The Qurʾānic Narratives Through the Lens of Intertextual Allusions: A Literary Approach
von Waleed Fouad Sayed Ahmed
Datum der mündl. Prüfung:2014-07-10
Erschienen:2015-05-22
Betreuer:Prof. Dr. Sebastian Günther
Gutachter:Prof. Dr. Sebastian Günther
Gutachter:Prof. Dr. Jens Scheiner
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Description:Dissertation
Zusammenfassung
Englisch
Intertextuality, as an overarching concept concerning the interrelations between texts, can be defined as "the ways in which texts refer to and build on other texts." The narratives of the Qurʾān are amongst the clearest manifestations of this intertextual phenomenon. This is not only because they are concerned with pre-Islamic figures who have parallels in Jewish and Christian traditions, but also because many verses in these narratives obviously allude to such extra-Qurʾānic traditions. The present dissertation addresses this issue in Qurʾānic studies, which constitutes a main question in modern research on the intertextual allusions in Islam’s revealed scripture. Hence, it deals with the virtual absence of reliance upon a literary approach to these allusions, informed by contemporary allusional studies. In particular, the dissertation analyzes the intertextual allusions (to such extra- Qurʾānic traditions) evident in three groups of Qurʾānic narrative pericopes. These concern: (1) The story of the biblical Prophet Jonah (Q 68:48-50, 37:139-48, 21:87-8, 10:98, 6:86, and 4:163); (2) The creation account on the sin of the first human couple, Adam and Eve, and of God teaching Adam the names of everything (Q 20:120-121, 7:19-22, 2:31-3 and 2:35-6); and (3) The laughter of Sarah, wife of Abraham, and the story of Abraham’s intercession for Lot’s People (Q 51:24-30 and 11:69-76). The main goal of the dissertation is (by means of a systematic application of an approach primarily based on a method developed in allusional studies) to explore the significance of the intertextual allusions contained in the aforementioned narrative pericopes. Thus it will shed new light on the function of intertextual allusions in the narratives of the Qurʾān and highlight the significance of these allusions in forming an “inter-textual conversation” between the narrative pericopes in the Qurʾān and their Jewish and Christian antecedent traditions. It is hoped that the impact of this dissertation will extend beyond the boundaries of the academic study of religion and that its findings will contribute meaningfully to the contemporary dialogue between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Keywords: the Qur'an; Qur'anic Narratives; Qur'anic Allusions