The Intellectual Traditions in Islam highlights the pivotal role of the
intellect in the formation of Islamic culture and civilization, and its
continuing relevance for the Muslim world today. By demonstrating the extent to
which some of the seminal achievements of Islamic civilization, especially in
the areas of legal, theological, philosophical, scientific and mystical thought,
were underpinned by a vigorous culture of intellectual inquiry and debate, this
work seeks not only to promote a better understanding of Islam but also to
encourage further debate on the dilemmas facing contemporary Muslim societies as
they enter a new era of unprecedented political, economic, technological and
cultural change in world history.