Islamisk predikan på ljudkassett : en studie i retorik och fonogramologi

Summary, in English

The dissertation deals with Islamic preaching in theory and practice, with special focus on material recorded and published in the format of audiotapes/cassettes. One aim is to explore possible implications of the use of this special format of publication in the context of Islamic preaching. How is this new format of publication to be understood in relation to the norms regulating the activity of preaching in Arabo-Islamic tradition? As an empirical phenomenon, Islamic preaching on audiocassette also have bearing on more general issues concerning the difference between speech and writing. By highlighting the format of publication as an instance of recorded speech, the dissertation aims at contributing to what might be termed a “phonogramology”, i.e. the study of audiomedia and its special characteristics. The primary material consists of four publications: “al-Hadith ’an Yawm al-Qiyâma” by Ismâ’îl Hamîdî [Saudi Arabia/Egypt]; “Min warâ’i l-Qudbân” by Salmân al-’Awda [Saudi Arabia]; ”at-Tarîq ilâ l-Janna” and “Qisas wa-’Ibar” by Ahmad al-Qattân [Kuwayt]. The material is described and discussed in relation to a theoretical framework constructed in the introductory chapter of the dissertation and centered around the following concepts: text vis-à-vis context (with special reference to “mediated” forms of publication); forms of enunciation (narrative-descriptive-argumentative-hortative); genre (i.e. “emic” categories and labels); persona (the “mask” of the preacher as preacher). This theoretical framework is intended to serve as a map for identifying aspects which go beyond simple descriptions of “thematic contents”, i.e. what the preachers are “saying”. Though not unimportant, “contents analysis” tends to overlook the significance of forms and formats of publication. According to the present study, the issue of “modernity in relation to Islamic preaching, for example, cannot be properly understood and discussed by simply commenting on whether the propositions, narratives and elucidations put forward by Muslim preachers are “modern” or not. With reference to the samples under study here, Islamic preaching published on audiocassettes is actually “modern” not because of, but rather in spite of, what the preachers are “saying”, since what they are saying is generally “traditional”. The notion of Arabo-Islamic “rhetoric” is another issue which is discussed in the dissertation. An overview of some of the ideas and concepts surrounding the art of speech/preaching when made into an object for reflection by Muslim authors is provided. One question is how these reflections may be situated in relation to the notion of ”rhetoric”. What is “Islamic rhetoric”? In what sense may this be related to rhetoric in the “Western” tradition? The dissertation is somewhat tentative in trying to answer these questions, but explores similarities and affinities as well as differences between “Islamic rhetoric” and “Western rhetoric”. One major point to be taken into consideration is that there are at least two different “rhetorics” (’ilm al-khatâba and ’ilm al-balâgha). In previous studies is is sometimes taken for granted that “Islamic rhetoric” is just ’ilm al-balâgha, while ’ilm al-khatâba, which more properly refers to “rhetoric” in the sense of public speech or ars praedicandi, has been neglected.

• Author: Philip Halldén
• Department/s: History of Religions and Religious Behavioural Science
• Publishing year: 2001
• Language: Swedish
• Publication/Series: Lund Studies in History of Religions
• Volume: 13
• Document type: Dissertation
• Publisher: Almqvist & Wiksell International
• Topic: History of Religions
• Keywords: Islam; Arabic; preaching; Muslim preacher; sermon; khutba; homiletic; rhetoric; genre; narrative; text and context; phonogram; audiocassette; recorded speech; format of publication; history of religions; persona; Ahmad al-Qattan; Ismail Hamidi; Salman al-Awda; Saudi Arabia; Resurrection; Paradise; Linguistics; Lingvistik; Phonetics; phonology; Fonetik; fonologi; Non-Christian religions; Världsreligioner (ej kristendom); Islamology
• Status: Published
• Supervisor: [unknown] [unknown]
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 1103-4882; ISBN: 91-22-01920-0
• Defence date: 14 May 2001
• Defence time: 14:15
• Defence place: Carolinasalen, Kungshuset
• Opponent: Tetz Rooke