Approaches to the Qur'an in Contemporary Iran

Book excerpt: Approaches to the Qur'an in Contemporary Iran explores the importance of the Qur'an in the religious, artistic, political, and intellectual discourses in modern and contemporary Iran from the nineteenth century to the present. The chapters included in the volume have been written by some of the most authoritative specialists in the modern history of Iran. Their contributions span a wide range of subjects and themes, covering such varied ground as the examination of the trends in Qur'anic exegesis that are currently prominent in Iran, the use of Qur'anic themes in contemporary Iranian cinema, the concept of revelation as the basis of diverse political trends in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Sufi mystical interpretations of the Qur'an the use of the Qur'an in the arts, the Qur'an as a living scripture in specific intellectual and social circles, and case studies of individual intellectuals. Through this wide-ranging survey, the book aims to become a reference for anyone interested in the Qur'an's imprint on the religious, political, cultural, and anthropological history of modern and contemporary Iranian society. The maps serve to situate the reader geographically and a careful selection of photographs bring a flavour of Iranian religious culture during this period.