The first book-length overview of the theology of the Ibadi Islam, a distinct sect of Islam, neither Sunni nor Shi'ite, that emerged in the early Islamic period and remains today in small pockets of North Africa and as the dominant sect of Oman.

Ibadi Islam is a distinct sect of Islam, neither Sunni nor Shi’ite, that emerged in the early Islamic period and remains active today in small pockets of North Africa and as the dominant sect of Oman. Despite its antiquity, it has often been misunderstood and remains little known. Seeking to redress this gap and to introduce this influential Islamic school to the non-Arabic-speaking world, Hoffman offers the first book-length overview of Ibadi theology published in English. Beginning with a concise overview of Ibadi history, Hoffman delineates the sectarian movement’s role in the development of Islamic thought, tracing its distinctive teachings and literary history. In the second section, she provides annotated translations of two complementary modern Ibadi theological texts. This unique volume elucidates the religious and political thought by allowing the Ibadi tradition to speak for itself. The Essentials of Ibadi Islam gives readers, specialists and nonspecialists alike, a rare opportunity to understand the major teachings of Ibadi Islam.