French
For a contextual exegesis of the Quran
First lines of the introduction
“A major demand of Muslim intellectuals concerned with reconciling the Muslim world with modernity is that of a new exegesis of the Koran that can overcome both the impasses of traditional exegesis and those of contemporary ideological exegeses. Such an exegesis must be as objective and scientific as possible, based on modern methods of linguistic and literary analysis of the texts, the very ones that gave such spectacular results in biblical exegesis. This claim, admittedly justified, is not exempt from paradox: for a century and a half, innumerable are in fact the scholarly studies devoted to the Koran, from the perspective of modern historical criticism, offering an enormous range of elements for such an exegesis. The sum of this can be found in both editions of the Encyclopedia of Islam and in the recent Encyclopaedia of the Qur’ân. There is a considerable harvest of observations, analyses and interpretations, suitable to give life to a new exegesis of the Koran. Despite this, the feeling remains that a modern exegesis of the Koran has not yet been born. Why?”
Premières lignes de l’introduction
“Une revendication majeure des intellectuels musulmans soucieux de réconcilier le monde musulman avec la modernité, est celle d’une nouvelle exégèse du Coran qui puisse surmonter aussi bien les impasses de l’exégèse traditionnelle que celles des exégèses idéologiques contemporaines. Un telle exégèse se doit d’être la plus objective et scientifique possible, fondée sur les méthodes modernes d’analyse linguistique et littéraire des textes, celles-là mêmes qui ont donné des résultats si spectaculaires dans l’exégèse biblique. Cette revendication, certes justifiée, n’est pas exempte de paradoxe : depuis un siècle et demi, innombrables sont en effet les études savantes consacrées au Coran, dans la perspective de la critique historique moderne, offrant un éventail énorme d’éléments pour une telle exégèse. On peut en trouver la somme dans les deux éditions de l’Encyclopédie de l’Islam et dans la récente Encyclopaedia of the Qur’ân. Il y a là une moisson considérable d’observations, d’analyses et d’interprétations, propres à donner vie à une nouvelle exégèse du Coran. Malgré cela, le sentiment demeure qu’une exégèse moderne du Coran n’est pas encore née. Pourquoi ?”
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