Qur'anic Hermeneutics

The work of the twelfth-century Shiite scholar al-Tabrisi, Majma al-bayan, is one of the most important works of medieval commentary on the Quran, and is still in use today. This work is an in-depth case study of Islamic exegetical methods and an exploration of the nature of scriptural interpretation in Islam. Drawing on a wide variety of sources including unpublished manuscripts, the author examines how exegesis serves to construct, maintain and defend the status of the Quran as scripture and to uphold certain ideological agendas, among them the notion of the literary and rhetorical supremacy of Gods revelation in Arabic. Focusing on the genre and process of Quranic exegesis itself, he treats Quran interpretation as part of a category of religious practice recognizable from the history and comparative study of religion. Written in clear and accessible style, Quranic Hermeneutics makes Quranic exegesis intelligible to specialists in Islam as well as those interested in scripture and its interpretation in general. As such, it will be a valuable reference to scholars of Islamic studies, religion and scripture.