Read complete books and articles on: Koran

Qur'An - or Korankōrănˈ, –ränˈ [Arab.,=reading, recitation], the sacred book of Islam. Revealed by God to the Prophet Muhammad in separate revelations over the major portion of the Prophet's life at Mecca and at Medina, the Qur'an was intended as a recited text, and was not compiled as a single volume during the life of the Prophet. The establishment of the canonical text is attributed to the 3d caliph, Uthman, who appointed a committee (651–52) to reconcile the conflicting versions then available, under the direction of Zaid ibn Thabit, one of the Prophet's scribes. The internal organization of the Qur'an is somewhat ad hoc. Revelations consisted of verses (ayat) grouped into 114 chapters (suras). The arrangement of the suras is mechanical: the first, al-Fateha or "the Opening," is a short prayer exalting God that has become an essential part of all Islamic liturgy and prayer. The rest are graded generally by length, from longest to shortest. It is thus impossible to tell from the book the chronological order of revelations; generally, however, the shorter suras, more electric and fervent than the rest, are the earlier, while many of the longer ones (and all of those revealed at Medina) are later. The Qur'an refers to religious and historical events but seldom provides comprehensive accounts. Its focus is their significance, rather than their narration. God in the Qur'an speaks in the first person. Tafsir, Qur'anic exegesis, initially emerged as a branch of the science of Hadith, in the attempt to gather Muhammad's elucidations of obscure Qur'anic passages, then developed into a separate discipline with the introduction of etymological and literary analysis tools. Being the verbatim Word of God, the text of the Qur'an is valid for religious purposes only in its original Arabic, cannot be modified, and is not translatable, although the necessity for non-Arabic interpretations is recognized. This has made the Qur'an the most read book in its original language and preserved a classical form of Arabic as an Islamic lingua franca and medium of learning.

See A. J. Arberry, The Qur'an Interpreted (2 vol., repr. 1969); I. Toshihiko, God and Man in the Koran (1964); R. Bell, Introduction to the Koran (2d ed. 1970); K. Cragg, The Event of the Koran (1971).

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16 of the Best Books and Articles on: Koran

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1.

The Koran, a Very Short Introduction » Read Now
by Michael A. Cook. 164 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, History, Entire Library

The Koran has constituted a remarkably resilient core of identity and continuity for a religious tradition that is now in its fifteenth century. In this Very Short Introduction, Michael Cook provides a lucid and direct account of the significance of the Koran both in the modern world and in that of...
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The Koran has constituted a remarkably resilient core of identity and continuity for a religious tradition that is now in its fifteenth century. In this Very Short Introduction, Michael Cook provides a lucid and direct account of the significance of the Koran both in the modern world and in that of traditional Islam. He gives vivid accounts of its role in Muslim civilization, illustrates the diversity of interpretations championed by traditional and modern commentators, discusses the processes by which the book took shape, and compares it to other scriptures and classics of the historic cultures of Eurasia.
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2.

The Koran Interpreted » Read Now
by Arthur J. Arberry. 702 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, Philosophy, Literature, Entire Library

...THE KORAN INTERPRETED A Translation By ARTHUR J...Men 354 INDEX 355 THE KORAN INTERPRETED VOLUME ONE SURAS I-XX -6- PREFACE The first rendering of the Koran into a western...
3.

Prolegomena to the Qur'an » Read Now
by Abdulaziz A. Sachedina. 282 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, Entire Library

Ayatollah al-Sayyid Abu al-Qasim al Musawi al-Khui (1899-1992) was one of the most respected and widely acclaimed authorities on Twelver Shi'ite Islam in this century. This book, which was first published in Arabic in 1974, presents al-Khuis comprehensive introduction to the history of the Quran. In...
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Ayatollah al-Sayyid Abu al-Qasim al Musawi al-Khui (1899-1992) was one of the most respected and widely acclaimed authorities on Twelver Shi'ite Islam in this century. This book, which was first published in Arabic in 1974, presents al-Khuis comprehensive introduction to the history of the Quran. In it, al-Khui revisits many critical and controversial topics connected with the collection and ultimate canonization of the text that have received little attention in contemporary Muslim scholarship since the classical age. For instance, he tackles what is probably the single most controversial subject in Quranic studies: the question of possible alterations to the Quran as maintained by some succeeding generations of compilers of the Quran. Throughout the volume, al-Khui stresses the importance of understanding the historical setting in which the Quran was revealed; he does this in order to apply its provisions appropriately in contemporary Muslim society, with its ever-expanding legal and ethical requirements. In addition to expounding his own views, al-Khui also has the polemical purpose of refuting Sunni beliefs and concepts concerning various matters related to the theories of alteration and abrogation in the Quran. His arguments illuminate some of the substantial yet little-understood and appreciated issues that have been truly at stake between the two principal segments of the Muslim community. Translator Abdulaziz A. Sachedina supplies a helpful introduction to al-Khuis work, discussing the methodological problems involved with the study of such texts, and placing it in the historical context of polemic literature in Islam.
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4.

Quran and Woman: Rereading the Sacred Text from a Woman's Perspective » Read Now
by Amina Wadud. 118 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, Entire Library

Fourteen centuries of Islamic thought have produced a legacy of interpretive readings of the Qu'ran written almost entirely by men. Now, with Qu'ran and Woman, Amina Wadud provides a first interpretive reading by a woman, a reading which validates the female voice in the Qu'ran and brings it out of...
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Fourteen centuries of Islamic thought have produced a legacy of interpretive readings of the Qu'ran written almost entirely by men. Now, with Qu'ran and Woman, Amina Wadud provides a first interpretive reading by a woman, a reading which validates the female voice in the Qu'ran and brings it out of the shadows. Muslim progressives have long argued that it is not the religion but patriarchal interpretation and implementation of the Qu'ran that have kept women oppressed. For many, the way to reform is the reexamination and reinterpretation of religious texts. Qu'ran and Woman contributes a gender inclusive reading to one of the most fundamental disciplines in Islamic thought, Qu'ranic exegesis. Wadud breaks down specific texts and key words which have been used to limit women's public and private role, even to justify violence toward Muslim women, revealing that their original meaning and context defy such interpretations. What her analysis clarifies is the lack of gender bias, precedence, or prejudice in the essential language of the Qur'an. Despite much Qu'ranic evidence about the significance of women, gender reform in Muslim society has been stubbornly resisted. Wadud's reading of the Qu'ran confirms women's equality and constitutes legitimate grounds for contesting the unequal treatment that women have experienced historically and continue to experience legally in Muslim communities. The Qu'ran does not prescribe one timeless and unchanging social structure for men and women, Wadud argues lucidly, affirming that the Qu'ran holds greater possibilities for guiding human society to a more fulfilling and productive mutual collaboration between men and women than as yet attained by Muslims or non-Muslims.
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5.

The Qur'An: An Introduction » Read Now
by Mohammad Abu-Hamdiyyah. 136 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, History, Entire Library

This new work presents a concise and accessible introduction to the Qur'an . Muhammad Abu-Hamdiyyah first explores the concept of deity, including the Christian and Jewish understanding of God, and second discusses the Qur'anic message from the perspective of modern knowledge. This is an ideal...
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This new work presents a concise and accessible introduction to the Qur'an . Muhammad Abu-Hamdiyyah first explores the concept of deity, including the Christian and Jewish understanding of God, and second discusses the Qur'anic message from the perspective of modern knowledge. This is an ideal textbook for students with no prior knowledge of the complexities of the Qur'an 's message.
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6.

Quranic Schools: Agents of Preservation and Change » Read Now
by Helen N. Boyle. 148 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, Education, Entire Library

Helen N. Boyle takes an anthropological approach to Quranic schooling in examining the role of Quranic preschools in community life.
7.

Women and the Koran : The Status of Women in Islam » Read Now
by Anwar Hekmat. 267 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, History, Entire Library

Hekmat explains how Arab society evolved from a polytheistic, pre-Islamic culture featuring female equality to one in which men dominate & women are little more than chattel, some forced into marriage at nine years old! Written by a distinguished former Muslim scholar.
8.

Journeys in Holy Lands: The Evolution of the Abraham-Ishmael Legends in Islamic Exegesis » Read Now
by Reuven Firestone. 265 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, Entire Library
9.

The Mind of the Quran: Chapters in Reflection » Read Now
by Kenneth Cragg. 214 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, Entire Library
10.

Commanding Right and Forbidding Wrong in Islamic Thought » Read Now
by Michael Cook. 702 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, Philosophy, Entire Library

What duty do we have to stop others from doing wrong? The question is intelligible in almost any culture, but few seek to answer it in a rigorous fashion. The most striking exception is found in the Islamic tradition where "commanding right and forbidding wrong" is a central moral tenet. Michael...
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What duty do we have to stop others from doing wrong? The question is intelligible in almost any culture, but few seek to answer it in a rigorous fashion. The most striking exception is found in the Islamic tradition where "commanding right and forbidding wrong" is a central moral tenet. Michael Cook's comprehensive and compelling analysis represents the first sustained attempt to chart the history of Islamic reflection on this obligation and to explain its relevance for politics and ideology in the contemporary Islamic world.
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11.

What Is the Koran?, in The Atlantic Monthly » Read Now
by Toby Lester. 1 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, Entire Library
12.

Textual Criticism of the Koran, in The Journal of the American Oriental Society » Read Now
by James A. Bellamy. 1 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, History, Literature, Entire Library
13.

Forgotten Witness: Evidence for the Early Codification of the Qur'an, in The Journal of the American Oriental Society » Read Now
by Estelle Whelan. 1 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, History, Literature, Entire Library
14.

The Dilemma of the Literary Approach to the Qur'an, in Alif: Journal of Comparative Poetics » Read Now
by Nasr Abu-Zayd. 1 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, Philosophy, Literature, Entire Library
15.

Islam: An Introduction » Read Now
by Annemarie Schimmel. 166 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, History, Entire Library

'The topic is becoming more significant because Islam is the most rapidly growing religious in the world. This book provides a thorough and sophisticate, but at the same time clear-headed and reliable, overview.' --Kevin Lacey
16.

Islam: A Very Short Introduction » Read Now
by Malise Ruthven. 162 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, History, Entire Library

Islam features widely in the news, often in its most militant versions, but few people in the non-Muslim world really understand the nature of Islam. Malise Ruthven's Very Short Introduction contains essential insights into issues such as why Islam has such major divisions between movements such as...
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Islam features widely in the news, often in its most militant versions, but few people in the non-Muslim world really understand the nature of Islam. Malise Ruthven's Very Short Introduction contains essential insights into issues such as why Islam has such major divisions between movements such as the Shi'ites, the Sunnis, and the Wahhabis, and the central importance of the Shar'ia (Islamic law) in Islamic life. It also offers fresh perspectives on contemporary questions: Why is the greatest 'Jihad' (holy war) now against the enemies of Islam, rather than the struggle against evil? Can women find fulfilment in Islamic societies? How must Islam adapt as it confronts the modern world?
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