Welten des Islams - Worlds of Islam - Mondes de l’Islam
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Edited by:
Blain Auer
The series Worlds of Islam of the Swiss Asia Society publishes high-quality research on present-day and historical Islamic cultures and societies covering fields such as history, literature, philosophy, politics and arts, as well as interpretations and translations of primary sources. Furthermore the series presents studies focusing on current topics and affairs appealing not only to the academic public, but also to a public generally interested in the Islamic World.
The series provides a forum for scholarly work in the fields of humanities and social sciences in Switzerland. However, the series is also committed to the rich variety of studies and writing on the Islamic World in the international research community. The principal languages of publication of monographs and anthologies are German, French and English.
The series is supervised by an editorial board which is advised by representatives in Islamic Studies.
This study delves into Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī's (1149–1210) theory of language, a pivotal yet underexplored facet of his intellectual legacy. Moving beyond his interactions with the Avicennian tradition, it positions al-Rāzī as an independent thinker. The work examines two often misinterpreted dimensions of his thought: his assertion that all concepts are self-evident, challenging traditional epistemology on conceptualization (taṣawwur) as advanced by Abū Naṣr al-Fārābī (870–950) and Ibn Sīnā (980–1037), and his refinement of ʿAbd-l-Qāhir al-Ğurğānī’s (1009–1078) theory of linguistic composition (naẓm), emphasizing language’s expressive capacity (bayān) and the Qurʾān’s unique linguistic structure. By analyzing these facets, the study reconstructs al-Rāzī’s comprehensive framework for understanding linguistic phenomena, bridging the Greek-inspired falsafa tradition and the rich Arabic linguistic heritage. This exploration offers scholars and students a nuanced perspective on Islamic intellectual history, highlighting al-Rāzī’s role in harmonizing diverse traditions and advancing a profound theory of linguistic understanding. This theory is essential for engaging with al-Rāzī’s extensive written heritage.
Avicenna’s (980–1037) monumental oeuvre played a decisive role in shaping the philosophy of the Islamic cultural sphere and had a huge impact over a period of centuries. Umar ibn Sahlān as-Sāwī (fl. ca. 1130) was one of the earliest authors to engage intensively with his writings and helped to disseminate them. This study delves into as-Sāwī’s life and work, in particular the way in which he received Avicenna.
This festschrift in honor of historian of philosophy and Islamic studies scholar Anke von Kügelgen reflects her overarching research interest in the "knowledge cultures of Muslim societies." It presents contributions on individual philosophers, metaphilosophy, and religious critique in the context of the Islamic world, and on Muslim Central Asia, the transformations that have taken place in Middle Eastern societies, and historical sources.
This book addresses the presentation of the Shīʿa in the extant theological-doxographical literature of Iraq up to the early fourth century of Islam. Understanding doxographies primarily as textual products of third-century kalām circles, it provides historians with a more thorough account of the likely provenance and transmission of this important body of source material, as well as of the particular images of the early Shīʿa it constructs.
The book presents narratives that commemorate crimes of violence in modern Turkey. It focuses on Dersim, a mountain region in eastern Turkey, whose inhabitants self-identify as Armenians, Alawites, and Kurds. Given the denial of the Armenian genocide, the study explores the limits and possibilities of contemporary commemoration and the transmission of experiences of persecution and violence in this region.
This study systematically examines the methodological foundations of the doctrine of attributes espoused by the influential Islamic scholar Ibn Taymiyya (died 728 AH/1328 CE). It integrates the perspective he developed in multiple single tractates into an overall view and examines its connections in intellectual history. Thus, the volume makes an important contribution to research on the history of Islamic theology.
The volume was awarded the Dissertation Prize of the Academy for Islam in Research and Society (AIWG) 2019 as well as the Classical Islamic World Book Prize 2019.
This book examines the fascinating and neglected history of Oriental-style architecture in Switzerland. Based largely on unpublished case studies from the 19th and 20th century, the essays examine the reception of Islamic art and architecture in the various Swiss regions. They illustrate the relevance of this artistic phenomenon in Switzerland and in the larger context of Europe as a whole.
Al-Mu'ayyad bi-llah al-Haruni (d. 411/1020) was a representative of the intellectual center of the Zaydiyya in Northern Iran and a student of the leading Muʿtazilite theologians of the time. In his Kitab Ithbat nubuwwat al-nabi he presents a proof of prophecy of Muḥammad and a refutation of the Isma'ilyya.The present volume explores the historical and intellectual context of the oeuvre and includes a partial critical edition of the text.
The volume contributes to a better understanding of Iranian history since 1953, with a focus on societal change and its reflection in intellectual discourse. The papers explore the attitudes of Iranians toward modernity and tradition before and after the Revolution of 1979. With insights from Oriental studies, history, sociology, literature and social anthropology, the volume offers a cross-disciplinary perspective on the intellectual, political, and social history of Iran.
Sa’d ad-Din Taftazani is regarded as one of the most influential authors in 14th century Islamic intellectual history. His writings were long consulted in the training of religious scholars. This volume examines Taftazani’s works with regard to philosophical influences and internal theological debates.
The contentious engagement with Western thought is one of the focal points of Iranian intellectual life. This volume examines two major figures in 20th century Iranian intellectual history, Muhammad Husayn Tabatabaí (1903–1981) and Mortaza Motahhari (1920–1979), and presents their historical views on Western and Islamic philosophy. It also describes the impact of their ideas on pre-revolutionary Iranian thinking.
In Iran, Kant is one of the most widely read Western philosophers. His works have been acknowledged by a broad variety of philosophical and political camps and discussed in relationship to Islamic philosophers such as Ibn Sina (Avicenna) and Mulla Sadra. This study examines the contexts and approaches to Kant’s reception in Iran and shows how Kant’s thought has maintained a solid place in Iranian philosophical discourse.
