The Qur’ān and Its Place in Muslim Life and Society*

Prerequisites: Proficiency in the use of Blackboard is expected (especially the discussion board feature) as we will be using it weekly. Student writings, course announcements and other course information and materials will be posted there.

Communication with Instructor: The best way to contact me is through email (see address above) since my presence in Hartford is limited hence my access to the office phone is also limited. However, you should be able to reach me at that phone number during my office hours. If you don’t reach me by phone, leave a message with secretary. I will try to respond to your communications within 24 hours.

Class: The class time will consist of both lectures by the instructor on various topics related to the Quran and student discussion of the readings and main topics of the week. The lectures are designed to be complementary to the information found in the textbooks.  Although some topics will necessarily repeat themselves in both the lecture and the readings, the lecture will not regurgitate the information found in the weekly readings. Instead it will either explore different issues then what is found in the readings or explore some of the same issues in the readings in more depth. So it behooves you to take notes of the lecture while in class. The topics of these lectures will be made available at a later time. As for the student discussion component of the class, more will be said about this in the Description of Assignment section of the syllabus.

Attendance Policy: Since this courses will rely heavily on in class discussion to enhance the learning process, attendance at all classes is required. You are allowed to miss 1 class without having it count against you. I reserve the right to lower your grade for every absence beyond the limit allotted (missing half the class will count as a half absence). I will not count absences that are excused for medical excuses that are corroborated with proper medical documentation. I may also not count other absences when excuses are provided, depending on my assessment of each case.

Required Texts

1- Ayoub, Mahmoud. The Quran and its Interpreters. SUNY Press. Albany, NY 1984. Buy now

2- Izutzu, Toshihiko. God and Man in the Koran: Semantics of the Koranic Weltanshauung. The Keio Institute of Cultural and Linguistic Studies. Tokyo 1964. (You may acquire any published edition of this book).

3- Mattson, Ingrid. The Story of the Quran. Blackwell Publishing. Malden, MA 2008. Buy now

4- Saeed, Abdullah. The Qur'an: An Introduction. Routledge, London, 2008. Buy now

5- Stowasser, Barbara. Women in the Quran, Traditions, and Interpretation. Oxford University Press. Oxford 1993. Buy now

6-Rahman, Fazlur. Major Themes of the Quran. Bibliotheca Islamica. Minneapolis, MN 1994. Buy now

*** Parts of Muhammad Asad's translation and commentary on the Quran entitled The Meaning of the Quran will also be required reading for this course. Many online websites contain this translation of the Quran; hence, not requiring you to purchase the book.

Grade Distribution: (See Description of Assignments for details at the end of the syllabus)

Syn-thesis Essays 45%

Final Exam 35%

Written Reaction Comments 20%

Course Outline:

Week 1 (1/28/2013-2/03/2013)

Reading: Asad, Surah 1: al-Fatiha; Mattson, chapters 1 + 2,  1-75;  Rahman, Chapter 1, 1-16.

Week 2 (2-04-2013/ 2/10/2013)

Reading: Asad, Surah 67: al-Mulk (The Dominion) - Surah 70: al-Ma'arij (The Way of Ascent); Rahman, Chapter 2, 17-36; Saeed, Chapters 1-3, 1-60.

Week 3 (2/11/2013-2/17/2013). Following Monday (2/18/2013) is President’s Day. NO CLASS

Reading: Asad, Surah 71: Nuh (Noah) – Surah 75: al-Qiyyamah (The Resurrection); Mattson; Chapter 3, 76-136; Rahman, Chapter 3, 37-64.

Week 4 (2/25/2013-3/03/2013)

Reading: Asad, Surah 76: al-Insan (Man) – Surah 82: al-'Infitar (The Cleaving Assunder); Rahman, Chapter 4-5, 65-104; Saeed, Chapters 4-5 + 9, 61-95 + 161-176.

Week 5 (3/04/2013-3/10/2013)

Reading: Asad, Surah 83: al-Mutaffifin (Those Who Give Short Measure) – Surrah 88: al-Ghashiyah (The Overshadowing); Mattson, Chapters 4-5, 176-234; Rahman, , Chapter 6-7, 106-131.

Week 6 (3/11/2013-3/17/2013)

Reading: Asad, Surah 89: al-Fajr (The Daybreak) – Surah 99: Az-Zalzalah (The Earth Quake); Rahman Chapter 8, 132-149; Saeed, Chapters 6-8, 97-160.

Week 7 (3/18/2013-3/24/2013)

Reading: Asad, Surah 100: al-'Adiyat (The Chargers) – Surah 114: al-Nas (Men); Rahman, Apendix I-II 150-179; Saeed, Chapters 10-12, 177-234.

Week 8 (3/25/2013-3/31/2013)

Reading: Ayoub 1-40 Introduction; Izutsu, Chapters 1-2, 9-72.

Week 9 (4/1/2013-4/07/2013)

Reading: Ayoub 41-93, al-Fatiha-al-Baqarah: V1-V39; Izutsu, Chapters 3-4, 73-119.

Week 10 (4/8/2013-4/14/2013)

Reading: Ayoub  93- 164, al-Baqarah: V40-V134; Izutsu, Chapters 5-6, 120-150.

Week 11 (4/15/2013-4/21/2013)

Reading: Ayoub 164-209 al-Baqarah: V135-V203; Izutsu, Chapters 7, 151-197.

Week 12 (4/22/2013-4/28/2013)

Reading: Ayoub 209-256 al-Baqarah: V204-257; Izutsu, Chapters 8-9, 198-242.

Week 13 (4/29/2013-5/5/2013)

Reading: Ayoub 256-278 al-Baqarah: V258-286; Stowasser, Chapters 1-7, 1-82.

Week 14 (5/6/2013-5/12/2013)

No readings. Preparations for final exam

Week 15 (5/13/2013)

FINAL EXAM May 13^th, 2013.

Description of Assignments

Syn-thesis Essays: Each student in the course will be required to write three analytical synthesis essays (5-6 double spaced pages, 1 inch margins) to the topics presented in your weekly readings. These essays require that the students find a particular theme/thread/topic/thesis in the weekly readings through which you will integrate/tie-together the various ideas covered by those readings under one rubric/argument. THIS IS NOT STRICTLY A SUMMERY PAPER of the main ideas in the readings. It is an argumentative essay where you will nonetheless be making a synopsis of the readings under the theme/thread/topic/thesis you have chosen. To put it in another way, you formulate your own understanding of the specific topics/ideas covered in the readings and write a response to them through the interpretive lens of your own understanding. So, some creativity will be required on your part in writing these essays. The essay should include the citation of the author (s) and page(s) of the ideas/facts from that week’s readings that support its argument/thesis.

Each student will choose or be assigned a specific week in which they are to write their synthesis essays in class in the previous week. These three essays will be spread out over the course of the semester. In other words, each student should plan to complete a response paper for each of three months in the course (i.e. February, March, April, and for some students the first week of May).

These essays will serve as the focus for the in class discussion. It is anticipated that there will be 3-4 essays to discuss each class. Each essay is to be posted as an attachment in designated forum on Blackboard’s Discussion Board by Sunday 5pm previous to our Monday class that we will be dealing with those essays. Give a title to your essay which should be placed in the subject field of the posting.  It is to be posted so that the rest of the class can download it and read it previous to class (there will also be an assignment for the rest of the students to complete based on these essays which I will explain in the next section).  The student then will be asked to read their essay to the class whereby a class discussion will follow the reading.  Since class discussion depends on these essays and because these essays must be read by all students prior to the class, LATE ESSAYS WILL BE PENALIZED BY 33% (i.e. 5% of the 15%) as the other students would not have the time to read it before class; hence thwarting one of the purposes of this essay (i.e. to generate class discussion on the readings).  Each student who wrote for that week is to bring a hard copy of the synthesis essay to class to be submitted to the instructor for grading which will be returned to them the following week. Each of the three essays will be worth 15% for a total of 45% of your class grade. A grading rubric is posted on Blackboard which will be used by the instructor to evaluate the essays.

Optional: Students maywant forgo one of the syn-thesis essays for the option to do a book review (5-6pgs) instead. The book must be related to the Quran which can be drawn from the bibliography listed below or another book that the student chooses with the instructor’s approval. This option must be cleared with the instructor before its undertaking and your book review will count as one of the syn-thesis essays. All of the conditions (due date, page length, grade value, etc) stipulated in the syn-thesis paper will apply here. You will present this book review in class and students are allowed to write their reactions comments on it. Yet, the student who chooses to write a book review to present in a particular week will still be responsible for the class reading material for that week.

Written Reaction Comments: While only 3-4 students from the entire class will be required to write a synthesis essay per week, all of the other students who are not writing a synthesis essay for that week, will be required to write responses prior to the class meeting to the synthesis essays that are posted on Blackboard for that week.  To be more exact, you are to respond to two out of three (or four) synthesis papers that posted for that week (each response should be no less than 150 words). Over the semester, you would have accumulated 10 weeks of responses (the other three weeks you would have written a synthesis essay yourself negating any need for you to write reaction comments those weeks). Since the synthesis essays will be posted by 6pm Sunday, you will have until 5pm Monday (i.e. 24 hours) to download, read, and respond to at least two synthesis essays that are posted (you may respond to more essays if you like). The purpose of this for you to be thoroughly prepared for the discussion that will ensue in class that week based on these essays. Hence, the need for you to have read and formulated a definite position in regards to the topic of class discussion prior to coming to class. This will insure that everyone be prepared to make a contribution to the class.

What you say in these responses is up to you so long as it deals with the issues raised in the essay and is based on your understanding of that week’s readings (cite author and pages in the readings to support your response). Your responses may take any of the following forms: you may have further information/argument on the topic that you would like to add, or perhaps you want to disagree with point of view of the author of the essay, or you might want to share your thoughts on how that particular essay and/or reading furthered your understanding of the subject under study, etc. Keep in mind that your writing must be cogent and focused a particular point you are trying to make and not a serious of scattered thoughts that you haphazardly put together. Moreover, your response should be respectful of the essays and/or persons of the classmate you are responding to [no character attacks or overt belittlement of the ideas that your classmates hold]. These postings should take the form of replies to the thread that is already created by the synthesis essay thread of the classmate you are responding to.

Since these responses are preparations for that week’s class, NO LATE REACTION COMMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED, as that would thwart their purpose (i.e. your preparedness for class discussion).  The totality of responses will be worth 20% of the total class grade.

Final Exam: This will consist of an in-class exam which draw upon both the readings and lecture notes. The exam date is: May 13^th, 2013. A week prior to the exam you will be alerted to the topics you need to focus on for the exam. More will be said about the timing and specific format of the exam later in the semester. NO MAKE UP EXAMS WILL BE ADMINSTERED. So, make sure to attend the exam unless any medical emergencies suddenly arise. The exam is 35% of the total class grade.

NOTE: I reserve the right to make changes in the course outline, syllabus, examinations, readings and assignments which are compatible with the aims of this course.

Bibliography

Translations of the meaning of the Qur’ân with commentary:

Abu-Shabanah, Abdel Khalek Himmat, translator. Al-Montakhab [The Select] in the Interpretation of the Holy Quran: Arabic-English: The Egyptian Translation. Reviewed by Muhammad Mahdy Allam. 1^st ed. Cairo: Ministry of Al Awqaf, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, 1413/1993. 18 + 1008 pp., + 18 + 1008 pp. of Arabic text.

Ahmad, Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood, “Khalifatul Masih II” (1306-1385/1889-1965). The Holy Quran with English Translation and Commentary. Edited by Maulawi Sher ‘Ali, Bashir Ahmad and Malik Ghulam Farid. Rabwah, Pakistan: Oriental and Religious Publishing Corporation, 1366-1383/1947-1963. 5 parts organized in 3 vols. Reprinted Tilford, UK: Islam International Publications, Ltd., 1988. 5 vols. 3039 pp.

Ali, Abdullah Yusuf (1289-1373/1872-1953). The Holy Qur-an: Text, Translation and Commentary. 1st ed. Lahore: Shaikh Muhammad Ashraf, 1353-1356/1934-1937. 30 vols. 2nd ed. 1356-1357/1937-1938. 2 vols. 3rd revised edition. Lahore: Shaikh Muhammad Ashraf and New York: Hafner Publishing Co., 1356/1938. 3 vols. (Ashraf) or 2 vols.

Ali, S[ajjadi] V[afakhani] Mir Ahmed. The Holy Qur’an, with English Translation of the Arabic Text and Commentary according to the Version of the Holy Ahlul-Bait.

Ali, Syed Anwer. Qur’ân: The Fundamental Law of Human Life: Being a Commentary of the Holy Qur’ân Keeping in View the Philosophical Thought, Scientific Research, Political, Economical, and Social Developments in the Human Society Down the Ages.

Asad, Muhammad (1318-1412/1900-1992). The Message of the Qur’ân. Leiden and London: E. J. Brill, 1979. Reprinted at Gibraltar: Dar al-Andalus, 1980, with revised edition 1984. x + 998 pp.

Azad, Abul Kalam (1306-1377/1888-1958). The Tarjumân al-Qur’ân. Translated by Syed Abdul Latif. Vols. I-II. Bombay: Asia Publishing House, 1962-1967. Reprint Lahore: Sind Sagar-Academy, 1968. Vol. III. Hyderabad: Syed Abdul Latif Trust, 1978. Reprint of whole set: Hyderabad, Deccan, 1979; New Delhi: Kitab Bhavan, 1990. 3 vols. lxxxvii + 1245 pp.

al-Baydâwî, ‘Abd Allâh b. ‘Umar (d. 691/1291). Chrestomathia Baidawiana: The Commentary of el-Baidawi on Sura III Translated and Explained. Translated and annotated by David Samuel Margoliouth (1275-1359/1858-1940). London: Luzac, 1894. xv + 216 pp.

Bulandshahri, Muhammad Ashiq Ilahi. Illuminating Discourses on the Noble Quran. Zam-Zam Publishers, 1422/2001. 10 vols. 5020 pp.

Farid, Malik Ghulam, ed. The Holy Qur’an: Arabic Text and English Translation with Commentary. 1st edition. Rabwah, Pakistan: Oriental and Religious Publishing Corporation, 1969. a-p + 1461 pp. Also: London: London Mosque, 1981, with same pagination. Also: Tilford, Surrey, UK: Islam International Publications, 1988, with same pagination.

al-Hilali, Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din bin Abdul Qâdir, (1311-1408/1893-1986) and Muhammad Muhsin Khan (b. 1345/1927). Explanatory English Translation of the Holy Qur’an: A Summarized Version of Ibn Kathîr Supplemented by At-Tabarî with Comments from Sahîh-Al-Bukhârî. 1st ed. al-Madînah al-Munawwarah, 1974. 2nd ed. Chicago, 1977. Reprint Ankara, Hilâl Yayinlari, 1978. xv + 604 + 604 + xix

Ibn Kathîr, ‘Imâd al-Dîn Ismâ‘îl (701-774/1302-1373). Ibn Kathîr, Tafsîr of the Glorious Qurân: Explanation and Commentary: Sûrah (Chapter) Hûd and Sûrah (Chapter) Yûsuf (Verses 1-53), translated by Abû Yasmiyn ‘Abdul Jalîl ibn Cary T. Faison, emended by Mohamad A. El-Sheikh, Ph.D., Baltimore, MD: Abû Yasmiyn ‘Abdul Jalîl ibn Cary T. Faison and IARA-USA National Capital Area, [2000], xviii + 413 pp.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Summarized) Part 30: A Commentary of the Noble Qur’ân by the Great Imam Al-Hâfiz Imaduddin Abul-Fida’ Ismail bin Kathir Al-Qurashi Ad-Dimashqi. Translated by Habib Badr. Revised by Omar Johnson. 1st ed. Riyadh: Darussalam Publishers and Distributors, 1418/1997. 167 pp.

al-Misbâh al-munîr fî tahdhîb Tafsîr Ibn Kathîr: Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged). Edited by Safi-ur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri. Riyadh: Darussalam, 2000. 10 vols. 6,593 pp.

Islâhî, Amîn Ahsan (1322-1418/1904-1997). Tadabbur-e-Qur’ân: Pondering over the Qur’ân. Vol. I. Tafsîr of Sûrah al-Fâtihah and Sûrah al-Baqarah. Translated by Mohammad Saleem Kayani (b. 1353/1934). Kuala Lumpur: Islamic Book Trust, 2007. 693 pp.

Jullundhri, Ali Ahmad Khan. Translation of the Glorious Holy Qur’ân, with Commentary. Lahore: World Islamic Mission (Repon Press), 1962. 367 + 48 pp. 2nd edition, 1963. 1254 pp. 3rd edition, 1978.

Kamal’ud-Din, Khwaja (1287-1351/1870-1932). A Running Commentary of the Holy Qur’an. Edited by Khwaja Nazir Ahmad. London, c. 1957.

Khan, Muhammad Zafrulla (1310-1405/1893-1985). The Qur’ân: Arabic Text and English Translation. London: Curzon Press, 1970. 673 pp. 2nd revised ed. The Qur’an: Qur’an Majid. 1975. lxiii + 673 pp. Reprinted 1979. Also reprinted 1981.

Khatib, Muhammad Muhammad. The Bounteous Koran: A Translation of Meaning and Commentary. London: Macmillan Press, 1986. xlvii + 1654 pp.

•Maudûdî, Abul A‘la (1321-1399/1903-1979). The Meaning of the Qur’ân. Translated by Chaudhri Muhammad Akbar Muradpuri (d. 1392/1972). Edited by ‘Abdul ‘Azîz Kamâl. Lahore: Islamic Publications (Pvt.) Ltd., 1967-1988. 16 small vols. 4121 pp. Later republished as 6 larger vols. by Shaikh Muhammad Ashraf at Lahore.           

Nuri, Khadim Rahmani (1319-1391/1901-1972). The Running Commentary of the Holy Qur’ân. Edited by Zohurul Hoque. Shillong, India: Sufi Hamsaya Gurudwar, 1964. xvi + 1144 pp.

Özek, Ali, Nureddin Uzunoğlu, Tevfik Rüştü Topuzoğlu, and Mehmet Maksutoğlu. The Holy Qur’an with English Translation. 1st ed. Istanbul: Ilmî Nasriyat Iç ve Dis Ticaret A. S., 1992. xvi + 623 pp. 2^nd revised edition, 1994. 3^rd revised edition, 1996. xvi + 623 pp. 

Parvez, Ghulam Ahmad (1321-1405/1903-1985). Exposition of the Holy Qurân. Vol. I. Lahore: Tolu-e-Islam Trust (Regd.), 1990. x + 102 (intro.) + 441 pp.

Pirzada, Shams (d. 1420/1999). Dawatul Quran: Arabic Text, Translation and Commentary. Translated by Abdul Karim Shaikh (d. 1416/1995) and Sultan Akhter. Bombay: Idara Dawatul Quran, 1991-1996. 3 vols. [20] + 2386 + lx pp.

*al-Qurtubî, Abû ‘Abd Allâh Muhammad ibn Ahmad. Tafsir al-Qurtubi: Classical Commentary of the Holy Qur’an.Vol. I. Translated and abridged by Aisha Bewley. Edited by Abdalhaqq Bewley. London: Dar al-Taqwa, 2003. 787 pp.

Qutb, Sayyid (1324-1386/1906-1966). In the Shade of the Qur’ân: Fî Zilâl al-Qur’ân. Translated by Adil Salahi and Ashur Shamis. Leicester: The Islamic Foundation, 1999-. Vol. I-6.

Sadr-‘âmelî, Sayyid Abbas, translator. An Enlightening Commentary into the Light of the Holy Qur’ân (Nûr al-Qur’ân fî tafsîr al-Qur’ân): Part 1. Edited by Celeste Smith. 1st ed. Isfahan: Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali Library, 1417/1997. 394 pp. Also, Saiyed Abbas Sadr-‘âmelî, translator. An Enlightening Commentary into the Light of the Holy Qur’ân (Nûr al-Qur’ân fî tafsîr al-Qur’ân). Edited by Somaiyah Berrigan. 1st ed. Esfahan: Amir-al-Mo’mineen Ali Library, 1415/1994. 2nd ed. 1416/1995. 2 vols. liv + 696 pp.

Shafî‘, Mufti Muhammad (1315-1396/1897-1976). Ma‘ârif ul-Qur’ân. Translated by Muhammad Hasan Askari (d. 1397/1977),  Muhammad Shamim (d. 1424/2002), Muhammad Wali Raazi, Muhammad Ishrat Husain, and Ahmed Khalîl Azîz. Revised by Muhammad Taqi ‘Usmani (b. 1362/1943). Karachi: Maktaba Darul-Uloom Karachi, 1419/1998-1425/2004. 8 vols. xxv + 6,086 pp.

Siddiqi, Abdul Hamid (d. 1398/1978). The Holy Qur’an: Parts I-VIII. 8 vols. 220 pp. each.

al-Suyûtî, Jalâl al-Dîn ‘Abd al-Rahmân ibn Abî Bakr, (849-911/1445-1505) and Jalâl al-Dîn Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Mahallî (791-864/1389-1459). Tafsir al-Jalalayn. Translated by Feras Hamza. Fons Vitae, 2007.

•*al-Tabarî, Abû Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Jarîr (225-910/839-923). The Commentary on the Qur’ân: Being an Abridged Translation of Jâmi’ al-bayân ‘an ta’wîl ây al-Qur’ân. Vol. I. Translated with introduction and notes by John Cooper (1367-1418/1948-1998). Oxford: Oxford University Press & Hakim Investment Holdings (M. E.) Limited, 1987. xliv + 492 pp.

al-Tabâtabâ’î, Muhammad Husayn (1321-1401/1903-1981). Al-Mîzân: An Exegesis of the Qur’ân. Tr. by Saeed Akhtar Rizvi. Tehran: World Organization for Islamic Services, 1983. 6 vols., but incomplete. Later reissued in 12 out of a total of 40 vols. from 1989. 2654 pp. in first 8 vols.

Usmani, Shabbir Ahmad (1305-1369/1887-1949). The Noble Qur’ân: Tafseer-e-Usmani. Translated by Mohammad Ashfaq Ahmad (1350-1406/1931-1986). Lahore: Aalameen Publications, 1991. 3 vols. 2643 pp. Reprinted New Delhi: Idara Isha’at-e-Diniyat (P) Ltd., 1992.

Zaheer, Syed Iqbal. Tafsîr Ishraq al-Ma'ani: Being a Quintessence of Qur’anic Commentaries. Vol. I. Sûrah Al-Fatiha, Sûrah Al-Baqarah. Bangalore, India: Iqra Welfare Trust, 1992. xxvii + 251 pp. (actual edition; possible later edition 368 pp.); Vol. II, 374 pp.; Vol. III, 317 pp.; Vol. IV, 263 pp.; Vol. V, 311 pp.; Vol. VI, covering Sûrahs 12 (Yûsuf) through 16 (al-Nahl), 314 pp. Juz’ 30 (not yet numbered by volume), 261 pp.

Zohurul Hoque (b. 1345/1926). The Translation and Commentary on the Holy Qur-an. Centerville, OH: Holy Qur-an Publishing Project, 2000. xx + 1,235 pp.

Principles (usûl) of Quran interpretation

al-Ghazâlî, Abû Hâmid Muhammad b. Muhammad (450-505/1058-1111). The Recitation and Interpretation of the Qur’an: Al-Ghazâlî’s Theory. Translated by Muhammad Abul Quasem. London and Kuala Lumpur: Kegan Paul, 1979. Reprinted 1982, 1983, 1984. 121 pp.

Ibn Taymiyyah, Taqî al-Dîn Ahmad (661-728/1263-1328). An Introduction to the Exegesis of the Qur’ân. Translated by Muhammad ‘Abdul Haq Ansari. Riyadh: Islamic University of Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud, 1989. 72 pp. Reprinted as An Introduction to the Principles of Tafseer. Al-Hidaayah Publishers, 1414/1993. 65 pp.

Mahmoud, Mostafa (b. 1340/1921). Understanding the Qur’ân: A Contemporary Approach. Translated by M. M. Enani. Amana Publications, 2004. 268 pp.

Maudoodi, Syed Abul A’ala. An Introduction to Understanding the Qur’ân. Translated by Zafar Ishaq Ansari. Leicester: The Islamic Fopundation, 1408/1988. Reprinted Riyadh: World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), 1990. 48 pp.

Murad, Khurram (1351-1417/1932-1996). The Way to the Qur’ân. Markfield, Leicester, UK: The Islamic Foundation. 144 pp.

Philips, Abu Ameenah Bilal (b. 1366/1947). Usool at-Tafseer: The Methodology of Qur’aanic Explanation. Sharjah, UAE: Dar al-Fatah, 1997. 344 pp. Reprint with same pagination: Kuala Lumpur, A. S. Noordeen, 1423/2002.

al-Suyûtî, Jalâl al-Dîn (849-911/1445-1505). Comprehensive Guide to the Sciences of the Qur’ân: Al-Itqân fî ‘Ulûm al-Qur’ân. Translated by Hamid Algar. Reviewed by Ezzeddin Ibrahim. Reading, UK: Garnet Publishing, Ltd. Not yet published.

Ushama, Thameem. Methodologies of the Qur’ânic Exegesis. Kuala Lumpur: A. S. Noordeen, 1416/1995. xii + 222 pp.

Usmani, Muhammad Taqi (b. 1362/1943). An Approach to the Quranic Sciences. Darul Ishaat, 2000. 534 pp.

Von Denffer, Ahmad (b. 1368/1949). ‘Ulûm al-Qur’ân: An Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur’ân. Leicester: The Islamic Foundation, 1403/1983, reprinted 1985, 1989. 189 pp. Revised ed., 202 pp.

Waliyullah [al-Dihlawî], Shah (1114-1176/1703-1762). al-Fauz al-Kabir fi Usul al-Tafsir: The Principles of Quran Commentary. Translated by G. N. Jalbani (b. 1332/1914). 1st edition. Islamabad: National Hijra Council, 1405/1985. ix + 93 pp.

History of the Quran and its interpretation:

Abdul, Musa O. A. The Qur’an: Shaykh Tabarsi’s Commentary. Lahore: Sh. Muhammad Ashraf, 1977. vii + 239 pp.

Ali, Muhammad Mohar. The Qur’ân and the Latest Orientalist Assumptions. 1999. 59 pp.

Khalifa, Mohammad (b. 1348/1929). The Sublime Qur’ân and Orientalism. London and New York: Longman, 1983. xviii + 262 pp.

al-Azami, Muhammad Mustafa. History of the Qur’ânic Text from Revelation to Compilation. UK Islamic Academy, 2003. 376 pp.

Bennabi, Malek (1323-1393/1905-1973). The Qur’anic Phenomenon: An Essay of a Theory on the Qur’an.

Expanded ed. Tr. by Mohamed El-Taher El-Mesawi. Kuala Lumpur: Islamic Book Trust and The Other Press, 2001. pp. 298.

*Al-Imam, Ahmad ‘Ali. Variant Readings of the Qur’an: A Critical Study of Their Historical and Linguistic Origins. Herndon, VA: IIIT (International Institute of Islamic Thought. 190 pp.

Ridâ, Muhammad Rashîd (1282-1354/1865-1935). The Muhammadan Revelation. Translated by Yusuf Talal DeLorenzo. Alexandria, VA: Al-Saadawi Publications, 1416/1996. xi + 148 pp.

Tabâtabâ’î, ‘Allâmah Sayyid M[uhammad] H[usayn] (1321-1401/1903-1981). The Qur’an in Islam: Its Impact and Influence on the Life of Muslims. Translated by Assadullah ad-Dhaakir Yate. Edited by David Elisha. 1st ed. London: Zahra Publications, 1987. 119 pp.

Topical commentaries and guides to the contents of the Quran:

Abdel Haleem, Muhammad [A. S.]. Understanding the Qur’an: Themes and Style. London: I. B. Tauris, 1999. viii + 228 pp.

Abdul-Raof, Hussein. The Qur’an Outlined: Theme and Text. 158 pp.

Afridi, Mohammad Razi Khan, and Mohammad Ilyas Navaid. Encyclopaedia of Quranic Studies. New Delhi: Anmol Publications, 2006. 26 vols. 10,758 pp

al-‘Anani, Hasan. Freedom and Responsibility in Qur’anic Perspective. American Trust Publications. 217 pp.

al-Fandî, Muhammad Jamâl al-Dîn. On Cosmic Verses in the Quran (Studies in Islam Series, No. 3). Translated by Ismail Cashmiry. Revised by Shawki Sukkary. Cairo: Supreme Council for Islamic Affaris, 1961. 81 pp.

al-Ghazâlî, Muhammad (1335-1416/1917-1996). A Thematic Commentary on the Qur’an. Kuala Lumpur: A. S. Noordeen. 775+ pp.

Hamid, Eltigani Abdelgader. The Qur’an and Politics: A Study of the Origins of Political Thought in the Makkan Qur’an. Herndon, VA: International Institute of Islamic Studies (IIIT), 2004. 225 pp.

Husain, Imam Rashid. Qur’anology: The Practical Solution to the World’s Problems and Crisis. London: Ta-Ha Publishers, Ltd., 1407/1987.  x + 196 pp.

Mawdûdî, Abul A‘la (1321-1399/1903-1979). Four Basic Qur’anic Terms. 103 pp.

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al-Wahidi an-Naisaburi, Abu al-Hassan Ali ibn Ahmad (d. 468/1076). Reasons & Occasions of Revelation of the Holy Quran. Translated by Adnan Salloum. Beirut: Dar al-Kotob al-Ilmiyah. 557 pp.