Islamic surveys

"There are no official creeds in Islam comparable to the Apostles' creed and the Nicene creed in Christianity. In mainstream Sunnite Islam, however, there is broad agreement about the chief doctrines, and over the centuries these have been expressed in creeds by individuals and groups, some of which have been widely recognised and used for instruction." "These creeds are basic material for the study of Islamic religion, and a selection is given here in translation, together with a historical introduction, explanatory notes, and a single Shi'ite creed to show the contrast."--BOOK JACKET.

xi, 147 pages, 4 unnumbered leaves of plates : 21 cm

"This is the standard general account in English of Islamic philosophy and theology. It takes the reader from the religio-political sects of the Kharijites and the Shiites through to the assimilation of Greek thought in the medieval period, and onto the early modern period. Watt concludes with an analysis of Western influences on modern Islamic theology."--Publisher's description.

"Recent events have, more than ever, brought the Shiites to world wide attention. This book is a brief general history of all the Shiite groups from their common origin to the present day."--BOOK JACKET. "The individual branches of Shiism are discussed with a close look at their special dogmatic and organisational development. Special attention is given to the emergence of the Imamite 'clergy' and the social and political role which has enabled them to establish a revolutionary regime in Iran. Each chapter contains an invaluable bibliography giving easy access to other books and original sources in translation."--BOOK JACKET. "This book is the only comprehensive survey of all the Shiite groups from their beginnings to their current status in the modern world."--BOOK JACKET.