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Fred Donner

January 01, 1970

Fred McGraw Donner (born 1945) is a scholar of Islam and Peter B. Ritzma Professor of Near Eastern History at the University of Chicago.[1][2] He has published several books about early Islamic history.

Fred McGraw Donner
Born1945 (age 78–79)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
CitizenshipAmerican
Alma materPrinceton University
Known forIslamic Studies; Quranic (Islamic) studies; scriptural exegesis; scholarship on Islamic origins
AwardsGuggenheim Fellow (2007)
Member of the Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Letters, and Arts
Scientific career
FieldsIslamic Studies
InstitutionsUniversity of Chicago;
Yale University;
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg

Biography edit

Early life and studies edit

Donner was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, where he attended public schools.[citation needed] In 1968 he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Oriental Studies at Princeton University, having interrupted his studies from 1966 to 1967 to pursue the study of Arabic at the Middle East Centre for Arab Studies (MECAS) in the village of Shimlan, Lebanon.[citation needed] From 1968 to 1970 he served with the U. S. Army, seeing duty with U. S. Army Security Agency in Herzogenaurach, Germany in 1969-1970. He then studied oriental philology for a year (1970–1971) at the Friedrich-Alexander Universität in Erlangen, Germany, before returning to Princeton for doctoral work.[citation needed] Donner received his PhD in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton in 1975.[citation needed]

Career edit

Donner taught Middle Eastern history in the History Department at Yale University from 1975-1982 before taking his position at the University of Chicago in 1982 (The Oriental Institute and Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations). He served as chairman of his Department (1997–2002) and as Director of the University's Center for Middle Eastern Studies (2009–present).[citation needed]

In 2007, he was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship[3] to examine Arabic papyri from the first Islamic century (seventh century CE) at collections in Paris, Vienna, Oxford, and Heidelberg.[citation needed]

Positions held edit

Donner was President of Middle East Medievalists (MEM; homepage here) from 1992 until 1994 and served as editor of the journal Al-Usur al-Wusta: The Bulletin of Middle East Medievalists from 1992 until 2011.[4]

Donner was President of the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA).[5] He has been a member of MESA since 1975, served an earlier term on MESA's Board of Directors (1992-1994) and was awarded MESA's Jere L. Bacharach Service Award in 2008.[6]

A part of the MEM and MESA, Donner has also been a long-term member of The American Oriental Society.[citation needed]

Research edit

Donner's book The Early Islamic Conquests was published in 1981 by Princeton University Press.[7] He has also published a translation of a volume of the history of al-Tabari in 1993.[1]

In Narratives of Islamic Origins (1998), Donner argues for an early date for the Quranic text. He responds in particular to the theory of late canonization of the Qur'an proposed by John Wansbrough and Yehuda D. Nevo.[8] The book attempts to explain how concerns for legitimation in the developing Islamic community shaped the themes that are the focus of Islamic historical writing, particularly the themes of prophecy, community, hegemony, and leadership.

Donner's book Muhammad and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam, an account of the early years of the spiritual movement that would come to be known as Islam, was published by Harvard University Press in May 2010. Donner's main argument is that what came to be called Islam began as a monotheistic "Believers' movement" inaugurated by Muhammad, which included righteous Christians and Jews as well as those monotheists who followed the teachings of the Qur'an. Only under the rule of Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (685-705) did Islam begin to separate from Christians and Jews.[9] This argument was first presented at the Late Antiquity and Early Islam workshop in London in 1993, and published in an article.[10]

Reception edit

Donner's book The Early Islamic Conquests (1981) has been described as "magisterial"[7] and "a major contribution to the understanding of early Islamic history" (International Journal of Middle East Studies).[11] It is used as a set text for several university courses.[12]

Donner's Muhammad and the Believers has been described as "learned and brilliantly original" in a New York Times review.[13]

On the other hand, orientalist Patricia Crone was critical of the book: she wrote on Tablet that the only direct evidence for Donner's central thesis of an ecumenical early Islam comes from several Quranic verses, while the rest is based on conjecture. According to Crone, The New York Times review of Donner's book indicates that his account of a "nice, tolerant, and open" Islam appeals to American liberals, and it may perform a useful role in educating the broader public, but as a scholarly work "it leaves something to be desired".[14] Other academic reviews have characterized the book as "provocative and largely convincing"[15] and as "a plausible and compelling, if necessarily somewhat speculative, alternate account of the emergence of Islam".[16]

Awards edit

Donner received a 1994 Quantrell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.[2] From 2007 to 2008, Donner held a Guggenheim Fellowship.[2] Donner was appointed a life member of the Scientific Committee of the Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Letters, and Arts in 2012.[2]

Bibliography edit

  • The Early Islamic Conquests (Princeton University Press; 1981) ISBN 0-691-05327-8
  • History of the Prophets and Kings (Vol. 10): The Conquest of Arabia (State University of New York Press; 1993) ISBN 0-7914-1072-2 (translation)
  • Narratives of Islamic Origins (Darwin Press; 1998) ISBN 0-87850-127-4
  • Muhammad and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam (Harvard University Press; 2010) ISBN 978-0-674-05097-6
  • Antoine Borrut; Fred Donner; Touraj Daryaee; Muriel Debié; Sidney H. Griffith; Wadād Qāḍī; Milka Levy-Rubin; Suzanne Pinckney Stetkevych; Donald S. Whitcomb; Luke B. Yarbrough. Christians and Others in the Umayyad State (Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, West Asia & North Africa, 2016) ISBN 978-1614910312
  • Fred M. Donner, ed. (15 May 2017). The Articulation of Early Islamic State Structures. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-351-89449-4.

References edit

  1. ^ a b NELC Department Faculty list at University of Chicago
  2. ^ a b c d "Faculty members receive named, distinguished service professorships". University of Chicago. December 27, 2017. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  3. ^ "University of Chicago article on Guggenheim Fellowship awards". Chronicle.uchicago.edu. 2007-04-12. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
  4. ^ Middle East Medievalists. "Al-Usur al-Wusta: The Bulletin of Middle East Medievalists". Middleeastmedievalists.org. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
  5. ^ "Letters from MESA Presidents". Middle East Studies Association. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
  6. ^ "Jere L. Bacharach Service Award". Middle East Studies Association. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
  7. ^ a b Elton H in Bryn Mawr Medieval Review (accessed 2 October 2007)
  8. ^ Narratives of Islamic Origins p. 62
  9. ^ Crone, Patricia (August 10, 2010). "Among the Believers: A new look at the origins of Islam describes a tolerant world that may not have existed". Tablet Magazine.
  10. ^ Antoine Borrut; Fred Donner (15 May 2005). "From Believers to Muslims : Confessional Self-Identity in the Early Islamic Community". Abstracta Iranica. 26. doi:10.4000/abstractairanica.2410.
  11. ^ Review of The Early Islamic Conquests in the International Journal of Middle East Studies
  12. ^ e.g. refer University of Oklahoma (accessed 2 October 2007)
  13. ^ New York Times, The Muslim Past, Sunday Book Review by Max Rodenbeck 25 June 2010
  14. ^ Patricia Crone: Among the Believers Tablet Magazine 10. August 2010
  15. ^ Steven C. Judd (Sep 2011). "Review of Muhammad and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam by Fred M. Donner". Journal of the American Academy of Religion. 79 (3): 762–765. doi:10.1093/jaarel/lfr024. JSTOR 23020418.
  16. ^ Paul R. Powers (February 2013). "Review of Muhammad and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam by Fred M. Donner". History of Religions. 52 (3): 306–308. JSTOR 10.1086/66866.

External links edit

January 01, 1970
fred, donner, fred, mcgraw, donner, born, 1945, scholar, islam, peter, ritzma, professor, near, eastern, history, university, chicago, published, several, books, about, early, islamic, history, fred, mcgraw, donnerborn1945, washington, citizenshipamericanalma,. Fred McGraw Donner born 1945 is a scholar of Islam and Peter B Ritzma Professor of Near Eastern History at the University of Chicago 1 2 He has published several books about early Islamic history Fred McGraw DonnerBorn1945 age 78 79 Washington D C U S CitizenshipAmericanAlma materPrinceton UniversityKnown forIslamic Studies Quranic Islamic studies scriptural exegesis scholarship on Islamic originsAwardsGuggenheim Fellow 2007 Member of the Tunisian Academy of Sciences Letters and ArtsScientific careerFieldsIslamic StudiesInstitutionsUniversity of Chicago Yale University University of Erlangen Nuremberg Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early life and studies 1 2 Career 1 2 1 Positions held 2 Research 3 Reception 4 Awards 5 Bibliography 6 References 7 External linksBiography editEarly life and studies edit Donner was born in Washington D C and grew up in Basking Ridge New Jersey where he attended public schools citation needed In 1968 he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Oriental Studies at Princeton University having interrupted his studies from 1966 to 1967 to pursue the study of Arabic at the Middle East Centre for Arab Studies MECAS in the village of Shimlan Lebanon citation needed From 1968 to 1970 he served with the U S Army seeing duty with U S Army Security Agency in Herzogenaurach Germany in 1969 1970 He then studied oriental philology for a year 1970 1971 at the Friedrich Alexander Universitat in Erlangen Germany before returning to Princeton for doctoral work citation needed Donner received his PhD in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton in 1975 citation needed Career edit Donner taught Middle Eastern history in the History Department at Yale University from 1975 1982 before taking his position at the University of Chicago in 1982 The Oriental Institute and Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations He served as chairman of his Department 1997 2002 and as Director of the University s Center for Middle Eastern Studies 2009 present citation needed In 2007 he was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship 3 to examine Arabic papyri from the first Islamic century seventh century CE at collections in Paris Vienna Oxford and Heidelberg citation needed Positions held edit Donner was President of Middle East Medievalists MEM homepage here from 1992 until 1994 and served as editor of the journal Al Usur al Wusta The Bulletin of Middle East Medievalists from 1992 until 2011 4 Donner was President of the Middle East Studies Association of North America MESA 5 He has been a member of MESA since 1975 served an earlier term on MESA s Board of Directors 1992 1994 and was awarded MESA s Jere L Bacharach Service Award in 2008 6 A part of the MEM and MESA Donner has also been a long term member of The American Oriental Society citation needed Research editDonner s book The Early Islamic Conquests was published in 1981 by Princeton University Press 7 He has also published a translation of a volume of the history of al Tabari in 1993 1 In Narratives of Islamic Origins 1998 Donner argues for an early date for the Quranic text He responds in particular to the theory of late canonization of the Qur an proposed by John Wansbrough and Yehuda D Nevo 8 The book attempts to explain how concerns for legitimation in the developing Islamic community shaped the themes that are the focus of Islamic historical writing particularly the themes of prophecy community hegemony and leadership Donner s book Muhammad and the Believers At the Origins of Islam an account of the early years of the spiritual movement that would come to be known as Islam was published by Harvard University Press in May 2010 Donner s main argument is that what came to be called Islam began as a monotheistic Believers movement inaugurated by Muhammad which included righteous Christians and Jews as well as those monotheists who followed the teachings of the Qur an Only under the rule of Abd al Malik ibn Marwan 685 705 did Islam begin to separate from Christians and Jews 9 This argument was first presented at the Late Antiquity and Early Islam workshop in London in 1993 and published in an article 10 Reception editDonner s book The Early Islamic Conquests 1981 has been described as magisterial 7 and a major contribution to the understanding of early Islamic history International Journal of Middle East Studies 11 It is used as a set text for several university courses 12 Donner s Muhammad and the Believers has been described as learned and brilliantly original in a New York Times review 13 On the other hand orientalist Patricia Crone was critical of the book she wrote on Tablet that the only direct evidence for Donner s central thesis of an ecumenical early Islam comes from several Quranic verses while the rest is based on conjecture According to Crone The New York Times review of Donner s book indicates that his account of a nice tolerant and open Islam appeals to American liberals and it may perform a useful role in educating the broader public but as a scholarly work it leaves something to be desired 14 Other academic reviews have characterized the book as provocative and largely convincing 15 and as a plausible and compelling if necessarily somewhat speculative alternate account of the emergence of Islam 16 Awards editDonner received a 1994 Quantrell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching 2 From 2007 to 2008 Donner held a Guggenheim Fellowship 2 Donner was appointed a life member of the Scientific Committee of the Tunisian Academy of Sciences Letters and Arts in 2012 2 Bibliography editThe Early Islamic Conquests Princeton University Press 1981 ISBN 0 691 05327 8 History of the Prophets and Kings Vol 10 The Conquest of Arabia State University of New York Press 1993 ISBN 0 7914 1072 2 translation Narratives of Islamic Origins Darwin Press 1998 ISBN 0 87850 127 4 Muhammad and the Believers At the Origins of Islam Harvard University Press 2010 ISBN 978 0 674 05097 6 Antoine Borrut Fred Donner Touraj Daryaee Muriel Debie Sidney H Griffith Wadad Qaḍi Milka Levy Rubin Suzanne Pinckney Stetkevych Donald S Whitcomb Luke B Yarbrough Christians and Others in the Umayyad State Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures West Asia amp North Africa 2016 ISBN 978 1614910312 Fred M Donner ed 15 May 2017 The Articulation of Early Islamic State Structures Routledge ISBN 978 1 351 89449 4 References edit a b NELC Department Faculty list at University of Chicago a b c d Faculty members receive named distinguished service professorships University of Chicago December 27 2017 Retrieved December 22 2020 University of Chicago article on Guggenheim Fellowship awards Chronicle uchicago edu 2007 04 12 Retrieved 2013 09 12 Middle East Medievalists Al Usur al Wusta The Bulletin of Middle East Medievalists Middleeastmedievalists org Retrieved 2013 09 12 Letters from MESA Presidents Middle East Studies Association Retrieved 2016 10 01 Jere L Bacharach Service Award Middle East Studies Association Retrieved 2016 10 01 a b Elton H in Bryn Mawr Medieval Review accessed 2 October 2007 Narratives of Islamic Origins p 62 Crone Patricia August 10 2010 Among the Believers A new look at the origins of Islam describes a tolerant world that may not have existed Tablet Magazine Antoine Borrut Fred Donner 15 May 2005 From Believers to Muslims Confessional Self Identity in the Early Islamic Community Abstracta Iranica 26 doi 10 4000 abstractairanica 2410 Review of The Early Islamic Conquests in the International Journal of Middle East Studies e g refer University of Oklahoma accessed 2 October 2007 New York Times The Muslim Past Sunday Book Review by Max Rodenbeck 25 June 2010 Patricia Crone Among the Believers Tablet Magazine 10 August 2010 Steven C Judd Sep 2011 Review of Muhammad and the Believers At the Origins of Islam by Fred M Donner Journal of the American Academy of Religion 79 3 762 765 doi 10 1093 jaarel lfr024 JSTOR 23020418 Paul R Powers February 2013 Review of Muhammad and the Believers At the Origins of Islam by Fred M Donner History of Religions 52 3 306 308 JSTOR 10 1086 66866 External links editEntry with the University of Chicago Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fred Donner amp oldid 1220763471, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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