The Author

He studied Arabic in Cairo and received a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of Abundance from the Desert: Classical Arabic Poetry (Syracuse UP, 2011).

Presentation

Raymond Farrin draws on classical Arab sources and contemporary literary theory in this groundbreaking literary approach to the Qur’an. Prof. Farrin demonstrates how the Qur’an, often regarded as unsystematic, in fact features a comprehensive design, one characterized by a network of symmetries. He asserts that the Qur’an possesses "a magnificent design" and an impressive coherence. Specifically, Farrin’s analysis of the Qur’an discloses how the principle of symmetry—manifesting in parallel, chiastic, and concentric constructions—holds the text together.

This principle of symmetry obtains on the level of the chapter, the chapter pair, the chapter group, the group system (each system containing numerous chapter groups), and the Qur’an as a whole. Structure and Qur’anic Interpretation, aimed both at readers familiar with the Qur’an and at those opening it for the first time, differs from other books on the Qur’an in that it reveals the text’s fundamental, symmetrical organization. Moreover, through readings of key Qur’an chapters, Farrin shows how structure serves as a guide to interpretation. Indeed, one finds that the Qur’an’s structure again and again points to universal messages of an ethical nature, rather than to messages whose application may be limited to a specific context. In addition, the book makes a contribution to Qur’anic studies by highlighting literary evidence indicating that the Qur’an was compiled by one author (in all probability, the Prophet Muhammad) and not by an official committee.

Contents

Introduction

1. Framing the Qur’an
2. The Chapter as Unity
3. Chapter Pairs I
4. Chapter Pairs II
5. Chapter Groups
6. The Central Group

Conclusion

Appendix A, B, C
Reading Group Guide
Notes, Bibliography, Index