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Abdelnour, Mohammed Gamal (2020) The Islamic Theology of Interfaith Marriages between Theology, Law and Individual Ijtihad. Singapore: The S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies: Interreligious Relations: Occasional Papers of The Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies Programme, no.17.

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Abstract

There is a growing body of literature that recognises the importance of revisiting the question of interfaith marriages in Islamic thought. Hence, this paper attempts to illustrate the Islamic theology of interfaith marriages in general, with particular emphasis on exogamy. In doing so, the theological and sociological factors that have led to the traditional consensus on the prohibition of exogamy are explored. The article, firstly, investigates the contributions of al-Ghazālī (d. 1111) and Ibn Taymiyya (d. 1328) in advancing the discussion beyond its contours in formative Islam. Secondly, it engagingly presents the unstudied views of Muḥammad ‘Abduh (d. 1905) and ‘Abd Allāh al-‘Alāylī (d. 1996) on the question of exogamy. Thirdly, it points out that the Islamic legal maxim sadd al-ḏharā’i‘ (blocking the means) cannot stand alone in justifying the prohibition of exogamy, illustrating thatt he moment a faqīh (Muslim jurist) appeals to sadd al-ḏharā’i‘ is the moment they implicitly acknowledge the original permissibility of the question in point. Finally, it brings to the fore the need to revive the tradition of individual ijtihad.

Item Type: Monographs and Working Papers (Occasional Paper)
Keywords: Islam, interfaith marriages, ijtihad
SOAS Departments & Centres: Departments and Subunits > School of Languages, Cultures & Linguistics
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BP Islam. Bahaism. Theosophy, etc
ISSN: 2661345X
Date Deposited: 07 Sep 2020 12:55
URI: https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/id/eprint/33406

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