Violence in Early Islam. Religious Narratives, the Arab Conquests and the Canonization of Jihad

Presentation:

The concept of jihad holds a prominent place in Islamic thought and history. Beyond its spiritual meanings, the term has historically been associated with the sweeping Arab-Believers conquests of the 7-8th century BCE. But given advances in our understanding of the historicity and chronology of the Qur’an and early Islamic texts, is it correct to identify jihad and Islam with violent conquest?

In this book, Marco Demichelis explores the history of the concept of jihad in the early proto-Islamic centuries (7-8th). Deploying an interdisciplinary approach which combines the hermeneutical study of the famous ‘Verses of the Sword’ within the Qur’an itself, with historical writing by Islamic chroniclers as well as non-Islamic sources, numismatics, epigraphical and architectural evidence, the book questions the relationship between the religious concept of jihad and the conquests. The book argues that Christian Byzantine Foederati forices who previously fought against the Persians may have had a formative effect on the later emergence of more bellicose rhetoric. In so doing, it calls into question assumptions about warlike attitudes inherent within Islamic doctrine, and reveals a more nuanced and complicated history of religious violence in the pre, proto and early Islamic period.

Reviews :

“”Using historical sources to underscore the importance of Arab Christian foederati while offering a contextualized reading of Qur’anic verses relating to religious violence, Demichelis offers a provocative, insightful interpretation of the interplay between the slow emergence of Islam among the “Believers and the eventual articulation of a doctrine of jihad.”” – Steven C. Judd, Professor of Middle East History, Southern Connecticut State University, USA,““Displaying extensive research and interdisciplinary methodological approach, Marco Demichelis convincingly recontextualizes the late process of sacralization of violence in early Islam. One of the many merits of this book is to put an end to the outdated representations of a Prophet’s life inextricably rooted in a form of religious violence. A much needed and timely work which breaks a number of cliches on a contentious issue.”” – Mehdi Azaiez, Professor of Islamic Studies, UC Louvain, Belgium,

Titre original : Violence in Early Islam. Religious Narratives, the Arab Conquests and the Canonization of Jihad

Présentation:

Le concept de jihad occupe une place de choix dans la pensée et l’histoire de l’Islam. Au-delà de sa signification spirituelle, le terme a été historiquement associé aux grandes conquêtes des Croyants arabes aux 7-8ème siècles avant Jésus-Christ. Mais compte tenu des progrès réalisés dans notre compréhension de l’historicité et de la chronologie du Coran et des premiers textes islamiques, est-il correct d’identifier le djihad et l’Islam à une conquête violente ?

Dans ce livre, Marco Demichelis explore l’histoire du concept de jihad au cours des premiers siècles proto-islamiques (7-8ème). Déployant une approche interdisciplinaire qui combine l’étude herméneutique des célèbres “Versets de l’épée” dans le Coran lui-même, avec des écrits historiques de chroniqueurs islamiques ainsi que des sources non islamiques, des preuves numismatiques, épigraphiques et architecturales, le livre s’interroge sur la relation entre le concept religieux du djihad et les conquêtes. Le livre soutient que les forices chrétiennes byzantines Foederati qui ont précédemment lutté contre les Perses ont peut-être eu un effet formateur sur l’émergence ultérieure d’une rhétorique plus belliqueuse. Ce faisant, il remet en question les hypothèses sur les attitudes belliqueuses inhérentes à la doctrine islamique et révèle une histoire plus nuancée et plus compliquée de la violence religieuse dans la période pré, proto et le début de l’Islam.

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Original title : Violence in Early Islam. Religious Narratives, the Arab Conquests and the Canonization of Jihad

Présentation:

Presentation:

Reviews :