Orientalist’s Approaches towards the Issue of “Coherence of the Qur’an”; Chronology, Features, Backgrounds

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD Candidate of Quran and Hadith Sciences, University of Tarbiat Modarres, Iran.

2 ssistant Professor of the University of Tarbiat Modarres, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor of Azad University of Karaj, Iran.

Abstract

The study of the Qur’an, especially due to the common subjects with the content of the former scriptures, has always been of interest for Orientalists. As the way in which the Qur’anic verses and their content composition are in contrast to the pattern of both Testaments, the most distinctive style of the Qur’an, which is presented unconventionally at the first glance, is its incoherence and lack of apparent coherence. In this research, the historical process of the western approaches on the coherence of the Qur’an, as well as, the characteristics, factors and backgrounds of these approaches are studied and analyzed. The chronological evolution shows a three-stage process: the complete negation of the coherence of the Qur’an, the admission of the coherence of Meccan sūrahs and falling doubt on the existence of coherence in Madanī sūrahs, and the emphasis on the necessity of examining Madanī sūrahs with the supposition of coherence in them. In addition, the features of these approaches have undergone some changes: change of the polemical approach into the scientific one, the alteration from understanding the Qur’an in a process of historical development to the understanding it in a canonical version, the transformation of the notion of a random combination to the hypothesis of sūrah unity. The causes of the emergence and transformation of the approaches are various, including: the familiarity of Western mind with the Biblical and thematic order, referring to the Arabic text rather than the translation of the Qur’an, attention to the oral nature of the Qur’an, and the differences in views on how the Qur’an was collected.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

1-      Adams ChJ. Qur’an: The Text and Its History. In The Encyclopedia of Religion; 1987; Vol. 12, p 160-170
2-      Arberry A J. The Koran Interpreted. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company; 1955, vol. 2.
3-      Bell R. Bell`s introduction to the Quran. Completely revised and enlarged by  W. Montgomery Watt. Edinburgh University Press; 1953.
4-      Berque J. Relire le Coran. Trans: Eftekharzadeh MR. Tehran: Rouzegar Publications; 1379 HS.
5-      Blachère R. Introduction au Coran. Trans: Mobasher A. Tehran: Arghavan Publications.
6-      Blachère R. Introduction au Coran. Trans: Ramyar M. Tehran: Islamic Publishing and Culture Office; 1378 HS.
7-      Bobzin H. A Treasury of Heresies: Christian Polemics against the Quran. The Quran as text. Ed. Stefan Wild. Leiden; 1996, pp.157-175.
8-      Bobzin H. Pre-1800 Preoccupations of Quranic studies. In the Encyclopedia of the Quran. General Editor: Jane Dammen McAuliffe. Leiden; 2004. vol.4, pp.235-253.
9-      Bobzin H. Translations of the Qur’an. In the Encyclopedia of the Qur’an. General Editor: J. D. McAuliffe. Leiden; 2006. Vol 5, pp. 340-358.
10-  Boullata IJ. Literary Structures of the Qurān. In the Encyclopedia of the Quran. General Editor: Jane Dammen McAuliffe. Leiden; 2004. vol.3, pp.192-204.
11-  Carlyle Th. On heroes, hero-worship, and the heroic in history. London; 1897.
12-  Cuypers M. The Banquet; A reading of The Fifth Sura of The Quran. Paris: Convivium Press; 2009.
13-  El-Awa SMS. Textual relations in the Quran; Relevance, coherence and structure. New York: Routledge; 2006.
14-  Goldziher I. ‎Die Richtungen der islamischen koranauslegung. Trans: Tabatabaei N. Tehran: Qoqnous; 1383 HS.
15-  Goldziher I. Introduction to Islamic theology and law. Princeton; 1981. (Trans. of his Vorlesunge über den Islam)
16-  Goldziher I. Muslim Studies. Trans: Ali Naqi Monzavi. Tehran: Kamangir Publications; 1357 HS.
17-  Graham W. Quran Oral Word: Islamic Participation in the Understanding of Holy Scripture. Trans: Nosrat Nilsaz in Approaches in Islam and Religious Studies. By the effort of Abbasi M. Tehran: Hekmat; 1396 HS.
18-  Hirschfeld H. New Researches into the Composition and Exegesis of the Qur'an. London: Royal Asiatic society; 1902.
19-  Karimi-nia M. Before and After Theodor Nöldeke: The History of Scribing the Qur’an in the World. Sahif-e Mobin; 1389 HS.; 48: 7-42.
20-  Khorramshahi BD. Mind and Language of Hafez. Tehran: Nashr-e Nov; 1361 HS.
21-  Le Bon G. The world of Islamic civilization. Trans: Hosseini H. Islamiyah Bookshop; 1385 HS.
22-  Makvand M. Reflection of the Coherence of the Qur’an Text in the Light of Symmetrical Order Theory (Emphasizing Michel Cuypers’s Views). Qur’anic Studies:1394 HS.; 3; 4-33.
23-  Merrill JE. Dr. Bell's Critical Analysis of the Quran. Muslim World; 1947. XXXVII, pp.134-148.
24-  Mir M. Coherence in the Quran. Washington: American Trust Publications; 1986.
25-  Mir Mustansir. The sura as a unity: A twentieth century development in Qur’an exegesis. G.R. Hawting and Abdul-Kader A. Shareef (eds.). Approaches to the Qur’an. London: Routledge; 1993.
26-  Motzki H. Hadith: Origins and Developments. Ed: Lawrance I. Conrad. Great Britain; 2004, pp.  xiii-liii.
27-  Motzki H. The Collection of the Quran: A Reconsideration of Western Views in Light of Recent Methodological Developments. Der Islam; 2001, 78, pp. 1-34.
28-  Neuwirth A. Form and Structure of the Quran. In the Encyclopedia of the Quran. General Editor: Jane Dammen McAuliffe. Leiden; 2002. vol. 2, pp.245-266.
29-   Noldeke Th. Quran. Encyclopedia of Brit; 1910-1911. V. 9, Edition 11, V. 15, p. 898-906.
30-  Qane’ei Ardakani A. Critique of Orientalists’ Misconceptions on Continues Text of the Qur’anic Verses. Qur’anic Studies of Orientalists; 1391: 57-76.
31-  Qayturi A. The Quran and the Transition of the Linear Order: A Linguistic Study. Language and Linguistics; 1385 HS.; 3: 17-31.
32-  Robinson N. Discovering the Quran. Second edition. London: scm press; 2003.
33-  Robinson N. Hands Outstretched: Towards a Re-reading of Surat al-Md'ida. Journal of Qur'anic Studies; 2001. Vol. 3, p. 1-19.
34-  Robinson N. Islam a concise introduction. London/Richmond: Curzon Press; 1999.
35-  Sale G. A Preliminary Discourse. London; 1734.
36-  Salmasi-zadeh J. The Chronology of Translation of the Qur’an in Europe and Asia. Tehran: Avicenna; 1342 HS.
37-  Tavakoli Mohammadi N. and Pouya-zadeh A. Examining the Function of Discourse Analysis in Proving Continues Text of the Holy Qur’an, emphasizing the approach of Neil Robson. Qur’anic Studies and Islamic Culture; 1396-B: 4; 25-54.
38-  Tavakoli Mohammadi N. Critical Analysis of Principles and method of N. Robson on Continues Text (Tanāsub) of the Holy Qur’an. PhD thesis: University of Tehran; 1396 HS-A.
39-  Wansbrough J. Quranic Studies: Sources and Methods of Scriptural Interpretation. USA; 2004, first published: 1977.
40-  Watt WM. Bell’s Introduction to The Quran. Edinburgh: University Press; 1970.
41-  Welch AT. AL-KUR`AN. In the Encyclopaedia of Islam. Leiden: Brill; 1986. vol.5., p 400-430.
42-  Zahniser AHM. Major Transitions and Thematic Borders in Two Long Sūras: al-Baqara and al-Nisā’. In Literary Structures of Religious Meaning in the Qur’an. Ed. Issa J. Boulatta (Richmond: Curzon; 2000. P. 26–55.
43-  Zahniser AHM. Sura as Guidance and Exhortation: The Composition of Surat al-Nisa’. In Humanism, Culture, and Language in the Near East: Studies in Honor of Georg Krotkoff. Ed. Asma Afsaruddin and AH. Mathias Zahniser (Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns; 1997, p 71-86).
44-  Zahniser AHM. The word of God and the apostleship of Isa, A narrative analysis of Al Imran (3:33-62). Journal of Semantic studies; 1991. N.37, p 77-112.
45-  Zamani MH. Orientalists and The Qur’an. Qom: Boostan-e Ketab; 1385 HS.
46-  Zovqi A. New Approach of Continues Text of the Chapters of the Holy Qu’an. Qur’an and Hadith Studies; 12: 1392 HS.
 

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 30 August 2018
  • Revise Date: 16 March 2019
  • Accept Date: 02 March 2019

Share

How to cite

Statistics