View source for The Oxford Handbook of Qur'anic Studies (Book report)

The title is a book in the Quranic field, edited by Mustafa Shah and M. A. S. Abdel Haleem and published by Oxford University Press as one of the Qur'anic Studies Series. The following is a report of the book.<ref>https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-handbook-of-quranic-studies-9780199698646?q=Quranic%20Studies&lang=en&cc=in#</ref>

=Overview=
•	Offers the definitive collection covering the full spectrum of contemporary international scholarship associated with the study of the Qur'an

•	Provides detailed reviews of key topics and concepts prevalent in Qur'anic Studies

•	Examines new departures and developments in the research discourses

•	An indispensable resource for the academic study of the Qur'an, mapping milestones in the field

=Description=
The Qur'an is the foundational sacred text of the Islamic faith. Traditionally revered as the literal word of God, its pronouncements and discussions form the bedrock of Islamic beliefs and teachings. Notwithstanding its religious pre-eminence and the fact that it is the sacred text for over one billion of the world's Muslims, the Qur'an is also considered to be the matchless masterpiece of the Arabic language. Its historical impact as a text can be discerned in all aspects of the heritage of the Arabic literary tradition. Over recent decades, academic engagement with the Qur'an has produced an impressive array of scholarship, ranging from detailed studies of the text's unique language, style and structure, to meticulous surveys of its contents, concepts and historical contexts. The Oxford Handbook of Qur'anic Studies is an essential reference and starting point for those with an academic interest in the Qur'an. It offers not only detailed reviews of influential subjects in the field, but also a critical overview of developments in the research discourse. It explores the tradition of Qur'anic exegesis and hermeneutics, making it a comprehensive academic resource for the study of the Qur'an. No single volume devoted to such a broad academic survey of the state of the field currently exists.

=Table of Contents=
List of Illustrations

List of contributors

Introduction, Mustafa Shah and Muhammad Abdel Haleem

==Part I: The State of Qur'anic Studies==
1:Academic Scholarship and the Qur'an, Andrew Rippin

2:Modern Developments in Qur'anic Studies, Oliver Leaman

3:Islamic Origins and the Qur'an, Herbert Berg

4:Qur'anic Studies: Bibliographical Survey, Anna Akasoy

==Part II: The Historical Setting of the Qur'an==
5:Late Antique Near Eastern Context: Social and Religious Aspects, Muntasir F. al-Hamad and John F. Healey

6:Arabian Context of the Qur'an: History and the Text, Harry Munt

7:The Linguistic Landscape of pre-Islamic Arabia: Context for the Qur'an, Ahmad Al-Jallad

8:Qur'anic Exempla and Late Antique Narratives, Marianna Klar

9:The Qur'an and Judaism, Reuven Firestone

10:The Qur'an and Christianity, Neal Robinson

==Part III: The Qur'an: Textual Transmission, Codification, Manuscripts, Inscriptions and Printed Editions==
11:The Manuscript and Archaeological Traditions: Physical Evidence, François Déroche

12:The Form of the Qur'an: Historical Contours, Yasin Dutton

13:The Corpus of Qur'anic Readings (qirā'āt): History, Synthesis and Authentication, Mustafa Shah

14:Glorifying God's Word: Manuscripts of the Qur'an, Sheila S. Blair

15:Inscribing God's Word: Qur'anic texts on Architecture, Objects, and Other Solid Supports, Sheila S. Blair

16:A History of Printed Editions of the Qur'an, Efim A. Rezvan

==Part IV: Structural and Literary Dimensions of the Qur'an==
17:Language of the Qur'an, A. H. Mathias Zahniser

18:Vocabulary of the Qur'an: Meaning in Context, Mustafa Shah

19:Qur'anic Syntax, Michel Cuypers

20:Rhetorical Devices and Stylistic Features of Qur'anic Grammar, Muhammad Abdel Haleem

21:Inner-Qur'anic Chronology, Nicolai Sinai

22:The Structure of the Qur'an: The Inner Dynamic of the Sūra, Mustansir Mir

23:Discussions of Qur'anic Inimitability: The Theological Nexus, Ayman A. El-Desouky

24:The Qur'an and the Arabic Medieval Literary Tradition, Geert Jan van Gelder

25:The Qur'an and Arabic Poetry, Stefan Sperl

==Part V: Topics and Themes of the Qur'an==
26:Revelation and Prophecy in the Qur'an, Ulrika M:artensson

27:Doctrine and Dogma in the Qur'an, Stephen Burge

28:Law and the Qur'an, Joseph Lowry

29:Qur'anic Ethics, Ebrahim Moosa

30:Eschatology and the Qur'an, Sebastian Günther

31:Prophets and Personalities of the Qur'an, Anthony H. Johns

32:Politics and the Qur'an, Stefan Wild

33:Jihad and the Qur'an: Classical and Modern Interpretations, Asma Afsaruddin

34:Women and the Qur'an, Asma Afsaruddin

==Part VI: The Qur an in Context: Translation and Culture==
35: Translations of the Quraan: Western Languages

36:Translations of the Qur an: Islamicate Languages, M. Brett Wilson

37:Presenting the Qur'an Out of Context, Muhammad Abdel Haleem

38:Popular Culture and the Qur an: Classical and Modern Contexts, Bruce Lawrence

39:The Western Literary Tradition and the Qur an: an Overview, Jeffrey Einboden

==Part VII: Qur anic Interpretation: Scholarship and Literature of Early, Classical, and Modern Exegesis==
40:Early Qur'anic Commentaries, Andrew Rippin

41:Exegetical Designs of the Sira: Tafsir and Sira, Maher Jarrar

42:Early Qur'anic Exegesis: From Textual Interpretation to Linguistic Analysis, Kees Versteegh

43:Early medieval tafsīr (800-1000), Ulrika M:artensson

44:Medieval Exegesis: The Golden Age of Tafsīr, Walid A. Saleh

45:The Corpora of Isrāaīliyyāt, Roberto Tottoli

46:Contemporary Tafsīr: The Rise of Scriptural Theology, Walid A. Saleh

==Part VIII: Qur anic Exegesis: Discourses, Formats, and Hermeneutics==
47:Twelver Shiai Exegesis, Sajjad Rizvi

48:Ismāaīlī Scholarship on Tafsīr, Ismail Poonawala

49:Ibāḍī Tafsīr Literature, Valerie J. Hoffman and Sulaiman bin Ali bin Ameir Al-Shueili

50:Sufi Commentary: Formative and Later Periods, Alexander Knysh

51:Theological Commentaries, Tariq Jaffer

52:Philosophical Commentaries, Jules Janssens

53:Aesthetically Oriented Interpretations of the Qur an, Kamal Abu-Deeb

54:Tafsīr and Science, Robert Morrison

55:Classical Qur anic Hermeneutics, Johanna Pink

56:Sunni Hermeneutical Literature, Martin Nguyen

57:Modern Qur'anic Hermeneutics: Strategies and Development, Massimo Campinini

=Author Information=
Edited by Mustafa Shah, Senior Lecturer in Islamic Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and M. A. S. Abdel Haleem, Professor of Islamic Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London

Mustafa Shahis a Senior Lecturer in Islamic Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, where he completed his BA and PhD degrees. He research interests and teaching cover early Islamic literature, Arabic linguistic thought, classical exegesis, theologyand hadith studies. He has edited two major collections on the hadith and Quranic exegesis: The Hadith: Critical Concepts in Islamic Studies, Routledge, (2009), and Tafsir: Interpreting the Qur'an. Critical Concepts in Islamic Studies, Routledge, (2013).He is also editing TheOxford Handbook of Hadith Studies. 

M.A.S. Abdel Haleem was born in Egypt and educated at al-Azhar, Cairo, and Cambridge Universities. He taught Arabic at Cambridge University and has been teaching Arabic and Islamic Studies in London University for many years. He is currently Professor of Islamic Studies and Director of the Centre of Islamic Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He is editor of the Journal of Qur'anic Studies and the London Qur'an Studies Series. Among his published works are The Quran: A New Translation, Oxford: Oxford University Press, (2004); and The Qur'an: English translation with parallel Arabic text, Oxford University Press (2010); Understanding the Qur'an: themes and style. London: I B Tauris (1999); with Elsaid Badawi An Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur'anic Usage, Brill (2007). His latest work is entitled: Exploring the Qur'an: Images and Reality, I.B. Tauris (2017).
Contributors:

Kamal Abu-Deeb, Asma Afsaruddin, Anna Akasoy, Muntasir F. al-Hamad, Ahmad Al-Jallad, Sulaiman bin Ali bin Amir Al-Shueili, Herbert Berg, Sheila Blair, Stephen Burge, Massimo Campanini, Michel Cuypers, François Déroche, Yasin Dutton, Ayman A El-Desouky, Jeffrey Einboden, Ziad Elmarsafy, Reuven Firestone, Geert Jan Van Gelder, Sebastian Günther, John F. Healey, Muhammad Abdel Haleem, Valerie J. Hoffman, Tariq Jaffer, Jules Janssens, Maher Jarrar, Anthony H. Johns, Marianna Klar, Alexander Knysh, Ismail K. Poonawala, Bruce B. Lawrence, Oliver Leaman, Joseph E. Lowry, Ulrika Mårtensson, Mustansir Mir, Ebrahim Moosa, Robert Morrison, Harry Munt, Johanna Pink, Martin Nguyen, Efim A. Rezvan, Andrew Rippin, Sajjad Rizvi, Neal Robinson, Walid A. Saleh, Mustafa Shah, Nicolai Sinai, Stefan Sperl, Roberto Tottoli, Kees Versteegh, Stefan Wild, M. Brett Wilson, A. H. Mathias Zahniser

=Reviews and Awards=
"...this book is a must in all mission agencies that work in the Muslim world as well as in all Christian colleges and other agencies that have a heart for Muslims." - Dr. David Cashin, Evangelical Missions Quarterly

=Notes=