The Faith of Islam — Key Ideas to Explore

The Opening Framework: Authority and Method

Sell's first chapter, 'The Foundations of Islám,' establishes the four sources of Islamic law—Qur'an, Sunnat, Ijmā', Qiyās—and immediately introduces a tension between orthodox consensus and the possibility of innovation (Bid'at). He notes that the Qur'an is treated as miraculous in its very arrangement, and that Osmán's recension fixed the canonical text. A reader unfamiliar with Islamic jurisprudence will find Sell's method instructive: he does not simply describe beliefs but traces how each source was historically established, often citing the four orthodox Imāms (Hanīfa, Mālik, Shāfi'ī, Hanbal) as authorities who shaped subsequent debate. The chapter ends with a striking claim about 'sterility of Islám,' a judgment that reveals Sell's own theological vantage point while still documenting the internal logic of the system.

Exegesis and the Problem of Interpretation

Chapter II, 'Exegesis of the Qurán and the Traditions,' moves from textual authority to interpretive practice. Sell details the seven canonical readings of the Qur'an, the role of the commentator, and the crucial doctrine of abrogation (naskh), whereby later verses supersede earlier ones. He also classifies Hadith literature by reliability—a taxonomy that shows how Sunni orthodoxy policed its own boundaries. The reader should pay attention to Sell's handling of the 'creation of the Qur'an' controversy, which pitted the Mu'tazilites against the orthodox view of the Qur'an as uncreated. This debate, though technical, reveals how deeply theological disputes shaped Islamic intellectual history. Sell's footnotes here are especially valuable, as they direct the reader to primary collections like Bukhārī and Muslim.

Sectarian Divisions and the Shī'a Challenge

The third chapter surveys the major sects: Shī'ahs, Khārijites, Sūfīs, and Wahhābīs. Sell devotes particular attention to the Shī'a doctrine of the Imāmat, noting that Shī'ahs assert the twelve Imāms are superior to prophets—a claim that directly challenges Sunni orthodoxy. He also discusses Sūfīism through Persian poetry and the figure of Omar Khayyām, though the excerpts do not reveal how deeply he engages with mystical practice. The Wahhābī movement, treated in a separate note, is presented as a reformist reaction against later innovations. A reader should observe that Sell organizes these sects not merely as deviations but as coherent theological systems with their own arguments about authority, prophecy, and the nature of God. The chapter's structure implies that sectarianism is intrinsic to Islam's development, not an accidental corruption.

Creedal Doctrines: Prophets, Angels, and the Last Day

Chapter IV, 'The Creed of Islám,' systematically unpacks the six articles of faith: God, angels, books, prophets, resurrection, and predestination. Sell's treatment of prophets is particularly detailed: he lists the six 'Anbiya-ulul-'Azm' (possessors of purpose), ranks Muhammad above all, and records traditions about miracles such as the splitting of the moon and the night journey (Mi'rāj). He also notes the debate over whether prophets are superior to angels, with the Hanīfites and Mu'tazilites taking opposing positions. The excerpts show Sell weaving together Qur'anic verses (e.g., Sūra ii.254, xxxiii.40) with supporting Traditions, demonstrating how creedal statements are grounded in both scripture and oral authority. A reader should note that Sell does not evaluate these beliefs but presents them as a coherent system, complete with internal disagreements.

Sell's The Faith of Islam rewards a reader who moves slowly, attending to the footnotes as much as the main text. The work is best approached as a reference map of nineteenth-century Islamic scholarship, with its own biases visible in the choice of sources and occasional judgments. For a first reading, focus on how Sell uses Ibn Khaldoun to explain prophetic inspiration and how he contrasts Sunni orthodoxy with Shī'a and Sūfī alternatives. The book does not narrate Islamic history chronologically; instead, it dissects a living tradition through its own categories.

Reading Edward Sell’s careful, century-old study, I felt the quiet patience of someone who spent fifteen years simply listening. That same unhurried curiosity surfaces in The Evolution of Theology: an Anthropological Study Essay #8 from "Science and Hebrew Tradition" — Key Ideas to Explore, where faith is handled like a living thing, not a fixed text. Both make me miss the days when understanding felt possible.