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Product Description
This volume rejects the notion that Islam's sacred text is error free and cannot be critically evaluated. The study of the Koran must develop and mature. Scholars of Islam are of course familiar with the book's many errors and contradictions, but these inherent flaws have rarely been revealed to a wider public. "The Origins of the Koran" is an attempt to remedy this deficiency by bringing together classic critical essays which raise key issues surrounding Islam's holy book. Divided into four parts, this important anthology begins with Theodor Noldeke's first truly scientific study of the Koran. Part Two focuses on the difficulty of establishing a reliable Koranic text, while Part Three examines the Jewish, Christian, and Zoroastrian sources of Muhammad's 'revelation'. Part Four is a consideration of the controversial interpretations of contemporary scholar John Wansbrough, who questions the historical reliability of the earliest Islamic sources. This superb collection, which includes additional selections from Leone Caetani, Arthur Jeffery, David Margoliouth, Andrew Rippin, C C Torrey, and more, will prove indispensable to scholars and all those interested in the textual underpinning of one of the fastest growing religions in the world.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
56 of 68 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Although some of the material is older, as someone new to Quranic studies I found it very helpful. Even today, there is scant material available on the sources of the Quran, and so having some of the older work of the likes of Jeffreys et al is immensely helpful.
I found it interesting that most of the criticisms of Warraq's book from Muslims consist of "but the Quran says it's from God, so it must be". This is circular reasoning and, sadly, nonsense. The authors whose essays appear in this book have endeavoured to show that the text of the Quran has a history (difficult, given the burning by the third Caliph of many early manuscripts) and was, in many cases, copied verbatim from other sources such as the Talmud.
47 of 58 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a useful collection of articles on the historical origins of the Qur'an, many of which are hard, for the non-specialist, to track down. The very small number of similar publications available on the market makes this an important book. However, the material included is rather old, to say the least, with virtually nothing from the last fifty years of scholarship, when important advances have been made. It is a shame, for example, that we are not given any "classic" introductions dealing with some recent discoveries, such as the early variant forms of the Qur'an found in the 70s in Yemen. It is also rather sad that, given the enormous number of critical (in the best sense of the word) studies of Christian and Jewish religious texts, that the articles included here do not make use of the plethora of historical tools that these, comparable works, have made available to the modern scholar.
26 of 47 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I hope books like this will begin to expose the imperialistic and totalitarian nature of Arabic idealogies, AND their "manifesto". Its good to see that the discourse has finally begun!
Muslim's who are increasing in numbers in the west, must learn to respect free inquiry and action.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
"based on polemic" and an uncritical acceptance of sources
...This book, edited by the rather nebulous personage of "Ibn Warraq" (neither his full name nor his institutional affiliation, if any, are anywhere given), consists of... Read more
Published on 8 Sep 2000
Total trash.
Just because this man does not understand what God has said, doesn't mean these phrases are 'contradictions' or 'errors'.
Published on 22 May 1999
The author is up against God!
I must say the author has done his research but the bottom line is who would you rather believe - man or God. Read more
Published on 27 Jan 1999
Intersting to see the paralells in stories
I gave three stars not to indicate that it is great book of value but rather interesting to see the other side of view how they think, what they think and where they fail. Read more
Published on 27 Dec 1998
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