The History of the Quranic Text
M. M. Al-Azami
Paperback
Second Edition
From Revelation to Compilation: A Comparative Study with the Old and New Testaments
This expansive book provides unique insights into the holy text’s immaculate preservation, as well as exploring many of the accusations levelled against it. The reception of divine revelations, Prophet Muhammad’s role in disseminating and compiling these verses, and the setting of the text’s final external shape are scientifically examined alongside such topics as the origins of Arabic, the so-called Mushaf of Ibn Masud, and the strict methodology employed in assembling textual fragments.
By way of comparison, the author investigates the histories of the Old and New Testaments, relying entirely on Judeo-Christian sources, and uncovers a startling range of alterations in the Biblical Scriptures. Using this as a springboard, he illustrates convincingly that Western research into Islam’s Holy Book is motivated by more than mere curiosity, and has no scientific bearing on the Quran’s integrity.
Contents
PART I: THE HISTORY OF THE QUR’ANIC TEXT
1: Introduction
2: Early History of Islam: A Brief Look
3: Revelations and the Prophet Muhammad
4: Teaching the Qur’an
5: The Recording and Arrangement of the Qur’an
6: The Written Compilation of the Qur’an
7: ‘Uthman’s Mushaf
8: The Evolution of Reading Aids Within the Mushaf
9: The History of Arabic Paleography
10: Arabic Paleography and Orthography in the Qur’an
11: Studies of Existing Mushafs Ascribed to ‘Uthman
12: Causes of Variant Readings
13: The Muslim Educational Methodology
14: The So-Called Mushaf of Ibn Mas’ud
PART II: THE HISTORY OF THE BIBLICAL SCRIPTURES
15: Early History of Judaism: A Brief Look
16: The Old Testament and Its Corruption
17: Early History of Christianity: A Brief Look
18: The New Testament: Its Anonymous Authorship and Corruption
PART III: AN APPRAISAL OF ORIENTALIST RESEARCH
19: The Orientalist and the Qur’an
20: Orientalist Motivations: A Study of Subjectivity
21: Epilogue