God in Islamic Theology

Ozalp's book on Islamic theology is a vital contribution to the contemporary discourse, as the field is often overlooked in today's world. With insightful analyses of core theological concepts such as God, epistemology, causality, and spirituality, Ozalp successfully bridges the gap between classical Islamic theology and modern-day questions and issues. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Islamic theology. -- Zuleyha Keskin, Charles Sturt University Through a close attention to the history of theology, Mehmet Ozalp shows how the work of Said Nursi provides a refreshing option for a contemporary understanding and appropriation of Islamic beliefs. Ozalp is deeply sensitive to the tension noted in Islamic scholarship between understanding and relevance. Nursi offers an alternative to a well-established indifference to evolving scientific, political, and cultural change. -- Clive Pearson, School of Theology, Charles Sturt University, Australia An Islam that is at once classical and modern begins with The One, The Creator. Ozalp shows how reimagining divine oneness hinges on a theological discovery of the natural world and cosmos. His claims are universal in the best sense - they establish an intellectual and spiritual basis for experiencing the unity of all things within a God-centric worldview. -- Aaron J. Ghiloni, author of Islam as Education Mehmet Ozalp's book is an important contribution to the growing field of Nursian Studies. By directly examining Nursi's Risale-i Nur's relationship to classical Islamic theology, or Kalam, Ozalp shows the important and critical ways in which Nursi draws upon the classical sources to construct his vision of a modern Islamic theology, a theology that is very much still relevant to us today. Ozalp displays a great understanding of both Nursi's writings and thought and the classical Islamic theological discourse that he puts Nursi's thought in conversation with. This book will be valuable to those who wish to gain a greater insight into how Nursi's writings fit within the broader currents of Islamic theology as well as those who have not yet encountered Nursi's thought. -- Zeki Saritoprak, John Carroll University