Title: Women and the Qur'an: A Study in Islamic Hermeneutics
Abstract: This work argues that a link between modern views of women and Qur'anic discourse can be established only through a discussion of modern hermeneutics and a consideration of the historical development of language. The work of Hans-Georg Gadamer, a contemporary German philosopher, provides the framework for this discussion. What differentiates Gadamer's hermeneutics from other models of interpretation is his emphasis on the role of traditional language in the formation of every present situation. According to Gadamer, the essence of tradition exists in the medium of language and language is the universal medium in which understanding occurs. Understanding takes place in interpreting. Drawing from this viewpoint, this study aims to observe the historical continuity in the portrayal of woman in four major Qur'anic commentaries, namely, Jami'al-Bayan fi al-Qur'an by Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (838-923), Al-Tafsir al-Kabir by Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (1149-1210), Tafsir al-Manar by Muhammad 'Abduh (1849-1905) and Rashid Rida (1865-1935), and Tafsir al-Mizan by Muhammad Hossein Tabataba'i (1903-1982).
Publication Year: 2009
Publication Date: 2009-12-14
Language: en
Type: book
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