The Reverend and the Shaykh: Jonathan Edwards, Muḥammad Ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb and the encounter of eighteenth-century conservatism in New England and Najd

Leo, R.A. (2018). The Reverend and the Shaykh: Jonathan Edwards, Muḥammad Ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb and the encounter of eighteenth-century conservatism in New England and Najd. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

In many ways, Jonathan Edwards and Muhammad Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhāb are about as far apart as two figures could possibly be. Without minimizing their very real differences, however, this comparative study finds numerous parallels that beckon even the most conservative of Christians and Muslims to take a second look at their own faith, as well as the faith of the other. Encompassing a variety of disciplines, and spanning the globe from North America to the Arabian Gulf, this study examines the major themes in the lives and works of the Reverend and the Shaykh, two traditionalist icons of the eighteenth century in Christianity and Islam. With implications in diverse fields such as politics, law, philosophy, theology, religion, history, warfare, and even gender issues, this research unearths numerous striking parallels in Edwards and Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhāb that have heretofore gone unnoticed or largely ignored. Surprising congruences in their respective contexts, as well as in their conceptions of God, humanity, and the faith of the other, suggest that religious conservatives who revere these figures stand much to gain from a reassessment of long-held views that could lead to wholly new patterns of global engagement.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

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