Contact between theology, hermeneutics and literary theory : the role of Majāz in the interpretation of anthropomorphic verses in the Qur’ān from the 2nd AH/8th CE until the 7th AH/13th CE

• Main Author: Achtar, Ahmad Sakhr
• Published: SOAS, University of London 2012
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.593989

Our knowledge of tropical interpretation of anthropomorphic verses in the Qur'ān by Muslim theologians is very limited. We are mostly in the dark with regard to history, development and methods of tropical interpretation of these verses. The research shows that the process of interpreting anthropomorphic verses in the Qur'ān (from the 2nd /8th to the 7th/13th century focusing on the Mu'tazilites and the Ash'arites schools) is not a mere exegetical practice, rather it is a result of interaction of three disciplines: Islamic theology, Qur'ānic hermeneutics and theory of majāz. The thesis has demonstrated the importance and impact of the development of the theory of majāz on the interpretation of anthropomorphic verses given the parallel developments in Islamic theology and Qur'ānic hermeneutics. For each author studied I examined, where possible, his theological views, Qur'ānic hermeneutics and theory of majāz before analysing his interpretation of anthropomorphic verses. The development of theory of majāz from the 2nd/7th century to the time of Al-Khaṭīb al-Qazwīnī (d.739AH/1338CE) serves as a background for the subsequent chapters. In the first three centuries of Islam, the awareness of the phenomenon of majāz in its early stage provided our authors with the tool to interpret anthropomorphic verses. The Mu'tazilites emphasised the role of reason in their theology and hermeneutics. They employed and developed a theory of majāz as an effective tool in their interpretation of anthropomorphic verses and it was in the writing of al-Zamakhsharī that their interpretation reached its maturity by his use of both tropes: majāz based on kināya and takhyīl. Ash'arites's tropical interpretation of anthropomorphic verses involves a complex web of the three disciplines especially in the writings of al-Rāzī. The impact of the development of the theory of majāz can be seen in the writings of all authors discussed.