Islamic Philosophy and Theology

The New Edinburgh Islamic Surveys

by William Montgomery Watt

Events are making clear to ever-widening circles of readers the need for something more than a superficial knowledge of non-European cultures. In particular, the blossoming into independence of numerous African states, many of which are largely Muslim or have a Muslim head of state, has made clear the growing political importance of the Islamic world, and, as a result, the desirability of extending and deepening the understanding and appreciation of this great segment of mankind. Islamic philosophy and theology are looked at together in a chronological framework in this volume. From a modern standpoint, this juxtaposition of the two disciplines is important for the understanding of both; but it should be realized at the outset that it is a reversal of the traditional Islamic procedure. Not merely were the disciplines different, but in the earlier centuries the exponents were two different sets of persons, trained in two different educational traditions, each with its own separate institutions. There was little personal contact between philosophers and theologians, and the influence of the two disciplines on one another was largely by way of polemics. Eventually while philosophy died out as a separate discipline in the Islamic world, many parts of it were incorporated in theology. This work is designed to give the educated reader something more than can be found in the usual popular books. The work undertakes to survey a special part of the field, and to show the present stage of scholarship. Where there is a clear picture this will be given; but where there are gaps, obscurities and differences of opinion, these will also be indicated. This work is brilliant in its design, style, and intimate understanding. It is a must read for specialists and policy makers alike.

Genres: Islam, Philosophy, Religion, Theology, History, Nonfiction

196 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1962

About the author

William Montgomery Watt was a Scottish historian, an Emeritus Professor in Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Edinburgh. Watt was one of the foremost non-Muslim interpreters of Islam in the West, was an enormously influential scholar in the field of Islamic studies and a much-revered name for many Muslims all over the world." Watt's comprehensive biography of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad, Muhammad at Mecca (1953) and Muhammad at Medina (1956), are considered to be classics in the field .

Watt held visiting professorships at the University of Toronto, the Collège de France, and Georgetown University, and received the American Giorgio Levi Della Vida Medal and won, as its first recipient, the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies award for outstanding scholarship.

Reviews

[Cornelia Baciu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very condensed, university read however good reminder of what I have forgot

[Hassan Zayour · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a survey that briefly covers most of the Islamic philosophical and theological traditions. However, it is very outdated, and I suppose it was one of the very first works that have been written about the subject in the Western world. Thus, this aspect of the book is expected, and it is impressive to see how far modern scholars have reached when it comes to the detailed discussions of these rich domains. I suppose that Professor Watt was one of the pioneers in this field of study, for his name has been brought up on multiple occasions throughout my different readings of the subject.
What I disliked about the book is the lack of organization. I did not understand the order through which the writer was discussing the topics. Articulating that clearly and making a very clear line of progression in this field of study specifically could make a whole lot of a difference, as it could eliminate a lot of confusion. At one point, he jumps from Shi'ism to Sunnism, and then he talks about Hanbalism, etc... I would have preferred a more well-organized work. Additionally, it appears to me that the text was not edited. This might appear as silly, but it rather annoying and distracting to read an unedited text. Punctuation is important, and, occasionally, the text was annoying to read.
However, I truly appreciate this early work, and I regard it as a cornerstone upon which many following scholars advanced this field of study.

[Bharata Satria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Studi saya tentang teologi Islam dimulai gara-gara penasaran ingin memahami apa yang dipertengkarkan oleh mesjid-mesjid di komplek perumahan saya, jadilah saya mengenal Ashariyah di satu sisi dan Athariyah atau Salafiyah di sisi lain. Merekalah yang sibuk adu argumen di pengajian-pengajian. Lalu muncul pula Tahawiyah dan Maturidiyah yang diklaim sejalan oleh kedua pihak yang disebut di awal.

Studi literatur yang berimbang dari masing-masing kubu memang bisa memberi benang merah perbedaan yang ada dan alasan kenapa yang satu tidak menyukai yang lain, tapi sepertinya tingkat bantah-berbantah yang sudah terjadi seribu tahun terlalu rumit untuk seorang pelajar amatir seperti saya, jadi jalan pintasnya adalah membaca kajian kaum orientalis yang menilai kubu manapun secara berimbang dan obyektif, kalaupun nadanya agak kritis, pihak manapun yang dikaji mendapat porsi kritik yang sama.

Buku ini memberi narasi sejarah tentang apa, siapa, kapan dan kenapa sehubungan dengan konsep-konsep akidah yang muncul dalam Islam. Sangat bagus untuk memberi bingkai terhadap kumpulan teks perbantahan yang saya baca sebelumnya.

Buku ini masih bersifat pengantar, dia tidak membahas adu argumen antara akidah secara mendalam, tapi cukup memberi garis besar yang baik. Para pelajar yang tertarik bisa melanjutkan dengan bibliografi yang dicantumkan di akhir buku ini, yang sangat ekstensif.

[Matthew Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This very condensed survey is outdated and uses some older naming but would act as a good point of reference for how far religious studies have come. Its interesting how this book still manages to mention at least in passing: Wahhabism and the House of Saud (as a "Wahhabite state"), Yazidis ("devil worshipers"), the Bah'ai, and Babism.

It is also interesting to analyze the author's assumptions in the last chapter of a future globalization-driven "unified world religion" made up of the best parts of all the current religions.

[A prince from Serendip · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are looking for an introductory book pertaining to Islamic philosphy and theology, this is not the place to start. The book's emphasis is more so on authors rather than ideas, meaning that a lot of space is used to elaborate who was who's father in law, and who studied where at what time, etc. Still, it does cover the main theological debates in past centuries, and suceeds relatively well in explaining the differences between different Islamic creeds.

[Hanafi Student · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book presents a historical sketch of the development of and major trends in Islamic Philosophy and Theology in the pre-Modern period. The text is rather dated and the information in parts is very scarce, having said that, the survey seems a good attempt for it's time and is sadly not free of orientalists' assumptions. The survey would be useful to use in order to compare the state and progress of western academia in this particular area and field of study now and then. An updated, accurate and current survey would be much welcomed by students and the general readership in these times of increased, renewed interest in Islamic studies. The book presents a useful but dated overview; this book bettered my expectations considering the author's other works.

[Mostafa Khaleghi · Rating 4 out of 5]

این کتاب با وجود حجم کمش جاممعیت خوبی داره و برای کسانی که دوست دارن به طور خلاصه تاریخ کلام در تمدن اسلامی رو بدونن مفید خواهد بود زیرا سیر تحول کلام اسلامی برای فهم جایگاه اسلام در دنیای معاصر ناگزیر است.
همچنین نقدهایی از آقای دکتر جعفر شهیدی در انتهای کتاب به برخی نکات وارد آمده که از نظر من بیشتر ناشی از تعصب شیعی ایشان است. با این حال ایشان هم از ارزش کار نویسنده حمایت کرده اند

[Wawan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ini nih membaca Islam yang dibahas secara metodis, mencakup sejarah, teologi, dan filsafatnya... nanti deh saya cerita kalau sudah selesai... Oke?

[Azimah Othman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I understand there are at least 15 volumes in the series of which I have only 7 in possession. This is the first in the series. Read it way back and has since then been a valuable reference.