Call for Papers: The Qur’ān and the Turkic World

This online conference will analyse how the Qur’ān is understood and practiced in different communities of the Turkic world, and how it shapes their relationships with other regions and countries.

The Qur’ān, the sacred scripture of Islam, profoundly impacts the culture, society and politics of the predominantly Muslim Turkic world. However, the interpretation and application of the Qur’ān varies depending on the historical, geographical and political context of each country. This online conference will analyse how the Qur’ān is understood and practiced in different communities of the Turkic world, and how it shapes their relationships with other regions and countries. This is an area of great potential regarding original research, at a time that the broader Turkic identity is strengthening, with chaos in neighbouring regions.

The Turkic world, whose majority population is Turkish in origin and speaks a Turkic language, has a valuable Islamic legacy and significant Muslim population, with Islam playing a pivotal role in shaping their cultural, social and political environments. The Qur’ān, as the primary source of Islamic jurisprudence and doctrine, has been a fundamental aspect of Muslim identity and spirituality for countless years. This conference will examine the correlation between the Qur’ān and Turkic nations, highlighting the contextual factors that impact its interpretation and implementation. It will explore how the Qur’ān has been translated, interpreted and applied in different historical and contemporary contexts of the Turkic world, such as Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and significant Turkic minorities in other states. Additionally, it will explain the significance and relevance of this topic in understanding the diversity and dynamics of Islamic thought and practice among Turkic peoples. In addition, this conference will critically examine the history, progression and practical application of the Qur’ān within diverse Turkic world contexts. It seeks to provide a detailed evaluation of the Qur’ān’s influence on political, social and cultural aspects of life across the Turkic world. Additionally, it will promote constructive and innovative dialogue among different perspectives and voices within the Turkic communities regarding the Qur’ān.

Finally, the predominantly Arab-centric approach in the academic study of tafsīr (Qur’ān interpretation) has led to a scarcity of literature delving into the variety of Qur’anic interpretations in other regions of the Muslim-majority world. In the Islamic intellectual tradition, there were certain major regions of Islamic knowledge and culture. These include, among others, Hijāz, Bilād al-Shām, Iran and Khorasan, Transoxiana and India. Particularly, Transoxiana and Central Asia were influential in the literature and scholarship of theology and law in connection with tafsīr,as a traditionally famous saying notes: “the Qur’ān was revealed in Mecca, recited in Egypt, written in Istanbul and interpreted in Samarqand”. In this context, our aim is to analyse the Qur’ān and its interpretation (tafsīr) in the Turkic world within the wider Islamic world context, particularly examining its connections to the Arab world and tafsīr literature.

Important Data

Abstract submission and short bio due: 15 October 2024

Notification of accepted proposals: 30 October 2024

Announcement of final programme: 15 November 2024

For accepted proposals, extended abstract submission (1500 words) due: 15 January 2025

Themes and Questions of the Research

This research seeks to elucidate the following topics.

Transmission and Translation of the Qur’ānic Text among the Turkic World

• Discuss the historical and linguistic aspects of the transmission and translation of the Qur’ān among Turkic countries, including tafsīr production.
• Analyse the main challenges and opportunities of translating and interpreting the Qur’ān in different Turkic languages and dialects.
• Compare and contrast the different styles, methods and approaches of translation and interpretation across the Turkic world.

The Qur’ān’s Impact on the Development of Islamic Culture and Identity in the Turkic States

• Examine the ways in which the Qur’ān has shaped the political, social and cultural identities and institutions of the Turkic world.
• Explore how the Qur’ān has interacted with other sources of authority and legitimacy, such as tribal traditions, customary laws, cultures and languages of the Turkic world.
• Assess how the Qur’ān has fostered diversity and pluralism, as well as unity and solidarity, within and across the Turkic world.

The Qur’ānic Interpretive Methodology (Hermeneutics) and Frameworks in the Turkic World

• Identify the main interpretive methodology and frameworks (classical, modern, Ḥanafī/Māturīdī/Ashʿarī/Salafi/Sūfī etc.) used to understand/interpret the Qur’ān in the Turkic world.
• Discuss how different methodologies and frameworks have influenced various movements and trends of Islamic thought and practice among Turkic peoples.
• Scrutinise the ways in which Turkic countries have generated legal judgements, ethical principles, theological doctrines, mystical perceptions, artistic expressions and political ideologies from the Qur’ān.
• Compare and contrast the ways in which the Turkic world has adjusted and applied Qur’ānic teachings to particular historical and cultural backgrounds.

• Consider the challenges and opportunities for renewed engagement with the Qur’ān in the Turkic world and how this can contribute to the development of Islamic thought and practice in the region.

• Explore how the Qur’ān is approached in the face of modern issues such as migration, colonisation, modernisation, secularisation, nationalism, globalisation and democratisation.

Guidelines for Papers

Prospective participants are requested to submit: (a) A short abstract (300-500 words) that outlines the aims, relevant literature, methodology and original contribution of the paper; and (b) A brief biography (max. 200 words) that includes the author’s academic background and research interests.

The selected papers will be published as an edited book after the conference via a reputable publisher. Based on the submitted papers, the edited book project might have two possible areas of focus:

• Modern period only, or
• Classical and modern periods

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