The Story of the Quran
Ingrid Mattson
Paperback
9780470673492
The Qur'an's History and Place in Muslim Life
Since publication The Story of the Qur'an has received high praise for its sensitivity, deft scholarship, and carefully balanced portrayal of the study of the Qur'an and its place in historic and contemporary Muslim society. Acclaimed Islamic scholar Ingrid Mattson now updates her authoritative and comprehensive introduction through the addition of expanded sections on the Qur'an in art and architecture, in the life cycle of Muslims, and in Islamic ethics and law. Through a close examination of the doctrines in the Qur'an, Mattson reveals their significance to individual Muslims and the societies in which they live.
Other key themes addressed include the Qur'an most important historical interpretations, significant figures who transmitted and taught the sacred scripture over the centuries, and the influence of the Qur'an on major aspects of Muslim society - including personal relationships, popular culture, political movements, science, and literature. Combining scholarly precision with an engaging style, The Story of the Qur'an, Second Edition, offers a fascinating and unique account of the history and current place of the Qur'an in Muslim life.
Contents
1 God Speaks to Humanity
God Hears and Responds
Defining the Qur'an
Ancient Origins of the Meccan Sanctuary
The Arabian Context
The Arabic Language
The Jahiliyya: A Time of Lawlessness and Immorality
The Early Life of Muhammad
Muhammad as the Messenger of God
2 The Prophet Conveys the Message
Historicizing the Qur'an
The Medium and the Message
God Is One
Moral Conduct and Its Ultimate Consequences
Servants of God
Persecution of Believers Past and Present
Establishing a Viable State and a Just Political Order
Building Community
A Door to Heaven Is Closed
3 The Voice and the Pen
A Sacred Pedigree
Recited and Written
The Prophet and the First Collection of the Qur'an
The Early Generations: Regional Schools of Recitation and the Elaboration of the Mushaf
Standardizing the Curriculum
Qur'anic Recitation and Ritual Life
Breaking the Tradition
The Value of Memorization
Transmission of the Qur'an in the Modern Age
Conclusion
4 Blessed Words: The Qur'an and Culture
The Qur'an as the Word of God
The Qur'an and Sacred Architecture
The Elevation of the Qur'an
Language, Naming, ad Common Expressions
Ritual Purity and Purifying Rituals
Death, Mourning, and the Afterlife
5 What God Really Means: Interpreting the Qur'an
Exegesis before Hermeneutics
The Epistemological Challenge
Intertextuality: The Isra'iliyyat
Occasions of Revelation
Understanding the Language of the Qur'an
Relating the Sunna to the Qur'an
Deriving Legal Norms from the Qur'an
Consensus and Diversity in Legal Reasoning
Modernity: Making the Words "Reasonable"
Some Contested Issues
Inheritance
Wife-beating
Conclusion
6 Conclusion: Listening for God