The Qur'an's Reformation of Judaism and Christianity

This volume explores the relationship between the Qur'an and the Jewish and Christian traditions, considering aspects of continuity and reform. The chapters examine the Qur'an's retelling of biblical narratives, as well as its reaction to a wide array of topics that mark Late Antique religious discourse, including eschatology and ritual purity, prophetology and paganism, and heresiology and Christology. Twelve emerging and established scholars explore the many ways in which the Qur'an updates, transforms, and challenges religious practice, beliefs, and narratives that Late Antique Jews and Christians had developed in dialogue with the Bible. The volume establishes the Qur'an's often unique perspective alongside its surprising continuity with Judaism and Christianity. Chapters focus on individual suras and on intra-Qur'anic parallels, on the Qur'an's relationship to pre-Islamic Arabian culture, on its intertextuality and its literary intricacy, and on its legal and moral framework. It illustrates a move away from the problematic paradigm of cultural influence and instead emphasizes the Qur'an's attempt to reform the religious landscape of its time. The Qur'an's Reformation of Judaism and Christianity offers new insight into the Islamic Scripture as a whole and into recent methodological developments, providing a compelling snapshot of the burgeoning field of Qur'anic studies. It is a key resource for students and scholars interested in religion, Islam, and Middle Eastern Studies.

Holger M. Zellentin teaches Judaism at the University of Cambridge. His research interests include Talmudic culture and Qur'anic law; his publications include Rabinic Parodies of Hewish adn Christian Literature (2011) and The Qur-an's Legal Culture: The Didascalia Apostolorum as a Point of Departure (2013).

Notes on contributors 1. The Qur'an and the reformation of Judaism and Christianity Holger M. Zellentin Part I: The Qur'an, the Bible, and the Islamic tradition 2.What would Ibn Taymiyya make of intertextual study of the Qur'an? The challenge of the isräiliyyatJon Hoover 3. Prophecy and writing in the Qur'an, or why Muhammad was not a scribe Islam Dayeh 4. A "Religious Transformation in Late Antiquity": Qur'anic refigurations of pagan-Arab ideals based on biblical models Angelika Neuwirth 5. Meccan Gods, Jesus' divinity: an analysis of sura 43 (al-Zukhruf) Walid A. Saleh Part II: The Qur'an and the Bible 6.Gentile purity law from the Bible to the Qur'an: the case of sexual purity and illicit intercourse Holger M. Zellentin 7. David and Solomon: antecedents, modalities and consequences of their twinship in the Qur'an Geneviève Gobillot Part III: The Qur'an and Judaism 8. Pharaoh's submission to God in the Qur'an and in rabbinic literature: a case study in Qur'anic intertextuality Nicolai Sinai 9. The eschatological counter-discourse in the Qur'an and in the Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin, 90b-91a Mehdi Azaiez Part IV: The Qur'an and Christianity 10.Thrice upon a time: Abraham's guests and the study of intra-Qur'anic parallels Joseph Witztum 11."Killing the prophets and stoning the messengers": two themes in the Qur'an and their background Gerald Hawting 12. On the Qur'an and Christian heresies Gabriel Said Reynolds 13. Reflections on the Qur'an, Christianity, and intertextuality Mary B. Cunningham Index of Qur'anic references