Critique of the Fundamentalist Reading of the Qur'an

Formulation of the Claim

The fundamentalist reading of the Qur’an rejects any new reading.

Explanation

Arkoun holds that fundamentalist rigidity confines interpretation to the inherited reading alone, thereby closing off the possibility of renewing Qur’anic understanding. This position thus becomes an obstacle to approaching the text in light of the questions imposed by new intellectual and historical conditions.

Its Place in the Book’s Argument

This atom comes within the context of Arkoun’s critique of the mechanisms of interpretation that make the fundamentalist reading appear as though it were the only legitimate reference point. It is connected to the book’s theses that distinguish between closure around inherited tradition and opening space for a broader understanding of the Qur’an within the history of Islamic thought.

Limits of the Claim

The atom does not pass judgment on all forms of religiosity or on every traditional reading of the text; rather, it is limited to criticizing the fundamentalist position when it rejects any new reading.

Brief Evidence Passage

I am fully aware of the limitations of my reading of the Qur’an, and that it is a reading conditioned by the circumstances and possibilities of its age. Nevertheless, it is not an absolute reading; rather, it proceeds from the awareness that inherited interpretation alone is not sufficient. I therefore think it reasonable to propose new ways of approaching the Qur’anic text, instead of being content with what tradition has settled upon.

Nearby Links

Fundamentalist Thought and the Impossibility of Foundation