Introduction to the Qur'an (The New Edinburgh Islamic Surveys Book 8)

Richard Bell's approach is not well understood in the West, despite Watt's appraisal of his theories. The Bell take in the dating of the Muhammadan revelations is worth considering for a Hamilton.

this is not a translation of the Quran. It is a manual for professors. It does not tell you Bell's translation.

This is an extremely well written clear and readabl introduction to the Muslim Holy Book - its composition and history. Having said that, it does feel a need for further updating especially after Wansbrough and Luxemberg and the need to move away from unsatisfactory deference to Muslim views regarding its history. Surely, the publication of a critical text of the koran draws near.Bell does not provide a cogent theory for the Origin of the Qur'an more than the odd glimpse here and there - he largely accepts that its history in intwined with muhammad. Similarly, there is hardly anything in terms of discussing the language of the qur'an, its variety, Muhammad's variety in the linguistic milieu.Watt's revision now itself needs revising. It is futile asking people like M A S Abdul Haleem to take up the job, whose sugard translation disqualifies him straight off the bat.

Very good intro text to the Qur'an. Watt does an excellent job of revising and updatings Bell's original book. Watt unearths the jewels from Bell's writings and makes them acceptable to the more inclusinary scholarship in vogue today. The book becomes readable to Muslims. Takes a well rounded critical view of Muslim sources but does not reject them completely. Highly recommended.

An excellent introduction to western scholarship on the subject. It's useful to read this together with Fazlur Rahman's "Major Themes in the Qur'an", which is in many respects a Muslim response to Watt and Bell.Interestingly, the excellent work that Bell and Watt do in locating the Qur'an within the context of Muhammad's life actually tends to refute the work of more radical scholars such as John Wansbrough and Patricia Crone, who claim that the Qur'an was produced in the second or third century of Islam.

An important book for all students starting serious study of Islam and the Quran