ABSTRACT
Like the Hebrew H. ummash 1 (Torah), the Quran is a highly internalized scripture:
memorized and cherished in a legal, moral, ritual, and artistic possession bordering on possessiveness. Virtually all Muslims hold in defensive reserve the question of its authority: it is beyond reasonable doubt or discussion. Non-Muslims complain that the amour propre (self-respect) of even secularizedMuslims is outraged when anyone broaches this theme. We shall now assess the attempt to establish the authority of scripture in a scepticalworld. Canwe secure a safe haven for revelation in an age intellectually hospitable to reason and experience but not to mystery and metaphysical speculation?
