Briefly, and this is only part of what is in this short but deep work:-
- The word 'caliph' was originally used as denoting God's representative on earth, as Muhammad was. He was the representative of Allah, not the representative of Allah through Muhammad through the scholars. Not a prophet, but with hands free to write and amend. This is what the shiah divinely-guided imam has always been. The religious and political office was one and the same in the Caliph, with the religious leaders mere followers of the Caliph rather than being a separate independent religious class of their own;
- The Caliph could create, adulterate, and revoke religious law. He had a power akin to Muhammad's;
- The term 'sunnah' merely meant a custom in general, not the custom of Muhammad. Customs could be 'remembered' or recited at will, claiming provenance by a mere assertion that it was so. A Caliph's sunnah was no worse than a prophet's sunnah;
- The Caliph's power and authority was akin to Muhammad himself. The person Muhammad (long dead) becomes more and more prominent as source of power for the religious class who increasingly invoke Muhammad as their guide above the Caliph. Eventually, the Caliph finds that the religious teachers have created an independent power base, thereby relegating the Caliph to matters merely non-religious in nature.
This is not a long book. Although based on contemporary sources, there is no silver bullet to prove the author's thesis as fact. But it does raise interesting possibilities. Whether shi'ism is an adulteration or not, it could be that its concept of the divinely guided Imam is a closer reflection of the original Islam than of sunnism's version based on consensus among religious scholars of the different madhabs.
Those who enjoy questioning the veracity the entire system of ahadith will especially enjoy this book, because it applies that similar kind of skepticism of ahadith to this entirely different area.
Sunnism's is widely regarded as being most loyal to the Islamic tradition because of its simplicity and demographic dominance. Not necessarily so, according to this book.
Instead, we find ourselves in the kind of Mahayana-Theravada school debate, whereby both sides claim to faithfully adhere to the original teachings and order of the founder, whilst neither actually seem to cut the mustard. This book critically examines and challenges the sunni side of the argument, but as a western non-Muslim scholar using the scientific and social studies method, not a theological standpoint. So what do we learn?
Briefly, and this is only part of what is in this short but deep work:-
- The word 'caliph' was originally used as denoting God's representative on earth, as Muhammad was. He was the representative of Allah, not the representative of Allah through Muhammad through the scholars. Not a prophet, but with hands free to write and amend. This is what the shiah divinely-guided imam has always been. The religious and political office was one and the same in the Caliph, with the religious leaders mere followers of the Caliph rather than being a separate independent religious class of their own;
- The Caliph could create, adulterate, and revoke religious law. He had a power akin to Muhammad's;
- The term 'sunnah' merely meant a custom in general, not the custom of Muhammad. Customs could be 'remembered' or recited at will, claiming provenance by a mere assertion that it was so. A Caliph's sunnah was no worse than a prophet's sunnah;
- The Caliph's power and authority was akin to Muhammad himself. The person Muhammad (long dead) becomes more and more prominent as source of power for the religious class who increasingly invoke Muhammad as their guide above the Caliph. Eventually, the Caliph finds that the religious teachers have created an independent power base, thereby relegating the Caliph to matters merely non-religious in nature.
This is not a long book. Although based on contemporary sources, there is no silver bullet to prove the author's thesis as fact. But it does raise interesting possibilities. Whether shi'ism is an adulteration or not, it could be that its concept of the divinely guided Imam is a closer reflection of the original Islam than of sunnism's version based on consensus among religious scholars of the different madhabs.
Those who enjoy questioning the veracity the entire system of ahadith will especially enjoy this book, because it applies that similar kind of skepticism of ahadith to this entirely different area.
July 10, 2019
يشرح مفهوم الخلافة عند السنة و يناقش أن فكرة الامامة الشيعية هي فكرة سنية الاصل .
لم يعجبني الكتاب لكثرة الحواشي التي يمكن ان تضيع الشخص غير المتخصص
لم يعجبني الكتاب لكثرة الحواشي التي يمكن ان تضيع الشخص غير المتخصص
August 5, 2013
Sunni ulama claim that the caliph all title did change its meaning in the twelve years between 632 and 644. The apparent reasoning being that earlier caliphs were looking to legitimise their rule by masking the importance of Muhammad. This trend was changed in the 70's when later Caliph's decided to use Muhammad's memory to get basically the same results.
Another reason for marginalising Muhammad's legacy by the Umayyads was because it affected their dynastic legacy as they claimed to decedents from Uthman and saw Ali as the pretender.
Fascinating little study of the importance of Caliphs within Islam which is taken up by the fringe Islamist movements like the Taliban, therefore very relevant today.
The importance of leadership in the heyday of Islam is clearly visible in this study. It's also plain to see why the institution of the Caliph lost its charm, mainly after the crushing defeat at the hands of Mongol hoards. Unfortunately the Islamic world has never been able to come back after the harrowing defeat at the hands of the pagan Mongols.
So was sunnah really only based on the life of Prophet or did it also contain a healthy dose of influence from various caliphs as well? The book argues for the later which again makes a lot of sense. For if Islam really blossomed during the time of Caliphs than their almost complete control on religious law seems mandatory. Why would an almighty caliph compromise with a lowly ranking Alim?
Another reason for marginalising Muhammad's legacy by the Umayyads was because it affected their dynastic legacy as they claimed to decedents from Uthman and saw Ali as the pretender.
Fascinating little study of the importance of Caliphs within Islam which is taken up by the fringe Islamist movements like the Taliban, therefore very relevant today.
The importance of leadership in the heyday of Islam is clearly visible in this study. It's also plain to see why the institution of the Caliph lost its charm, mainly after the crushing defeat at the hands of Mongol hoards. Unfortunately the Islamic world has never been able to come back after the harrowing defeat at the hands of the pagan Mongols.
So was sunnah really only based on the life of Prophet or did it also contain a healthy dose of influence from various caliphs as well? The book argues for the later which again makes a lot of sense. For if Islam really blossomed during the time of Caliphs than their almost complete control on religious law seems mandatory. Why would an almighty caliph compromise with a lowly ranking Alim?
February 16, 2018
REad the book in its arabic translation. The books mesage is unclear and hazy, It suposed the reader has verry weak knowledge of the history of islamic society and state. The book assumes some findings to be in opposite to regular sunni understanding of islam (like calling the khalid the khalif of God) while in reality these findings are quoted by traditional scholers again and again in all thier books of sunni islam, like Ibn khaldoon for example. the book puts heavy focous on evidence from poetry of glorifing the king and assume this is the societies vision! in general didnt like the book very weak.
April 21, 2024
an amazing book,
this along with tom holland's in the shadow of the sword shakes up the basic premise of modern salafi sunni islam and its claims of being true to the (practice)sunnah of the prophet
this here was an analysis about early sunni caliphs, in many ways being the imam to the people guiding them as a deputy of god in a way similar to the shia imams before the abbasid coupe.
i highly recommend tom holland's book before after this as its much bigger and also goes into more backgrounds in depth and talks about old methods in the lands later developments take place in.
this along with tom holland's in the shadow of the sword shakes up the basic premise of modern salafi sunni islam and its claims of being true to the (practice)sunnah of the prophet
this here was an analysis about early sunni caliphs, in many ways being the imam to the people guiding them as a deputy of god in a way similar to the shia imams before the abbasid coupe.
i highly recommend tom holland's book before after this as its much bigger and also goes into more backgrounds in depth and talks about old methods in the lands later developments take place in.
March 30, 2020
Crone can be very dry to read at times but packs a LOT of information in Gods Caliph and Gods Rule. Hard to read her casually, but if the content interests you as much as it did me, you'd enjoy it
October 28, 2020
A seminal text in the field of Islamic studies.
Read
June 16, 2024I definately need to take time to explore the debates before giving this a rating.
March 5, 2017
كتاب يشرح مفهوم الخلافة عن السنة تحديدًا وهل هو خلافة رسول الله أو خلافة الله. لم أهضم الكتاب لكثرة الحواشي التي شتتني.
November 8, 2012
Provocative, skeptical approach to early Islamic history. Crone and Hinds argue that 1) based on the use of the phrase "khalifat Allah" religious and political powers were *not* separate during the Ummayad caliphate (contrary to classical notions that post-rashidun caliphs retained political power while religious authority was delegated to jurists and ulema). Instead caliphs made religious laws as well, and that precedents seems ot be valued (ie. it's good to follow them), but not binding. 2) the Prophetic sunna that came down to us today did not develop until the end of the Ummayad era; previously it vaguely referred to acts that were righteous and just, and could refer to decisions by other prophets (David, Solomon, etc), not just Muhammad.
These developments could well have been asserted by scholars out of preserving their institutional importance. Crone and Hinds amply cited sources, but given the vagueness of the period (and how a lot of the materials were filtered through later Abbasid era that had their own interests in tweaking historiography), all we have are theories with varying levels of persuasiveness.
These developments could well have been asserted by scholars out of preserving their institutional importance. Crone and Hinds amply cited sources, but given the vagueness of the period (and how a lot of the materials were filtered through later Abbasid era that had their own interests in tweaking historiography), all we have are theories with varying levels of persuasiveness.
July 3, 2016
Meh...
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews