Salafism and Traditionalism

One of the most contentious topics in modern Islam is whether one should adhere to an Islamic legal school or follow scripture directly. For centuries, Sunni Muslims have practiced Islam through the framework of the four legal schools. The 20th century, however, witnessed the rise of individuals who denounced the legal schools, highlighting cases where they contradict texts from the Qur'ān or Sunna. These differences are exemplified in the heated debates between the Salafi ḥadīth scholar Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī and his Traditionalist critics. This book examines the tensions between Salafis and Traditionalists concerning scholarly authority in Islam. Emad Hamdeh offers an insider's view of the debates between Salafis and Traditionalists and their differences regarding the correct method of interpreting Islam. He provides a detailed analysis of the rise of Salafism, the impact of the printing press, the role of scholars in textual interpretation, and the divergent approaches to Islamic law.

• The first book that focuses exclusively on the debates that took place between Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albānī, the 20th century's most influential Salafi, and his Traditionalists critics
• Contextualizes the history of Islamic scholarship and scholarly authority in the 20th century
• Provides a detailed analysis on the debate surrounding the authority of the Muslim schools of law (madhhabs). In other words, does one understand scripture on its own or through scholarly tradition?