Islam and its World
Islam is the world’s second largest religion with 1.8 billion followers and a majority presence in 49 countries. It is related to Judaism and Christianity in its foundation as a Abrahamic faith, but it considers itself the completed and universal version of a faith that had been historically set forth by Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. The Qur’an, the unaltered and final revelation of God, is its scripture, its holy book. Details of the faith itself may be found in some of the introductory books we carry.
That said, Islam is also an intriguing historical religion. Its rise in Arabia in the 7th Century (Common Era - it is important to remember that, as with the Jews and many other cultures around the world, calendars are self-defined), its engine of power for the spread of Islamic Civilization across the Middle East, the Mediterranean World, and into Africa and Asia — all are crucial to understanding world history. Islam’s love of science and scholarship, its provocative theories of history, its art and literature — all are deep and complex and rewarding areas of study and commentary.
Islam is also caught up in the high passions and politics of contemporary times. An international web of resources, imperialism, colonialism, nationalism, and shifting alliances keep Islam ever before all peoples. Being a bookseller, I believe the more information, carefully chosen, the better. Hence this page, my gathering of books already stocked here at the store, and as always, a reflection of my paths of understanding Islam.
The Qur'an: A Verse Translation
The Qur'an: A Verse Translation
Islam’s founding text, rendered for the first time in flowing English verse.
This monumental feat of translation, the product of a ten-year-long collaboration between one of our most respected scholars of Islam (Bruce B. Lawrence) and a poet and scholar of literature (M. A. R. Habib), The Qur'an: A Verse Translation offers readers the first rendering in English to echo, in accessible and fluent verse, the sonorous beauty of the Arabic original as well as the complex nuances of its meaning.
Those familiar with the Qur'an in Arabic—especially the faithful who each day hear the text recited aloud—know that it is a sublime blend of sound and sense, music and meaning. While no translation can perfectly capture the inimitable virtues of the original, Habib and Lawrence have come closest to a readable, clear, and fluid English Qur'an that all readers, regardless of their faith or familiarity with the text, can read with pleasure, gaining a deeper appreciation of the book and the religious tradition it inspired.
A rich and informative introduction situates the Qur'an in its cultural context and describes its unique structure and history. A note from the translators explains their painstaking efforts to address the many challenges that any translator must face when rendering the Qur'an into English. Extensive notes and explanatory apparatus will help all readers—whether they are familiar with the original or coming to the text for the first time—to read (and hear) the Qur'an with fresh understanding and insight.