This Reader assembles over two dozen selection of writing by leading scholar of Islam Bruce B. Lawrence which range from analyses of premodern and modern Islamic discourses, practices, and institutions to methodological and theoretical reflections on the study of religion.
The untold story of how the Arabic Qur'an became the English KoranFor millions of Muslims, the Qur'an is sacred only in Arabic, the original Arabic in which it was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in the seventh century. To many Arab and non-Arab believers alike, the book literally defies translation, yet English translations are growing in both number and importance. Bruce Lawrence tells the remarkable story of the centuries-long quest to translate the Qur'an' s lyrical verses―and to make English itself an Islamic language. A translation saga like no other, this panoramic book looks at cyber Koran s, versions by feminist translators, and even a graphic Qur'an by the acclaimed visual artist Sandow Birk.
An authoritative introduction to the sacred text reveals how it represents Islam, describing the origins of the faith in seventh-century Arabia while offering insight into how the Qurʼan remains a pivotal influence on modern society and politics