Qur'ân's self image, The

By Daniel A. Madigan

Book Description

In a world where Islam is often labeled a "religion of the book," a fascinating paradox emerges: Muslims engage with their sacred text primarily through oral tradition, not written pages. The Qur'an itself means "recitation," referring to the divine words believers hold were revealed to Muhammad. Countless devotees memorize the entire scripture, and physical books remain absent from Islamic ritual practices.

This raises a profound question that scholar Daniel Madigan explores through meticulous textual analysis. When the Qur'an repeatedly describes itself using the term "kitab"—commonly translated as "book"—what does this really mean? Madigan challenges conventional interpretations through careful examination of the Qur'an's own self-references.

His semantic investigation reveals a striking insight: the sacred text may understand itself not as a static, completed volume, but as a dynamic, ongoing divine process. Rather than viewing kitab as a finished book, Madigan argues the Qur'an presents itself as God's continuous "writing" and "re-writing"—an authoritative divine response that unfolds in relationship to real people facing actual circumstances.

This fresh perspective offers readers a deeper understanding of how sacred texts function as living documents rather than fixed artifacts. Madigan's work invites anyone interested in the nature of revelation and divine communication to reconsider how spiritual wisdom manifests and evolves within human experience.