Islam - Midrashic perspectives on a quranic term

Menahem Kister*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

The article examines several Quranic passages which contain the verb aslama and the noun islam in light of Jewish parallels. It is argued that these passages (Q 2:124-33; Q 37:84, 101-3; Q 27:29-44; Q 6:125) reflect midrashic traditions, and that the Arabic aslama and islam in these passages parallel the Hebrew be-lev shalem or hishlim. The latter term accrued two meanings: (1) to worship the Lord wholeheartedly (i.e., exclusively), and (2) to deliver one's soul (to God) while accepting his authority and surrendering to him. The article also examines the Hebrew terms mentioned above and their antonyms haluq, mahaloqet (denoting monotheistic versus polytheistic worship), and the implications of these terms for the textual history of the Palestinian Targums.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)381-406
Number of pages26
JournalJournal of Semitic Studies
Volume63
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Oct 2018

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The author.

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Islam - Midrashic perspectives on a quranic term'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this