The Death and Disposal of Sacred Texts

Both Islamic and Jewish thought display a sensitivity to the treatment of texts, particularly sacred texts. This article investigates Muslim debates on how to dispose of worn-out sacred texts. It argues that these debates were rooted in the precedent formed by the reported destruction of noncanonica...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: El Shamsy, Ahmed 1976- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: De Gruyter 2022
In: Der Islam
Year: 2022, Volume: 99, Issue: 1, Pages: 97-112
Further subjects:B ʿUthmān b. ʿAffān
B geniza
B text disposal
B Book History
B Book burning
B Qurʾāns
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Summary:Both Islamic and Jewish thought display a sensitivity to the treatment of texts, particularly sacred texts. This article investigates Muslim debates on how to dispose of worn-out sacred texts. It argues that these debates were rooted in the precedent formed by the reported destruction of noncanonical copies of the Qurʾān by the third caliph ʿUthmān, and they featured various preferred and rejected methods of text disposal, including burning, washing, shredding, and burying. By the thirteenth century CE, these debates had yielded a robust theorization of worn-out texts as analogous to human corpses and thus deserving of respectful burial.
ISSN:1613-0928
Contains:Enthalten in: Der Islam
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1515/islam-2022-0005