Veiling Esther, unveiling her story : the reception of a biblical book in Islamic lands / Adam J. Silverstein.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Silverstein, Adam J., author.

Series:

Oxford studies in the Abrahamic religions

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Esther, Queen of Persia.

Esther.

Bible. Esther--Criticism, interpretation, etc--Islamic countries.

Bible.

Bible--Appreciation--Islamic countries.

Midrash rabbah. Esther--Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Midrash rabbah.

Midrash rabbah. Esther.

Bible. Esther.

Art appreciation.

Islamic countries.

Genre:

Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Physical Description:

viii, 232 pages ; 22 cm.

Place of Publication:

Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2018.

Summary:

"'Veiling Esther, Unveiling Her Story: The Reception of a Biblical Book in Islamic Lands' examines the ways in which the biblical book of Esther was read, understood, and used in Muslim lands, from ancient to modern times. It focuses on case studies covering works from various periods and regions of the Muslim world, including the Qur'an, premodern historical chronicles and literary works, the writings of a nineteenth-century Shia feminist, a twentieth-century Iranian encyclopaedia, and others. These case studies demonstrate that Muslim sources contain valuable materials on Esther, which shed light both on the Esther story itself and on the Muslim peoples and cultures that received it. Adam J. Silverstein argues that Muslim sources preserve important pre-Islamic materials on Esther that have not survived elsewhere, some of which offer answers to ancient questions about Esther, such as the meaning of Haman's epithet in the Greek versions of the story, the reason why Mordecai refused to prostrate before Haman, and the literary context of the 'plot of the eunuchs' to kill the Persian king. Throughout the book, Silverstein shows how each author's cultural and religious background influenced his or her understanding and retelling of the Esther story. In particular, he highlights that Persian Muslims (and Jews) were often forced to reconcile or choose between the conflicting historical narratives provided by their religious and cultural heritages, respectively."--Back cover.

Contents:

1 Haman in the Qur'an p. 17

2 Esther in Islamic Historical Sources p. 39

3 The Samaritan Esther p. 64

4 The Persian Esther "Midrash" p. 79

5 Esther and Ancient Persian Storytelling p. 92

6 "Bougaios"-The Islamic Evidence p. 127

7 Why Did Mordecai Refuse to Bow? p. 146.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

ISBN:

0198797222

9780198797227

OCLC:

1028584193