This remarkable twelfth-century 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍ic commentary by Mu岣mmad b. 士Abd al-Kar墨m al-Shahrast膩n墨 is preserved in a single manuscript in Tehran and marks the achievement of a lifelong, arduous quest for knowledge. The introduction and opening chapter of this virtually unknown work are presented here in a bilingual edition with an introduction and contextual notes by Dr Toby Mayer. In Keys to the Arcana, Shahrast膩n墨 breaks down the text of the 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍Muslims believe that the Holy 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍 contains divine revelations to the Prophet Muhammed received in Mecca and Medina over a period of 23 years in the early 7th century CE. More and analyses it from a linguistic point of view, with reference to the history of 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍ic interpretation. The author鈥檚 aim is to use an elaborate set of complementary concepts 鈥 the 鈥榢eys鈥 of the work鈥檚 title 鈥 to unearth the esoteric meanings of the 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍ic verses. Dr Mayer鈥檚 meticulous translation of Shahrast膩n墨鈥檚 Introduction and Commentary on S奴rat al-F膩ti岣, supplemented by the Arabic text, allows access to this unique work for the first time.
Foreword by Professor Hermann Landolt
Preface
I. Translator鈥檚 Introduction
II. Keys to the Arcana and Lanterns of the Godly
Shahrast膩n墨鈥檚 preface
Shahrast膩n墨鈥檚 introduction to his hermeneutical method (Maf膩t墨岣 al-Furq膩n)
The exegesis of the Exordium (Tafs墨r S奴rat al-F膩ti岣)
Bibliography
Index of 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍ic Citations
General Index
Index
III Arabic Text of the Maf膩t墨岣 al-asr膩r wa ma峁Ｄ乥墨岣 al-abr膩r
鈥榓n important text … Mayer鈥檚 translation itself is fluid yet precise … there is little doubt that the book will be of interest to a variety of readers鈥
鈥 Erik S. Ohlander, Journal of 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍ic Studies
鈥楾his volume is a valuable contribution that presents a major Islamic thinker in new light, on the basis of a sound translation of one of his most important writings.鈥
鈥 Carl W. Ernst, Journal of Shi鈥榓 Islamic Studies
Toby Mayer is a Senior Research Associate in the 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍ic Studies Unit at the Institute of Ismaili Studies, London. He previously taught courses on Sufism and Islamic philosophy at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. He gained his DPhil from the University of Oxford in 2002; his dissertation was entitled 鈥極n Existence and its Causes: The Fourth 狈补尘补峁 of Avicenna鈥檚 滨蝉丑腻谤腻迟 and its Main Commentaries鈥. In addition to Keys to the Arcana: Shahrast膩n墨鈥檚 Esoteric Commentary on the 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍 (Oxford, 2009), he has published chapters and articles on philosophical debates related to the thought of Ibn S墨n膩, on Muslim mysticism and scriptural hermeneutics, and two critical editions and translations with Wilferd Madelung: Shahrast膩n墨鈥檚 Kit膩b al-Mu峁Ｄ乺a士a, entitled Struggling with the Philosopher: A Refutation of Avicenna鈥檚 Metaphysics (London, 2001) and 士Al墨 b. Mu岣mmad al-Wal墨d鈥檚 al-Ris膩la al-muf墨da entitled Avicenna鈥檚 Allegory on the Soul: An Ismaili Interpretation (London, 2016). He is currently preparing an analysis and translation of Shahrast膩n墨鈥檚 exegesis of S奴rat al-Baqara, which will form the second volume of Keys to the Arcana.