The AMI Podcast

Is the Qur'an truly the word of God, or does it reflect the creative imagination of Prophet Muhammad (s)? How do we understand revelation in a world governed by reason and science? In this episode of Thinking Islam, we grapple with these fundamental questions with Dr Abdolkarim Soroush, one of the most influential voices in contemporary Islamic intellectual reform.This wide-ranging conversation explores Dr Soroush's groundbreaking theory of the expansion and contraction of religious knowledge, his views on revelation and prophetic experience, and the controversial notion that the Qur'an might be better understood as "Kalam Muhammad" rather than literal divine speech. From essentials and accidentals of the Qur’an to the paradoxical nature of Prophetic life, we examine how prophetic experience can be understood in our post-prophetic age.Dr Soroush is a distinguished philosopher of religion and a leading voice in Islamic intellectual reform. A Visiting Scholar at the University of Maryland and former Professor at the University of Tehran, he has also held visiting positions at Harvard, Princeton, and Yale Universities. Dr Soroush is renowned for his influential work "The Expansion of Prophetic Experience" and his contributions to contemporary Islamic thought and hermeneutics.Audio Chapters:0:00 – Highlights1:34 – Understanding the Phenomena of Revelation4:40 – Expansion & Contraction of Islamic Interpretation10:42 – Expectations from Religion13:12 – Between Maximalization & Infallibility17:22 – Is Revelation like Poetry or a Dream?24:49 – Revelation as Creative Imagination28:32 – Kalam e Muhammad or Kalamullah35:58 – God is Also Sad When You're Sad39:17 – The Speech of God is Metaphorical47:18 – Essentials and Accidentals of the Qur'an49:17 – Prophetic Experience & Its Expansion53:15 – Prophetic Paradox56:36 – Finality of Prophethood59:00 – Imamate & Finality1:03:45 – Thinking Islam Question

Prof. Mahmoud Morvarid, a researcher and specialist in Islamic intellectual history, explores the intriguing models of revelation within the Islamic tradition. He discusses how the Qur'an may have been revealed, comparing the Mutakallimūn model's literal divine speech with philosophical interpretations by Farabi and Ibn Sīnā. Morvarid also delves into al-Ghazālī’s innovative perspective on prophetic knowledge and Suhrawardī’s mystical imagery. Throughout, he highlights the enduring relevance of these debates for contemporary understanding of the Qur'an.

Does the Qur’an only invite us to think, or does its message also create an emotional state? In this episode of Thinking Islam, we explore the profound emotional trajectories within the Quranic paradigm with leading scholar Dr. Karen Bauer. From the roles of fear and hope in religious experience to the surprising emotional vulnerability of the prophets, we unpack how the Qur’anic text masterfully orchestrates human feelings to create lasting inner transformation. This conversation explores Dr. Bauer’s groundbreaking research on emotional plots in Islamic texts. It delves into the emotional trajectories within Quranic narratives, examining how the heart serves as both the seat of perception and feeling, and how emotions are portrayed throughout scripture.Together, we explore how the Quran aims to evoke emotional responses in its listeners. We examine the connection between emotions and both internal and external orientations, and how this shapes the Quranic understanding of what it means to be human. Dr. Karen Bauer is an Associate Professor in Quranic Studies at the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London. She earned her PhD from Princeton University and is widely recognised for her work on gender and emotional rhetoric in the Quran. Her recent publications include Women, Households, and the Hereafter in the Qur’an (2023) and Gender Hierarchy in the Qur’an (2015). Dr. Bauer bridges medieval scholarship with contemporary understanding through rigorous textual analysis and extensive fieldwork.

With verses like qiwamah and the so-called “wife beating” verse, does the Qur’an truly promote equality and egalitarian ideals, or does it embed a vision of hierarchy and male-dominance? In this episode of Thinking Islam, Dr. Asma Barlas joins us to rigorously interrogate whether God, described as supremely just in the Qur’an, could be seen as biased towards men. We explore how anti-patriarchal readings of the Qur’an challenge dominant interpretations, reexamine controversial passages, and ask what it means to practice critical scholarship while navigating the realities of the Muslim community.This wide-ranging conversation delves into the heart of Dr. Barlas’s influential book, "Believing Women in Islam," unpacking her approach to Qur'anic exegesis, her critiques of both traditionalist and secular-feminist readings, and her arguments for divine justice and mutual guardianship in Qur’anic gender discourse. Together, we reflect on the historical legacy of patriarchy in Islamic interpretation, the distinct difference between biblical and Qur’anic accounts of Abraham, and rethinking family structures and gender roles in light of the Qur’an’s holistic teachings. Our discussion journeys through scholarly debates, personal experiences of dissent within the Muslim community, and the challenges of staying faithful to both faith and reason.Dr. Asma Barlas is a renowned scholar of Islamic intellectual history, Qur’anic hermeneutics, and gender politics. She is the author of the landmark work "Believing Women in Islam: Unreading Patriarchal Interpretations of the Qur’an," which argues for the anti-patriarchal essence of the Qur’an and continues to shape contemporary conversations about gender, faith, and justice.

In this podcast, Dr Doaa M. Baumi explores how the Muʿtazilite scholar al-Zamakhshari dealt with biblical narratives (Israʾiliyyāt) in his tafsīr. She shows how his rational framework allowed for careful inclusion and critical filtering of these sources.

In this podcast, Dr Haidar Hobbollah analyses the Atharī tradition in Shīʿī tafsīr, tracing its roots in the Akhbārī movement and contrasting it with the Uṣūlī approach. He unpacks the epistemological and theological tensions between the two.

In this podcast, Dr Farhad Shafti provides a critical overview of the Farahi school, highlighting its focus on Qurʾānic coherence and its call to prioritise the Qurʾān over ḥadīth in legal reasoning—an area he believes warrants further attention.

In this podcast, Professor Mohammad Saeedimehr delves into Shah Wali Allah Dihlawi’s use of the imaginal world (ʿālam al-mithāl) as a tool for symbolic exegesis, offering a visionary yet controversial approach to understanding prophetic narratives.

In this podcast, Dr Sohaib Saeed introduces the idea of meaningful ambiguity in the Qurʾān. Drawing on Ibn ʿĀshūr, he suggests that ambiguity in certain verses may itself be intentional and meaningful, offering layered or simultaneous truths.

In this podcast, Dr Vahid Sohrabifar explores how the Qurʾān addresses today’s crisis of meaning, focusing on ḥayāt ṭayyiba—a meaningful, God-centred life. He reflects on the Qurʾān’s concern with existential themes like freedom, death, and human purpose.