Download slides - www3.telus.net

Traditionalists
Islamists
Modernists
Tendencies in Modern Tafsir
(Qur’anic Interpretation)
Interpreting in light of modern science
Explaining fantastical elements, often symbolic
Justifying existing doctrine using Qur’an
Emphasis on spiritual over prescriptive content
Qur’an “filtered” through Muhammad’s mind?
Muhammad Abduh (1849-1905)
Modernist, seeking to use Islam as filter
for modern progress
Seeking to make Qur’an more accessible and
applicable to modern day
Tafsir al-Manar (Interpretation of the
Lighthouse/Minaret)
Muhammad Abduh (1849-1905)
Qur’an as encouraging reason, education and
political independence
Ambiguities encouraging attention to spiritual
world
Rulings as tied to context in which revealed
Sayyid Qutb (1906-66)
Radical Islamist and extremist member of
Muslim Brotherhood
Initially attracted to westernisation, then
rejected it after visit to America in
1949-51
Advocated Islamic state in Egypt with Islamic
institutions
Sayyid Qutb (1906-66)
Fi Zilal al-Qur’an (In the Shade of the
Qur’an)
Qur’an as complete blueprint for society,
needing group like Muslim Brotherhood
to implement it properly
Emphasis on Qur’an’s artistic/literary merits
Tantawi Jawhari (1862-1940)
Egyptian modernist, secondary school teacher
Al-Jawahir fi Tafsir al-Qur’an (Jewels on the
Interpretation of the Qur’an, 1923-35)
1. Islam as perfectly compatible with human
nature
2. Qur’an explains scientific workings of world,
because explains all necessary knowledge,
incl. science
Tantawi Jawhari (1862-1940)
Jawhari’s view caught on among some thinkers,
still used in attempts to convert. Qur’an’s
references to science as proof of divine origin
Disparities reflecting imperfect understanding
of science, or passage in question is symbolic
Problem, in modernist view, because modernism
avoid literalist readings of text, and this view
also disregards problem of different
understanding of language in modern day
Qur’an as eternal, uncreated word of God?
Miracle of Qur’an is its divine guidance and
success of its teachings?
Qur’an given to Muhammad by God, but
spoken by Muhammad according to own
understanding?
Seeing Qur’an as reflection of time period
Qur’an subordinating historical accuracy
to didactic agenda?
But where to draw line? Risk of
throwing the baby out with
the bathwater
How far do laws in Qur’an reflect historical
circumstances rather than eternal teaching?
Fazlur Rahman (1919-88) distinguishing
legal rulings (tied to history) and moral ones
(not). Legal rulings no longer applicable, but
moral intentions still are
Mohammed Arkoun (1928-2010) suggesting
Qur’an reflects historical reality, discussing
in a way intended to direct attention of
humans to God
Questioning essential nature of Qur’an?