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I am looking for a "systematic theology" for Islam ideally in English but Arabic would also do. This is different than the tafsir or anything like that.

In this case, a systematic theology is an attempt to answer the question of "What does the (whole) Quran teach us about x?", where x is any given topic and is perhaps supported by hadiths. It groups all the verses in a topic together in order to come to valid conclusions. I recognize that the Quran is supposed to be read in the order given, but there is also great value in grouping all verses on a given topic to greater understanding any given subject.

It would be an attempt to group verses together on topics such as:

  • The Quran as the Word of God (inerrancy/infallibility, preservation, clarity, etc.)
  • The Existence of God
  • The Knowability of God
  • The Character/Attributes of God
  • The Names of God
  • God's Providence/Predestination
  • 5 Pillars (Tawhid, Salah, Zakah, Siam, Hajj)
  • 6 Articles of Faith (Allah, Angels, Holy Books, Rasools, Fate, Afterlife)
  • Halal-Haram
  • The nature of mankind
  • The nature of sin (major, minor, etc.)
  • Forgiveness
  • Repentance
  • Muhammad's Prophethood
  • The Previous Prophets
  • Faith
  • Heaven
  • Hell
  • Jinn
  • The Second Coming
  • Judgment Day

This is not an attempt to come up with an outline of a systematic theology, but merely to give an example of the type of comprehensiveness I would be looking for and why it would be useful. I also recognize there are various schools of Islamic theology, but I don't want to exclude any particular school in this search.

What references for systematic grouping of texts and exposition of teachings exist for the Quran? I would also be interested in a "topical" Quran (compare topical Bible online 1 and 2), with references all verses on a certain subject quite nicely arranged. I have a "subject index" in my Quran, which is very helpful, but I am still curious about finding a true systematic theology, which are generally several hundred to several thousand-page expositions.

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  • The point is are you looking for references that cover all of this or specific topics. As for the later there are a lot I know of and the first must be covered in books on sciences of the Qur'an. BUt therein you might more likely find an overview in first place.
    – Medi1Saif ♦
    Commented Dec 10, 2018 at 9:05
  • @Medi1Saif All of these topics. Do you know of any that are approximately comprehensive in covering Islamic theology?
    – Alex Strasser
    Commented Dec 10, 2018 at 16:18

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I'm a bit unclear what you mean, but in the annex of the copies of Moshafs of Dar al-Ma'arifa دار المعرفة you may find a glossary of the topics of the Qur'an which basically include most if not all topics listed above with references to the verses (see here for example in Arabic, as these Moshafs have been translated an English version should be available).

There are also individual efforts as this -in Arabic- of Sobhi 'abdarrauf 'asr صبحي عبد الرؤف عصر.

And online applications such as this in Arabic or this which is also available in English.

Beside this many scholars of Tafsir and others quoted in the intro of each surah quotes about the content and topics discussed in the surah. This approach was also applied by the author of Rooh wa rayhan روح وريحان Noor Muhammad Mu'ayd al-Jandali نور محمد مؤيد الجندلي.

Most of the above mentioned is more like a cross-reference between topics and related verses.

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