For various reasons the West has not been able to appreciate Ibn Taymiyyah's place in Islam. His criticism of Ash'ari Kalam, Greek logic and philosophy, monistic Sufism, Shi'i doctrines, and Christian faith have proved great obstacles to appreciating his contribution. His way of writing has also been to an extent responsible. Most of his writings are short or long responsa (fatawa) to particular questions, often recurring, put to him by different men at different times, rather than planned, systematic works on particular subjects. This makes the appreciation of his contribution somewhat difficult