The literary approach to the Qur'an actually calls out to us in the opening passage of Sūra 72 (Al-Jinn). Here we see that the jinn are to have issued a speech that stretches from verse 1 all the way to verse 15. Yet, if we look closely at this long speech... 1/
https://twitter.com/SlightlyPolemic/status/1396049511173214210
...we cannot but fail to appreciate that the speech of the jinn sounds curiously like the Qur'anic discourse itself, i.e. "Whosoever believes in his Lord shall not fear loss..." (Q 72:13). Now, the question arises: was this passage *literally* the speech of a jinn? 2/
The literary approach to the Qur'an--epitomized by Muḥammad Aḥmad Khalafallāh--would not take it in this way, but rather, understand this to be a creative & artistic literary construction, used to convey higher truths &, quite simply, to theologize. 3/
Khalafallāh points us to other passages that would make us reconsider taking these conversations as literal. Q 4:157 has some of the Jews say, "We slew the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the messenger of God." Would they really have said "the messenger of God"? 4/
Granted, some scholars took this as sarcasm on their part, but there is no real indication of this in the text. But, we can also look to other verses & really think if the point is to convey literal conversations, or rather, to theologize & moralize. Q 5:116 quotes Jesus... 5/
Do you have to take this as a literal speech he gave or will give? Or is it rather that the Qur'an is trying to theologize & align Christian belief to what is viewed as proper monotheism? 6/
The story & speech of Moses is narrated differently in the Qur'an, even though it is about the same event. Q 2:10 has Moses say to his family, "Stay here. Verily, I have spotted a fire. Perhaps I shall bring you a torch from it, or find some guidance at the fire." 7/
Yet, Q 27:7 has Moses say to his family, "Verily, I have spotted a fire. I shall bring you some news therefrom, or a torch, that haply you may warm yourselves."
Well, which is it? If these are literal words of Moses that are being conveyed, then this is problematic... 8/
Well, which is it? If these are literal words of Moses that are being conveyed, then this is problematic... 8/
...especially given what Sunnī Muslims believe about the Qur'an & God's speech. Couldn't the Lord of the Worlds accurately convey the exact speech of Moses? Even more problematic is the fact that God's own speech to Moses differs in the same story narrated in three places. 9/
In Q 20:11-12, God says to Moses, "O Moses! Verily I am your Lord. Take off your sandals. Truly you are in the holy valley of Ṭuwā..."
In Q 27:8, God's speech is different: "Blessed is the One in the fire, and the one around it...O Moses! Verily, it is I, God, the Mighty..." 10/
In Q 27:8, God's speech is different: "Blessed is the One in the fire, and the one around it...O Moses! Verily, it is I, God, the Mighty..." 10/
In Q 28:30, God's address is simply, "O Moses! Truly I am God, Lord of the worlds!"
Well, which is it? Keeping in mind the traditional Sunnī belief of God's Speech, think about how problematic this discrepancy is. 11/
Well, which is it? Keeping in mind the traditional Sunnī belief of God's Speech, think about how problematic this discrepancy is. 11/
Some of the classical scholars tried to reconcile these sorts of "discrepancies," & no doubt many of you will fall back on the idea that, "Surely, it's not *impossible* that God said all of those things in 3 different speeches." Ok, sure, but surely, you could see how this... 12/
...strains credulity. As Khalafallāh argues, "Had only the Islamic tradition established its understanding of the Qur'anic story on the basis of the rhetorical or literary artistic method..." then we wouldn't have been confused by this issue nor considered these stories to... 13/
suffer from repetition (takrār), discrepancy (ikhtilāf), & resemblance (tashābuh). Instead, these are actually independent stories, meant to stand alone, & conveyed at different times in the Prophet's life for different purposes. 14/
The Qur'an's purpose is not to convey literal history but rather to moralize & preach, & to theologize, & to strengthen the heart of the Prophet & the believers, warn the pagan enemies, etc. The same story can be repurposed & repackaged to convey a different such purpose. 15/
To illustrate this point, we can look at the story of Lot & the people of Sodom. The story is narrated twice, but in different ways. In one version, Lot expresses concern for the fate of his people. In the other version, these words are omitted, with the story ending with... 16/
... a warning of punishment. The differences, then, are due to the purpose for which the story is narrated in the lifetime of the Prophet. The first story conveys a message to the Meccan pagans, urging them to repent; it is not really as much about Sodom in this sense... 17/
...but about the Meccan pagans. The second version of the story is meant to placate & bolster the Prophet's heart & the believers. The shift in tone is due to the hardening of relations between the two sides...&, again, a different purpose for narrating the story. 18/
Sometimes the Qur'an reports the same speech but attributes it to two different people. Q 7:109 says: "The notables among Pharaoh's people said, 'Truly this is a knowledgeable sorcerer.'" But, in Q 26:34, it is Pharaoh who says that *to* the notables: 19/
Q 26:34: "He [Pharaoh] said to the notables around him, 'Truly this is a knowledgable sorcerer.'"
There are innumerable examples like this. And this is problematic from the literal historical approach, & exposes us to the facile critiques by anti-Muslim critics. 20/
There are innumerable examples like this. And this is problematic from the literal historical approach, & exposes us to the facile critiques by anti-Muslim critics. 20/
But, the reality is that the Qur'an approaches such stories with creative literary freedom, in order to achieve its theological & homiletic purposes & to convey its deeper truths. 21/
These stories are indeed narrated "in truth" (بِالۡحَـقِّ) but truth does not equate to literal historical occurrences, but rather, to the *deeper* truths--moral, spiritual, & theological--that are conveyed in these stories, which are conveyed to the Prophet's heart & mind... 22/
...from a divine source. These stories are not mere tales but are rather inspired revelations from the Divine Mind, symbolized by the Preserved Tablet, & divine truths instantiated in these stories... These are divine stories that are ultimately drawn not from... 23/
mere temporal history & the historical record, but rather, we can think of from a metaphysical space out there, in the sense of the Platonic form, originated in the Divine Mind. It is not the Prophet's awareness of history that is being challenged, but it is his ability to... 24/
tap into this realm, the Unseen, which God informs the Prophet of. These are highly symbolic stories, which convey the deeper truths upon which our very salvation is dependant. "We narrate to you the most beautiful of stories..." (Q 12:3) 25/
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