Demythologizing the Narratives of the
'Abduh's and Bint alQur'a'n: Mullammad
Shafi"s Account of 'Ad, Thamud, and
Pharaoh, Q. 89: 6-10'
AI Makn

.Jj -J:6lt

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'Th"

pup"r was presented at Faculty Club of Concordia University, Montreal
Canada,Iune 5{, 1999.

80

Al-limiah, Vol. 40,No. 1,january- ]une2002

AlMakjn,Derultthologizing
theNarratiaes
ctftlteQur'an:...

Abstrak
Dalam al-Qur'an terdapat banyak cerita (kisah) yang terjadi jauh
sebelum al-Qur'an diturunkan seperti kisah tentang rasul-rasul dan
ummatnya sejak Adam hingga Muhammad. Para mufassir klasik seperti
Tabari sering menceritakan secara detail kisah-kisah tersebut yang
berdasarkan tidak hanya pada alQur'an, tapi lebih pada riwayat-riwayat.
Masing-masingkisah sering mempunyai beberapaversi tengkapsebagaimana
kisah-kisah isn-tltyaZ Berbeda dengan mufassir klasrk, para mufassir modem cenderung tidak menceritakan secara lengkap cerita-cerita tersebut.
Mereka mencobauntuk memahami bagian-bagian penting dari kisah-kisah
tersebutdan menginterpretasikan nilai-nilai yang terkandung di dalam kisah
tersebut dalam konteks modern ini. Artikel ini mencoba untuk melihat
pendekatandua mufassir modem, yaitu Muhammad'Abduh dan'A'ishah
'Abd al-Rahman Bint
al-Sheti', dalam
sikan kisah kaum 'Ad,
Thamud dan Fir'aun dalam alQur'an.

I. Introdution
he Qur'an contains many narratives (garyu€),'which circulated be
fore or at the time of its revelatisn" - e.i., tales which tell of the
Prophets and their peoples, -from Adam to Muhammad himself.a
Classical exegetessuch as al-labari" often provide further details for the

The Qur'an itself claims this, see for instance Q. 12: 3, "We narrate unto thee
(Muhammad) the best of narratives (ahsan algasasl...," trans. by Marmaduke Pickthall,
the GJonousKoran: A Bilngual Edition wtth Engltslr Tianslahba Introduchon and Note
(London: George Allen and Unwin, 1969) 301-2.
laroslav Stetkevych, Mullammad and the GoJden Bough: Recorctructtng Arabian Myth(Bloomington: Indiana University Press,1996)1-3.
This is known as gins al-anbtya i seefor instance al-T"ha'labi,I(itib Qrsasa|-Anbtye'
al-Musgmma bi aI- Ara :b (Cairo: Al-Matba'ah al-Kastaliyah, n.d.).
-Abu
Muhammad ibn |afr r al-Tabiri (224/ 5-310/ 839-923CE) was a famous classical intelpreter who mostly based his interpretation on the tradition of the Prophet; on his
life, see Andrew RppitU "al-Tabari," 8R14,231-3; R. Paret, "al-Tabati,' EII 8, SZB-9;
Brockelmann , Gescltichte der arabischen Littera,firrl (Leiden: EJ. Brill, l93Z) 142;Ahmad
Muhammad al-Hufi , A/- la bai (Cairo: A'lam al-'Arab, 1962). Tabai' s tafsir is /a-ni' aIBayan fr Ta{siralQur'an(BeiruL Dar al-Ma'rifah, 1986-n.

Al-lami'ah,Vol. 40,No. 1,January- June2002

81

theNarratiaesof theQur'an:...

stories, which they drew from sourcesother than the Qur'dn, basing themselves on some nwayat Each narrative often had severalcomplete versions that existed independently of the Qur'an, such as in the case of the
bra'ifiyatt Mod"rr, exegetes,on the other hand, have attempted a new
reading of these narratives. Instead of retelling the complete story they
recount parts of it, trying to grve these a modern context by explaining the
moral lessonsto be derived therefrom. This was the approach of two promi'A'ishuh 'Abd alnent modem conunentators,TMu\ammad 'Abduh
Rahman Bint al-SheF'. This paper will focus on their ".d
respectiveaccounts of
the'Ad, the Thamud and Pharaohin Q. 89: G10.
Q. 89: 6-10:
...Dost thou not considerhow thy Lord dealt with (the tribe ofl 'Ad,
With many<olumned Iram
The like of which was not created in the Lands;
And with (tribe of) Thamud, who dove the rocks in the valley;
t
And witfr Pharaoh, firm of toight,...
II. 'Abduh's

Taf,eTr

Muhammad 'Abduh (1849-1905),who has been describedas a rationalist, a reformist, a modernist, and even a neo-Mu'tazilite,e

uForthehistory

ol bra'ifiya-finearly talsirwlgnazGoldziher, Madhilibal-Talsir
al-Islaqitrans.'Abd
al-Halim al-Najjar (Cairo: Maktabat al-Ktranji, 1955)75.
'Both
are considered modern Quranic exegetes.See,IJ.G. fansen, The Interyretabbnoftltel(orannMdernEglpt[-eidert:EJ.Brill,l974)
9and lT.Especially Bintal-Shati'
is also regarded as a modern Egyptian feminisf see Issa ]. Boullata, fiends and Issues n
Conteaporary Arab ?Itought(Albany: State University of New York Press, 1990)120-3.
"Marmaduke Pickthall, Zhe Glonous.Koran 805.
'For
Mulammad 'Abduh's biography, see "Mulakhkhas Srat al-Ustadh al-Imim,"
ed. Muf,ammad Rastrid Rida, al-Mana-r8 (1315H.): 377-416;Muhammad Rashid Rida,
75/ikh al:Usta-dh al-hnarn al-Shaykh tVIullanunad Abduh (Cairo: Dar al-Miinar, 7937),
'Abduh, Muhanmad,"
especially in vol. 1; Hillal Dessouki, "
8R1,5-6; Albert Hourani,
Arabic Thouglttn the Libenl Age (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1962) 13060; Malcolm H. Kerr, Islamic Refuim: 7he Polih'cal and Legal Tharie of Multammad
Abdult and Rashid Rtda (Los Angeles: University of Califomisa Press, 1.966);Charles C.
Adams, IsJam and Modemtbm in Eg;pt: A Study of the Mdem Reform Movemmt Ina ugurated byMuf,anmad Abduh(London: Oxford University Press,1933);idem,

82

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Al M alcin,Demytltologizing theNnn atioesof tIrcQur'nh: ...

interp_retedthesethree important historical actors in the Qur'an - namely
the 'Ad, the Thamud and Pharaoh - by referring to historical fact and
logical evidenceas sources.In referenceto the 'Aa (e. 89:6),he informs us
that they were "a race of Arab ba'idah (extinct) or 'aHbah(distinct).,, Next
he provides their genealogy-'Ad ibn 'Aug ibn Iram ibn Sam ibn Nuh,
but, does not mention his source for this information. Questioning the validity of the genealogy,he explains that the a"t:?" meant by this passage
only that ttre 'Ad were a well-known Arab race.toB*ing himself again on
his unknown sources,he tells us that the 'Ad inhabited Rammil, ehqaf,
and Hadramawt. The Quran takes the 'Ad here as a.symbol of strength
and greatness,for they built a city with talt houses." 'Abduh explicitly
refusesto go into any more detail about the'Ad, unlike previous interpreters, but he does not specify which interpreters he had in mind. He is most
likely referring to classical interpreters, such as al-fabari, al-Zrmakshafi,
etc.,whom Bint al-Shati' would 161s1discuss
in her tafsir.
In his discussion of the Thamud (Q. 89: 9;,tt 'Abduh states that this
tribe included many Atab ba'idah. As he does with the ,Ad, he gives the
genealogy of the Thamud (Thamud ibn Kathir ibn Iram ibn sdm). In his
explanation of the Kattrir and lram, he states that the Kathir mentioned in
the Qur'an are the ]athir in-the old Testement,just as the lram are the
Aram in the old restament.t' He questions the validity of this genearogy,
"Muhammad 'Abduh, the Reformer," The Muslh Worldlg (1929):26423; Mahmrldul
Haq, Mullammad AMuh: A study of a Mden
Thnnkerof Eglpr (calcufta: The Little
Flower Press,1970);Khoiruddin Nasution, "The Concept of Ijma' in the Modem Age with
Particul3r Referenceto Muhammad 'Abduh" (MA. thesis, McGill university, 1995)+10.
'oMuhammad'Abduh,
Tafsir Ateuran
7;-.1^<C^n: al-Matba,ah
"l-Kttl^:
al-'Amiriyah,n.d.)78.
Muhammad'Abduh, Tpf<irAlQr'an al-IGtfrn79.
t
]Muhammad'Abduh, Tafsir A lQur'an aI-IGriln 79.
t'A."^
in the Bible refers to the territory of syria around the Euphrates. The
nomad inhabitants of Aram were called 'Aramim' or "Arameans' (Deut. 26:5). The Bible's
mentions of Aram include: (1) Aram-Naharim, Egyptians who lived around Euphrates; (2)
Aram-Zobah, the name of a city; (3) Aram-Rehob, the name of a city. (4).Aram-Maachah
and Aram-Gbshur,the name of a petty kingdom; (5) Aram-Dameshlk, the regionaround
Damascus.'Abduh possibly intends Aram4eshur, but he indicates this to be the name of
persgn. This is unlikely according to the Bible, Aram is a large kingdom whose people
worshipped various deities (II Macc. 12:26). The kingdom had contacts and wari wlth
Israel (fudges3: 8-10)and (rI sam.8 and 10).see,simon Cohen, " Aram," in |he [/nivercal
Encydopadtb,ed. Isaaclandman 1 (New York The Universal |ewish Encyclopaedia,
fewtsh
Inc., 1.940)448-50.

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83

AlMakin,

theNarratioes

arguing that the Thamud in the end were simply a well-known race of
'Ad. The Thamud suggesta strong physique and mind, since
Arabs like the
they had the ability to build rock housesin valleys or dams for agricultural
purposes. This indicates that the Thamud were as well-developed as the

'Ad.

'Abduh explains that the Pharaoh mentioned in the

Passage(Q. 89:
10)'n was the ruler of Eg1rytin the time of Moses.He shows that there is
disagreement over the interpretation of the term dhi al-awta-d,with some
saying that it refers to Pharaoh's armies, and others claiming that it is
pharaoh,s ,'game." Again 'Abduh fails to specify which interpreters he
mearui. ln the end he identifies the avytadwith Egypt's architectural wonders, which stand today.
Indeed, the term awtad means the great buildings which still exist now. How
beautiful are the buildings which were left by Old Egyptians which are pyramidlike,
firm, large, and have solid foundations. One views them with adrriration for seen
at ground level they are huge and yet as they go higher they end in a very small
point. This is what the term awtadof.Pharaoh means.rs

Evaluation and Comment
,Abduh's interpretation of the narratives of the Qur'an does not dwell
'ibrah (moral lesson) for
on details but aims instead at pointing out its
narratives (tt th" Qur'an) indeed are aimed at givhuman beings -'the
ing examplesand moral lessons."ttThe'Ad, the Thamud and Pharaohare
mentiond becausethey rebelled and showed iniquity, so God heaped disaster upon them, as recorded in the verses that follow immediately after
our passge "Who all were rebellious in these lands, and multiplied inig
uity, therefore thy Lord poured on them the disaster of His punishment."-'
This is a kind of waming to other humans not to repeat these deeds.
'Abduh demythologizes and rationalizes the five verses (Q. 89: 6-10)
by interpreting them in the light of historical and logical fact. As a rationalist, he preferred to use reason rather than accept the detailed Storiesgiven
'oMuhammad'Abduh,
Tafsir AIQur'an al-Kaitn 79ttMuhammad'Abduh,
TafsirAl'Qur'in a|-Kadm79-80.
tttut.rlu**ua'Abduh,
Dtrus nnn alQw'an (Beitut: Dar ftya' al-'Ulum, 1980)29;
'Alayh al-salam," ed. Mul-rammad Rastrid
,,Tafdir alQur'an al-F.Iakim,
idem,
Qissat Hud
'Alayh alRida, al-Manar34 (1315H.) 32L,in interpreting Q.7:50-2; idem, "Qisqat $alih
ed. Muhammad Rashid RiQa,al-Mana.r34(1315H.)328,in interpretin9Q.T:67'3.
salam,,,ttg.
89, li andl2,trans. by Marmaduke Pickthall, Ihe Glorious Koran 805.

84

Al-limi'ah,Vol.40,No. L,fanuary- June2002

by classicalinterpreters.His accountsare clear,decisivelyann-hgfrd(which
consists of following blindly the opinions of others) and rationalist. He
was also openly reform-minded,'" offering a new concept of understanding of the narratives which sought not to prove the validity of the narratives or to give further details, but to extract the moral lessonsinherent in
them. As a neo-Mu'tazilite, he approached the Qur'en from a modem rational perspective. Bqt, whereas Mu'tazilites of the past relied on Greek
philosophy and logic,tt 'Abduh used a modem tti"ti"g in sweepingaway
the myths and irrational elements in the stories of the Qur'en, and in emphasizing logical and factual evidence, although it is also true that both
'Abduh and the Mu'tazilites hied to reconcile reason with revelation. to
III. Bint al-Shafi"s Tafsir
Bint al-Shati', who was trained as a philologist,tt ,rr", a linguistic
approach to the story of the 'Ad, the Thamud, and Pharaoh. First, like
'Abduh, sherefutes previous interpretations, although unlike him shespecifies those whom she refutes, among them al-labafi,, a1-Tamakhshari," alttFo.

u characterization of the modern rational thinker, especially in Islamic jurisprudence, seeSubtii Matpagani, " Muslims: Dependence and Renaissance,Adaptation of
Islamiclurisprudence to Modern Social Needs," Zhe Muslim Wodd 44 (1954)186.
"See
for instance, the prominent Mu'tazilite exegete al-Zamakhshari for his linguistic approach where he maintains the role of reason rnhts al-IGdwhfr'an !{aqa1g aITanzil wa 'Uyun al-Agawilfi Wul?iVal-Ta'wil4 (Beirue Dar al-Ma'rifah, n.d.); Lutpi Ibrahim,
"the Relation of Reasonand Revel,ationin the Theology of al-Zamakhshari and al-Baydani,"
Islamic Cultures4 (1980) 63.
'o'Abd,.rh's
rationality was basically theological; see Muhammad'Abduh, Rbalah
al-Tawhid, trans. by Ishaq Musa and Kenneth Cragg as 77teTTtalogy of Uruty(London:
GeorgeAllen and Unwind, 19$) 17;Khoiruddin Nasution, "The Concept of Ijma..." 8-9;
on the rationality of Mu'tazilites, see Abri Zayd, Al-ImiaV al-AgEfral-Talsh: Dira-sahfr
'tnda aI-Mu 'tazlah (Beirut Dar al-Tanr,rdrli al-liba'ah wa alQafryah al-Majnz fr alQur'in
Nashr,1982)59{0. Ontheinfluencesof Mu'tazilitesprinciplesin Mu'tazilite'interpretation
of the Qur'an, see L. Cardet Anawati and M.M. Anawati, Inbvducfron A la Th€ologze
Musulmane: Essai de TltfuIogte Compad(Paris: f. Vrin, 1948)49.
tton
her life and worki, seeMu\ammad Amin, "A Stuiy of Bint al-Shati"s Exegesis," (M.A. thesis, McGill University, 1992)GZ3; ffihir Tandhi, "Bint al-Shatt'," al-I{r./a159
(1951):26-7;C. Kooij, "Bint al-Shiti': A Suitable Case for Biography?," in Ibrahim A. ElSheykh,C.AartvandeKoppelandRudolphPeters,eds., TheCltallengeoftheMt:ddleEast
(Amsterdam: University of Amsterdam, Institute for Modem Near Eastem Studies,1982\
67-72. ."
*Abu
alQasim Mahmud ibn 'Umar al-Zamakhshari (469-538/ 1075-1144CE) was a
famous Mu'tazilite interpreter who introduced linguistic approach in interpreting the
Qur'an, for his biography see Brockelmann, "al-Zamakhshari," El1,1205-7;idem,

Al-lam{ah,Vol. 40,No. 1,January- June2002

85

thcNarratfues
of thcQur'[n:...
AlMakin, Demythologizing

Razi," and even Abu $ayya.r.t* Sh" discussesthe details they provide, and
yet sheconcludes,like'Abduh, that the purpose of the narrative in Q. 89:510 is to offer a moral lessonto human beings.
In discussingthe 'Ad (Q. 89: 6),* for instance,Bint al-Shati'expands
'Abduh's interpretation through her use the
of
opinions of classicalinterpreters rejectedby the latter. She shows al-fabfui's information about lrarn
dhaTal-imad(Q.89: 7);the narneof the land inhabited by the'Ad. For Abu
Harytt, Iram meant a greaj city located in Yemen, Syria or Hadramawt,
called Rammal or al-A!rqaf.'" For at-Zamakhshati lrarnwas merely a geographical ntune that designatedthe land occupiedby the '4d."
Bint al-Shafi'however refutes the conventional interpretation of.dhaT
al-imad (Q. 89:7) made by many classicalMuslim scholars. They believed
that lram referred to an architecfural structure, since the 'Ad were architectswho constructed columned buildings, castles,towers, and cities. There
was even a detailed story about the building of the city of Iram by Shaddad
ibn'Ad. According to this story Shaddad'sage was 900years.He built the
city and in it constructed a beautiful palace made of gold, silver and pearls
which lasterdfor 300 years. But this city was finally destroyed by God,
becauseShaddid was seeking to reach paradise by building extremely high
2E
towers.
Gedtidtte Sup. 1,507-13; Andrew Rippit, "al-Zamakhshaii," 8R15,554-5; Ahmad
Muhlammad al-Hufi, Al-Zama,lchshari(Cairo: Hay'dt al-Misriyah al-'Anmah li al-Kitab,
9m.' 'Abr, 'Abd
Alah Muhammad ibn 'Umar lbn Hlusayn al-Razi (54g-ffi / ll4g-72f9
CE) was a prominent Ash'arite interpreter who referred to Greek philosophy and sciences
as a tool for interpreting the Qur'in., Abiography is found in G.C. Anawati, "Fakhr al-Dn
al-Rdzi," EI2 2,752-5; Brockelmann, Ges&idrte, Sup. 1,9204;Effat al-Sharqawi, "Rali,
Fakhr al-Din," ERl2,22l-2; Seyyed Hossein Nasr, "Fakhr al-Din al-Rafi," in M.M. Sharif,
with Short Accounts of Other Dinplne
ed., A l{tlstoty of Philwphy.
n the Modem
Renaicaane in Mudim Lands./ (Karachi: Royal Book Company, 1963) 642-56.Al-Raii's
tafsiris Mafa-@ alGlzayb or Ta.fsiral-Kabir (Beirut Dar al-Ihya al-Turith wa al;Ardbi,
n.d.).
'
"Ab,r $ayyan Muhlammad ibn Yrtsrlf (1256-7344CE), for his biography see
Brockelmann, _C,achichte" Sup. 2, 135.
-See 'A'ishah 'Ald
al-Rahmdn Bint al-Shdti', Al-Tafsir al-Bayani Ii al-Qur'an a/Kaim!,(Cairo: Dar al-Ma'arif, 190) 13&9.
'"Abri
gayyan, al-Bafirat-Muhi!6 TalsiralQur'an8 (Cair:o Mafba'at al-Sa'a-dah,
n.d) a6f.
"Al-lamakhshafi., al-I(ashslnT'an
flaqiig aI-TandJ wa Uytn al-Agawil fr Wujih
al-Ta'wilL_(Beiruf Dar al-Ma'rifah, n.d.) 59.
-'A'ishah 'Abd
al-Rahman Bint al-Sh5!i', Al-Tafsir al-Bay*ti1,139 .

86

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AlMalctn,Demytlnlogizing
theNarratitses
of theQur'ait:...
The word 'ttnadhas the same root as "'amud," which means strong,
which is significant what with the 'Ad having been known for their strength
as a tribe.'AMDis mentioned in other verses (Q. 13:2and 3L: 10), but
'imad in
89: 7 has aparticular meaning' which differs from that found in
other verses, namely, "strong." The word iram in 89: 7 is mentioned only
once in the Qur'an.- Bint at-SheF' questions the meaning of.iramgiven by
some interpreters. For her, the proper account of the 'Ad and of iratn,based
on the Qur'ary is that 'Ad existed at the time of Hud and occupied the
ehqef.There is no other possibility of interpreting these terms beyond
what the Qur'an says of them, i.e. that lram was either in Syria or
Hadramawt, or some other region.
The best meaning of 'Imid$illar)
is strong and high place, for the understanding
in the Arabic language that a high pillar, without giving details about its measure,
its builder, name of the person to whom it belongs, or any other details which are
not related to the Qur'an at all, and not suitable in meaning. Therefore, for us, it is
enough to understand the verse iust based on the text (of the Qur'an)...sl

Finally, Bint al-SheF'refers'aswell to the other versesof the Qur'dn
which mention the'Ad, suchas Q.116:2Land 25,1'1.:50,53,59,and 60,50:
13,etc. The Qur'an mentions dre 'Ad a total of fourteen times, but nowhere
does it say anything of their genealogy,strrength,or their ability at building
towers. It only states that'Ad existed at the time of Hud, and that they
betrayed him as a Prophet.
Likewise, in dealing with the Thamud, Bint al-Shati'relies on the
explanation of other verses of the Qur'6n, allowing no other details external to the Qur'an to be considered.She rejects furthermore the information
furnished by previous interpreters. One such interpreter held that the
Thamud was a strong raceof men who built 1700rock housesin the valley
where they dwelled, while another claims that they built a dam by which
they redirected water in that valley. For Bint She!i', the Thamud were an
-'She

maintains that every word of the Qur'an has its own meaning; seeher al-Ifiz
al-Baya-niIi alQur'ah wa Masa'il lbn al-Azrag (Cairo: Dar al-Ma'ari f , 1971) 282-3; lssa | .
Boullata, "Poetry Citation as Interpretative Illustration in Qur'an Exegesis:Masa'il Nart'
lbn al-Azrag," in Wael B. Hallaq and Donald P. Little, eds., Islamic Sndies Presented to
CharlesC. Adams(Leiden: E.]. Brill, 1991)32;as Boullata comments "...it offers refreshing
insightsinto Qur'anexegesisinmodem times," thiscommentis alsoechoedbyMuhammad
Amin, "A Studv of Bint al-Shati"s.. ." 88.
al-RahmanBint al-Shan', Al-Tafsir at-Bayan1, 143.
l'A'irnin'Abd
"'A'irhuh'Abd al-RahmanBint al-Shah',At-Tafsir al-Biyanil., l+3.

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87

AlMaY,in,Dem

theNarratiaes

Arab bafdalt tribe, as'Abduh said, who lived at the time of $alih, after the
'Ad's generation. The
Qur'an mentions the Thamud 26 times in other verses
('!.4:9,25: 38,29: 38,22: 42,53: 51, etc.), according to her calculations."
In dealing with the puzzltng form wad (Q. 89: 9), which the Qur'an
relates to the Thamud, Bint Sha$' invokes other verses which mention it
(L4:38, 27;78,20:12,28:30 and79:16, where the word means in every case
"cutting"). Hence, the Thamud literally cut the rocks in the valley for their
houses; other verses support the assertion that the Thamud had houses (Q.
1L: 95 and97,Q.7:77 and 90). All verses describe the Thamud as unbelievers and doers of evil.
Ir her interpretation of the verse referring to Pharaoh, she employs
the same method as she did for those dealing with the'Ad and the ThamudShe presents various interpretations which she later rejects, especially those
dealing with the word antad (Q.89: 10). For al-Zamakhshari awtadimplies that the Pharaoh had many armies, while for al-Tabari, who accepted
the tradition that the Pharaoh persecuted many people, it refers to the game
of. awtadwhere he used to torture victims with irons - since awtadorigi'Abduh's
nally meant iron. After evaluating the evidence, Bint Shati' opts for
explanation that the awtadis a pyramid-like structure.
Bint aLshe$ reconstructs the narratives on Pharaoh based on what
the Qur'an alone says. The Pharaoh mentioned in the verses was the Pharaoh of the time of Moses. The Qur'an does not provide the dates or the
ftune of the "Pharaoh" referred to; ancient EWPI was ruled by many Pharaohs. Flowever, the Qur'6n informs us that Pharaoh was very wealthy
and ridr (Q. 10: 88), was excessive in behavior (Q. 10: 83), committed great
sins (20: 24 and 43), built great structures reaching far intothe sky (Q. 28:
38), for which he was finally destroyed by God (Q.7:137)."
Bint al-Shati' holds that no further details can be given about the
'Ad, the Thamud and Pharaoh other than those stated above:
derive from? The Prophet
Wheredo the details of the storiesin many exegeses
never taught anything to his peopleexcePtwhat is revealedin the Qur'an. Prowerebroughtby |ews [asa contribution]
bably theyderived-fromisra-'tEya-twhich
to the understandingof'our religion. And various Interpretersrelied for some
unreasonablemvths on the Torah.Y
'1A'i"nun'eUdal'RahmanBintal-Shali',Al-Tatsiral-Bayaru1,\434.
al-RahmanBint al-Shati',l/- Tafsiral-Biyani7, u5 laA'irr,"r,'aUd
t'A'irhuh'Abd
al-RahmanBint al-Shai', l/- Ta&irat-Bayanil, 1'tt6.

88

Al-lam{ah,Vol.40,No. 1,January- }une2002

Evaluation and Comment
Bint al-shati'agrees with 'Abduh's principle that the narratives of
the Qur'an about the 'Ad, the Thamud, and pharaoh are intended as'ibrah
or moral lessons,as examples for human beings. Lr intelpreting these narratives (Q.8: c10), she ignores all other sources,believing that the eu'an
gives the explanation it intends and that extraneous materials are foreign
*
to this intention. For Bint al-Shati' interpreting the narratives does not
require the addition of further details, since these are not based on the
Qu'an itself but are derived from external ,o,r.""r* such as fewish{hristian Biblical material and Arab and non-Arab myttrology,t employed extensively by classical interpreters. Bint al-shaF' insists, as Issa J. Boullata
points out, that we rnust - let the Qu'an speak for itself."s For additional
information, she invokes other Qur'anic verses which deal with the same
subject, but she recognizes that every word has a meaning which may differ from that of others; in fact, she asserts, that there are almost no svrronyms in the Qur'an.3e
Bint al-Shati"s intelpretation of the narrative (e. 89: G10) appears to
be influenced by 'Abduh's,* especially where Bint al-shafi' elaborates on
'Abduh's
refutation and final conclusiory doing so in support of his position. However, Bint al-shaF' employes a different method than simply relying on logical evidence.Rather,she comparesversesto one another which
deal with the same subject, tying understand the context as a whole, not

"'A'irt uh 'lbd al-Ra\man Bint al-shati' , Ar-ffiiral-Bayani1., 10.she statesthat the
Qur'an may be interpreted strictly on its own terrns. see also Muhammad Amin, "A sfudv
of Bint al-shati"s . . ." 28. It has been argued that her method was that of her husband Anil;
al-Khuli(1895-1966),see'A'ishah'Abdal-RahmanBintal-sha1i', MinAsraTal-'Arabiyahf
al-Bayan al-Qur'ad (Beirut Dar al-Ahad, l97z), 9-10; on Amin al-Khuli, among other
sources/ see sa'fan, Amirl al-r(Jttfr(Cairo: Al-Hay'ah al-Misriyah al-'Ammah li al--Kitab,
1982).For a review of her method, seeIssa|. Boullata, "Modem eur'an Exegesis,. . .' 10313.
'A'itfr*t 'Abd
al-Rahman Bint al-Shati,, Al-Tafsirat-Bayanil,l43.
lSu"
31ssa
Boullata,
"ModernQur'an
Exegesis:A Study of Birrt it-SnaU,, U.tt d,,. Ihe
J.
Muslim World,64(1974)105and 108.
--lssa
J. Boullata,"Modem Qur'an Exegesis..." 1,07;idem,,,TheRhetorical Interpretation of the Qur'an:7riaz and Related ropics/' in Andrew Rippi., ed,.,Approaches to the
r*stroy of the rntelretahon of the Qur'an (oxford: Clarendon eress, rsda; rsz<.
. Boullata,"Modem Qur'an Exegesis..." 109.
Jssa
--As f
Amin al-Khuli admired 'Abduh, see his Manahtl al-Ta1frd (Cairo: Dai alMa'rifah, 1961);Muhammad Amin, "A Study of bint al-Shati,s.." 24-5.

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89

AlMakio

theN arratioesof theQur' an:...

separately, and as universal meaning.nt She also presents many possible
readings suggested by classical scholars like Abu Hayyan, al-Zamakhshari
'ddin irama ('atf bayan) (Q. 89: G7),
'ad iratnan
and al-Razi of
Q'da-fali or
and gives their explanations of these words and their function in Arabic
sentence structure and grammar. She also, however, criticizes the use of
granunar by classical exegetes in judging the meaning of the passages of
the Qur'an.*" She grefers instead to concentrate on the stylistic characteristics of the Qur'an.-'
Reflection
IV. Comparative
Both'Abduh and Bint al-Shafi'held to the same view that the narrative in Q.89: G10, dealing with the'Ad, Thamud and Pharaoh, serves as a
moral lesson and example for human beings. ln interpreting the three stories,'Abduh and Bint al-ShaF'disagree with their predecessors who were
satisfied with themselves adding further details to them. They choose instead to demythologize the story by providing more logical and reason'Abduh's principles on Bint alable interpretations. hr fact, the influence of
had refused to,
Sheti' is clear. Bint al-Shafi' even explains what'Abduh
particularly by grving the names of interpreters she disagreed with, the
'Abduh missed. Finally, in intitle of their works, and the opinions which
terpreting the three historical phenomena, Bint al-Shafi cites and quotes
'Abduh's opinio4 supporting in particular'Abduh's argument about the
meaning of. avrtad (Q. 89: 10) as a lofty building of pyramidal shape. For
both modern exegetes, the most important aspect of understanding of the
narratives of the'Ad, the Thamud and the Pharaoh of Q. 89: 6-10, is the
moral message, not their detailed content of the narratives.
'Abduh hopes to balance
In approaching the narratives in Q. 89: G10,
reason with revelation; for in his mind neither one contradicts the other. In
doing so, he presents rational and logical evidence. Bint al-Shati agrees
with this, but her method differs in that she adopts a linguistic approach.
She gives the meaning by comparing one verse with others and analyzing
the meaning of the passages from the perspectives of the style and lanntThe
good illustration of this is in her discussion about "human being" inher alal-Insan(Beirut Ddr al-'Ilm al-Malayin, 1982).
Qa/ayi
Qur'an.ya
'*See
Mulrammad Amin, "A Study of bint al-Shati"s. . ." 35-6;Issa J.Boullata, "Modem Qurjan Exegesis..."105.
"Issa J. Boullata, "Modem Qur'an Exegesis.." 113'

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Al Makin,DemythologizinI theNarrntioesoftheQur'rln: ...

guage of in Qur'an. In short, we may clearly distinguish the position of
'Abduh as that
of a rationalist, and Bint Sheti"s as that of a philologist.
'Abduh and Bint
Shafi' differ in a number of other respects.'Abduh's
position is like that of the Mutaziltes. Rationaliri.g the narratives, he insists that they are amenable to reason,not unreasonablemyth.The illustration of his factual evidenceis that the 'Ad and the Thamud in the Q. 89: 69 existed in history, as they were well known to the Arabs. This evidence,
indicates that they were not simply mythological. 'Abduh also relies on
facts and sourcesbesidesthe Qur'an, such as the Torah, in the caseof Jathir
and lram. On the other hand, Bint al-Shati finds the meaning the Qur'an in
the Qurary setting aside outside sources apart from the latter, especially
attacking th e caseof isra'tfryat* hr practical life, 'Abduh's attitude resembles
somewhat more a Western__approach,
in that he tries to reconcilemodem
thought with the Qur'an.*" By contrast,Bint al-Shafi is anti-Zionist and
anti-colonialist, in insisting on the independence of the Qur'an she also
rejecjs interpretation of the Qur'an based on modern scienceand technology."' Ttris may possibly explain the difference in their views of ta.fsir.ln
sum, 'Abduh rationalizes the Qur'an, whereas Bint al-ShaF'emphasizesits
independence and self-sufficiency.
V. The Gap that'Abduh and Bint Shafi' Left
One may neverthelesstake issue with 'Abduh's and Bint Shati"s
desacralizationand demythologizationof the narratives (Q. 89: 6-10).The
Qur'an is a holy scripture, revealed in response to its environment, which
consistedof local beliefs, customsand traditions in the pre-Islamic age or
at the time of revelation.This included Arab,ntJewishntu.,a Cf,.i"Uurrnot.u*See
also her Al-Isra'i7yat fr Ghazw al-F*i(Cairo:
al-Buhuth wa al-Dirasat al'Arao\yah,1975).
'-Charles
C. Adams, "Muh Iammad' Ab&th,. -." 273.
*See
her debate with physician Mustafa Mahmud, in h er alQur'an wa al-Ta.fsiralAsn-,Hadha BalaghIt al-Nas(Cairo: Dar al-Ma'enf ,7970). Mahmud's views are collected
rn alQur'an: Muf,a-wala Ii Falan Asi Ii alQur'an (Cairo: Ruz al-Yusuf Press, 1970).See
alsoIssaJ.Boullata,"Modem Qur'an Exegesis:..." 108;Yudian Wahyudi, "'A[ Shari'atiand
Bint al-Shati' on Free WilL A Comparison," [forthcomingl ,Iournal of IsJamic Studiesg
(teeg) 34.
For instanceToshihiko Izutsu shows the interaction between the pre-Islamic and
Qur'anic values. According to him, although the Qur'an changed some concepts and
Arabiclbhilivalues, some Islamic values are still a continuation of Arabic pre Islamic values
such haTim and.muruwwah. See,his Man and God in the Koran (New York: Books for

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Al Makio

of theQur'frt:...
theNanatioes

ditions. It is possible to disagreewith the concept of "influences" by these
elementson the text of the Qur'an, but the interaction of thesecomponents
with the Qur'an cannot be denied. Likewise, the narratives in the Qur'an
were a response (to the conditions of the time, incorporating myths or
'Abduh and
folklore), as shown by classicalinterpreters, but rejectedby
Bint al-Shati'. They failed to appreciate the fact that an understanding of
the of the Qur'an depends on and an appreciation of this context.
Mohammad Arkoun describesthe myths found in the the Qur'an as "...une
expression symbolique de rdalit6s originales et universales."toIn responding to the myths " .-.,le Coran comble la conscienceen lui proposant une
tt
'Abduh and Bint alvaste construction symbolique ..." However, both
Shati neglect and try to rationalize the narratives. In short, both miss the
context of the time of the revelations, viewing the Qur'an as a rational text,
which should be as free from myth as a modern text, a position that leads
to reductionism.
Bint al-ShaSmay be especially criticized for insisting on the independence of the Qur'an, for interpreting the Qur'an only through the Qur'an
and discarding external sources,such as isra'iEyat Sincethe Qur'an cannot
be separated from its context of revelation, she cannot view the Qur'an as
unhistorical and independent of its original environment-,i.e., the culture,
tradition, beliefs and customs of Mecca and of Medina.ut The Qur'an deLibraries, 1980)189-229;idem, The Stucare of the Ethical Terzrsin the Koran: A Study n
&nanb;a (tokyo: Keio Institute of Philological Studies, 1959);idem, EthicoReligzbw Concepa n$te Qur izn-(Montreal McGill University Press,1966).
-Abraham
I. Katsh discusses the relationship between Q. 2 and 3 and the Torah
and |udaic Traditions. See,his /udaism and Islan: BfuIicaI and Talmudic Backgrcwds of the
Koran andlts Commentads(New York New York UniversiW Press, 1954).
otRichard
Bell noted the interaction of the revelation of the Qur'an and Christian
traditions which existed at the time of reveliation. See his The &igin of Islam and Ib
Chrtstian Enuironment (London: Macmillan, 1926); idem, Inboduction to the Qur'in
@dinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1965); revised by W. Montgomery Waft, BeII's
(Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press,1970).
Inadu-fion to theQr'itt
Arkoun, Lectura du Coran (Paris: Maisonneuve et Larose, 1982)10.
' "Mohammad
ttMohu-rnad
Arkoun, Lrtures du Ceran 12; Mohammad Arkoun, Rethinking
IsJam: Common Quetions, Uncomnon Answets, ed. Robert D. Lee (Boulder: Westview
Press, -1p94)71-3; Jaroslav Stetkevych, Muh/ammad and the Golden Bough7lZ.
"W, Montgomery Watt and Kenneth Cragg described the condition of Mecca and
Medina at the time of revelation. See,Watt's works, Muhammadb Mrca: Htbtoty in the
Qur'ah(Ednburgh: Edinburgh University Press,1988); idem, MuhammadatMrcca(Ax'
ford: Clarendon Press, 1953); idem, Muhammad at Medtna (Oxford: Clarendon Press,
1956);KermethCargg, TheEventoftheQw'an(London:GeorgeAllenandUnwin,l9TT).

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scended within human cultu.et' not outside of it. It has been proven by
some scholarsilrat the Qur'an cannot be separatedfrom its context of revelation, which was made to a community that comprised many Jews and
Christians,s as well as pre-IslamicArab traditions and beliefs.In interpretitg Q. 89: 6-10,Bint al-Shati' disregards these elements.
VI. Conclusion
Muhammad'Abduh and Bint al-shafi sought new dimensions in interpreting the historical narratives connected with the 'Ad, the Thamud
and Pharaoh in Qur'an: 89: 6-10. 'Abduh rationalizes the narratives by citing factual and logical evidence,refuting all mythical elementsgiven by his
predecessors,and recounting the narratives in a modern context by emphasizing the moral lessons contained in them. Bint al-shati' supports
'Abduh's
position, but offers a different, linguistic approach, while also
insisting on the independenceof the Qw'an and on intelpreting the eur,an
through the Qur'an, to the neglect of all outside sources,e.g. bri.iEyat
Both 'Abduh and Bint al-shati seem to demythologize the narratives, and
view the Qur'an from a modem perspective, and not with one suitable to
the time of revelation; hence both are reductionists. Bint al-SheF,,in insisting on the independenceand self-sufficiency of the eur'an, seernsto view
the Qur'an as being outside of its historical context, neglecting the possible
connection of the Qur'an to outside elements,such as the beliefs, customs,
and traditions which existed in pre-Islamic times or at the time of revelation. The revelation of the Qur'an was after all a responseto and interaction with its environment. Furthermore, neither'Abduh nor Bint al-Shati,
succeedsin answering the question of what the significant connection is
between the narratives of the 'Ad, the Thamud, and pharaoh and these
latter sources.

"Marshall s. Hodgson, The venture of rsJam; Conscience and r{istory
tn a world
Civilbation'1, (Chicago:The Universiry of Chicago press,1,977)103-12.
--Fazlur
Rahman deals with the interaction of Muhlammad and the Muslim community with other community, especially alil al-ktab("the people of book,,) at the time of
revelation inhis Malbr Ihemes of theQur'an(Chicago: Bibliotheca Islamica, 1980),especially the appendices1 and 2

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Al Makin, DemytlnlogizingtheNanatiaesof theQur'fn:..'

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Al Makin is a Lecturer at IAIN sunan Kaliiaga Yogyakarta and a chief of
LPIU (Local Project Implementing Unit) at the,same institution.

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