A methodological approach to the status of the old and new testaments in the Qur’anic interpretation

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate Professor of Tehran University

2 M.A graduated from ‘AllameTabataba’ei University

Abstract

Seeking a methodological explanation for the status of the old and new testament in the Qur’anic interpretation process, this article at first follows the semiotical model of ‘Intertextuality’. Based on this model; every text is founded upon earlier texts. Thus, the very existence of a text, its background and the prevalent signs are considered from a rather new and deeper dimension. Religious texts, including the Qur’an, are no exceptions. A competent commentator, is the one who is able to appropriately use  the intertextual sources in  his  Qur’anic interpretation. Intertextual interpretive approach, not only doesn’t interfere with the Qur’an-to-Qur’an interpretation method, but is a complement to it.Qualification of the testaments as a source for intertextual interpretation of the Qur’an, is discussed in the second part of this article. Reviewing the background of this new approach , this article also shows that adopting this view, does not necessarily lead to the acceptance of  Isra’iliyat and faked traditiond in Qur’anic interpretation nor does it proof the same validity  or   divine origin  of the Quran for  the Testaments . It does not even ignore other sources of knowledge for the interpretation of the Qur’an.

Keywords

References

 
- Derrida, Jacqes (1978). Positions. Alan Bass (trans.). London: Athlone Press.
- Masood, Steven (2001). The Bible and the Qur'an: A Question of Integrity. Carlisle: OM Publishing.
- McAuliff, Jane Dammen (General Editor) (2001-2006). The Encyclopedia of The Qur'ān. Leiden-Boston: Brill.
- The Encyclopedia of Islam (1960-2004). 2nd Edition. (EI2). Leiden: Brill.
- Reynolds, Gabriel Said (2009). “Reading the Qur'an Through the Bible”. In First Things Journal.

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History

  • Receive Date: 21 January 2014
  • Revise Date: 26 June 2018
  • Accept Date: 21 January 2014

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