VESSELS IN THE DESERT: THE IMAGERY OF SEAFARING AND SHIPWRECK IN THE QURʾĀN

This paper studies the various mentions of ships, sea-voyages, sea trade and storms on the sea and their theological and rhetorical significance in the Qur’ān. It departs from the prevailing approach of a historical anchoring of the imagery towards a study of the navigation motifs as re-formulations of a widespread imagery in pre-Islamic poetry, late antique theological literature and visual depiction. It argues that the literary character of the Qur’ānic text cautions against a purely historical reading of it and instead emphasizes the significance of the literary context and rhetorical means. Based on Hans Blumenberg’s groundbreaking philosophical work on the metaphor of shipwreck as a metaphor of existence the paper tackles the use of seafaring references in the cause of the Qur’ānic proclamation and pursues the interconnection of the imagery with its use and function in pre-Islamic poetry, in Jewish and Christian writings, in the psalms and material culture.