The al-Baqara Crescendo: Understanding the Qur'an's Style, Narrative Structure, and Running Themes

This Book Is A Study Of The Poetics Of Qurʼanic Narrative, Specifically The Poetics Of Surat Al-baqara, The Second And Longest Sura In The Qurʼan. It Argues That The Sura, Which Has Often Been Dismissed By Orientalist Critics As A Jumbled Collection Of Unrelated Material, Can Be Appreciated As A Coherent Composition By Approaching It As An Oral Text, That Is, By Paying Attention To Oral Structural Markers Such As Repetition.-- Introduction -- 1. How To Read The Qur'an Holistically : Understanding The Rationale -- 2. Beginnning At The Beginning : Al-fātiḥa As A Prelude To Surat Al-baqara -- 3. Symmetry And A Mounting Dynamic : Al-baqara's Skeletal Outline -- 4. Thematic Affirmation : Al-baqara's Chiastic Structure -- 5. God As Guide : Surat Al-baqara's Running Theme In The Divine Self-revelatory Reading -- 6. Placing Humanity At The Focal Point : Responsibility As The Pedagogical Running Theme Of Surat Al-baquara -- 7. Windows Into The Tradition : Al-biqā'ī And Al-Ṭabāṭabā'ī On Surat Al-baqara -- Conclusion -- Appendix : Holistic Approaches In Biblical Studies. Nevin Reda. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 227-246) And Index. Issued Also In Electronic Format.