Visiting Speaker - Dr Ramon Harvey, Ebrahim College
"Towards a Neo-Maturidi Natural Law Theory: A Constructive Re-Reading of al-Maturidi's (d.333/944)"
The centrality of theological and ethical questions for the articulation of Islamic jurisprudence is well-known. A meaningful systematic account of the sharīʿa cannot be given without enquiry into the nature of God and of morality, as well as their relation to the obligations placed upon human beings.
| An Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies lecture | |
|---|---|
| Date | 15 March 2017 |
| Time | 17:15 to 20:00 |
| Place | IAIS Building/LT1 Tea and coffee will be served in the Common Room from 4.30 pm onwards. Everyone is very welcome to attend and no registration is required. |
| Provider | Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies |
Event details
In this lecture, I will argue that the theological system of the early Transoxianan scholar AbÅ« Manṣūr al-MÄturÄ«dÄ«, which places the attribute of divine wisdom centre stage, has interesting implications for his grounding of morality and apparent theory of practical jurisprudence when compared to other major theological schools of his era.
My intention in excavating these questions within the thought of al-MÄturÄ«dÄ« is not just their intrinsic historical interest, but to outline a constructive proposal for a Neo-MÄturÄ«dÄ« natural law theory. Such a perspective would aim to be fit for engagement in both contemporary debates of Islamic law and wider ethical discourse with other traditions and academic views.
Dr Harvey received his MA and then PhD in Islamic Studies from SOAS, University of London. He has previously worked as a Senior Teaching Fellow at SOAS, as a Research Fellow at the Cambridge Muslim College and is currently Lecturer in Islamic Studies at Ebrahim College in London. He has written articles on canonical and variant Qur’anic qirÄʾÄt and will soon release his first book entitled The Qur’an and the Just Society with Edinburgh University Press. His current research interests are Qur’anic studies, Islamic theology and legal theory, as well as contemporary ethical and political philosophy.
Location:
IAIS Building/LT1
