Emotion and Islamic Hagiology: A Post-taxonomic Approach

The study of emotion in Islamic hagiology remains largely uninterrogated, as visible in elliptical descriptions that classify particular texts, bodily gestures, or utterances as “emotive.” I advocate for a shift from taxonomic approaches to emotion to a focus on function in narrative hagiographies....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Method & theory in the study of religion
Main Author: Yep, Stephanie (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Brill 2023
In: Method & theory in the study of religion
Year: 2023, Volume: 35, Issue: 1, Pages: 24-54
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Emotion / Islam / Hagiography / Narrativity / Affectivity / Astonishment
IxTheo Classification:AE Psychology of religion
AG Religious life; material religion
BJ Islam
KCD Hagiography; saints
Further subjects:B Muhammad
B Islamic Studies
B Narrative
B Hagiography
B Emotion
B Affect
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Summary:The study of emotion in Islamic hagiology remains largely uninterrogated, as visible in elliptical descriptions that classify particular texts, bodily gestures, or utterances as “emotive.” I advocate for a shift from taxonomic approaches to emotion to a focus on function in narrative hagiographies. I argue that emotion provides a rich analytic category for understanding the dynamic relationship between texts and bodies in the hagiographical process, as well as the multiplicity of bodies that are involved or implicated. To illustrate this framework, I provide readings of narratives in the sīra (biographies of Muḥammad) which depict bodily manifestations of awe when in Muḥammad’s presence. Endorsing the position that the hagiographical process is constantly under negotiation, these analyses reveal that emotional practices are crucial to understanding the relationality between exemplary persons, biographers, characters, and readers.
ISSN:1570-0682
Contains:Enthalten in: Method & theory in the study of religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1163/15700682-bja10076