A Study of >Tawriya: Exegesis, Rhetoric and the Reader

How did premodern Muslim scholars of rhetoric and exegesis interpret ambiguous verses in the Qur’an, particularly those suggesting anthropomorphism? This book explores how the rhetorical device tawriya, or "double entendre," came to serve as a hermeneutical tool for resolving or accommodating ambiguity in the sacred text. Focusing on verses traditionally considered ambiguous (mutašābihāt) and long debated by interpreters, the study distinguishes between those not related to the nature of God and those concerning divine attributes. Through a detailed analysis of premodern exegetical and theological sources, supported by an in-depth study of rhetorical treatises, it traces the evolution of exegetical and rhetorical thought. The volume also demonstrates how tawriya was used to reconcile doctrinal concerns and to legitimise textual ambiguity. Ultimately, the study argues that tawriya reveals the centrality of the reader’s role in constructing meaning, shedding light on the dynamic relationship between rhetoric, theology, and hermeneutics in Islamic intellectual history and Qur’anic exegesis. This work is relevant for scholars of Islamic studies, rhetoric and religious hermeneutics.

University of Jena, Germany