Moses in the Qur'an and Islamic Exegesis [Hardcover]

Relating the Muslim understanding of Moses in the Qur'an to the Epic of Gilgamesh, Alexander Romances, Aramaic Targums, Rabbinic Bible exegesis, and folklore from the ancient and medieval Mediterranean, this book shows how Muslim scholars authorize and identify themselves through allusions to the Bible and Jewish tradition. Exegesis of Qur'an 18:60-82 shows how Muslim exegetes engage Biblical theology through interpretation of the ancient Israelites, their prophets, and their Torah. This Muslim use of a scripture shared with Jews and Christians suggests fresh perspectives for the history of religions, Biblical studies, cultural studies, and Jewish-Arabic studies.Introduction  Part I. Focusing on Q 18:60-83, the only Qur'anic Moses Narrative that DoesNot Seem to Have a Biblical Parralel  1. Examination of the Claim that Q 18:65-83 is Derived from an Earlier Oral Jewish Source as Identified by a Number of Scholars, including Ginzburg and Wensinck  2. Moses or Alexander? Raises the Issues of the Identification of both Moses and Alexander with the Qur'anic Figure Dur Al-Qarnayn (horned one)  Part 2. Focusing on Q 28:21-28, Moses in Midian and hisAssociation with the Prophet Jacob  3. Moses at Jacob's Well . Analyzes the Conflation of Moses at Midian  Part 3. Focusing on the exegetical association of Dhu al-Qarnayn withthe Prophet Abraham  4. Well of Beersheba and the Water of Life  5. Duh al-Qarnayn and the Water of Life   6. Conclusion Duh al-Qarnayn and the Prophet Muhammed 'This monograph by Brannon Wheeler is a welcome addition to the ever-expanding literature oftafsiror Qur'anic exegesis. The chief merit of the work lies in its exhaustive reassessment of the body of writings on Moses in the IslÓ(