René Girard’s Mimetic Theory and Its Value in Understanding Sura Maryam: A Mimetic Analysis of Mythical, Biblical, and Apocryphal Transformations

Abstract

This article examines the transformation of mythical, biblical and apocryphal narratives in the Surah Maryam (Surah 19) from the perspective of René Girard’s mimetic theory. It postulates that this theory adds value to the interpretation of the aforementioned surah. From a mimetic perspective, it can be shown that the new, nascent, early Islamic community tried to read the religious narratives structuring its environment in terms of a nonviolent relationship between creator and creature, and thus to distance itself from a sacrificial understanding of God.

Keywords

• Surah Maryam (Qur’an)
• mimetic theory (René Girard)
• Islamic community