Table of Contents

PART 1: BACKGROUND AND EXAMPLES OF CONTEXTUALISM: PAST AND PRESENT Chapter 1: Introduction and Modern Emphases in Qur’anic Interpretation Chapter 2: Traditional Interpretation, Textualism and the Emergence of Contextualism Chapter 3: An Early Form of Contextualism: Umar and Interpretation Chapter 4: A Modern Form of Contextualism: Women’s Perspectives in Interpretation PART 2: KEY IDEAS AND PRINCIPLES OF CONTEXTUALIST INTERPRETATION Chapter 5: Revelation and Contexualisation Chapter 6: Hierarchical Nature of Qur’anic Values Chapter 7: Parallel Texts from the Qur’an and Dealing with Hadith Chapter 8: Meaning in a Contextualist Framework Chapter 9: ‘Fundamentals of the Religion’ and Interpretation Chapter 10: Contextualist Interpretation in Practice PART 3: DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS FOR DIFFERENT CONTEXTS: FOUR CASES Chapter 11: Men’s ‘Authority’ Over Women and Equality Chapter 12: Crucifixion and Death of Jesus Christ Chapter 13: Shūra and Democracy Chapter 14: Riba and Interest PART 4: CONCLUDING REMARKS Chapter 15: Epilogue

About the Author

Abdullah Saeed is Sultan of Oman Professor of Arab and Islamic Studies at the University of Melbourne, Australia. His previous books for Routledge include Interpreting the Qur’an (2005), Islamic Thought: An Introduction (2006), and The Qur’an: An Introduction (2008).

Reviews

"Readers seeking to understand the current diversity in ways Muslims read and interpret the Qur'an will find in Abdullah Saeed a sure-footed guide. He demonstrates how a reading that respects context is firmly rooted in the Islamic tradition from the earliest days." - Daniel A. Madigan, Georgetown University, USA