VDM Verlag Political Legitimacy in Early Islam: AL-Awz??? Interactions with the Umayyad and ?Abbasid States

This volume looks at the notion of legitimacy in early Islam , specifically as it was held by an important early scholar in Islam , namely Al- Awz??? . the importance of al-Awz??? lies not only in his scholarship and his ruling vis-à-vis authority but more importantly his historical context . al-Awz??? lived during the latter days of the Umayyad dynasty and saw their removal by the Abbasids . His interaction with the new regime and his understanding of its (il) legitimacy did not just have political ramifications but rather affected some fundamental ideas of belief and disbelief . This , in turn , was a consequence of his theological beliefs . So it is essential for researchers to understand that the relationship between the scholars and caliphs needs to be interpreted in terms of the scholar?s theology . The book begins by looking at the life and scholarship of al-Awz??? before undertaking the authentication of letters between al-Awz??? and the Abbasid authorities . once authenticated , we analyze the implications of the above correspondence for the notions of legitimacy , authority , belief and disbelief .