Approaches to the History of the Interpretation of the Qur'an - Hardcover

In recent years the Qur`an has come to the forefront of scholarly investigations in Islamic studies, both in its role as scripture and literature within the Muslim community. However, the traditional interpretation of the Qur`an: "tafsir" has not been fully explored. Building on the work of Ignaz Goldziher:"Die Richtungen der islamischen Koranauslegung" (1920) and the more recent investigations of Sezgin, Abbott and Wansbrough, the essays gathered here represent an attempt to explore various aspects of the field of "tafsir" and their potential for scholarly research. The essays mostly originate from presentations given at a conference held at the University of Calgary in April 1985 called "The history of the interpretation of the Qur`an". All the essays have been revised and some enlarged. The essays are divided into four major sections: formation and development; genres; sectarian dimensions, and modern trends.