Fables of the Ancients?: Folklore in the Qur'anGiven the widespread consensus that the Qur'an was in oral tradition before being committed to written form, it should come as no surprise to learn that the Qur'an still bears the traces of its original oral form. The field of knowledge most concerned with oral tradition is folkloristics, the study of folklore. Folklorist Alan Dundes has carefully and respectfully documented some of these unmistakable traces. These traces include numerous oral formulas repeated throughout the Qur'an as well as several traditional folktales. Just as Jesus effectively used parables to get His message across, so similar means are to be found in the Qur'an. The scholarly identification of formulas and folktales in the Qur'an represents an entirely new approach to this world-famous religious text. Not only does it provide insight into the basic composition of this sacred document, but for readers not previously familiar with the Qur'an, it pinpoints and makes accessible many of the principal themes contained therein. |
Contents
What Is the Quran?
| 1 |
OralFormulaic Theory
| 15 |
Oral Formulas in the Quran
| 23 |
Folktales in the Quran
| 54 |
Conclusion
| 64 |
| 73 | |
| 85 | |
About the Author
| 89 |
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Common terms and phrases
Aarne-Thompson tale type Abu Zayd Albert Lord Allah’s power ancient Animal Languages applied Arabic grammar Arabic language Arabic poetry archangel Gabriel believers Benslama Bible Christian context created the heavens Dashti described divine Dundes duplicate passages earth essay evil deeds example fables fact faithful Faruqi fear folklore folklorist folktales formula density formulaic fashion formulas and folktales forty Gehenna genre God’s guslars hermit higher criticism historical Imam instances Islam Jewish jinn king language legend literary Lord Messenger with guidance Milman Parry Moses Muhammad mula Muslim narrative occurs opening formula oral tradition oral-formulaic theory original orality parables paradise phrase poets Prophet question Qur’anic recitation Qur’anic text referring repeated revealed sacred Satan scholars Seven Sleepers Similarly sinners Solomon Song of Roland Sowayan story straight path surah tale type index Testament Thompson’s tion translations true unbelievers variation verse Western wine word of Allah Zadig