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Divine Covenant explores the Qur真nic concept of divine knowledge through scientific, theoretical paradigms - in particular natural law theory - and their relationship with seven Islamic scholarly disciplines: linguistics, hadith, politics, history, exegesis, jurisprudence, theology. By comparing scholarship within these disciplines using current state-of-the-art methodology, the study shows how the Qur真nic concept of Divine covenant reflects natural law theory, relates to a range of other legal, political, and linguistic Qur真nic concepts, informs the canon's entire literary structure, and has implications for a new, legal theory of 'Islamic origins'.
This book makes the case that the Islamic disciplines share political economy, institutional framework, and decisive theoretical topics with the Qur真n. The latter includes the natural law-related issues of human rights, constitutional separation of powers, and social contract. The book surveys the scholarly deliberations of these topics within the parameters of each discipline and in changing contexts. In addition, it maps the consequences of the modern nation-state institutional order for early modern and contemporary Qur真nic studies. The early and medieval Islamic disciplines offer scientifically valuable knowledge because they refer to the same institutional framework as the Qur真n. These disciplines are also important parts of European political history, where they have inspired social contract theory inclusive of diverse religious identities.
About the author
Ulrika Mårtensson is Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at The Norwegian University of Science and Technology. She researches early Islamic history and historiography, focusing on how religious symbols express social contract theories and legal-economic issues. She is also doing research on the Qur'an, employing both historical and exegetical-legal perspectives and comparing early Islamic approaches to the Qur'an with contemporary research. Other research interests concern Islam as it is developing in the institutional contexts and public spheres of the Nordic welfare states; and 'political Islam'.
