Support Qur’anic Scholarship, Join IQSA Today!

Support Qur’anic Scholarship, Join IQSA Today!

IQSA is committed to growing Qur’anic scholarship and creating a community where scholars can collaborate, network, and participate in lively discussions. To ensure IQSA’s continued growth, make a commitment and become a paid member.

Already a member? Spread the word, encourage your friends and colleagues to become a member. Connect with IQSA on Facebook, Twitter (@iqsaweb), and through the IQSA Discussion Group. The moderated discussion group is the ideal venue to actively engage in current academic conversations about the text of the Qur’an and to solicit advice, ideas, and resources to enhance your own inquiries. IQSA could not exist without your support and participation.

Don’t miss out in being a part of a dynamic community, join today!

 !أهلا وسهلا

Interior dome, Lotfallah mosque, Isfahan. Photo by Phillip Maiwald; reuse permitted under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:GNU_Free_Documentation_License,_version_1.2

“Super Saver” Annual Meeting Registration Rate Ends Soon

san antonioThere are just a few days left to take advantage of the “super saver” discount registration rate for the IQSA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas! The Annual Meeting, held in conjunction with the SBL/AAR Annual Meetings, November 18-22, is a valuable opportunity to connect with scholars from around the world and explore the latest in Qur’anic research. The “super saver” rate available for IQSA members is only $190 now through Thursday May 19th. This is the most economical option when combined with the low IQSA membership fee of $25, $50, or $75 (depends on membership rank).

Register for the Annual Meetings as an Affiliate Member by this week’s deadline! Please register through the SBL website here. Not an IQSA member? Please join IQSA today and save big!

Twenty Years of Reading the Qur’an as a Literary Text

neuwirthIn the latest installment of the Review of Qur’anic Research 2, no. 1, Süleyman Dost reviews Angelika Neuwirth, Scripture, Poetry, and the Making of a Community: Reading the Qur’an as a Literary Text (Oxford University Press/Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2014), the first thorough collection of Angelika Neuwirth’s scholarship in English. Neuwirth, a leading scholar of Qur’anic studies at the Freie Universität Berlin, treats the Qur’an as a coherent literary corpus and grounds the text in its late antique and biblical setting with a special interest in its emergence through an ever-evolving communication process. The book under review brings together in a single volume fourteen of Neuwirth’s articles that were published in varying contexts over twenty years. Thus the book embodies the leading edges of first-tier Qur’an scholarship and in the process sheds light on pressing issues of the field today.

Full access to the Review of Qur’anic Research (RQR) is available in the members-only area of our IQSA website. Not an IQSA member? Join today to enjoy RQR and additional member benefits!

© International Qur’anic Studies Association, 2016. All rights reserved.

Happy New Year from IQSA!

kull aam wa antum bi khayr cropped bannerIt’s been a banner year for IQSA. In 2015 we launched the Review of Qur’anic Research (RQR) and the Qur’an Seminar online forum and database, enjoyed excellent turnouts at our International Meeting in Yogyakarta and Annual Meeting in Atlanta, and have seen remarkable growth in visitor traffic on our blog. As the year winds to a close we reflect on our association’s achievements with gratitude to our members, contributors, and readers around the world. We also take this time to renew our dedication to providing valuable resources and opportunities for collaboration in Qur’anic studies in 2016.

The work of IQSA wouldn’t be possible without the active support of our members. So start your new year off right by joining or renewing your membership in IQSA! Membership for 2016 consists of three levels: Student/International, Mid-range Faculty/General, Full Professor. The Student/International level is US$25 (USD) for student and international (non-North American residents) scholars. The Mid-range Faculty/General level is $50 (USD) for all non-student scholars, professionals, and mid-range faculty. The Full Professor level is $75 (USD) for full professors. Your membership and support really make a difference!

To become a member, please click HERE, where you will be asked to fill out a membership form and pay the appropriate membership fees. After completing this process, you will receive login information to save for your records and use to access member benefits at any time. You can then create your own profile for our member directory.

Membership benefits for 2016 include:

We appreciate your membership!

U.S. taxpayers! Are you still looking to make an end-of-year tax deductible charitable donation? Consider supporting Qur’anic scholarship with a donation to IQSA. We are a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions. You can donate to IQSA online by clicking HERE. Thanks for your support!

We wish you a very Happy New Year! كل عام وأنتم بخير

© International Qur’anic Studies Association, 2015. All rights reserved.

Read, Write, and Share Commentaries on Qur’an 5:109-120

Photo by Habib M'henniThe Qurʾan Seminar invites you to add your own commentaries on a new selected passage of the Qur’an: Q. 5: 109-120. The Qurʾan Seminar, organized by IQSA, is dedicated to collaborative study of selected passages that are significant for understanding major themes and structures of the Qur’anic text. Contributors are encouraged to address the Qur’an directly and to not rely on classical exegesis as a lens through which to view the text. Of particular interest to the discussion are the following questions:

  • The structure of the Qur’an (its logical, rhetorical, and literary qualities, or naẓm)
  • The Qur’an’s intertextual relationships (with both Biblical and other literary traditions)
  • The Qur’an’s historical context in Late Antiquity

Access to Qur’an Seminar is open to IQSA members only. To become a member, click HERE. Once you are a member, you can access the Qur’an Seminar website:

The Qur’an Seminar website has two principal elements. First, the website includes a database of passages of the Qur’an with commentaries from a range of scholars. This database is meant to be a resource for students and specialists of the Qur’an alike. The commentaries may be quoted and referenced by citing the corresponding URL.

Second, the website includes an active forum in which additional Qur’anic passages are discussed. At regular intervals the material on the forum will be saved and moved to the database, and new passages will be presented for discussion on the forum. As a rule, the passages selected for discussion are meant to be long enough to raise a variety of questions for discussion, but short enough to lend that discussion coherence.

If you have any questions, please write to mehdi.azaiez@theo.kuleuven.be

We hope you will enjoy the content and consider contributing!

© International Qur’anic Studies Association, 2015. All rights reserved.

IQSA Membership 2016 Now Open!

IQSA Membership for 2016 is now open. Membership consists of three levels: Student/International, Mid-range Faculty/General, Full Professor. The Student/International level is $25 (USD) for student and international (non-North American residents) scholars. The Mid-range Faculty/General level is $50 (USD) for all non-student scholars, professionals, and mid-range faculty. The Full Professor level is $75 (USD) for full professors. Please join or renew online today!

To become a member, please click HERE, where you will be asked to fill out a membership form and pay the appropriate membership fees. After completing this process, you will receive login information to save for your records and use to access member benefits at anytime. You can then create your own profile for our member directory.

Membership benefits for 2016 include:

Other member benefits will include:

  • Job postings in Qur’anic Studies and related areas
  • Regular updates on IQSA member activities
  • Discounted registration/affiliate rate for the Annual Meeting held annually in November
  • Vote/governance
  • Special offers from publishers

We appreciate your membership and support!

© International Qur’anic Studies Association, 2015. All rights reserved.

Read, Write, and Share Commentaries on Qur’an 4:1-28

Photo by Habib M'henniThe  Qurʾan Seminar  invites you to add your own commentaries on a new selected passage of the Qur’an: Q. 4:1-28. The  Qurʾan Seminar, organized by IQSA, is dedicated to collaborative study of selected passages that are significant for understanding major themes and structures of the Qur’anic text. Contributors are encouraged to address the Qur’an directly and to not rely on classical exegesis as a lens through which to view the text. Of particular interest to the discussion are the following questions:

  • The structure of the Qur’an (its logical, rhetorical, and literary qualities, or naẓm)
  • The Qur’an’s intertextual relationships (with both Biblical and other literary traditions)
  • The Qur’an’s historical context in Late Antiquity

Access to Qur’an Seminar is open to IQSA members only. To become a member, click HERE. Once you are a member, you can access the Qur’an Seminar website:

  1. Go to http://www.iqsa-quranseminar.org/home.html
  1. Click on Log in / Sign up
  1. As a member of IQSA, fulfill the required field under Have an account? Sign in and then, click on Login.
  1. Click on “All passages selected”
  1. Click on al nisāˈ 4, 1-28

The Qur’an Seminar website has two principal elements. First, the website includes a database of passages of the Qur’an with commentaries from a range of scholars. This database is meant to be a resource for students and specialists of the Qur’an alike. The commentaries may be quoted and referenced by citing the corresponding URL.

Second, the website includes an active forum in which additional Qur’anic passages are discussed. At regular intervals the material on the forum will be saved and moved to the database, and new passages will be presented for discussion on the forum. As a rule, the passages selected for discussion are meant to be long enough to raise a variety of questions for discussion, but short enough to lend that discussion coherence.

If you have any questions, please write to mehdi.azaiez@theo.kuleuven.be

We hope you will enjoy the content and consider contributing!

© International Qur’anic Studies Association, 2015. All rights reserved.

Read, Write, and Share Commentaries on Qur’an 2:178-179

Photo by Habib M'henniThe Qurʾan Seminar invites you to add your own commentaries on a new selected passage of the Qur’an: Q. 2:178-179. The Qurʾan Seminar, organized by IQSA, is dedicated to collaborative study of selected passages that are significant for understanding major themes and structures of the Qur’anic text. Contributors are encouraged to address the Qur’an directly and to not rely on classical exegesis as a lens through which to view the text. Of particular interest to the discussion are the following questions:

  1. The structure of the Qur’an (its logical, rhetorical, and literary qualities, or naẓm)
  2. The Qur’an’s intertextual relationships (with both Biblical and other literary traditions)
  3. The Qur’an’s historical context in Late Antiquity

Access to Qur’an Seminar is open to IQSA members only. To become a member, click HERE. Once you are a member, you can access the Qur’an Seminar website:

  1. Go to http://www.iqsa-quranseminar.org/home.html
  2. Click on Log in / Sign up
  3. As a member of IQSA, fulfill the required field under Have an account? Sign in and then, click on Login. (Your password may be the same as for your IQSA member login.)
  4. Click on “All passages selected”
  5. Click on al-baqara 2, 178-179

The Qur’an Seminar website has two principal elements. First, the website includes a database of passages of the Qur’an with commentaries from a range of scholars. This database is meant to be a resource for students and specialists of the Qur’an alike. The commentaries may be quoted and referenced by citing the corresponding URL.

Second, the website includes an active forum in which additional Qur’anic passages are discussed. At regular intervals the material on the forum will be saved and moved to the database, and new passages will be presented for discussion on the forum. As a rule, the passages selected for discussion are meant to be long enough to raise a variety of questions for discussion, but short enough to lend that discussion coherence.

We hope you will enjoy the content and consider contributing!

© International Qur’anic Studies Association, 2015. All rights reserved.

Auto-Referentiality of the Qur’anic Text

Boiliveau_Coran par lui meme coverIn the latest installment of IQSA’s Review of Qur’anic Research 1, no. 4, Dr. Michel Cuypers reviews Anne-Sylvie Boisliveau’s La Coran par lui-même: Vocabulaire et argumentation du discours coranique autoréférentiel (Leiden: Brill, 2014). The book is the latest and fullest study of “what the Qur’an says about itself.” Situated within the current of synchronic studies of the Qur’anic text, Boisliveau’s approach combines the ancient exegetical principle of explaining the Qurʾan by the Qurʾan with a rigorous modern critical method.

Full access to the Review of Qur’anic Research (RQR) is available in the members-only area of our IQSA website. Not an IQSA member? Join today to enjoy RQR and additional member benefits!

© International Qur’anic Studies Association, 2015. All rights reserved.

“Super Saver” Annual Meeting Registration Rate Ends Soon!

atlantaparkskylineThere are just a few days left to take advantage of the “super saver” discount registration rate for the IQSA Annual Meeting in Atlanta! The Annual Meeting, held in conjunction with the SBL/AAR Annual Meetings, 20-23 November, is a valuable opportunity to connect with scholars from around the world and explore the latest in Qur’anic research. The “super saver” rate is available now through Thursday 21 May. Please register through the SBL website here.

Members of IQSA could save up to $70 by registering for the Annual Meetings as an Affiliate Member! Not an IQSA member? Please join IQSA today! We hope you’ll join us and meet us in Atlanta!

(1) العضوية مجانية – To join our academic community today, please submit a Membership Form here: http://members.iqsaweb.org/Join-Us

(2) التسجيل بسعر مخفض إلى ٢٢/٥/٢٠١٥ –  Annual Meeting Registration (deeply discounted through 21 May 2015): 

https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ereg/index.php?eventid=119829&categoryid=1021237&t=ccee0d3cfcb94900b333ce9916cb48fe

© International Qur’anic Studies Association, 2015. All rights reserved.

Qur’an Seminar Website Now Open to Members

The International Qur’anic Studies Association is excited to share with its members its new Qurʾan Seminar website! The Qurʾan Seminar is a research project of IQSA dedicated to collaborative study of selected Qurʾanic passages on themes of central importance to the text itself, which collectively represent a diversity of literary genres, and which are of interest to the academic field of Qurʾanic Studies.

The website includes a database of passages of the Qurʾan with commentaries from a range of scholars, and an active forum in which additional Qurʾanic passages are discussed. Scholars are encouraged to address the Qurʾan directly and to not rely on classical exegesis as a lens through which to view the text. Of particular interest to the discussion are the following questions:

  1. The structure of the Qurʾan (its logical, rhetorical, and literary qualities, or naẓm)
  2. The Qurʾan’s intertextual relationships (with both Biblical and other literary traditions)
  3. The Qurʾan’s historical context in Late Antiquity

Qur’an Seminar Access:

Access to Qur’an Seminar is open to IQSA members only. To become a member, click HERE. Once you are a member and have paid membership dues, follow the instructions for accessing Qur’an Seminar.

1. Go to http://www.iqsa-quranseminar.org

2. Click Log in/Sign up located on the top right hand corner.

3. Complete the required field under Have an account? Sign up. Click Login. The password you choose can be the same as your IQSA member login or a new one.

4. You will receive an email message which will confirm your registration.

NOTE: Your first access after registration will not be possible immediately. A delay between 6 to 24 hours will be necessary. For questions about Qur’an Seminar or issues with the registration process please contact mehdi.azaiez@theo.kuleuven.be

© International Qur’anic Studies Association, 2015. All rights reserved.

Call for Nominations

The IQSA Nominations Committee welcomes nominations for several positions. The IQSA Board of Directors needs to appoint the following positions:

  • President Elect for 2016
  • a new member of the IQSA Board of Directors
  • a new member of the Nominations Committee

Please see the IQSA bylaws for the description of the roles. The Nominations Committee would like to ask all IQSA members to nominate possible candidates for these three roles. Please note that the Nominations Committee strives for diversity in professional and academic participation. The consultation and discussion of nominations and submissions is done with great care and will ensure confidentiality.

You must be a paid member to nominate. If you are not a member, join today. Please send your nominations to contact@iqsaweb.org by May 1st.