The Essentials of Ibadi Islam - Hardcover

by Valerie J. Hoffman (Author)

Iba?i Islam is a distinct sect of Islam, neither Sunni nor Shi'ite, that emerged in the early Islamic period and remains active today in small pockets of North Africa and as the dominant sect of Oman. Despite its antiquity, it has often been misunderstood and remains little known. Seeking to redress this gap and to introduce this Islamic school to the non-Arabic-speaking world, Hoffman offers the first book-length overview of Iba?i theology published in English.

Beginning with a concise overview of Iba?i history, Hoffman delineates the movement's role in the development of Islamic thought, tracing its distinctive teachings and literary history. In the second section, she provides annotated translations of two complementary modern Iba?i theological texts. This unique volume elucidates Iba?i religious and political thought by allowing its tradition to speak for itself.

The Essentials of Iba?i Islam gives readers, specialists and nonspecialists alike, a rare opportunity to understand the major teachings of Iba?i Islam.

Author Biography

Valerie J. Hoffman is professor of religion and director of the Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is the author of Sufism, Mystics, and Saints in Modern Egypt.