Reading the Quran: The Lessons of the Ambassadors of Mystical Islam
Sophia July 1, 2007 DOI: 10.1007/s11841-007-0019-2 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Quran Linguistic texture Mystical modalities |
| Key points | Argues that the works of Massignon, Corbin, and Schuon highlight the epistemologic primacy of the Qur'an's contemplative and esoteric dimensions, which can counter reductionist approaches in scriptural hermeneutics. |
Abstract
This paper highlights the contributions of three major Islamicists, Louis Massignon, Henry Corbin, and Frithjof Schuon, to the understanding of the Qur’ân. Their works point to the epistemologic primacy of the contemplative and esoteric dimensions of the Book. Its linguistic texture and modalities are here understood as expressing the very limits of language, the proportional reciprocity between the actualization of inner meaning and spiritual fruition, and its ultimate metaphysical substance. These principles and their spiritual consequences may constitute the best antidote to contemporary fundamentalist and modernist reductionism in scriptural hermeneutics.