Political Thought in the Mamluk Period

The Unnecessary Caliphate

El-Merheb, Mohamad

A new history of medieval Islamic political thought, focusing on the rule of law, limited government and the theory of delegation
.Studies Ayyubid and Mamluk political thought beyond the prevalent focus on Ibn Taymiyya
.Offers a novel classification of the themes and concerns of medieval Islamic political thought
.Studies both Ibn Jamaʿa’s well-known works and previously unstudied treatises
.Presents a fresh interpretation of a distinctive Sufi political thought and uncovers its interrelatedness with Ashʿari-Sufism and Shafiʿism
.Includes 5 case studies based on treatises authored by legal theorists, jurists, judges and administrators
The legal theorists, jurists, judges and administrators of the late Ayyubid and early Mamluk period tackled a central question in their political thought: how best to govern their communities. This book proposes a taxonomy of the main themes and concerns of this political thought under the three ideals of the rule of law, limited government and legitimate delegation of power. Further, it recommends a contextualist approach for interpreting Islamic political texts based on their narrow social, intellectual and political contexts.