Islam and bibliomancia: Contemporary practices of the estekhâreh in Iran
Fronval, Laetitia
Islam and bibliomancia: Contemporary practices of the estekhâreh in Iran - 2020.
49
In Iran, it is customary to open the Koran and solicit God to make a choice, obtain advice or find the answer to a question that cannot be resolved. This practice, which can be used alone or through a cleric, is called estekhâreh bâ Qorân. If the practice is legally accepted by the Shia clerics, they want to differentiate it from divination ( tafa'ol). Yet, in the way Iranians use them, it is not uncommon to see the desire to know the future emerge. In the light of interviews with various Iranians, including clerics, and a historical investigation, we will report on the role that estekhâreh plays in the lives of a large number of Iranians, the adaptability of society and clergy to change (adaptation of tradition to new technologies, for example) and a tendency of individuals to do crafts, i.e., an ability to move away from the dominant discourse and reconstruct a practice or text according to their own needs and aspirations.
Islam and bibliomancia: Contemporary practices of the estekhâreh in Iran - 2020.
49
In Iran, it is customary to open the Koran and solicit God to make a choice, obtain advice or find the answer to a question that cannot be resolved. This practice, which can be used alone or through a cleric, is called estekhâreh bâ Qorân. If the practice is legally accepted by the Shia clerics, they want to differentiate it from divination ( tafa'ol). Yet, in the way Iranians use them, it is not uncommon to see the desire to know the future emerge. In the light of interviews with various Iranians, including clerics, and a historical investigation, we will report on the role that estekhâreh plays in the lives of a large number of Iranians, the adaptability of society and clergy to change (adaptation of tradition to new technologies, for example) and a tendency of individuals to do crafts, i.e., an ability to move away from the dominant discourse and reconstruct a practice or text according to their own needs and aspirations.
Réseaux sociaux