THE FORMATION OF TA’WIL IN THE EARLY FATIMID CALIPHATE: AL-NU‘MĀN B. HAYYŪN AND JA‘FAR B. MANSŪR ON PROPHETOLOGY IN THE QUR’AN

FEJRIAN YAZDAJIRD IWANEBEL, SRN. 1330016022 (2020) THE FORMATION OF TA’WIL IN THE EARLY FATIMID CALIPHATE: AL-NU‘MĀN B. HAYYŪN AND JA‘FAR B. MANSŪR ON PROPHETOLOGY IN THE QUR’AN. Doctoral thesis, UIN SUNAN KALIJAGA YOGYAKARTA.

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Abstract

The research aims at discussing ta’wīl and prophetology during the early Fatimid Isma‘ili period. It focuses on two representative authors who worked at the center of Fatimid power, al-Nu‘mān b. H{ayyūn and Ja‘far b. Mans}ūr. As the topic of ta’wīl reflected the core identity of Isma‘ili interpretation, the prophetology was the subject of intense scholarly discourse, especially during the early formative period of Isma‘ili power. This research thus focuses on three issues, namely: 1) Why were the early Isma‘ili scholars interested in prophetology?; 2) How do the texts of al-Nu‘ma>n b. H{ayyu>n and Ja‘far b. Mans}u>r reflect the Isma‘ili doctrine on prophetology?; and 3) What characterize the hermeneutical interpretations made by al-Nu‘ma>n b. H{ayyu>n and Ja‘far b. Mans}u>r on prophets in the Qur’an? The research employs the framework of analytical study by using Hans- Georg Gadamer’s hermeneutics of understanding and Jorge Gracia’s hermeneutics of historical, meaning, and implicative function of the interpretation. At the same time the research also deals with the theory of knowledge and power established by Michael Foucault to explore the political dimension of Qur’an interpretation. Besides, the research also uses the framework of analysis of Arnold J. Toynbee’s theory of continuity and change and John O. Voll’s dramatic change hypothesis. The research argues that firstly, the Isma‘ilis were, right from the start, deeply invested in the issue of prophetology since it was highly relevant to their basic ideology of cyclical hiero-history. Also, prophetology also shaped the very foundation of Isma‘ili theology by defending the authority of the imāms and the Qā’im as the last cycle of the prophetic sequence. Secondly, the early Fatimid Isma‘ili interpretation of the prophets mentioned in the Qur’an, as reflected in the works of al-Nu‘mān and Ja‘far, constituted an attempt to retrieve the past of the cyclical narrative of history that was later adopted as part of Isma‘ili doctrine and theology. Their symbolic interpretation of the number seven in the grand cyclical history, the division of the world, in addition to certain religious texts and rituals clearly reflected their emphasis on the role of the imams as part of human fate that was determined by God’s words and creations. On the other hand, the account of prophets in the Qur’an was also employed as part of the Isma‘ili self-reflection towards their historical context reflected in the ima>ms’ struggle over authority. It was also used in their criticism of their Sunnite and other Shia rivals accused of erring in their over-reliance on exoteric interpretations of the religious texts. However, both authors in question defended different points of view on the issue of the esoteric and the exoteric. Al-Nu‘mān emphasized that both dimensions complemented the approach to understanding religious texts and symbols, while Ja‘far seems to have emphasized more on the esoteric. Furthermore, both authors had different points of view on the issue of the lawless state or antinomianism. If al-Nu‘mān made a clear statement on the shari’ah brought by Adam, Ja‘far had approved on the lawless state of the S{a>h}ib al-Zamān, who is the Qā’im. Thirdly, ta’wīl served as a mode of hermeneutical interpretation which aimed at locating the authority of the imāms. Its manifestation was not so clear in its methodological construction unless it was employed in the symbolic interpretation placed at the basis of the esoteric and the exoteric meaning in order to uphold the authority of the imāms. Thus, the effort of interpretation was seen as an attempt to create knowledge that defended the Isma‘ili claim for power. In this respect, the ta’wīl of the prophets in the Qur’an became a discursive strategy for the early Fatimid Isma‘ili scholars to formulate a new definition of religious and political authority based on distinctive Isma‘ili doctrine and creeds.

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