SOAS Research Online

Abstract

The legal theorists, jurists, judges and administrators of the late Ayyubid and early Mamluk period tackled a central question in their political thought: how best to govern their communities. This book proposes a taxonomy of the main themes and concerns of this political thought under the three ideals of the rule of law, limited government and legitimate delegation of power. Further, it recommends a contextualist approach for interpreting Islamic political texts based on their narrow social, intellectual and political contexts. The book studies both Ibn Jamaʿa’s (639/1241–733/1333) well-known works and previously unstudied treatises and, additionally, presents a fresh interpretation of a distinctive Sufi political thought and uncovers its interrelatedness with Ashʿari-Sufism and Shafiʿism.