Biblical Traditions in the Qur’ān, British Academy, London | October 11 – 12, 2018

Biblical Traditions in the Qur’ān, British Academy, London | October 11 – 12, 2018

Delegates were welcomed to the conference at the British Academy, in London by Nicolai Sinai (Oxford), who explained the impetuous behind the conference; a new publication on biblical traditions in the Qur’ān, which will hopefully go to press in 2019. While noting the continuing importance of the contribution made to the field by, amongst others, Heinrich Speyer, with his Die Biblischen Erzählungen im Qoran (1931), Sinai noted that this work remains untranslated and thus inaccessible to many scholars. Developments in the ways in which scholars approach the Qur’ān and view its relationship with biblical literature also call for a new publication that comprehensively examines biblical traditions in the Qur’ān, in light of these new approaches and methods.

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The British Academy was established in 1902 and is based at 10-11 Carlton House Terrace in London (Photo Courtesy of the British Academy)

The conference suitably began with a presentation about The Creation in the Qur’ān and its reworking of biblical antecedents by Sean Anthony (Ohio State). Marianna Klar (Oxford) discussed the qur’ānic presentation of Adam, His Mate, and Their Sons, and Shari Lowin (Stonehill College) examined Noah and the Deluge in the context of the Qur’ān. Nicolai Sinai (Oxford) then spoke about the qur’ānic view of Abraham, while Adam Silverstein (Bar llan University) focused on Joseph. Nora K. Schmid (FU Berlin) and Michael Pregill (University of California, Los Angeles) considered Moses in Egypt and Moses in the Wilderness, respectively. The first day of the conference concluded with a presentation by Saqib Hussain (Oxford) on Elijah, Jonah, Job, and Uzayr.

Day two of the conference began with presentations by Walid Saleh (Toronto) on Saul, David, and Solomon and Jack Tannous (Princeton) on John the Baptist and Zechariah. This was followed by Gabriel S. Reynolds’ (Notre Dame) exposition of Mary, Jesus, and the Apostles, while Sidney Griffith (CUA) discussed The Narratives of Surah 18: The Companions of the Cave, Moses’ Journey, Dhū l-Qarnayn. In the afternoon, Stephen J. Shoemaker (Oregon) examined qur’ānic Eschatology, while Devin Stewart (Emory) looked at Qur’anic Parables. The final panel of the conference concluded with presentations by Angelika Neuwirth (FU Berlin) on the Qur’an and Liturgy and Holger Zellentin (Cambridge) on Law and Ritual.

The conference was well-attended by academics, graduate students and members of the public. Both the particular interests of the participants and the venue itself fostered a positive environment for further discussion and exchange both during the question sessions and various breaks.

IQSA looks forward to the publication resulting from the conference and will endeavor to keep readers posted as to a publication date. Many thanks to the organizers, both delegates and the staff at the British Academy for making the conference such a success.

© International Qur’anic Studies Association, 2018. All rights reserved.

Public Lecture Series: The Qurʾān between Judaism and Christianity

unnamedA Public Engagement Initiative funded by the British Academy

Hosted at the University of Nottingham, co-Sponsored by the Karimia Institute

What can the Qurʾān, the Holy Scripture of Islam, teach us about Judaism and Christianity? How does knowledge about Judaism and Christianity help us better to understand the Qurʾān? This public lecture series seeks to make cutting edge research in Islamic Studies accessible to the broader public. The speakers integrate literary and historical approaches in order to illustrate the intricate relationship between Jews, Christians, and Muslims. A better understanding of the past may in turn help us to reconsider the present in a more nuanced way, and to formulate answers to the challenges faced by the Muslim communities in the Western World and beyond. The talks will be followed by a response and a discussion. Attendance is free and open to the public, but registration is required. For the conference website, please click here, for registration, please see below.

September 17, 2016, 1 – 6  pm, A1 Highfield House, University Park

1:00 pm -1:10 pm: Welcome, Dr. Holger Zellentin, The University of Nottingham

  • How to Study the Qurʾān – ‘Traditional’ and ‘Academic’ Approaches

1:10 pm – 2:00 pm: Prof. Islam Dayeh, Free University, Berlin

2:00 pm – 2:50 pm: Prof. Mehdi Azaiez, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

2:50 pm – 3:20 pm: Response by Dr. Marianna Klar, School of Oriental and African Studies

3:20 pm – 3:50 pm: Coffee Break

  • The Qurʾān and the Bible

3:50 pm – 4:40 pm: Prof. Angelika Neuwirth, Free University, Berlin

4:40 pm – 5:30 pm: Prof. Gabriel Said Reynolds, Notre Dame University

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm: Response by Dr. Omar Ali-de-Unzaga, Ismaili Institute, London

REGISTER FOR LECTURE ONE

October 16, 2016, 1 – 6 pm, A48 Sir Clive Granger Building

1:00 pm – 1:05 pm: Welcome, Dr. Musharraf Hussain, OBE, DL, Karimia Institute

1:05 pm – 1:10 pm: The Lecture Series, Dr. Holger Zellentin, The University of Nottingham

  • The Qurʾān’s Arabian Background

1:10 pm – 2:00 pm: Prof. Devin Stewart, Emory University

2:00 pm – 2:50 pm: Dr. Nora K. Schmid, Free University of Berlin

2:50 pm – 3:20 pm: Response by Dr. Asma Hilali, Ismaili Institute, London

3:20 pm – 3:50 pm: Coffee Break

  • The Qurʾān and Christianity

 3:50 pm – 4:40 pm: Dr. Nicolai Sinai, University of Oxford

4:40 pm – 5:30 pm: Prof. Emran El-Badawi, University of Houston

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm: Response by Dr. Jon Hoover, The University of Nottingham

REGISTER FOR LECTURE TWO

December 4, 2016, 1 – 6 pm, A48 Sir Clive Granger Building

1:00 pm – 1:10 pm: Welcome, Dr. Jon Hoover, The University of Nottingham

  • The Qurʾān and Judaism

1:10 pm – 2:00 pm: Dirk Hartwig, Free University, Berlin

2:00 pm – 2:50 pm: Prof. Walid Saleh, University of Toronto

2:50 pm – 3:20 pm: Response by Dr. Harith bin Ramli, Cambridge Muslim College

3:20 pm – 3:50 pm: Coffee Break

  • Law from the Bible to the Qurʾān

3:50 pm – 4:40 pm: Dr. Holger Zellentin, The University of Nottingham

4:40 pm – 5:30 pm: Prof. Lena Salaymeh, University of Tel Aviv

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm: Response by Dr. Shuruq Naguib, University of Lancaster

REGISTER FOR LECTURE THREE

All lectures are free and open to the public. Advanced registration is mandatory, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-quran-between-judaism-and-christianity-tickets-27048519851/

For information on transportation and parking at the University, please visit

https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/about/visitorinformation/information.aspx

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at Quran.Lectures@nottingham.ac.uk