Presentation

Abdulkarim Soroush is known primarily for his epistemological/hermeneutical theory, the “Contraction and Expansion of Religious Knowledge,” and its application to Islamic political theory and religious pluralism. While his Reason, Freedom and Democracy in Islam applies that theory to plurality and the historicity of understanding and interpretation of religion, this book captures some of his original theories about religion itself. The Expansion of Prophetic Experience treats the historicity of the Prophet Muhammad’s revelatory experience, including human and contextual influences on the genesis of the sacred Text. It presents substantial aspects of Soroush’s Neo-Rationalist hermeneutical project for an Islamic reformed theology and ethics, systematically leading Islamic reformation beyond conventional projects of piecemeal adjustments to the Shariah or selective re-interpretations of the Qur’ān.

Table des matières

Preliminary Materials (i-l)
Contents
Preface
Introduction

The Expansion Of Prophetic Experience (1-24)

Experiential Nature Of Prophethood
Evolutionary Nature Of Prophetic Experience
Dialogical Nature Of Prophetic Experience

The Last Prophet-1 (25-44)

Jump to section:
On The Meaning Of “Finality”
The Relation Of Finality To The Prophet’s Persona

The Last Prophet-2 (45-62)

End Of Religious Legislation Or End Of Religious Experience?
The Seal Of Prophethood, Not The Seal Of Interpretation

Essentials And Accidentals In Religion (63-92)

Relationship Between The Essential And The Accidental
Distinguishing The Essential From The Accidental
Conclusion

Maximalist Religion, Minimalist Religion (93-118)

Maximal View Of Religion
Fiqh: Minimum “Necessary” Or Maximum “Sufficient”?
Science And Religion
Ethical All-Inclusiveness?
Minimal On Theological Issues
What Does The Expandability Of Religious Knowledge Tell Us?
Minimalist Religion And Everlasting Continuity
Minimalist, Not Maximalist Guidance
On The Perfection Of Religion
On Ijtihad
Excessive Expectations Of Religion

Straight Paths-1an Essay On Religious Pluralism; Positive And Negative(119-154)

Positive Pluralism: Irreducible Plurality
Negative Pluralism: Diversity Explained Via Negativa

Straight Paths-2 A Conversation On Religious Pluralism (155-178)

Critical Rationalism Or Relativism
Cause Versus Reason
Faith And Certitude
“Truth” And “Truth For”
Nominalism And Pluralism
Truth And Salvation
Plurality Of Meaning And Text

Types Of Religiosity (179-192)

Pragmatic/Instrumental Religiosity
Discursive/Reflective Religiosity
Experiential Religiosity

The Prophet Present (193-208)

Prelude
The Essence Of Religiousness
Religious Experience: The Quintessence Of Religion
Rituals

Prophets Unheard (209-224)

The Paradoxical Nature Of Prophetic Mission
Following The Prophet Is More Than Following His Commandments

Faith And Hope (225-244)

Religious Faith
Religious Experience: Cause Or Reason For Faith
Forming The Formless
Doubts And Criticisms
Need For Religious Experience
Relation Of Legal Precepts To Formless Experience

Spiritual Guardianship And Political Guardianship (245-268)

Ghadir And Some Of Its Consequences
Sense And Essence Of Spiritual Guardianship
Wilayat and Imamate in Shiʿism
Confusing Spiritual Guardianship And Political Guardianship

Appendices (269-344)

Appendix One The Word Of Mohammad An Interview With Abdulkarim

Soroush By Michel Hoebink
Appendix Two Ayatollah Sobhani’s First Letter
Appendix Three Bashar And Bashir Soroush’s First Response To Sobhani
Appendix Four Ayatollah Sobhani’s Second Letter
Appendix Five The Parrot And The Bee Soroush’s Second Response To Sobhani

Bibliography (345-348)
Index (349-355)