The Religious Meanings of the Quran

For Muslims, the Quran is the very Word of God. As such, it is the basis of all aspects of the religion of Islam. It is the primary source of law and ethics. It is the primary source of the articles of faith and the basis of Islamic ethics. It permeates every aspect of a Muslim's life. This course examines the structure and contents of the Quran, including the structure of its language as it applies to questions of interpretation and translation. The course introduces students to a range of sources and methodologies for studying the Quranic text. The historical context for the compilation of the Quran into its canonical form is sketched. Issues of coherence, textual relations and variant readings are discussed from the various viewpoints. Questions about the dating, integrity, and authenticity of the text, as well as the relationship between Islamic and pre-Islamic scriptures are also addressed. The interpretation of the Quran is discussed in its various forms: legal (fiqh), exegetical (tafsir both classical and modern), mystical (Sufi), as well as its various genres: hadith-based, grammatical, philosophical, modernist. Various particular matters such as scriptural abrogation, multi-valence, occasions of revelation, etc. are examined in their appropriate contexts.

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