Books by Recep Dogan

This book explores the struggle and differences between the current governmental power, the AKP, and the Gulen movement, the leading civic Islamic movement, in Turkey.

This book deals with the sources of Islamic jurisprudence and their importance in deducing the religious rulings. It covers the concept of ijtihad (independent reasoning), its conditions and application and illustrates why it is a practice for experts rather than laymen. It also explains the differences in the levels of expertise of the mujtahids. In fact, there are seven distinct classifications of mujtahid.The book also covers the communication of God as Lawgiver with regard to the conduct of liable persons. It details the difference in probative value of communication based on the extent to which it binds an individual be it absolutely binding, a recommendation or mere permissibility.The reader will be able to understand the difference between fiqh (law) and Usul al-Fiqh (methodology of law). Fiqh is the law itself whereas Usul al-Fiqh is the methodology utilized to extract the law. The relationship between the two disciplines resembles that of the rules of grammar to a language, or of logic to philosophy. Usul al-Fiqh in this sense provides the standard criteria for the correct deduction of the rulings of fiqh from the sources of Shari'ah (the Qur'an and Sunnah).

This valuable work on the methodology of exegesis by Dr. Recep Dogan will serve as an important source of future works in the field. With his expertise in the history and exegesis of the Quran, as well as his familiarity and comprehensive understanding of Islamic disciplines, Dr. Dogan has managed to combine both classical and modern acquis. Presenting a variety of different approaches, Dr. Dogan also offers a broad range of Western approaches in reading the Quran.