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Ismailism, one of the three major branches of Shiism, is best known for ta’wil, an esoteric, allegorizing scriptural exegesis. Beyond the Qur'an: Early Ismaili ta’wil and the Secrets of the Prophets is the first book-length study of this interpretive genre. Analyzing sources composed by tenth-century Ismaili missionaries in light of social-science theories of cognition and sectarianism, David Hollenberg argues that the missionaries used ta’wil to instill in acolytes a set of symbolic patterns, forms, and “logics.” This shared symbolic world bound the community together as it created a gulf between community members and those outside the movement. Hollenberg thus situates ta’wil socially, as an interpretive practice that sustained a community of believers. An important aspect of ta’wil is its unconventional objects of interpretation. Ismaili missionaries mixed Qur'anic exegesis with interpretation of Torah, Gospels, Greek philosophy, and symbols such as the Christian Cross and Eucharist, as well as Jewish festivals. Previously scholars have speculated that this extra- Qur'anic ta’wil was intended to convert Jews and Christians to Ismailism. Hollenberg, departing from this view, argues that such interpretations were, like Ismaili interpretations of the Qur'an, intended for an Ismaili audience, many of whom converted to the movement from other branches of Shiism. Hollenberg argues that through exegesis of these unconventional sources, the missionaries demonstrated that their imam alone could strip the external husk from all manner of sources and show the initiates reality in its pure, unmediated form, an imaginal world to which they alone had access. They also fulfilled the promise that their imam would teach them the secrets behind all religions, a sign that the initial stage of the end of days had commenced. Beyond the Qur'an contributes to our understanding of early Ismaili doctrine, Fatimid rhetoric, and, more broadly, the use of esoteric literatures in the history of religion.

RELIGION / Islam / General. --- RELIGION / General. --- Ismailites --- History. --- Qurʼan --- Al-Coran --- Al-Qur'an --- Alcorà --- Alcoran --- Alcorano --- Alcoranus --- Alcorão --- Alkoran --- Coran --- Curān --- Gulan jing --- Karan --- Koran --- Koranen --- Korani --- Koranio --- Korano --- Ku-lan ching --- Ḳurʼān --- Kurāna --- Kurani --- Kuru'an --- Qorān --- Quräan --- Qurʼān al-karīm --- Qurʺon --- Xuraan --- Κοράνιο --- Каран --- Коран --- קוראן --- قرآن --- Criticism, interpretation, etc. --- Islam --- Exegesis on the Soul --- History --- Theology --- Qur'an --- Ismailites - History --- Exegesis on the Soul - Theology

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Gnosticism --- 273.1*35 --- Gnosis: Koptische bronnen: Nag Hammadi; Codex Jung; Evangelium veritatis --- 273.1*35 Gnosis: Koptische bronnen: Nag Hammadi; Codex Jung; Evangelium veritatis --- Exegesis on the Soul. --- Exegesis about the Being --- Exēgēsis etve ti-psychē --- Exegesis of the Soul --- Expository treatise on the Soul --- Cults --- Gnosticism. --- Nag Hammadi codices.

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Hermeneutics --- Gnostic literature --- Salvation --- Soul --- History and criticism --- Christianity --- History of doctrines --- Gospel of Philip --- Exegesis on the Soul --- Language, style --- Theology --- 273.1*35 --- 229*41 --- Gnosis: Koptische bronnen: Nag Hammadi; Codex Jung; Evangelium veritatis --- Apocriefe evangeliën van Barnabas, Bartholomaeus, Philippus, Nicodemus, Matias, Jozef de timmerman, van de Ebionieten, de Hebreeën, de Egyptenaren --- Exegesis about the Being --- Exēgēsis etve ti-psychē --- Exegesis of the Soul --- Expository treatise on the Soul --- Bible. --- Coptic Gospel of Philip --- Gospel according to Philip --- Language, style. --- Theology. --- Theolgy. --- 273.1*35 Gnosis: Koptische bronnen: Nag Hammadi; Codex Jung; Evangelium veritatis --- Interpretation, Methodology of --- Criticism --- Gnosticism