Institute of Ismaili Studies
Faculty Member, Qur'anic
Studies (Department of Academic Research and Publications)
Contact Information
Biography
After studying Arabic
and Hebrew at the University of St. Andrews, Stephen Burge moved to the
University of Edinburgh for his Masters’ and doctoral work. He has
specialized in the study of angels in Islam, looking at the angelology
of the Qur’an and more widely in the Islamic tradition. His doctoral
thesis is a translation and commentary of Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti’s Al-Haba’ik
fi akhbar al-mala’ik (The Arrangement of the Traditions about
Angels).
His areas of research are in angelology, Islamic exegesis, Hadith Studies, popular religion and the works of Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti. He is also interested in comparative Semitic philology and lexicography, Islamic codicology and relationship between Judaism, Christianity and Islam – especially in popular religion.
Publications
His areas of research are in angelology, Islamic exegesis, Hadith Studies, popular religion and the works of Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti. He is also interested in comparative Semitic philology and lexicography, Islamic codicology and relationship between Judaism, Christianity and Islam – especially in popular religion.
Publications
1. ‘The
Angels’ Roles in Death and Judgement: al-Suyuti’s Approach to Hadith’
in Amanda Phillips and Refqa Abu-Remaileh (eds.), The Meeting Place
of British Middle Eastern Studies: Emerging Scholars, Emergent Research
and Approaches (Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing,
forthcoming) pp. 40 – 59.
2. The Provenance of Suhrawardian Angelology
Archiv Orientální 76 (2008) pp. 435 – 457
The angelology found in the Hikmat
al-ishraq of Shihab al-Din al-Suhrawardi al-Maqtul (d. 1191) has been
the source of much debate. In many of his studies of Suhrawardian
philosophy, Henry Corbin stresses the Persian influence on
al-Suhrawardi’s thought, especially Suhrawardian angelology.
Al-Suhrawardi does refer to Zoroastrianism in his introduction to the
Hikmat al-ishraq, but to what extent is his angelology Zoroastrian? Does
the use of Zoroastrian terminology and vocabulary mean that the
angelology is Zoroastrian? This paper will explore Suhrawardian
angelology, attempting to place it in context and to assess its
provenance. It will be seen that the potential influences on his
angelology are far wider than scholars, such as Corbin, have suggested
in the past. Although focusing on al-Suhrawardi's Hikmat al-ishraq, his
use of angels in his other works will also be considered.
3. The Angels in Surat al-Mala'ika: Exegeses of Q. 35:1
Journal of Qur’anic Studies 10 (2008) pp.
50 – 70
The opening aya of Q. 35 is one of only a
few which describe the relationships between God, humans and angels: it
attests to the creative power of God and describes the angels as winged
messengers, the only aya in which angels are portrayed in this way.
However, two of the most important words in this aya are often passed
over without comment or consideration by modern translators and
commentators alike: malak (mala'ika) and fatir, which are usually given
the translations ‘angel’ or ‘messenger’ and ‘Creator’ respectively. The
precise meanings of malak and fatir are not the only difficulties in
this aya that appear to have posed problems. The three distributive
adjectives found in the aya (mathna, thulath and ruba') tend in modern
translations to be given interpretations not found in the classical
exegeses of this aya. This article will discuss the implications of the
various different interpretations of these five terms, and explore
whether they are best translated following the modern translators or the
classical exegetes.
4. ʿZRʾL, The Angel of Death and the Ethiopic Apocalypse of Peter
Journal for the Study of the
Pseudepigrapha, 19:3 (2010) pp. 217 – 224
While the angel 'Ezra'el, an angel of Hell,
appears in the Ethiopic Apocalypse of Peter, the name 'Ezra'el remains
obscure. Where did this name come from? Islamic tradition may provide
the answer, since the same angelic name 'Azra'il or 'Isra'il, is a
common name for the Angel of Death. This article assesses the history of
the use of this name and asks whether Islamic tradition influenced its
use in the Ethiopic version of the Apocalypse of Peter. In addition,
this study asks whetehr it is possilbe to use the inclusion of the name
'Ezra'el as a means of dating the text.
Book Reviews
Burge, S. R., ‘Review: Norman Solomon, Richard Harries and Tim Winter (eds.), Abraham’s Children: Jews, Christians and Muslims in Conversation (London: T&T Clark, 2005), British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies 36:3 (2009).
Burge, S. R., ‘Review: Norman Solomon, Richard Harries and Tim Winter (eds.), Abraham’s Children: Jews, Christians and Muslims in Conversation (London: T&T Clark, 2005), British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies 36:3 (2009).
Forthcoming talks
The Meaning of the Word: Lexicology and Tafsir
Where:
USA - TBC
When:
29th October 2010,
9pm - 1pm
Overview
Building on the successful Tafsir Workshop run by Karen Bauer at the American Academy of Religion (AAR) conference in Chicago 2008, this workshop will explore how exegetes approach the meanings of individual words in the Qur’an, and debate how religious beliefs are informed by discussions of lexicology. This area of tafsir encompasses many different disciplines, and is too difficult a task for an individual to undertake. It will bring a number of scholars together with wide-ranging expertise and is open for all to attend. The workshop is part of the Institute’s commitment to promote scholarship in Qur’anic and Tafsir Studies.
- Workshop Objectives
One of the most common exegetical tools in the interpretation of the Qur’an is the explanation of single words (i.e. lexicology, lugha, ‘ilm al-lugha). The basic intention of tafsir is to understand what the text actually means. Whilst lexicology is frequently regarded as playing a crucial part in the interpretation of the Qur’an, there are few studies of how exegetes approach these questions. The workshop will focus on two particular areas of lexicology in exegesis. Firstly, it will explore the interplay between the development of theological, legal and mystical ideas and the interpretation of individual words. Secondly, the workshop will also consider the methodologies that exegetes employ when dealing with questions of lexicology. A further aim is to understand the relationship between the ways in which words are interpreted in and outside of tafsir.
Qur’anic Studies has benefited from a great number of studies discussing what the words in Qur’anic text mean, particularly in the field of comparative Semitic philology and such studies have been a staple of Western scholarship on the Qur’an. Yet, there have been very few considerations of how the interpretive tradition engaged with lexicological problems themselves. Is there an established methodology in the way in which exegetes deal with lexicology? To what extent did Arabic linguistics and lexicography influence exegesis? How are discussions of individual words used in theological debates? None of these issues have been given much attention in the study of tafsir. Issues of kalam, Sunni-Shi’i disputes, jurisprudence, gender issues and mysticism often rely on words in the Qur’an, their meaning and their interpretation. Comparative philologists often focus entirely on the meaning of words in the Qur’an in its own historical context – such studies are of great benefit to studies of the Qur’an, but it is just as important and interesting to explore how Muslim exegetes engaged with these same words, and how words were interpreted by different people, schools and faith communities.
Many scholars recognise that lexicology plays an important part in exegesis and this workshop, bringing together scholars in the field of tafsir, will enable these ideas to be discussed and debated in detail.
- Themes for Discussion
The workshop will have two panels, one looking at how exegetes
approach questions of lexicology and the other exploring the way in
which lexicology informs, or is informed by, religious beliefs and
hermeneutics, e.g. law, kalam, philosophy, gender, mysticism etc. As at
the Chicago workshop, each panel will have four/five speakers, with
speakers presenting short conference papers, followed by wider
discussion by all present.
The first theme of the workshop will explore the role of lexicology in specific reflections on the Qur’anic text. The aim is to understand how exegetes use the meanings and interpretations of words to support theological worldviews.
Law, theology, philosophy, Sufism and Shi’ism are areas that would benefit from an understanding of how the language of the Qur’an and the use of lexicology is used to inform these debates.
The second theme of the workshop will be a discussion of how exegetes approach the interpretation of words from a methodological perspective. The aim of this panel is to understand the methodologies of different exegetes, consider questions that arise from these methodologies and to place discussions of lexicology in a wider context.
Participation
If you would like to attend this workshop, or have any questions please contact me (sburge@iis.ac.uk)
- Panel 1: Lexicology and Doctrine
The first theme of the workshop will explore the role of lexicology in specific reflections on the Qur’anic text. The aim is to understand how exegetes use the meanings and interpretations of words to support theological worldviews.
Law, theology, philosophy, Sufism and Shi’ism are areas that would benefit from an understanding of how the language of the Qur’an and the use of lexicology is used to inform these debates.
- Panel 2: Approaching Lexicology: Questions of Methodology
The second theme of the workshop will be a discussion of how exegetes approach the interpretation of words from a methodological perspective. The aim of this panel is to understand the methodologies of different exegetes, consider questions that arise from these methodologies and to place discussions of lexicology in a wider context.
Participation
If you would like to attend this workshop, or have any questions please contact me (sburge@iis.ac.uk)
Books
Angels in Islam: A Commentary with Selected Translations of Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti's Al-Haba'ik fi akhbar al-mala'ik (The Arrangement of the Traditions About Angels).
PhD. Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2009.
هیچ نظری موجود نیست:
ارسال یک نظر