Pink/Qurʾānic Interpretation, 4. Modernism and its Paradigms

Since the first third of the 20th century, modernist intellectuals have proposed and developed new paradigms of Qurʾānic exegesis. These include the attempt to read the Qurʾān in the light of higher aims or overarching principles (maqāṣid), the historical contextualisation of its message and terminology and the application of methods from the field of literary studies. The chapter gives an overview of these interpretive approaches and the new exegetical genres they have brought forth. It also outlines some of the areas of continuing struggle, both among modernists and between modernists and their opponents – not least with regard to the Sunna, the second main source of Islamic belief and practice. Modernism and Other Labels, Maqasid, or the Qur'an's Higher Aims, Historical Contextualisation and its Sources, Tafsir in the Order of Revelation, Reading the Qur'an and its Chronological Arrangement: Muhammad Abid al-Jabiri (1935-2010, Morocco) on Q, 109, Abrogation (naskh) and its Opponents, Chronology, Context, Semantics: Talip Ozdes (b. 1954, Turkey) on Q, 16:101, Semantics and the 'Literal Meaning', Literary Exegesis, Tafsir al-Qur an bi-l-Qur an, Thematic Tafsir (Tafsir mawdu 'i), The Contested Sunna: From Hadith-Based Exegesis to Qur'anism