Applying the canon in Islam

By Brannon M. Wheeler

Book Description

This scholarly exploration examines how religious communities establish and maintain interpretive authority through the concept of canon. Wheeler draws from diverse spiritual traditions, including Islamic jurisprudence, African divination practices, and indigenous Australian religious systems, to reveal the mechanisms by which sacred texts and interpretive frameworks gain legitimacy.

The heart of this work focuses on the Hanafi school of Islamic law, demonstrating how this influential legal tradition expanded its authority beyond the Quran itself. Wheeler shows how the school strategically extended canonical status to the prophetic traditions (sunnah), the wisdom of respected local scholars, and the accumulated knowledge of previous generations. This process created a comprehensive interpretive system that could address contemporary spiritual and legal questions while maintaining connection to foundational sources.

Rather than viewing canon as a limitation imposed by fixed texts, Wheeler presents a more dynamic understanding. He argues that canonical authority actually emerges from the careful management of multiple, flexible textual sources. This perspective offers valuable insights for anyone seeking to understand how spiritual communities navigate between tradition and adaptation.

Through detailed analysis spanning 324 pages, this work illuminates the sophisticated ways religious institutions balance reverence for sacred sources with the practical need for ongoing interpretation. The book provides a thoughtful examination of how spiritual authority develops and sustains itself across different cultural contexts.

Who Is This For?

📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~9 hours)

📄 Length: 324 pages

What You'll Discover

✓ Explore Rechtsinterpretatie
✓ Explore 86.14 Islamic law
✓ Explore RELIGION
✓ Explore Islam
✓ Explore Religious aspects of Authority
✓ Explore Aspect religieux
✓ Explore Interpretation and construction
✓ Explore Interprétation

Topics Covered

Rechtsinterpretatie 86.14 Islamic law RELIGION Islam Religious aspects of Authority Aspect religieux Interpretation and construction Interprétation Hanafites Islamitisch recht Hanafiten Islam, doctrines Gezag Histoire Religious aspects Autorité Authority Hanefiten Geschichte Law Hanéfites Droit islamique Law, Politics & Government Canon Law Recht Islamic law History