“Genre Analysis and Religious Texts: A Methodological Model” Project by Prof. Dr. Nurullah Ardıç

This interdisciplinary project aims to develop a methodological model for applying Genre Analysis; a text analysis technique increasingly discussed among social scientists in recent years, to the commentary tradition (sharḥ) on hadith texts.

The sharḥ genre, which refers to interpreting and explaining specific texts, has historically been one of the most prevalent forms of writing across cultures, from China to Europe and India to the Middle East. In Islamic history, hadith texts have similarly been the focus of extensive commentary literature.

Despite the significance of this genre, Genre Analysis, as developed by John Swales and Vijay Bhatia, has yet to be systematically applied to hadith commentaries. In particular, such texts in Turkey have often been approached subjectively, underscoring the need for scientific and systematic analysis.

The project by Prof. Dr. Nurullah Ardıç, aims to adapt Genre Analysis systematically to hadith commentaries, proposing a universal methodological model. This endeavor marks a pioneering contribution to Islamic/Middle Eastern studies and enriches the qualitative text analysis literature. After developing the model, it will be tested on a sample of 20 selected sharḥ works spanning a long historical period.