In this course, students will examine the development of Islamic theology from the post-classical period to the modern age. We will explore how theological schools evolved after Ibn Taymiyyah, how Sunni orthodoxy diversified across regions, and how modern reform movements reshaped theological discourse. The course includes both lectures and in-class discussions.

There are NO EXAMS for this course. All year-long courses count toward the ‘Ālimiyyah Degree (8-year requirement).

Topics Covered

• Later Eastern Ashʿarism

• Ashʿarism in the Islamic West

• The Later Ashʿarite School in Egypt

• Theology in the Ottoman Lands

• Theology in Central Asia

• Theology in the Indian Subcontinent

• Hanbalī Theology After Ibn Taymiyyah

• Interpretations of Ashʿarism and Māturīdism in Mamluk and Ottoman Periods

• Modern Islamic Theology (19th–21st Century)

  • Abduh

  • Rida

  • Reform movements

  • Neo-Salafism

  • Neo-Ashʿarism

  • Islamic modernism

  • New kalām

  • Contemporary theological debates

• Contemporary Qurʾānic Hermeneutics

Course information

Name of Course: The Evolution of Islamic Theology from Ibn Taymiyyah to Today

Days and Timings:

• Sundays from 1 pm to 2 pm Mountain time. 

Duration: One Year, From January 2026 – December 2026

The first class is on January 4, 2026