Overview

Literal meaning is what a text means in itself, regardless of what its author intends to convey or the reader understands to be its message. The idea of literal meaning, together with insights from modern semantic and pragmatic philosophers, informs this reading of Islamic legal hermeneutics. Robert Gleave explores various competing notions of literal meaning, linked to both theological doctrine and historical developments. The idea of a text's literal meaning that rules over human attempts to understand God's message has become an element in discussions about who has the authority to interpret the revelatory texts, and how they can identify this meaning. This has resulted in a series of debates over the processing of legal meaning amongst modern Muslim legal theorists, which centre on the importance of defining, identifying and promulgating the literal meaning of the central texts of Islam. Focuses on Islamic legal writings, with reference to Quranic exegesis (tafsir) and Arabic rhetorical worksDescribes Muslim debates through the lens of modern Western linguistic philosophyStructured chronologically along the lines of the development of Muslim conceptions of literal meaning

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Reviews

Listing hermeneutic nuances was helpful; specific Qur'anic examples were insightful. The bibliographic technique of key reference followed by full citation was innovative and useful. Lucidly written and well-researched, Islam and Literalism is an invaluable contribution. It is a must read for graduate students and scholars interested in usul al-fiqh. --Rolin Mainuddin, North Carolina Central University Middle East Media and Book Reviews 'Gleave's close textual analysis, attention to nuance, and theoretical acumen allow for a robust debate about the nature of Islamic legal theory in light of literary theory with the potential to enrich both. This leads to the tantalizing prospect that usul al-fiqh might contribute something important and essential to modern literary theory. Gleave has elevated the discourse about usul al-fiqh, adding theoretical sophistication to studies within and, one hopes, beyond the genre.' --Rumee Ahmed Journal of the American Oriental Society

Listing hermeneutic nuances was helpful; specific Qur'anic examples were insightful. The bibliographic technique of key reference followed by full citation was innovative and useful. Lucidly written and well-researched, Islam and Literalism is an invaluable contribution. It is a must read for graduate students and scholars interested in usul al-fiqh. - Rolin Mainuddin, North Carolina Central University, Middle East Media and Book Reviews Gleave's close textual analysis, attention to nuance, and theoretical acumen allow for a robust debate about the nature of Islamic legal theory in light of literary theory with the potential to enrich both. This leads to the tantalizing prospect that usul al-fiqh might contribute something important and essential to modern literary theory. Gleave has elevated the discourse about usul al-fiqh, adding theoretical sophistication to studies within and, one hopes, beyond the genre. -- Rumee Ahmed, Journal of the American Oriental Society

'Gleave's close textual analysis, attention to nuance, and theoretical acumen allow for a robust debate about the nature of Islamic legal theory in light of literary theory with the potential to enrich both. This leads to the tantalizing prospect that usul al-fiqh might contribute something important and essential to modern literary theory. Gleave has elevated the discourse about usul al-fiqh, adding theoretical sophistication to studies within and, one hopes, beyond the genre.' --Rumee Ahmed Journal of the American Oriental Society Listing hermeneutic nuances was helpful; specific Qur'anic examples were insightful. The bibliographic technique of key reference followed by full citation was innovative and useful. Lucidly written and well-researched, Islam and Literalism is an invaluable contribution. It is a must read for graduate students and scholars interested in usul al-fiqh. --Rolin Mainuddin, North Carolina Central University Middle East Media and Book Reviews

Listing hermeneutic nuances was helpful; specific Qur'anic examples were insightful. The bibliographic technique of key reference followed by full citation was innovative and useful. Lucidly written and well-researched, Islam and Literalism is an invaluable contribution. It is a must read for graduate students and scholars interested in usul al-fiqh. - Rolin Mainuddin, North Carolina Central University, Middle East Media and Book Reviews Gleave's close textual analysis, attention to nuance, and theoretical acumen allow for a robust debate about the nature of Islamic legal theory in light of literary theory with the potential to enrich both. This leads to the tantalizing prospect that usul al-fiqh might contribute something important and essential to modern literary theory. Gleave has elevated the discourse about usul al-fiqh, adding theoretical sophistication to studies within and, one hopes, beyond the genre. -- Rumee Ahmed, Journal of the American Oriental Society

Author Information

Robert Gleave is Professor of Arabic Studies at the University of Exeter.

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