The Development of the Ash‘arite Doctrine in North Africa: Building of Theological, Political and Religious Unity

Understanding the socio-cultural identity of contemporary North Africa (Maghreb) and the background of much of its political development should not be held away from its religious, theological and juristic history. The reason being that neglect of the religious history of the region only obscures our vision of the real driving forces shaping much of today’s religious and cultural progress in the Maghreb. This study examines the historical stages and characteristics of the Ash‘arite intellectual development in the Maghreb while exploring factors contributing to the shaping of its intellectual unity. The scope of this inquiry is to examine the historical and intellectual evolution of Asharism in the Maghreb; some of its profound implications on society, religious instruction, and eventually the political history of the region will also be inspected. This research touches on fundamental evolutionary stages in the formation and consolidation of Ash‘arism in the Maghreb, each of which exerts socio-political implications on the region while also reflecting the intellectual, political and cultural interaction with the Muslim East. This research is instrumental to the understanding of the efforts made by respective governments in the Maghreb to strengthen Ash‘arism to preserve viable and sustainable unity between Muslims in the region.