“He named you Muslims before and in this”: some considerations about the lexemes islām and muslim in the Qur’an
https://doi.org/10.31162/2618-9569-2021-14-3-569-588
Abstract
The study identifi es the semantics of the words islām and muslim in the Qur’an on the basis of contextual and diachronic analysis. During the research there were defi ned 8 thematic groups of uses, only 5 of which can in one way or another be attributed to the period of Muhammad prophecy. At the same time, considering the only exception in 72 cases of usage, all the lexemes are used as a technical religious term in all the abovementioned thematic groups. The periodization of surahs studies demonstrated the absence of semantic evolution, the assumption of which was made by some European authors. Profound analysis of lexical antitheses of this term has revealed the fact that it is opposed not only to unbelief and deviation from God’s way, but also to faith as an internal belief, thus representing an external act of accepting religion and observing its institutions. In conclusion, the author proposes a new version of the lexemes translation within the Qur’an, where he refl ects their religious, general monotheistic and performative meanings.
About the Author
I. A. Zaripov
Institute of Oriental Studies of Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Islam A. Zaripov, Cand. Sci. (History), Senior Researcher Fellow, Center for Arabic and Islamic Studies
Moscow
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Review
For citations:
Zaripov I.A. “He named you Muslims before and in this”: some considerations about the lexemes islām and muslim in the Qur’an. Minbar. Islamic Studies. 2021;14(3):569-588. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.31162/2618-9569-2021-14-3-569-588
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