The Quran from Abraham Geiger’s Perspective: Between the Historicity of Revelation and Theological Transformation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58485/elrusyd.v11i1.690Keywords:
Abraham Geiger, Orientalism, Quran, philologyAbstract
Abraham Geiger’s views on the Quran are often situated within the field of Orientalism, which emphasizes historical and comparative approaches. Geiger viewed the Quran as a text that emerged through interaction with earlier traditions, particularly Judaism, such that revelation is understood as part of a historical process. This study aims to critically examine Geiger’s views, particularly the concept of “creative appropriation” and the analysis of intertextuality between the Quran and Jewish literature. The method employed is qualitative research based on a literature review using a historical-philological and comparative approach. The findings indicate that Geiger identified narrative similarities between the Quran and Jewish traditions such as the Midrash and the Talmud; however, he also acknowledged theological transformations in the Quran within the context of 7th-century Arabia. Consequently, Geiger positioned Islam as a reformist continuation of the Semitic tradition, but tended to reduce revelation to a historical construct. Therefore, although his thought contributes to modern Quranic studies, a critical stance is necessary to preserve the theological integrity of the Quran.
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