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Distributed for Gingko

Science and Civilization between Islam and Christianity 

Annotated

With an Afterword by David Thomas
With an Introduction by Mohammed Gamal Abdelnour and Umran Khan
With a Preface by Muhammad Abdel Haleem
A translation of a seminal work by Muhammad Abduh.

This book is a translation of Muhammad Abduh’s Al-Islam wa-l-Nasraniyya maa al-Ilm wa-l-Madaniyya (Science and Civilization between Islam and Christianity). Abduh was an Egyptian jurist, religious scholar, theologian, and reformer of Al-Azhar—Egypt’s oldest university and a renowned seat of Islamic learning—who died in 1905. His impact on modern Islam cannot be overstated. In fact, much of modern Muslim thought has, in one way or another, been a reaction to his ideas. Although he is the subject of numerous English studies, only one treatise of his has been translated into English: Risalat al-tawhid (Theology of Unity) by Ishaq Masaad and Kenneth Cragg, in 1966.

Far too little attention has been paid to the treatise translated here and its impact on the Islamic theology of Christianity. This first English translation fills a serious gap in the genre of Islam and Christian-Muslim relations.
 

320 pages | 6 x 9 | © 2024

Religion: Comparative Studies and History of Religion


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Reviews

"This is a most important translation, for it widens the available corpus of Muhammad ʿAbduh’s writings for English-speaking readers. ʿAbduh presents a view of Christianity from an Islamic perspective that is timely and challenging. This is a significant book for Muslims and for Christians."

Professor Gavin D’Costa, University of Bristol

"Translations are essential in helping different communities to understand one another's thinking. This work by Muhammad ‘Abduh explicitly addresses the issue of Muslim-Christian mutual perceptions, yet ironically has never before been translated into any European language. So this new and clear translation is to be welcomed –not least by those who find themselves described, and may want to engage with the
ideas presented. After all, the exchanges of over one hundred years ago can sound strangely contemporary."

Dr. Martin Whittingham, Academic Dean, The Centre for Muslim-Christian Studies, Oxford

"Muhammad ʿAbduh has long been a polarising figure in modern Islamic thought, often criticised as a ‘reformer’ accused of undermining tradition in his engagement with modernity. This first translation of Science and Civilisation: Between Islam and Christianity presents a corrective, offering a clear and accessible presentation of ʿAbduh’s nuanced and forward-looking ideas. It showcases his ability to address the challenges of modernity without compromising the richness of the Islamic tradition, underscoring his enduring relevance in contemporary discourse. Love or hate ʿAbduh, this vital contribution to Islamic studies more broadly and Islam and Science in particular, will be invaluable for academics and readers seeking to engage with the complexities of his intellectual legacy."

Dr. Shoaib Ahmed Malik, Lecturer in Science and Religion

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