Jewish orientalist Gustav Weil's critique and perspevtive to tales of Prophets (Qisasi Anbiya)

This study focuses on Weil's research and methodologies on the Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad at a time when Gustav Weil and his contemporaries were basing the source of the Qur'an on humanistic and non-revelatory elements, and at a time when there were negative comments on the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad. The study aims to illuminate Weil's views by examining his perspectives and analyses in depth. In addition, Weil's research on the Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad has been continued in a broader framework by his contemporaries and more comprehensive research has been carried out on these topics. Gustav Weil, as an important German Jewish orientalist and historian of the 19th century, utilised a variety of disciplines in his work, focusing particularly on the Qur'an, the Prophet Muhammad and Islam. In this study, three important works of Weil are analysed. Firstly, it is analysed how he used a "critical historical method" in these works. How Weil interprets historical events and texts using this method is investigated. In addition, Weil's studies on prophet parables are evaluated. These parables are narratives about the lives and miracles of prophets, usually found in religious texts. Weil's approach to these parables and his works on this subject are analysed. In particular, Weil's use of Arabic manuscripts in the Gotha Library and how he used these sources in his Islamic studies are emphasised. In this section, attention is drawn to Weil's source identification and how he utilised these sources. In short, this study examines Gustav Weil's works and methodology in detail, focusing especially on how he used Islamic and Jewish sources and how he applied them to his works.