Structural Coherence in the Qur’an

Abstract

Ever since the Qur'an was first translated into Latin by Robert of Ketton in 1143 and, from that time onwards, many Western readers have voiced criticisms of the Qur'an, both its subject matter and the structure of its material. Riccoldo da Monte Croce (d. 1320), for instance, described the Qur'an as lacking in order: proceeding from "true propositions to things unrelated." 1 In the 19th century, Thomas Carlyle (d. 1881) famously characterized the Qur'an as "a wearisome confused jumble." 2 Within the 20 th century, Richard Bell (d. 1952), as will be seen below, found much of the material of the Qur'an to be unrelated, and writes of its "grammatical unevenness and interruptions of sense." 3 The road ahead is still very long. In recent times, Angelika Neuwirth's 1981 study of the structure of Meccan surahs has frequently been referred to by other scholars: 4 Neal 1 See Norman Daniel, Islam and the West (Oxford: Oneworld, 1960), 81, quoting Riccoldo da Monte Croce, Disputations. 2 Thomas Carlyle, On Heroes, Hero-Worship and the Heroic in History (Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press, 1966, originally published London: James Fraser, 1841).3 E.g., Richard Bell, A Commentary on the Qur'an (Manchester: University of Manchester Press, 1991), vol.1, xx, but see also the chapter on the language and style of the Qur'an in William Montgomery Watt and Richard Bell, Bell's Introduction to the Qur'an: Completely Revised and Enlarged by W. Montgomery Watt (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1970), and Richard Bell, The Qur'an Translated (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1937). The commentary was published posthumously, in 1991, from notes made by Bell during his lifetime. In the Editors' Introduction, Bosworth and Richardson state that "it is unclear when he gave up work on the commentary, although this must obviously have been before his death in 1952." Bell, Commentary, xvi.

Long live A(me)rica! An examination of the interplay between nationalistic–symbolic immortality striving and belief in life after death.

“…So long as one has the hope of literally existing after death, why bother building a legacy on earth and striving to be remembered for one’s symbolic accomplishments? In fact, many religious perspectives eschew secular achievements (e.g., wealth and popularity) and view such pursuits as trivial at best and at worst a stumbling block to qualifying for life after death (e.g., King James Bible , 1769/2017, Matthew 19:24 King James Version; The Qur’an , 2010; Al Ankabut 29:64). Likewise, if one has serious doubts about the validity of religious ideas and cannot sustain a belief in spirituality or notions of an afterlife, then one might put more psychological stock in symbolic immortality, that is, building a legacy on earth that will endure in the culture long after one is dead.…”

Extremist propaganda and Qur’anic scripture: A ‘radical’ corpus-based study of the Dabiq

“…For instance, Abdel-Haleem (2004: xvii) notes that the Meccan surahs tend to be short and poetic and are overwhelmingly concerned – in a time when Muslims were still greatly persecuted – with establishing the basic religious teachings of Islam, for example, the singular omnipotence of Allah , the prophethood of Muhammad, and the beginning and end of time. Moreover, the recognizable prophets from the previous Judeo-Christian tradition are referenced in these surahs.…”

“…The former refers to the act of reciting and the rules associated with recitation of the Qur’an, a task still undertaken frequently in Islamic schools. On the other hand, the latter specifically refers to Qur’anic epistemology; in particular, the interpretation and transmission of exegetical texts have retained such significance – since the initial revelation of the Qur’an to Muhammad – that entire volumes have been written by scholars from distinct sects whose opinions and interpretations differed on a variety of matters (Abdel-Haleem, 2004: 28ff). Nevertheless, both of these serve to demonstrate the overarching, everyday importance of memorizing, transmitting and interpreting Qur’anic scripture, a relevant point for this study.…”

The effectiveness of faith-based organizations designed to support adoptive and foster care families: A systematic review of the literature.

“…Similarly, caring for OVC is also seen as virtuous in Islam, although the care for OVC may look different from typical expressions of adoption and foster care in Christian and Western societies (Rotabi et al, 2017). The Qur’an (also referred to as the Koran), the central religious text of Islam, speaks to the significance of blood ties and family life under Sharī’a law (e.g., “ … Attribute them to their fathers: That is more just in the eyes of God … ”; The Qur’an, 2004, 33:4–5), and scholars have elaborated on how maintaining family-of-origin connection and preserving family ties is of particular importance in Islam (Rotabi et al, 2017). Thus, care of OVC is viewed not only as admirable, but also a commitment called forth in many faith traditions.…”