Toor- van der Zwaag, van, Anne
(2018)
Yaqub al-Qirqisani: a staunch scripturalist? Karaite literal understanding and scripturalism under Islamic rule.
Master thesis, Master Ancient Scriptures and Cultures Judaism Christianity Islam.
Abstract
Karaism is a Jewish movement that is distinct from mainstream Rabbinic Judaism, as it considers the Hebrew Bible as the single source of authority. Rabbinic Judaism considers the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud and Midrash as an authoritative foundation for laws and regulations. Karaism rejects the Rabbinic laws as written down in the Talmud and Midrash. As a result of the Karaite adherence to the written text of the Hebrew Bible, the movement was labeled as ‘scripturalist’. The tenth century C.E. saw a peak in polemics between Karaite and Rabbinic scholars. One of the Karaite scholars in this polemical discourse was Yaqub al-Qirqisani. In addition to other topics, Al-Qirqisani wrote guidelines for the interpretation of Hebrew Scripture. This study analyses these guidelines in al-Qirqisani’s work ‘Principles of Biblical Exegesis’ (938 C.E.) to define the nature of al-Qirqisani’s scripturalism in the context of its Islamic and Rabbinic environment in the tenth century. The analysis demonstrates that al-Qirqisani’s scripturalism does not represent a strict literal adherence to Scripture. Rather, al-Qirqisani’s methods represent a rational approach towards Scripture, set against a background of contesting claims to authority.
| Type: |
Thesis
(Master)
|
| Supervisors (RUG): |
| Supervisor | E-mail | Tutor organization | Tutor email |
|---|
| Wilde, C.E. | C.E.Wilde@rug.nl | | | | Mason, S.N. | S.Mason@rug.nl | | |
|
| Degree programme: |
Master Ancient Scriptures and Cultures Judaism Christianity Islam |
| Academic year: |
2017- 2018 |
| Date of delivery: |
11 May 2018 |
| Last modified: |
11 May 2018 10:07 |
| URI: |
https://rcs.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/379 |
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