The Quran, Epic and Apocalypse

(Paperback)

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Description

Suppose our knowledge of the Quran began only recently with the discovery of mysterious scrolls in a desert cave. Suppose there was no Islamic history and no Muslim community to help us understand this book. Is it conceivable, then, that we might mistake it for the central text of a long-vanished apocalyptic community whose ideas about the next world, colourful and extraordinary as they appear, nonetheless make perfect sense in the context of perhaps the most pervasive literary genre of late antiquity, the epic How do people understand the Quran to be divine revelation What is it about this book that inspires such devotion in the reader/believer Todd Lawson explores how the timeless literary genres of epic and apocalypse bear religious meaning in the Quran, communicating the sense of divine presence, urgency and truth. Grounding his approach in the universal power of story and myth, he provides a unique appreciation of the unparalleled status and unique charisma of the Quran as a religious text and monument of world literature.

Reviews

Did James Joyce know the Quran Todd Lawson brilliantly demonstrateshow the Quran anticipates literary modernism as both epic and apocalypse.Its epic voice encompasses a vast temporal and spatial canvas the cosmos,creation, humanity, time, history while its chapters, singly and collectively,evoke an apocalyptic musicality. The end, as Lawson reminds us with lapidaryprose unfolding insight upon insight, can be instrumental as well as temporal. The apocalyptic vision of the Quran underscores its true end: to herald andexpedite a just community living in accordance with Gods will, enjoying bothpeace and prosperity. This innovative book charts new ways of reading literarymodernism as Quranic commentary on a grand scale

-- Bruce B. Lawrence, Marcus Family Humanities Professor of Religion Emeritus, Duke University

In this rich and erudite study of the epic and apocalyptic aspects of the text, Lawson adopts and elucidates many of the habits of ancient readers, and the result is a greater appreciation for the Qurans sweeping aesthetic, literary and spiritual grandeur.

-- Kristin Zahra Sands, Professor of Religion, Sarah Lawrence College

Lawson investigates features of the apocalyptic modewith great insight and critical sensitivity. He provides at once an appreciation of the Qurans literary power and a window into the profound religious experience of the Qurans audience and of early Muslims.

-- Devin Stewart, Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Emory University

Infuses the field of Quranic Studies with a breath of fresh air. An engaged academic, Todd Lawson demonstrates through his scholarship the Qurans own self-disclosure as a revelation that is open to all humanity. The avenues of interpretation that the work opens up have the potential to occupy generations. Not only does Lawsons contribution show how both Muslims and non-Muslims can participate meaningfully in reading the Quran, the work is a vivid reminder of a prophetic saying on the virtues of the Quran: its wonders will never cease, and scholars will never be satiated by its study.

-- Mahan Mirza, Professor of the Practice, Contending Modernities, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, Keough School of Global Affairs

The Quran, Epic and Apocalypse offers numerous fresh and important insights regarding Islams most sacred text. Grounded in meticulous analysis of the Qurans religious and literary dimensions, this volume takes an entirely new direction in identifying and studying its epic and apocalyptic qualities. It is a must-read for anyone interested in comparative religious studies, or indeed in cultural and literary history.

-- Sebastian Gnther, Professor and Chair of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Gttingen

By attending to the Qurans epic as well as its apocalyptic voice, Todd Lawson proposes to liberate Western readings of Muslim scripture from their current obsessions. It is difficult to imagine a timelier or more necessary scholarly intervention. And when the Quran finally acquires the audience it deserves, i.e., one capable of bracketing theological pre-commitments (pro or con) and appreciating it for the re-visionary work ofliterature that it is, Professor Lawsons book will be recognized as a major contribution towards that long overdue cognitive shift.

-- Peter Matthews Wright, Associate Professor and Chair, Colorado College Department of Religion

Author Bio

Todd Lawson is emeritus professor of Islamic thought at the University of Toronto. He has worked in the field of Islamic studies for over forty years, authoring numerous articles and books, and giving lectures around the world. He lives in Montreal, Canada.