Notes on Scripturalist Islam: A New Look at Robert Gleave’s Research Project into Akhbarism

Research projects into Imami jurisprudence indicate a great development in the field reformulating many questions. Taking new perspectives towards history of Twelver jurisprudence and ijtihad, contributors have started to criticise the clichés however this trend is at the beginning and many questions are still remaining obscure. Challenging many stereotypes, Robert Gleave is of the pioneering researchers who rejects anti-rational notion prevailing in Akhbari study, recognises a diversity amongst Akhbari ulama, puts certainty at the centre of Akhbari theory, and negates a reading which represents Akhbari theory as a protestant Shiism. His attempt shows an enthusiasm for some historical reading which unfortunately fails to fulfil the requirements. From this point of view an essentialism might be traced in his categorising system making him form a rigid, fix, and objective differentiation between two groups of Imami ulama. In doing so, instead of concentrating on historical actors and their systems of representation, categorisation, and perception he regards Usuli, Akhbari, and other concepts as concrete realities while from a historical perspective concepts, definitions, and categories are also socio-historical phenomena needed to be studied. Focusing on his Scripturalist Islam, this article aims to study Gleave’s important achievements in Shia Studies.