The Time of Turāth : Authenticity and Temporality in Contemporary Arab Thought

Abstract

This study argues for a new view of contemporary Arab thought by analyzing the idea of time that underlies key discussions over Arab heritage (turāth). Focusing on three authors, it shows how their work was shaped by a linear temporality and how they break with a common understanding of Arab thought by critiquing its temporal basis. This analysis leads to a richer engagement with contemporary Arab thought that brings out its moral dimensions.