Jon Hoover is Associate Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Nottingham. He specialises in Islamic intellectual history, medieval Islamic theology and philosophy, Christian–Muslim relations, and the thought of Ibn Taymiyya. He is the author of Ibn Taymiyya’s Theodicy of Perpetual Optimism, and numerous articles and book chapters on Ibn Taymiyya’s theology and ethics.

• INTRODUCTION 1 EARLY CAREER AND THE MONGOL INVASIONSThe Formative YearsAppearance, Character, and Personal RelationshipsEarly Engagements with Religious LawEarly Engagements with TheologyThe Mongol Invasion of 1299–1300The Mongol Invasions of 1300–1301 and 1303Christians in the Wake of the Mongols 2 LATER CAREER AND MAJOR TRIALS Conflicts with SufisThe 1306 Damascus Trials over TheologyImprisonments in Egypt over Theology and Sufism 1306–1310Final Years in Egypt 1310–1313Back in Damascus Teaching and WritingThe 1318 Nusayri RevoltTrials over Divorce OathsFinal Imprisonment over Grave Visitation 1326–1328 3 THE PRIORITY OF WORSHIPWorship and the Human Natural ConstitutionA Spirituality of LoveDivinity and LordshipCommand and CreationSainthood 4 WORSHIP, LAW, AND INNOVATIONWorship and the LawWorship Rituals: Lawful and InnovatedSpiritual Concert and AnnihilationBenefit and the LawInnovated Festivals and the Prophet’s BirthdayGrave Visitation and IntercessionIbn Taymiyya and Sufism 5 JURISTIC AUTHORITY AND DERIVING GOD’S LAWThe Sunni Law School SystemBack to the Qur’an and the SunnaForbidding ChessInvalidating Triple Divorce 6 UTILITARIAN SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ETHICSSocial EthicsThe CaliphatePublic Authority and the LawLaw-Guided Public PolicyTrusts of public office and public wealthJustice: the limits and rights of God and humansJihad 7 GOD AND CREATIONKalam TheologyEsotericismNon-cognitivismApologetic InterpretativismGod is Sitting Over the ThroneThe Timelessly Eternal God of Philosophy and KalamGod Wills for Wise Purposes and Creates from Eternity 8 GOD AND HUMANITYJustice, Evil, and the Human ActGod’s Protection of ProphetsThe Signs of a True ProphetChristianity: An Object Lesson in Innovated ReligionThe Ultimate Destiny of Unbelievers 9 EPILOGUE BibliographyIndex

‘Finally, Ibn Taymiyya, who is one of the most influential thinkers in Islam today, gets his first critical introduction in a Western language. And a really good one: Hoover’s book manages a well-readable balance between broad analysis and a presentation that is rich in details.’