Qur'anic Hermeneutics: Al-Tabrisi And The Craft Of Commentary

Book Summary

The work of the twelfth-century Shia (TM)ite scholar al-Tabrisi, Majmaa (TM) al-bayan, is one of the most important works of medieval commentary on the Qura (TM)an, and is still in use today. This work is an in-depth case study of Islamic exegetical methods and an exploration of the nature of scriptural interpretation in Islam. Drawing on a wide variety of sources including unpublished manuscripts, the author examines how exegesis serves to construct, maintain and defend the status of the Qura (TM)an as scripture and to uphold certain ideological agendas, among them the notion of the literary and rhetorical supremacy of Goda (TM)s revelation in Arabic. Focusing on the genre and process of Qura (TM)anic exegesis itself, he treats Qura (TM)an interpretation as part of a category of religious practice recognizable from the history and comparative study of religion. Written in clear and accessible style, Qura (TM)anic Hermeneutics makes Qura (TM)anic exegesis intelligible to specialists in Islam as well as those interested in scripture and its interpretation in general. As such, it will be a valuable reference to scholars of Islamic studies, religion and scripture.

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