Date of Award

8-2005

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Comparative Religion

First Advisor

Dr. David Ede

Second Advisor

Dr. Rufolf Siebert

Third Advisor

Dr. Julia Robinson Harmon

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Campus Only

Abstract

The main purpose of this thesis is to study the different approaches to the problem of the conception of the Qur'an held by the Sunni theologians (Mutakallimun). Since its goal is to organize the different historical stages of each school of thought such as the Mu'tazilites and their opponents the Traditionalists, the thesis will highlight the similarities and disagreements in their debates concerning the nature of the Qur' an, and examine how these debates influenced the Muslim creed. In so doing, it will analyze the following three fundamental approaches.

1) The Qur'an as the created word of God.

2) The Qur'an as the uncreated word of God.

3) The mediating view which claims that the Qur'an is neither the created nor uncreated word of God.

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