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Discovering the Qur'an - Contemporary Approach to a Veiled Text (04) by Robinson, Neal [Paperback (2004)]
Discovering the Qur'an - Contemporary Approach to a Veiled Text (04) by Robinson, Neal [Paperback (2004)]
Paperback
First published March 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 1, 2013
Very good careful technical introduction to the way the Qur'an works as a text, with particular attention to the sound of words. Contains a useful summary and rebuttal of the Hagarism thesis. Adopts a more conservative attitude to textual criticism than more radical western scholars (arguing for instance that the Surahs are not a mere patchwork of editorial activity). Persuasively argues for a single author (skirting around the Muslim claim for the divine nature of the author!) while helpfully showing to a western reader why the text is not as disjointed and confusing as initially appears. Good summaries of each chapter; occasionally a little too didactic; the latter chapters are pretty technical and not easy reading. Overall very helpful for understanding the Qur'an, it's form and it's language.
November 21, 2022
Takeaways:
- The chapters in the Qur'an are not strictly in descending order of length, rather, the chapters are arranged in complimentary pairs somewhat.
- The Qur'an is an oral tradition and commands the full use of the mouth and for stylistic shifts. In the written Qur'an, this is achieved by elongating letters or words.
- Some chapters and verses contain perfect ring compositions. The words are metaphoric, allowing the readers to extrapolate meanings according to circumstances. The Qur'an repeatedly shifts from first person, to second to third - this device is used for dramatic effects.
- The Qur'anic message is mostly revealed in several major registers (tone of voice) which deals with monotheism, eschatology, polemical discussions, historical narratives, laws and others.
This book needs a more in-depth reading.
- The chapters in the Qur'an are not strictly in descending order of length, rather, the chapters are arranged in complimentary pairs somewhat.
- The Qur'an is an oral tradition and commands the full use of the mouth and for stylistic shifts. In the written Qur'an, this is achieved by elongating letters or words.
- Some chapters and verses contain perfect ring compositions. The words are metaphoric, allowing the readers to extrapolate meanings according to circumstances. The Qur'an repeatedly shifts from first person, to second to third - this device is used for dramatic effects.
- The Qur'anic message is mostly revealed in several major registers (tone of voice) which deals with monotheism, eschatology, polemical discussions, historical narratives, laws and others.
This book needs a more in-depth reading.
April 23, 2023
Reading Neal Robinson's: Discovering the Quran, is about learning about the several approaches taken to figure out the chronological order of the chapters of the quran. Neal here isn't discussing just the chapters but also the verses.
The book firstly examines three main perspectives to the subject; the Egyptian standard chronological order, Theodor Noldeke's and Richard Bell's with Neal's view leaning towards a combination of Noldeke and Bell and preferring that over the Egyptian SCO
The main theme of the book is illustrated in the first chapter of part three. Neal states that even though most people come across the entire Quran as groups of chapters, however each chapter contains discrete mini chapters or sections that are compromised of several small units which are compromised of several verses which are identifiable based in the changes in subject matter, the addressees, rhyme, rhythm and the occurrence of different syntactic structures. He seems to base his work on the work of Angelika Neuwirth.
This work is based on the traditional resources for determining the chronological order of the surahs. This works by setting up an event for group of verses. For example, we know based on traditional resources that around the year 623, most of chapter 2 was delivered and the verses 124-187 speak about the break with jews and muslims being a distinct community having new rules and policies. Therefore, setting up events like this allows us to get a chronological tree of events. If we are able to compile as many events as possible chronologically, we will be able to have reasonable certainty about the order of chapters. The purpose of that is not to rearrange the current non chronological order of the Quran since the current is believed to have been deliberately arranged through divine inspiration but rather just like taxonomy; to classify the main body of the quran to several classes and orders to several genera that further helps in the interpretation of the Quran. An example would be verses (16:67)(2:219)(4:43)(5:90) - Those verses range from permissable non judgmental to disappointing to forbidding drinking wine during prayers to total abstention which means that these four passages seem to represent a progressive hardening of the attitude towards wine and intoxicants which strengthens the likelihood that they were infact revealed in this order but then again that would mean starting to address the concept of abrogation seeing that there is a verse about alcohol that has no ruling because it was abrogated by another one.
All in all even *SPOILER* Neal concluded that he believes Noldeke+Bell is the way to go with chronological order, he still hasn't given or produced his own chronological version or atleast what he thinks should be the version, after all the criticism and discussion. So basically this book is about him providing extensive material of how others did the chronology and criticize it and state which one is of them is the nearest to the truth.
The book firstly examines three main perspectives to the subject; the Egyptian standard chronological order, Theodor Noldeke's and Richard Bell's with Neal's view leaning towards a combination of Noldeke and Bell and preferring that over the Egyptian SCO
The main theme of the book is illustrated in the first chapter of part three. Neal states that even though most people come across the entire Quran as groups of chapters, however each chapter contains discrete mini chapters or sections that are compromised of several small units which are compromised of several verses which are identifiable based in the changes in subject matter, the addressees, rhyme, rhythm and the occurrence of different syntactic structures. He seems to base his work on the work of Angelika Neuwirth.
This work is based on the traditional resources for determining the chronological order of the surahs. This works by setting up an event for group of verses. For example, we know based on traditional resources that around the year 623, most of chapter 2 was delivered and the verses 124-187 speak about the break with jews and muslims being a distinct community having new rules and policies. Therefore, setting up events like this allows us to get a chronological tree of events. If we are able to compile as many events as possible chronologically, we will be able to have reasonable certainty about the order of chapters. The purpose of that is not to rearrange the current non chronological order of the Quran since the current is believed to have been deliberately arranged through divine inspiration but rather just like taxonomy; to classify the main body of the quran to several classes and orders to several genera that further helps in the interpretation of the Quran. An example would be verses (16:67)(2:219)(4:43)(5:90) - Those verses range from permissable non judgmental to disappointing to forbidding drinking wine during prayers to total abstention which means that these four passages seem to represent a progressive hardening of the attitude towards wine and intoxicants which strengthens the likelihood that they were infact revealed in this order but then again that would mean starting to address the concept of abrogation seeing that there is a verse about alcohol that has no ruling because it was abrogated by another one.
All in all even *SPOILER* Neal concluded that he believes Noldeke+Bell is the way to go with chronological order, he still hasn't given or produced his own chronological version or atleast what he thinks should be the version, after all the criticism and discussion. So basically this book is about him providing extensive material of how others did the chronology and criticize it and state which one is of them is the nearest to the truth.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews