The tension between reason and revelation as a source of knowledge has manifested itself repeatedly and persistently throughout the annals of Islamic intellectual thought, particularly in the field of kalām (scholastic theology). Reason was deemed to be based on a set of rational precepts, derived from a predominantly Hellenistic tradition, whereas revelation was transmitted and not rationally known. This ʿaql-versus-naql divide surfaced in later times in the forced comparison between ḥadīth as a set of transmitted reports— often presumed to be fallible—and philosophy as a set of intellectually derived principles, generally considered reliable and certain. In this monograph, Dr Akram clarifies the fallaciousness of this comparison and the true differences between both.

Between Hadith and Philosophy pdf

Imlā al-Khāṭir Series

In this series, which he names Imlā al-Khāṭir (literally, “dictation of thoughts”), Dr. Mohammad Akram Nadwi follows in the tradition of the Ḥanbalī scholar Ibn al-Jawzī’s Ṣayd al-Khāṭir and shares with the world his reflections on a variety of topics ranging from theology to law, history to heart softeners, philosophy, education and more. Composed in a casual, conversational style consisting of questions followed by their brief answers (each portion predicated by qālū/qultu, “they said”/”I responded”), he utilizes therein the highest level of Arabic, reflecting his love of the language and his extensive expertise in Arabic grammar and rhetoric. These short but poignant reflections are part of the balāghah genre and tradition of Arabic literature. It should be noted that these translations, done by his senior students, serve as a guide and can never fully match the style, tone and eloquence of the original Arabic. Also note that Dr. Akram does not necessarily review each translation and is not responsible for any errors, improper word choices, or the likes, that are an inevitable part of the translation process.

سلسلة إملاء الخاطر | Imlā al-Khāṭir Series

A Centre for Arabic and Islamic Sciences

Oxford . London . Online