SCHOOL OF DIVINITY, HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY

ACADEMIC SESSION 2012-2013

RS7054 Qur'an

Credits: 30; 12 weeks: Academic Weeks 30-45

PLEASE NOTE CAREFULLY:

The full set of school regulations and procedures is contained in the

Undergraduate Student Handbook which is available online at your

MyAberdeen page. Students are expected to familiarise themselves not only

with the contents of this leaflet but also with the contents of the Handbook.

Therefore, ignorance of the contents of the Handbook will not excuse the

breach of any school regulation or procedure.

You must familiarise yourself with this important information at the

earliest opportunity.

COURSE CO-ORDINATOR

Dr. Zohar Hadromi-Allouche

Office hours: Mon 3-4

Room: KCG17

Telephone: 01224-273112

Email: zohar@aberdeen.ac.uk

Discipline Administration:

Dr Lesley Dickson

50-52 College Bounds

Room CB001

01224 272366

divrs@abdn.ac.uk

TIMETABLE

The group will meet twice a week, usually on the following times:

Mon 2-3 Taylor C24

Fri 1-3 NK9

On the weeks mentioned below the group will meet as follows:

Mon 25th February 2013 2-3 Taylor C24

Wed 27th February 2013 3-5 CB203 (instead of Fri 1st March)

Mon 18th March 2013 2-3 Taylor C24

Wed 20th March 2013 3-5 CB203 (instead of Fri 22nd March)

Mon 15th April 2013 2-3 Taylor C24

Wed 17th April 2013 3-5 CB203 (instead of Fri 19th April)

Mon 29th April 2013 2-3 Taylor C24

Wed 1st May 2013 3-5 CB203 (instead of Fri 3rd May)

On April 22nd 2013 and May 10th 2013 there will be no classes.

Students can view the University Calendar at

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/students/week-numbers-2012-2013.php.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will discuss the main text of Islam – the Qur'an, the divine word.

We will learn about the history of the text, its structure and the challenges with

which its reader is confronted. We will examine various exegetical approaches

to the Qur'an, as well as scholarly approaches, and read and discuss some

Qur'anic chapters with their exegesis. We will also familiarise ourselves with

other Islamic and scholarly literature that developed around the Qur'an.

INTENDED AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

To introduce students to the Qur'an, its content and context.

To familiarise students with the structure, style and main themes of the

Qur'an.

To introduce students to the commentary of and scholarly approaches to the

Qur'an.

To familiarise students with the wider discipline of Islamic Studies

LECTURE/SEMINAR PROGRAMME

Students must bring a Qur’an for all classes.

For each sura, we shall read the assigned verses, with the following

commentaries:

1. The Ibn Kathir commentary, available from:

http://www.qtafsir.com/

(Other alternatives for that book, which I find less convenient to use, are:

http://ibnkathir.atspace.com/ibnkathir/

and

http://www.theholybook.org/content/section/1/2/

2. AT LEAST ONE of the four commentaries (Al-Jalalayn, Ibn „Abbas, al-Wahidi

and al-Tustari), all available from:

http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=1&tAya

hNo=1&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2

In addition, students are encouraged to explore further commentaries; and

Students are required to read the following:

A. Introduction to the Qur’an

1. Mon 28 Jan: Introduction

Fri 01 Feb: History of the Qur‟an

- Reynolds, Gabriel Said (ed.). The Qur’an in its Historical Context.

Routledge, 2008, pp. 1-26 (intro.)

- Firestone, Reuven. Philadelphia: JPS/Jewish Publication Society,

2008, pp. 100-113 (an e-book, available through the library

catalogue).

- Donner, F.M. “The historical context,” .” In Jane Dammen McAuliffe,

ed. The Cambridge Companion to the Qur’an. Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press, 2010, pp. 23-40.

- Gilliot, C. “Creation of a fixed text,” in The Cambridge Companion to

the Qur’an, pp. 41-58.

2. Alternative accounts; Translation and commentary

Mon 04 Feb: Alternative accounts

- Motzki, H. “Alternative accounts of the Qur‟an‟s formation,” in The

Cambridge Companion to the Qur’an, pp. 59-78.

- Ibn Warrak. Which Koran?. Amherst, NY : Prometheus Books, pp.

23-79 (introduction).

Fri 08 Feb: Translation and commentary – Surat al-Fatiha (Q1)

***For this sura it is not mandatory to read the above online

commentaries.

- Ayoub, Mahmoud. The Qur’an and its interpreters.Vol. 1. Albany:

State University of New York Press, C. 1984, pp. 41-54 (surat al-

Fatiha).

- Surat al-Fatiha (Q1: The Opening) in each of the following:

o The Qur’an. Translated by Tarif Khalidi. London: Penguin, 2010.

o The Qur’an. Translated by Fazlur Rahman. London: Routledge,

2oo3.

o The Qur’an. Translated with a critical re-arrangement of the

Surahs by Richard Bell. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1937-39.

o The Qur’an. A new translation by M.A.S. Abdel Hallem. New

York: Oxford University Press, 2005.

o The Qur’an interpreted. By Arthur J. Arberry. London: Allen &

Unwin, [1980].

B. The Qur’an and Muhammad: Asbāb al-Nuzūl (circumstances of

revelation)

3. The revelation – Surat al-Qadr (Q97: The Power)

Mon 11 Feb:

- Rubin, Uri. The Eye of the Beholder: The Life of Muhammad as

Viewed by the Early Muslims. Princeton: Darwin Press, 1997, pp.

226-233 (Asbab al-Nuzul).

- Rahman, Fazlour. Major themes of the Qur’an. University of

Chicago Press, 2009. 2nd edition. Pp. 80-105 (Prophethood and

Revelation).

Fri 15 Feb:

Surat al-Qadr (Q97: The Power)

“Night of Power” in the Encyclopaedia of the Qur’an.

4. Surat al-Sharh (Q94: The Expanding) and the opening of Muhammad‟s

breast

Mon 18 Feb:

- Surat al-Sharh (Q94: The Expanding)

- Rubin, Uri. The Eye of the Beholder, pp. 59-99 (“The opening of

Muhammad‟s breast”).

5. Surat al-Duha (Q93: The Morning Bright), the revelation intermission

and Qur‟anic style

Fri 22 Feb:

- Neuwirth, Angelika. “Images and metaphors in the introductory

sections of the Makkan suras.” In Ibn Warraq, ed. Which Qur’an?, pp.

3-36.

Mon 25 Feb:

- Surat al-Duha (Q93: The Morning Bright)

- Surat al-Najm (Q53: The Star, verses 1-6)

Wed 27 Feb: Prof Hugh Goddard, University of Edinburgh

C. Spiritual beings

6. Surat al-Najm (Q53: The Star) and surat al-Hajj (Q22: The Pilgrimage,

verse 22)

Mon 04 March:

- “Devil” in the Encyclopaedia of the Qur’an.

- Rahman, Fazlour. Major themes of the Qur’an. University of

Chicago Press, 2009. 2nd edition, pp. 80-105 (Satan and Evil).

- Rubin, Uri. The Eye of the Beholder, pp. 156-166 (“Isolation: the

Satanic verses”).

- Luxenberg, C. “Al-Najm (Q53), chapter of the star: A new Syro-

Aramaic reading of verses 1 to 18.” In Reynolds, Gabriel Said, ed.

New Perspectives on the Qur’an: The Qur’an in its Historical

Context 2. Routledge Studies in the Quran. Routledge, 2011. 2nd

edition, pp. 279-298.

Fri 08 March:

- Surat al-Najm (Q53: The Star, verses 19-26)

- al-Hajj (Q22: The Pilgrimage, verse 22)

- Hawting, G. R. The Idea of Idolatry and the Emergence of Islam.

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999. Pp. 130-151.

- Hawting, G. “ „Has God sent a mortal as a messenger?‟ (Q17:95):

Messengers and angels in the Qur‟an.” In Reynolds, Gabriel Said,

ed. New Perspectives on the Qur’an, pp. 372-390.

7. Reading week

8. Surat al-Nas (Q114 The Men)

Mon 18 March:

- “al-Mu‟awidhdhatani” in The Encyclopaedia of Islam.

- Surat al-Nas (Q114 The Men)

Wed 20 March: Prof Gerald Hawting, SOAS – University of London

D. The Qur’an and contemporary theology

9. Surat al-Fil (Q106), the Wahabis and Ahbash

Mon 15 April:

- Surat al-Fil (Q106)

- “Abraha” in The Encyclopaedia of the Qur’an.

- Conrad, Lawrence I. “Abraha and Muhammad: Some Observations

Apropos of Chronology and Literary Topoi in the Early Arabic

Historical Tradition.” In Rubin, Uri, ed. The Life of Muhammad. The

Formation of the Classical Islamic World, Vol. 4. Pp. 41-56.

- Kabha, Mustafa and Haggai Erlich. “Al-Ahbash and Wahhabiyya:

Interpretations of Islam.” International Journal of Middle East Studies.

Vol. 38, No. 4 (Nov. 2006). Pp. 519-538.

Wed 17 April: Dr Nadia Kiwan, University of Aberdeen

10. Surat al-Nisa‟ (Q4: The Women), Women and the Qur‟an-1

Mon 22 April: No class

Fri 26 April:

- Surat al-Nisa‟ (Q4: The Women, verses 34-40)

- Barlas, Asma. “Women‟s readings of the Qur‟ an.” In The

Cambridge Companion to the Qur’an, pp. 255-272.

11. Surat al-Nisa‟ (Q4: The Women), Women and the Qur‟an-2

Mon 29 April:

- Khaleel Mohammed. “Sex, Sexuality and the Family.” In Rippin,

Andrew, ed. The Blackwell Companion to the Qur’an. Singapore:

Blackwell, 2006, pp. 298-307.

Wed 01 May: Dr Joanne N. Smith Finley (University of Newcastle)

12. Mon 06 May: Summary

Fri 06 May: No class

ASSESSMENT

Essay 50%, divided as follows:

5%: Set topic + initial bibliography (5 sources)

45% - complete essay submitted

3-hour examination 50%

Click to view the discipline specific Common Assessment Scale (CAS) descriptors.

ESSAYS

Essays should be of around 3,000 words, including quotations and footnotes.

Students should note that they will be penalised for work which is too long.

The exact topic must be discussed with the course coordinator by 19 March

2012.

It will make up 50% of your overall grade, according to the following

components:

18.02.2013 – submission of topic + initial bibliography (5%);

18.03.2013 – submission of complete essay (45%)

LIST OF ESSAY TOPICS

Essays can be written on a variety of topics that are discussed in the

Qur‟an. However, the specific topic has to be approved by the course

coordinator in advance;

All essays have to make use of both primary (Islamic commentaries) and

secondary sources; and

All essays must be written within one of the following frameworks:

1. Examine the exegesis of a short Sura or a particular verse over

different periods: What were the difficulties that were discussed by

each of the commentators, how did they choose to treat these

difficulties, and can this choice be explained through the context of

each commentator?

2. Examine the exegesis of a short Sura or a particular verse by

commentators belonging to different Islamic currents (e.g., liberal and

conservatives, Si‟ites and Sunnis, mainstream Islam and Sufis, Hanafis

and Hanbalis). Discuss the similarities and differences and their

possible causes.

3. Discuss the way in which the Qur‟anic view(s) of a specific aspect of

life (or religion), was understood over a given period in history. How

can the context of time and place help us understand how these views

came to be understood?

4. Discuss the image of a specific character (e.g. one of the prophets) or

group in the Qur‟an, as it emerges from various ommentaries.

ASSESSMENT DEADLINES

Topic set+ initial bibliography by Monday, 18 February 2o13

ESSAYS DUE BY Monday, 18 March 2013, 4 pm

SUBMISSION ARRANGEMENTS

Essays should be submitted through the Turn-it-inUK online system

(available on MyAberdeen), as well as two copies to the School Office

Drop-off boxes located in CB008, 50-52 College Bounds with two hand-signed

completed cover sheets for the School of Divinity, History and Philosophy; no

extensions will be granted)

EXAMINATION

One three-hour written examination worth 50% of the final mark.

Past exam papers can be viewed at http://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/learning-

and-teaching/for-students/exam-papers/.