Beyond Reception History: The Qur’anic Intervention into the Late Antique Discourse about the Origin of Evil

The article advocates a new approach to the Qur’an: To look at text as transcript of earliest community’s intervention into major debates its time. Rather than earlier textual traditions (“reception history”), particular burning theological questions that were en vogue in epistemic space Late Antiquity are identified essential trigger Qur’anic proclamations. Thus, new—Late Antique—perception evil (epistemic troubles experienced innermost selves individuals—which cropped up during sectarian strife Middle Mecca) is etiologically explained through primordial rebellion Diabolos/Iblīs. This figure portrayed Qur’an daring “dissenter heaven”—a dignity he had proven various Biblical contexts (Book Job, Gospels, etc.) before. His main characteristic his eloquence and logical reasoning, which has earned him epithet “inventor qiyās/syllogism” later Islamic tradition. development projected against backdrop rabbinic, patristic, poetic exegeses, together attest vitality most diversified “epistemic Antiquity”.