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Article: Daniel A. Madigan, The Qur'an's Self-Image: Writing and Authority in Islam's Scripture.(Book Review)
- Article from:
- Islam & Science
- Article date:
- June 22, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Center for Islam & Science. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Daniel A. Madigan, The Qur'an's Self-Image: Writing and Authority in Islam's Scripture (Princeton: Princeton University Press), xv+236 pp, cloth, ISBN 0-691-05950-0 2001
Islam is frequently characterized as a "religion of the Book". Many scholars consider it the most developed example of this kind of religion, probably because the words of scripture occupy a more central position in the faith and practice of Muslims than in other religions. Yet, there is no physical book at the center of Islamic rituals. Muslims' approach to their scripture is almost totally oral. Many recite the whole sacred text from memory, and it was years after the Prophet's death that it ...