Papers by Emad Hamdeh
This chapter outlines the circumstances that led to a surge in efforts to reform ḥadı ̄th in the ... more This chapter outlines the circumstances that led to a surge in efforts to reform ḥadı ̄th in the modern era and examines the three primary approaches that emerged. It begins with Quranists, who completely reject the authority of ḥadı ̄th and only follow the Qurʾa ̄n. Next, it discusses Modernists, who do not dismiss ḥadı ̄th completely but assign them a secondary role, particularly when a narration appears to con ict with modern sensibilities or Western norms. The chapter then turns to its main focus: modern ḥadı ̄th scholars pursuing reform through a rigorous return to the traditional science of ḥadı ̄th. Speci cally, it explores the in uence of Muḥammad Na ̄ṣir al-Dı ̄n al-Alba ̄nı ̄ (d. 1999), the controversial Sala scholar, on ḥadı ̄th studies. Over the past two centuries, the world has witnessed abrupt and drastic changes. Although change impacted the premodern world, nothing was as disruptive as the experience of modernity. Mass communication, technological developments, scienti c discoveries, industrialization, and globalization have impacted all facets of life, including religion and scriptural interpretation. Most of these developments occurred in the West, while the Muslim world witnessed the fall of the Caliphate, colonization, and Westernization. These transformations did not emerge organically from within the Muslim world but were imposed by colonial powers. This led many Muslims to question why they fell behind the West, which was undeniably more advanced technologically and economically. The notion that Islam or Muslims require reform is itself a product of colonial in uence. Many of the challenges faced by Muslim societies were primarily political and socioeconomic rather than religious in 1
Journal of Islamic and Muslim Studies, 2023
This article explores the Quran-only movement, which advocates for the exclusive interpretation o... more This article explores the Quran-only movement, which advocates for the exclusive interpretation of Islam based on the Quran without reference to the Prophetic Hadith. This movement emerged in the nineteenth century and represents a departure from traditional Islamic scholarship. To shed light on the complex intersection between religious tradition and modernity, this essay discusses the influence of modernity and Westernization on the development of Quranist thought. It then provides a succinct overview of two primary contentions maintained by Muslim scholars who oppose the Quranist movement. The first argument concerns the authority of hadith, while the second concerns their authenticity and historical reliability. With regard to the former, traditional Muslim scholars underscore the significance of the Prophet's life for deriving Islamic belief and practice from the Qur'an, knowledge that can only be acquired from the Hadith. The second argument examined here involves the ways in which Islamic scholars defend the authenticity of the Prophetic Hadith with probabilistic reasoning, suggesting that rejecting the Hadith solely based on the absence of absolute certainty is not reasonable or consistent with the broader Islamic intellectual tradition. They argue that accepting something that is probable but not certain is common in many fields of study, including hadīth scholarship. In the science of hadīth ('ilm al- hadīth), scholars have developed what they consider to be sophisticated methods to evaluate the authenticity of hadīth reports based on various degrees of probability. Therefore, they advocate for an approach that acknowledges the role of probability in hadīth scholarship while upholding the rigorous standards of authenticity and reliability that have been developed over centuries of Islamic scholarship.
Context: Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Mar 11, 2022
Nekoliko naučnika pisalo je o vezi novih medija, prenošenja znanja i vjerskih autoriteta u islamu... more Nekoliko naučnika pisalo je o vezi novih medija, prenošenja znanja i vjerskih autoriteta u islamu. 2 Ovi radovi prate razvoj novih medija i njihov izazov autoritetu. Međutim, ostaje potreba da se ispitaju obrazovne metode tradicionalnog učenja kako bi se razumjelo zašto su vjerski učenjaci (ulema) kritični prema samoučenju. Nesporazum oko toga zašto se ulema protivi religijskom obrazovanju koje se odvija izvan tradicionalnih metoda može dovesti do pogrešne karakterizacije njihovog protivljenja kao puke odbrane svoga vlastitog autoriteta. Kako bi otklonio taj jaz, ovaj će članak objasniti zašto tradicionalistički učenjaci smatraju da su njihove obrazovne metode sastavni dio pravog okvira za razumijevanje islama. U svom članku ''The Death of Expertise'' Tom Nichols je tvrdio da se svaka tvrdnja o stručnosti danas odmah odbacuje kao pribjegavanje autoritetu. On insistira na tome da ono što se dogodilo nije po sebi ''smrt stručnosti'', već nestajanje razlika između onih s dostignućima u nekom polju i onih koji takva dostignuća nemaju. Ta se razlika podriva fokusiranjem na greške i zablude stručnjaka kako bi se srušio njihov autoritet. U jednoj takvoj klimi, tvrdnje o stručnosti posmatraju se kao pretenciozni napori da se uguši dijalog. 3 Možda je ovo najočitije u praksi odbacivanja činjenica i stručnih mišljenja kao ''lažnih vijesti''. Nichols piše da je ovaj širi proces povezan s globaliziranim komuniciranjem, koje uklanja stražara u publikacijama. Prije interneta, časopisi i op-ed stranice bili su često strogo uređivani. Da bi se učestvovalo u javnoj raspravi, bilo je potrebno predati članak, koji je morao biti inteligentno napisan, te proći uredničku recenziju, uz priloženo ime autora. Ovaj proces, koji se ranije primjenjivao čak i na lokalne novine, prestigli su samostalno objavljeni blogovi, odjeljci za komentare u člancima i videosnimci sa YouTubea, koji svi mogu biti anonimni. 4 Internet predstavlja izazov za kler i stručnjake u mnogim religijskim tradicijama, ali je, od njih, pred sunijskim islamom poseban izazov zbog toga što nema 2
American Journal of Islam and Society
With the introduction of new educational systems in the Muslim world duringthe late-eighteenth th... more With the introduction of new educational systems in the Muslim world duringthe late-eighteenth through the early-twentieth century, many Muslims andnon-Muslims became critical of traditional pedagogical methods. In particular,the image of Qur’an schools in West Africa are often criticized for their“backward” forms of education and commonly perceived as places wherechildren simply parrot Qur’anic verses without much understanding. Theseinstitutions have largely been abandoned and replaced by modern and secularschooling systems. In his The Walking Qur’an, Rudolph Ware argues thatQur’an schools have survived in places like West Africa. By studying them,he seeks to historicize this once-paradigmatic approach to knowledge. Alongwith shedding light on Islamic knowledge, Ware attempts to move beyondrace by placing Africans at the center of Islamic studies. Such an attempt is welcome, given the rarity of in-depth studies on Islamic history in WestAfrica. In so doing he makes a welcome contr...
More than any other period, the last hundred years have witnessed
a rise in the accessibility of ... more More than any other period, the last hundred years have witnessed
a rise in the accessibility of information through books, media, and
the internet. This introduced new ways of learning and sharing Islamic
knowledge. In this article, I consider how traditional Islamic
knowledge and pedagogical techniques are challenged by the growing
number of lay Muslims participating in religious discussions
through print and the internet. I explain why the ʿulamā’ perceive
self-learning as a threat not only to the ostensibly proper understanding
of religion but also to the redefinition and reinvention
of their authority. I observe how print and digital media caused a
shift away from the necessity of the teacher and facilitated autodidactic
learning and claims to authority. Despite their criticism of
self-learning, Traditionalists have embraced the internet in order to
remain relevant and to compete with non-experts.
Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī Oxford Bibliographies in Islamic Studies
Oxford Bibliographies in Islamic Studies , 2019
This article is a first initiative at a br oaderassessment and contextualization of Abu¯ Ghudda’s... more This article is a first initiative at a br oaderassessment and contextualization of Abu¯ Ghudda’s life and thoughts. I present a picture of a scholar who sought to represent traditional Islam in its most unpopular moments. In particular, I examine Abu¯ Ghudda’s prevailing thoughts and opinions concerning “proper” scholarship and demonstrate how the role of the `ulamā in the thoughts of Abu Ghudda is primarily a continuation of a scholarly tradition rather than starting anew. I analyze Abū Ghudda's understanding of the role of the `ulamā' in light of his disagreements with his strongest detractor, the Salafi Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī.
The Albanian scholar Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī (d. 1999) established a unique type of Salaf... more The Albanian scholar Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī (d. 1999) established a unique type of Salafism, a movement whose adherents follow a puritanical model of Muslim creed, exegesis, and conduct that is critical of madhhab Traditionalism. In this article I present an annotated translation of an audio lecture in which Albānī attempted to defend Salafism against its anti-madhhab image. I shed light on the religious and social climate that played a critical role in triggering Albānī's disdain for Traditionalism and led him to discredit madhhab Traditionalist fiqh and replace it with his own interpretation of the jurisprudential requirements of Islamic scripture. Among the arguments I make is that Albānī's claim to follow only the Qurʾān and Sunna is a rhetorical strategy designed to present Salafism as the absolute truth and distinguish it from being categorized as another madhhab or religious movement.
Despite his great influence on modern Salafism and Islamic studies, relatively few works focus on... more Despite his great influence on modern Salafism and Islamic studies, relatively few works focus on the life of Mu : hammad Na ¯ : sir al-Dı ¯n al-Alba ¯nı ¯ (d. 1999), a scholar whose life and brand of Salafism are marked by controversy and stand in stark contrast to madhhab Traditionalism. This article provides a translation of one of his autobiographical interviews. I shed light on the biographical details of Alba ¯nı ¯'s formative years, namely his bitter relationship with his father, quarrels with the Albanian community in Syria, and his controversial professorship at the University of Medina. Among the arguments I make is that Alba ¯nı ¯ created an image of himself as an unchanging scholar in order to remain consistent in his claim to follow the absolute truth.
Book Chapters by Emad Hamdeh
This chapter introduces Islamic practices and rituals. Rituals such as pilgrimage, ablution, pray... more This chapter introduces Islamic practices and rituals. Rituals such as pilgrimage, ablution, prayer, and recitation of the Qur'ān are essential components of Islamic law and spirituality. These rituals are meant to have a positive impact on the societal and individual level. Therefore, each ritual is introduced followed by a reflection on its perceived benefits.
Encyclopedia Entries by Emad Hamdeh
Al-Ḥawāriyyūn: The Disciples of Jesus
Integrated Encyclopedia of the Qurʾān , 2014
Legal Thought of Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī
Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam and Law, 2017
Books by Emad Hamdeh
Salafism and Traditionalism Scholarly Authority in Modern Islam
Cambridge University Press, 2021
One of the most contentious topics in modern Islam is whether one should adhere to an Islamic leg... more One of the most contentious topics in modern Islam is whether one should adhere to an Islamic legal school or follow scripture directly. For centuries, Sunni Muslims have practiced Islam through the framework of the four legal schools. The 20th century, however, witnessed the rise of individuals who denounced the legal schools, highlighting cases where they contradict texts from the Qur'ān or Sunna. These differences are exemplified in the heated debates between the Salafi ḥadīth scholar Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī and his Traditionalist critics. This book examines the tensions between Salafis and Traditionalists concerning scholarly authority in Islam. Emad Hamdeh offers insights on the debates between Salafis and Traditionalists and their differences regarding the correct method of interpreting Islam. He provides a detailed analysis of the rise of Salafism, the impact of the printing press, the role of scholars in textual interpretation, and the divergent approaches to Islamic law.
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Papers by Emad Hamdeh
a rise in the accessibility of information through books, media, and
the internet. This introduced new ways of learning and sharing Islamic
knowledge. In this article, I consider how traditional Islamic
knowledge and pedagogical techniques are challenged by the growing
number of lay Muslims participating in religious discussions
through print and the internet. I explain why the ʿulamā’ perceive
self-learning as a threat not only to the ostensibly proper understanding
of religion but also to the redefinition and reinvention
of their authority. I observe how print and digital media caused a
shift away from the necessity of the teacher and facilitated autodidactic
learning and claims to authority. Despite their criticism of
self-learning, Traditionalists have embraced the internet in order to
remain relevant and to compete with non-experts.
Book Chapters by Emad Hamdeh
Encyclopedia Entries by Emad Hamdeh
Books by Emad Hamdeh