Hassan Hanafi- Method of Thematic Interpretation of the Quran The standard paradigmatic method of Quranic interpretation -voluminous classical

corpus of tafsir (al-Tabari, Ibn Kathir, al-Zamakhshari) -modern tafsir- Tafsir al-Manar by Rashid Rida and Fi ZIlal al-Quran by Sayyid Qutb progressive-linear exegesis: - from al Fatiha to al-Nas, surah after surah - from right to left according to the written order of the surahs dictated by the prophet himself Advantages of longitudinal interpretation 1. It provides maximum of information about the texts historical linguistic and social circumstances makes readers more aware of the objective setting of the text the purpose of modern reformers not only to understand the meaning but also to change the reality 2. Follows the traditional scriptural order of the Quran combining different literary genres: narrative-command-warning-promise. Quran is not only a book of knowledge but also of persuasion and convictionaddresses to reason and feeling 3. Helps understanding the mentality of classical commentators sources of their knowledge and historical circumstances Disadvantages of longitudinal interpretation 1. It interrupts the presentation of the same theme in several surahs with other themes: wealth-power-people-reason-senses-individuality-social-solidaritythe themes as a whole are lost in concentration on its different parts ***fragmentation 2. It repeats the same theme several times without accumulating meaning to build a global conceptex: the status of women is dispearsed in the book ***redundancy 3. It lacks a structure for the theme: rational-real or bothit lacks a structure that allows the independence of the theme no validity or verification from within: in reason and nature not in Scripture 4. It lacks a coherent ideology-global world-view progression form the prat to the whole 5. Voluminous commentaries are exhausting to read expensive to buy-difficult to store and heavy in hand. The quantity of text is discouraging. The reader is puzzled by pedantry 196 6. Confuses interpretation with knowledge. 7. The information offered is separate from the needs of the soul and of present day society. The reading is cold, useless and obsolete information and not what reader needs: living-useful and up-to-date information.

Thematic interpretation Advantages 1. Interpreting the Quran- not only to deduce its meaning from the text but also to induce it form reality, Not only to explain ?(Auslegen) but also to understand (Verstehn)not only knowing (Wissen) but also being aware of (Besinnen) 2. The interpreter not only a receiver of meaning but also a giver. He receives the meaning and then put it into a rational structurethematic exegesis- rediscovery of the original identity of revelation and nature 3. Interpretation is both analysis and synthesis- both division in the parts and bringing the parts together intepretation- the focal point of the object 4. Interpretation is discovering something new between the lines adding the common knowledge to the unknown and the unwritten almost writing a new text- the reflection of the Scripture in the mirror of the individual consciousness The disciplinary commentaries of the Quran Traditional commentaries disciplinary commentaries Scriptural disciplines: 1. Quran 2. Tafsir 3. Sira 4. Fiqh Scriptural-rational disciplines: 1. Theology (kalam) 2. Hikma) 3. Jurisprudence (Usul al-fiqh) 4. Mysticism (Tasawwuf) Pure rational disciplines 1. Mathematics 2. Medicine 3. Geometry 4. Physics 5. Biology 6. Botany Human disciplines 1. Philology 2. Rhetoric 3. Geography 4. History

The Quran- used to establish a discipline and then the discipline was used to interpret the Quran 1. Philological Exegesis - used the language as the mean in itself as the Q was a book of language - linguistic sciences: philology-phoenetics-syntax-semiotics-stylistics-rhetoric =subsidiary tools to understand the meaning 2. Legal Exegesis trued to deduce from the text the legal qualifications for human actions the heart of the revelation- the law jurists are the guardian of revelation subsidiary legal sciences- ilm al-qawaid al-fiqhiyya

3. Historical exegesis - reality-studied by historiansis the original circumstances of Revelation - Jewish narratives used to complete the information lacking about the history of prophecy - Historical exegesis- based on a theory of correspondence ( adequatio rationis ad rem) as if the Quran was a book of history - The historicist fallacy- interpretation through narrative (al-tafsir bi-l-mathur) 4. Theological Exegesis - a mean to substantiate the doctrinal opinions of theological schools and a politial weapon against the opposition- especially the doctrine of predestination - literalism and material objectivism as if doctrines were things in the external world reason becomes subsidiary to the scripture and a mere justification of a given =not a foundation 5. Philosophical Exegesis - a late development of theological exegesis - linked with the Mutazilite because it was based on the antinomy: reason/belief and with the mystical exegesis since both practiced esoteric tawil - linked with the legacy of the Hellenism 6. Mystical Exegesis - esoteric interpretation- reaction against the legal and exoteric intepretation of the fuqaha after political opposition failed to change the status quo 7. Reformed Exegesis - scientific exegesis (tafsir ilmi)- claims that the Quran is the source of all modern scientific discoveries ( theory of relativity or evolution theory) - the premise that West has science without faith while muslims have science AND faith transfer of scientific knowledge does not necessarily imply the adoption of scientific outlook

8. Socio-political exegesis - the modern interpretation that is very close to the thematic intepretation - it begins with the socio-political circumstances of the present uses the text as a critical tool in order to measure the distance: real-idela - Quranic interpretation is a social critique of muslim societies 201 - Interpretation is directed towards social and political change- joining theory and practice and linking the text to the present time - Religion and ethics still have priority over politics and society human and social sciences are not used to transform Quranic exegesis into a rigorous discourse 9. Aesthetic Exegesis last modern method of interpretation- the text is regarded as a metaphor reality is expressed in the text as an image designed to persuade the reader the text is a living experience mode of consciousness

Premises of thematic exegesis 1. Revelation is put in brackets: neither affirmed nor denied *** epochephenomenological reductionthe interpreter does not ask the question of the putatively divine origin of the Quran -it begins with the already given text without quetioning its origins - deals with the question of what not of how - a text is a text, divine or human, sacred or profane, religious or secular 202 2. The Quran is regarded like any other text it is subject to interpretation as a legal code-literary work-philosophic texthistorical document no special status is awarded as sacred or religiousthe same method of interpretation *** no need for a special hermeneutics of the scripture Schleiermacher the Quran and the haditha transfiguration of human language: include Arabic words, non-Arabic words pronounced by believers and non-believers

3. There is no true or false interpretation- right or wrong understanding only different efforts to approach the text form different angles and different motivations 4. There is no single interpretation of the text but many interpretations given the differences in understanding between different interpreters - An interpretation of a text is essentially pluralistic. The text is also a vehicle for human interests and even passions. The text is a mere form. The interpreter fills it with content from his own time and place 203 5. The conflict of interpretation is a socio-political conflict not a theoretical one - theory is just an epistemological cover-up each interpretation expresses the socio-political commitment of the interpreter

interpretation is an ideological weapon used by different social-political powers to maintain or to change the status quo, a conservative weapon to maintain and a revolutionary weapon to change 203

Rules of thematic interpretation 1. Socio-political commitment the interpreter is not a neutral person- he is a citizen- living the drama of his society and the crisis of his time- he is a reformer-social actor-revolutionary Sitz in Leben applies not only to the text but also to the interpreter 2. Looking for something the interpreter does not have a neutral attitude but a positional one his is oriented towards an aim- looking for a solution to a problem the old topic of Asbab al-nuzul the priority of reality over the text the stimulus over the response

3. Synopsis of a verse concerning one theme all the verses sharing one thematic interest- gathered and read in conjunction and understood together until the major orientation of the text as a whole becomes apparent the Quran- the Quran of concordance al-Mujam al-mufahras the Quran edited according to themes and topics in alphabetical order of words and roots

4. Classification of linguistic forms - verbal and nominal: ex: tawhid is a verbal noun- neither a verb wahhada nor a noun wahid but a process activity leading from action to being - verbal time - number - possessive pronouns and adjectives 5. Building the structure - the interpreter tries to build the structure of the signified going from the meaning to the object from noesis to noema - the meaning is the subjective object 6. Analysis of the factual situation The interpreter starts from factual reality: poverty-oppression-human rights-powerwealth -social diagnosis of reality is another way to understand meaning in the dynamics of the text in the external world 205 7. Comparison between the ideal and the real - comparison between the ideal structure deduced by content analysis from the text and the factual situation as shown by statistics and social sciences

8. Description of the mode of action -the interpreter switches from text to action-from theory to practice from understanding to change -convergence of logos and praxis Examples of thematic interpretation