Reading the Qur'an in the twenty-first century : a contextualist approach / Abdullah Saeed.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Saeed, Abdullah

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Qurʼan--Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Qurʼan.

Qurʼan--Reading.

Reading.

Qurʼan as literature.

Genre:

Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Physical Description:

vi, 196 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge, 2014.

Summary:

"Reading the Qurʼan in the Twenty-First Century considers the development of Qurʼanic interpretation and highlights modern debates around new approaches to interpretation. It explores how Muslims from various theological, legal, socio-political and philosophical backgrounds think about the meaning and relevance of the Qurʼan, and how their ideas apply in the contemporary world. The book:reflects on one of the most dominant approaches to interpretation in the pre-modern period, textualism, and the reaction to that in Muslim feminist readings of the Qurʼan today. Covers issues such as identifying the hierarchical nature of Qurʼanic values, the criteria for the use of hadith in interpretation, fluidity of meaning and ways of ensuring a degree of stability in interpretation. examines key Qurʼanic passages and compares pre-modern and modern interpretations to show the evolving nature of interpretation. Examples discussed include: the authority of men over women, the death of Jesus, shura and democracy, and riba and interest. Abdullah Saeed provides a practical guide for interpretation and presents the principal ideas of a contextualist approach, which situates the original message of the Qurʼan in its wider social, political, cultural, economic and intellectual context. He advocates a more flexible method of interpretation that gives due recognition to earlier interpretations of the Qurʼan while also being aware of changing conditions and the need to approach the Qurʼan afresh today"-- Provided by publisher.

"Reading the Qur'an in the Twenty-First Century considers the development of Qur'anic interpretation and highlights modern debates around new approaches to interpretation. It explores how Muslims from various theological, legal, socio-political and philosophical backgrounds think about the meaning and relevance of the Qur'an, and how their ideas apply in the contemporary world. The book: - reflects on one of the most dominant approaches to interpretation in the pre-modern period, textualism, and the reaction to that in Muslim feminist readings of the Qur'an today. - covers issues such as identifying the hierarchical nature of Qur'anic values, the criteria for the use of hadith in interpretation, fluidity of meaning and ways of ensuring a degree of stability in interpretation. - examines key Qur'anic passages and compares pre-modern and modern interpretations to show the evolving nature of interpretation. Examples discussed include: the authority of men over women, the death of Jesus, shura and democracy, and riba and interest. Abdullah Saeed provides a practical guide for interpretation and presents the principal ideas of a contextualist approach, which situates the original message of the Qur'an in its wider social, political, cultural, economic and intellectual context. He advocates a more flexible method of interpretation that gives due recognition to earlier interpretations of the Qur'an while also being aware of changing conditions and the need to approach the Qur'an afresh today"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Part I Background and examples of contextualism: Past and present 1

1 Introduction and modern emphases in Qur'anic interpretation 3

2 Traditional interpretation, textualism, and the emergence of contextualism 13

3 An early form of contextualism: Umar and interpretation 26

4 A modern form of contextualism: Women's perspectives in interpretation 38

Part II Key ideas and principles of contextualist interpretation 51

5 Revelation and contextualisation 53

6 Hierarchical nature of Qur'anic values 64

7 Parallel texts from the Qur'an and dealing with hadith 73

8 Meaning in a contextualist framework 83

9 "Fundamentals of the religion" and interpretation 90

10 Contextualist interpretation in practice 94

Part III Different interpretations for different contexts: Four cases 109

11 Men's "authority" over women and equality 111

12 Crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ 129

13 Shura and democracy 148

14 Riba and interest 160

Part IV Concluding remarks 177

15 Epilogue 179.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780415677493

0415677491

9780415677509

0415677505

OCLC:

754734273