The Deployment of Qur'anic Narratives: Joseph's Characterisation as the Epitome of Iḥsān (Gracious Conduct) in Q.12 and its Significance

Key information

Date
Time
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Venue
Paul Webley Wing (Senate House)
Room
S312

About this event

Shafi Fazaluddin
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The Deployment of Qur'anic Narratives: Joseph's Characterisation as the Epitome of Iḥsān (Gracious Conduct) in Q.12 and its Significance - Audio Mp3

Abstract

Much has been written about the perceived function of Qur'anic narratives and their recurrent deployment in the Qur'an. One of the most prominent and sustained narratives, the story of Joseph in Q.12, has been a subject of particular interest for its dramatic style and its comparison with the Biblical account of the same story. This seminar will focus on a previously under-studied yet crucial detail of this account: the five times recurrent reference to Joseph as a muḥsin (one who demonstrates gracious conduct). The speaker will highlight both how this emphasis can be lost in translation, and how a focus on such details can reveal the true significance behind the deployment of such a key Qur'anic narrative.

Biography

Shafi Fazaluddin is a Senior Teaching Fellow at SOAS, University of London and currently the Convenor of the MA Islamic Studies module in Qur'an: Language, Style and Translation. He completed his doctoral research, specialising in the study of ‘Conciliation in the Qur'an’, in September 2019. This research builds on his previously published research on ‘Conciliation Ethics in the Qur'an’, and examines subjects such as Conciliation in Islamic Law, Conciliation and Conflict, and the ethical Qur’anic notion of Iḥsān. His forthcoming publication on 'Conciliation and Conflict in the Meccan and Medinan Qur’an' is due to be published shortly. Shafi is a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales, and was previously employed for 18 years at leading institutions in the City of London’s legal and financial sectors.

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