Contemporary Perspectives on Revelation and Qur'anic Hermeneutics: An Analysis of Four Scholars: An Analysis of Four Discourses

https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-contemporary-perspectives-on-revelation-and-qur-anic-hermeneutics.html A number of innovative hermeneutical approaches emerged in Muslim exegetical discourse in the second half of the 20th century. Among these developments is a trend of systematic reform theology that emphasises a humanistic approach, whereby revelation is understood to be dependent not only upon its initiator, God, but also upon its recipient, Prophet Muhammad, who takes an active role in the process. Ali Akbar examines the works of four noted scholars of Islam: Fazlur Rahman (Pakistan), Abdolkarim Soroush (Iran), Muhammad Mujtahed Shabestari (Iran) and Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd (Egypt). His study shows that the consequences of taking a humanistic approach to understanding revelation are not confined to the realm of speculation about God–human relations, but also to interpreting Qur’anic socio-political precepts. And the four scholars emerge as a distinctive group of Muslim thinkers who open up a new horizon in contemporary Islamic discourse. Acknowledgements 8 Notes on Transliteration and Other Conventions 9 1 Introduction 10 Some background studies 14 The study 15 The content 17 2 Traditional Understanding of Revelation 21 Revelation in the Qurʾān 21 Two terms for revelation in the Qurʾān: wah. y and tanzīl 23 Revelation in the traditional accounts: internal and direct, or external and mediated? 25 Revelation and its link to the personality of the Prophet 27 The Prophet’s feelings/experiences at the moment of revelation 28 God’s words, revelation and the Qurʾān 28 Challenges to traditional theories of revelation 30 Conclusion 33 3 Fazlur Rahman: Revelation Historicised 37 Rahman’s account of revelation 37 The sources of Rahman’s theory of revelation 42 The connection between revelation and Qurʾānic hermeneutics 50 Rahman’s hermeneutics in practice 56 Conclusion 64 4 Abdolkarim Soroush: The Prophet’s Revelatory Experiences 70 Soroush’s theory of revelation 70 The sources of Soroush’s ideas about revelation 80 Soroush’s hermeneutics 84 The implications of Soroush’s hermeneutics 91 Conclusion 100 5 Muhammad Mujtahed Shabestari: How the Prophet Saw the World 106 The need for reconsideration of the traditional account of revelation 106 The sources of Shabestari’s theory of revelation 111 Shabestari’s hermeneutics 118 Shabestari’s hermeneutics in practice 123 Conclusion 131 6 Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd: Revelation as a Linguistic Manifestation of the Communicative Interaction between God and the Prophet 136 Abu Zayd’s account of revelation 136 The sources of Abu Zayd’s ideas about revelation 142 Abu Zayd’s hermeneutics 147 The implications of Abu Zayd’s hermeneutics 156 Conclusion 164 7 Conclusion 170 Accounts of revelation 171 The roots of each scholar’s account of revelation 172 Hermeneutic approaches: theoretical level 173 Hermeneutic approaches functioning in practice 174 Final remarks 176 Bibliography 178 Index 194 "A number of innovative hermeneutical approaches emerged in Muslim exegetical discourse in the second half of the 20th century. Among these developments is a trend of systematic reform theology that emphasises a humanistic approach, whereby revelation is understood to be dependent not only upon its initiator, God, but also upon its recipient, Prophet Muhammad, who takes an active role in the process. Ali Akbar examines the works of four noted scholars of Islam: Fazlur Rahman (Pakistan), Abdolkarim Soroush (Iran), Muhammad Mujtahed Shabestari (Iran) and Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd (Egypt). His study shows that the consequences of taking a humanistic approach to understanding revelation are not confined to the realm of speculation about God-human relations, but also to interpreting Qur'anic socio-political precepts. And the four scholars emerge as a distinctive group of Muslim thinkers who open up a new horizon in contemporary Islamic discourse." -- provided by publisher, back cover