The aim of this essay is to examine the interpretation of the qur’anic word ummi by analysing how the term was interpreted by medieval muslim scholars in juxtaposition to the interpretation of the contemporary shiite muslim scholar Husayn Tabataba’i. The essay utilises a method of close-reading based on the given definition of the method by Grenholm and focuses on the medieval interpretation of the word ummi as researched in Sebastian Günthers academic article Muḥammad, the Illiterate Prophet as well as the given interpretation of Tabataba’i in Tafsir al-Mizan. The prophet Muhammed is described in the Qur’an as al-nabi al-ummi, an epithet often understood as ”the illiterate prophet”. By analysing the various exegetical interpretations of term ummi, the thesis hopes to reach a conclusion regarding the literacy or illiteracy of the islamic prophet in addition to elucidate what the meaning of ummi might be on a general level. The essay departs from the theoretical understanding of prophethood and the Qur’an as describe in shiite tradition, thus regarding the doctrinal affinity of Tabataba’i in examining his interpretation. The essay concludes that the perception of the prophet Muhammed being illiterate is a rather contemporary notion not shared by medieval muslim exegetical scholars. Husayn Tabataba’is exegesis in Tafsir al-Mizan suggest a different interpretation of the word ummi providing clarification and coherent explanation in his reading of the term.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:uu-494810 |
| Date | January 2023 |
| Creators | Khalaf, Muhammed |
| Publisher | Uppsala universitet, Teologiska institutionen |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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