Qur’an Reading Group

This group is designed to be a forum in which participants gain a deeper knowledge of the content of the Qur’an. We will use primarily use English translations of the Qur’an and refer to the Arabic text where helpful. For this reason, knowledge of Qur’anic Arabic is beneficial, but not a requirement. We will use two supplemental texts (Ernst, 2011 and Sells, 2023) to aid us in our methodology of reading. Participants are also welcome to contribute any insights from reading of tafsir traditions or other commentaries. 

The goal of our discussions will not be to derive religious or hermeneutical conclusions from the readings. Rather, we will seek to come to a knowledge of the content and flow of individual suras, understand how the content of a sura coheres, and then discuss any claims made or questions raised by the text. 

This group is primarily aimed at individuals involved in disciplines that relate to Islamic studies but who are not necessarily Qur’anic scholars. As such, while they may frequently encounter references to individual Qur’anic verses and passages, they may not have had the opportunity to engage in an in-depth, literary study of the Qur’anic text. That said, scholars with expertise in Qur’anic studies are also welcome to participate.

There will be a facilitator who will organize the group and convene the meetings, but otherwise the discussions will be participant-led. 

Format of the Sessions:

English Translations of the Qur’an. It would be helpful to read each passage in more than one translation. Suggestions include:

We will meet once a week for 6 weeks for 90-minute sessions. Our proposed dates are Thursdays, October 17, 24, 31, November 7, 14, and 21, at 5pm Istanbul time. However, these can be adjusted based on the group’s preferences. 

Prior to each session, participants will read a sura from the Qur’an, and one supplemental reading from either Sells or Ernst. We will then each submit one discussion question in writing to the group.

Each class will begin with a discussion on methodology based on the reading from the secondary text for that week. This will be followed by an attempt at a summary of the content of the sura for that session. We will then use the remaining time to discuss the questions that were submitted beforehand.

Texts:

English Translations of the Qur’an. It would be helpful to read each passage in more than one translation. Suggestions include:

• Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Quran (The Holy Quran. Text, Translation and Commentary). Indianapolis : American Trust Pub., 1977.
• Haleem, M. A. S. Abdel. The Qur’an. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004
• Nasr, Seyyed Hossein, Caner K Dagli, Maria Massi Dakake, Joseph E.B. Lumbard, and Mohammed Rustom. The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary. New York: HarperOne, 2017.
• Ernst, Carl W. How to Read the Qur’an: A New Guide, with Select Translations. Edinburgh University Press, 2022. 
• Sells, Michael. Approaching the Qur’an: The Early Revelations (Third Edition). Oneworld Publications, 2023.