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:

The structure of the Qurʾan (its logical, rhetorical, and literary qualities, or naẓm)
The Qurʾan’s intertextual relationships (with both Biblical and other literary traditions)
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

IQSA 2015 – Updates & Announcements

Dear Friends,

I trust this message finds you well, and for those of us nearing the end of our academic year I wish you all the best of luck. Since our meeting in San Diego, the International Qur’anic Studies Association (IQSA) has successfully completed a number of important activities, and we continue to develop the organization to better serve our members and fulfill our mission and vision. The purpose of this message is to inform about our recent activity.

New Homepage & Welcome Video

To serve you better our landing page on IQSAWEB.ORG is now simpler than ever. Visitors are given a warm welcome and introduction to IQSA by watching leading members of the community speak on VIDEO. Furthermore, the number on the page has been reduced to include only what is essential—enjoy!

IQSA Membership & AM Registration

To become an official MEMBER of IQSA for 2015, and to receive exclusive mmber benefits, please GO HERE (http://members.iqsaweb.org). There is a flat $25 membership fee for 2015. (Note that if you became an IQSA member in 2014 you need to sign up once again for 2015)

To attend/present in our 2015 annual meeting, taking place in Atlanta this November, you will need to REGISTER through the SBL website HERE (https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ereg/index.php?eventid=119829&categoryid=1021237&t=ccee0d3cfcb94900b333ce9916cb48fe). You will register as an “affiliate.”

Now Online: RQR and Membership Directory

Current IQSA members already have access to exclusive member benefits, namely:

* The Review of Qur’anic Research (ACTIVE)

* Membership Directory (ACTIVE)

Coming Soon: Qur’an Seminar, Job Board and JIQSA

Current and future members will soon have access to the following exclusive services and products as well:

* The interactive Qur’an Seminar website (2015)

* IQSA Job Board (2016)

* The Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association (2016)

2015 International Meeting (Yogyakarta, Indonesia)

Our much anticipated international meeting in Yogyakarta, Indonesia will take place August 4-7, 2015. We are very excited about this conference and the international scholarly exchange it will foster. We are also very pleased with the interest of our members and the public in attending this conference. For more information please GO HERE (https://iqsaweb.org/meetings/im2015)

2015 Annual Meeting (Atlanta, GA, USA)

The program for Atlanta is almost set and promises to be both informative as well as exciting. For more information please GO HERE (https://iqsaweb.org/meetings/) and do not forget to become a MEMBER and REGISTER (See above).

Be an IQSA citizen – nominate future officers

All IQSA members are encouraged to submit names of potential candidates for the following positions:

* President Elect for 2016

* IQSA Board Member

* Nominating Committee Member

Nominations should be sent to contact@iqsaweb.org. For more information please GO HERE (https://iqsaweb.org/2015/04/21/call-for-nominations)

Share your research – BLOG, RQR or JIQSA

If you or a colleague are currently undertaking research as a faculty member or post-doc, working on a new project as a graduate assistant or would like to share information about an upcoming Qur’an related conference, workshop or service, please consider writing a blog post for us. Your blog post will receive one to two thousand views in the first week! Blog posts in languages other than English are acceptable. Blog contributions should be sent to Dr. Vanessa Degifis (vdegifis@wayne.edu)

Scholarly reviews should be submitted to RQR and academic articles to JIQSA (See above).

Needed: Two Grad Student Assistants

We are seeking two graduate students assistants to help out with editorial and online assistance. This is a great opportunity for networking, professional development and hand-on experience. Learn more about these positions HERE (https://iqsaweb.org/2015/03/16/iqsa_jobs_grad_assts). Applications are welcome anytime but an initial review of applications will take place by June 1, 2015.

Social Media

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @IQSAWEB and Like us on Facebook, search “International Qur’anic Studies Association.”

Special Thanks

IQSA’s continued success is not possible without the dedication and skill of its officers and employees. I would especially like to thank Irfana Hussain, Vanessa DeGifis, Mun’im Sirry, Sean Anthony, Catherine Bronson, Mehdi Azaiez, Gabriel Reynolds, Nicolai Sinai as well as all unit chairs, Michael Pregill, Holger Zellentin and Missy Colee and her team at SBL.

Finally, please do not forget to join IQSA by becoming a MEMBER and REGISTERING for our 2015 Atlanta annual meeting by May 22, 2015. That’s one month away!

On behalf of the Board of Directors, Standing Committees and our partners I would like to express our deepest gratitude to all IQSA members and friends.

Sincerely,

Emran El-Badawi, Executive Director

Registration for IQSA Annual Meeting NOW OPEN

Registration for the IQSA Annual Meeting in Atlanta, 20-23 November, is now open! You can access the registration system through the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) webpage HERE. Take advantage of the “super saver” discount by registering now through 21 May. Please visit the SBL site for more information on registration rates, housing, meeting locations, etc. We look forward to seeing you in Atlanta!

Job Opportunities at IQSA for Graduate Students

The International Qur’anic Studies Association seeks two graduate student assistants for editorial and online help. Assistants will work approximately ten hours per week.

General Qualifications

Be a registered graduate student in Qur’anic Studies or related field; Ph.D. candidates preferred
Commit to the position for a minimum of one calendar year (from time of start)
Be a member of IQSA

Benefits & Compensation

While assistants are unpaid, they gain valuable relevant experience in academic service, writing, editing, marketing, communications, networking, and volunteering. Work is mostly remote and online, so the 10 hours/week required are “flex hours” that accommodate student schedules. Assistants receive FREE registration to the Annual Meeting in Atlanta, November 2015. As IQSA members, assistants gain free access to member benefits including Review of Qur’anic Research, Qur’an Seminar, JIQSA, job board, and member directory. Assistants are also eligible to receive letters of recommendation for their service and have access to a global network of Qur’anic Studies scholars. IQSA is committed to the professional development of graduate students.

How to Apply

Please send CV and cover letter (500 words max.) to contact@iqsaweb.org

Open until filled.

Graduate Editorial Assistant

The Editorial Assistant will report to the Chair of the Publications and Research Committee (PRC).

Qualifications

Must live in the Boston metro area
Attend the Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, 20-23 November 2015
Meticulous attention to detail
Expertise in editing academic publications, preferably in Qur’anic Studies or related field
Knowledge of French and German a plus
Expertise in transliteration, style guides, and standard conventions concerning texts in Arabic and at least one additional classical language (e.g. Syriac, Hebrew, Persian, Greek)

Position Duties

Edit proposals and biographies for publication in annual Program Book for Annual Meeting
Edit proposals resulting from the JIQSA Call for Papers
Assist the PRC Chair as needed
Other duties as requested

Graduate Online Assistant

The Online Assistant will work directly with the Executive Assistant and Blog Coordinator, and report to the Executive Director.

Qualifications

Knowledge of Arabic, French, and German a plus

Position Duties

Compile job, fellowship, and other professional opportunities for the IQSA Job Board
Contribute or solicit one blog post per month
Curate links and topics related to Qur’anic Studies to post weekly to Discussion Group
Assist the Blog Coordinator as needed
Other duties as requested

Review of Qur’anic Research Now Online

In keeping with its commitment to the advancement and dissemination of scholarship on the Qur’an, IQSA is pleased to launch the Review of Qur’anic Research (RQR), a new online resource to feature reviews of recent published scholarship in Qur’anic studies and allied fields. Please click HERE to access RQR. Access to RQR documents is available to IQSA members only. If you are not yet a member of IQSA, we welcome you to join us by completing a membership form HERE. Please join today to begin enjoying RQR and additional member benefits!

The first review for RQR is Sean W. Anthony (University of Oregon) on David S. Powers, Zayd (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 2014).

Forthcoming reviews include Gabriel Said Reynolds (University of Notre Dame) on Michel Cuypers, La composition du Coran (Paris: Librairie Gabalda, 2012) and Mohamad Ballan (University of Chicago) on Jonathan A. C. Brown, Misquoting Muhammad: The Challenge and Choice of Interpreting the Prophet’s Legacy (London: Oneworld, 2014).

CFP Deadline Extension (Fri, Mar 6) & Clarification

It has come to our attention that the online paper proposal system IQSA uses through SBL closed on March 4, i.e. one day earlier than stated deadline of March 5 in our original Call for Papers. We apologize for this discrepancy and any inconvenience this has caused. We are, furthermore, extending the deadline for submissions until tomorrow, Friday, March 6, 11 PM EDT.

Proposals should be sent directly to the program unit chairs. See below:

Linguistic, Literary, and Thematic Perspectives on the Qur’anic Corpus

Program Unit Chairs:

Anne-Sylvie Boisliveau (asboisliveau@gmail.com) , Sarra Tlili (satlili@ufl.edu )

Qur’an Seminar

Program Unit Chairs:

Mehdi Azaiez (mehdi.azaiez@theo.kuleuven.be) and Clare Wilde (cewilde@alumni.princeton.edu)

Qur’anic Studies: Methodology and Hermeneutics

Program Unit Chairs:

Karen Bauer (kbauer@iis.ac.uk) and Farid Esack (fesack@uj.ac.za)

The Qur’an and Late Antiquity

Program Unit Chairs:

Michael Pregill (michael.pregill@gmail.com) and Greg Fisher (greg.fisher@carleton.ca)

The Qur’an and the Biblical Tradition

Program Unit Chairs:

Cornelia Horn (cbhorn68@gmail.com) and Holger Zellentin (Holger.Zellentin@nottingham.ac.uk)

The Qur’an: Manuscripts and Material Culture

Program Unit Chairs:

Keith Small (keithsmall44@hotmail.com) and Luke Treadwell (luke.treadwell@orinst.ox.ac.uk)

Last Call: CFP Deadline MAR 5 & 2015 Membership Open

Dear friends and colleagues,

I trust this message finds you well. This is a quick reminder that the Call for Papers deadline for November Annual Meeting in Atlanta is this Thursday, March 5. I want to encourage you all to submit a title/abstract, and to do so right away, HERE: https://iqsaweb.org/meetings/am2015/. Finally, if you have not done so already, please become an IQSA Member for the 2015 calendar year HERE: https://iqsaweb.org/2015/03/02/membership_open_2015/ (Enjoy the VIDEO!)

Thank you for making IQSA a success. I hope to share more good news with you all soon.

Warm regards

–Emran

___________________________________________

Emran El-Badawi, PhD

Executive Director, International Qur’anic Studies Association

Annual Meeting 2015 Call for Papers Now Open!

The International Qur’anic Studies Association announces the call for papers for the 2015 Annual Meeting to be held in Atlanta, Georgia. The Annual Meeting dates are November 20-23, 2015.

Each of IQSA’s six program units provides a detailed call for papers; all are available on the complete AM 2015 CFP page HERE. From the CFP page, you can click on the title of a program unit to be directed to an external link for further instructions on submission of proposals. For additional information about a specific program unit, you may contact the unit chairs.

The paper proposal submission deadline is March 5, 2015. IQSA welcomes your submission and looks forward to an exciting program in Atlanta!

IQSA, SBL and AAR in the News

The success of IQSA’s annual meetings in San Diego, CA (2014) and Baltimore, MD (2013) have contributed positively to the tremendous work done every year by both the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) as well as the American Academy of Religion (AAR). For more information, please see the excerpts below from two articles in Publishers Weekly.

Topics being buzzed about by the religion academy included Islam, once again at the top of the list. The International Qur’anic Studies Association, which meets in conjunction with AAR/SBL and was established in 2012 as a group related to SBL, earlier this year became an independent learned society and has grown to 450 members. (2014)

SEE FULL STORY HERE

One of the most significant developments at this year’s AAR/SBL conference was the debut of the International Quranic Studies Association, which had its inaugural gathering as an affiliate scholars group and is co-directed by Emran El-Badawi, director of Arab studies at the University of Houston, and Gabriel Said Reynolds, professor of Islamic studies and theology at the University of Notre Dame. It’s an idea whose time clearly has come, and publishing about Islam LINK in general continues to flourish. (2013)

SEE FULL STORY HERE

NOW ONLINE – Program Book for San Diego, Nov 21-24

Dear Friends,

We are now days away from the second Annual Meeting of the International Qur’anic Studies Association taking place in San Diego, November 21-24. We are looking forward to another exciting meeting of scholars an friends. For a complete showcase of our events, participants and sponsors we are proud to present the official AM 2014 PROGRAM BOOK (PDF). Viewers are encouraged to further circulate the program book. (Viewers may alternately access the program book by visiting IQSAWEB.ORG >> Meetings >> Program Book AM 2014)

Please do not forget our first Panel, Keynote Lecture and Reception all taking place on Friday, Nov 21 (one day before the official start of AAR or SBL). Our Keynote Lecture is on “Qur’anic Studies and Historical-Critical Philology. The Qur’an’s Staging, Penetrating, and Eclipsing Biblical tradition,” and will be delivered by prof. Angelika Neuwirth, with a Response by IQSA president, prof. Andrew Rippin at 4:00-5:15 pm in San Diego Convention Center (CC), Room 23 C (Upper level). All Friday events are FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Furthermore, I invite all IQSA members to fulfill their duty as members by attending our first ever Business Meeting, Sunday, Nov 23 at noon in the San Diego Convention Center (CC), Room 24 C (Upper Level). Finally, if you have not already please visit IQSAWEB.ORG in order to become a Member for 2014, subscribe to our Blog and join the private IQSA Discussion Group.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, Standing Committees and our partners we would like to express our deepest gratitude to all friends of IQSA, and we look forward to seeing you this Friday.

Sincerely,

Emran El-Badawi, Executive Director

International Qur’an Conference: “Recent Trends in Qur’anic Studies”

by Mun’im Sirry

IQSA and State Islamic University (UIN) Sunan Kalijaga in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, are co-hosting an international conference on “Recent Trends in Qur’anic Studies,” to be held in Yogyakarta on 4-7 August 2015.

This international Qur’an conference will be a forum where the Islamic tradition and rigorous academic study of the Qur’an will meet, and various approaches to the Qur’an will be critically discussed. In the spirit of learning from, and enriching, one another, we are working on a conference that will introduce our unique model of collaboration between IQSA and UIN Sunan Kalijaga to enhance the field of Qur’anic studies.

Over the last few decades, Qur’anic studies emerged as an exciting and vibrant field of research among scholars both in the West and in the Muslim-majority countries. This is evident not only in the flurry of books and articles that deal with the Qur’an and in the convening of various workshops and seminars on the subject, but also in the controversies that this field engenders. Diverse methodologies are currently applied to Qur’anic studies, and various issues are raised. Some of these methodologies and issues are new discoveries, while others revive older researches. As a result, many assumptions that for years have been taken for granted are now under rigorous scrutiny and often disputed to such an extent that, as Fred Donner has rightly noted, the field of Qur’anic studies seems today “to be in a state of disarray,” in the sense that there is little consensus among scholars. Questions such as the milieu within which the Qur’an emerged, the Qur’an’s relation to the Biblical tradition, its chronology, textual integration, and literary features are hotly debated today.

This international conference aims to explore major methodological and thematic issues in recent scholarly studies of the Qur’an in different parts of the world. We also wish to engage in scholarly conversations about the possibility of collaborative works to enhance the field of Qur’anic studies by bringing together scholars who may have little other chance to directly interact. There clearly needs to be closer collaboration among scholars of different perspectives and backgrounds. Rather than deepening conflicting approaches to the Qur’an, these scholars will explore the extent to which they may learn from one another in terms of methodological/hermeneutical approaches as they will also address current issues being debated in the field.

Among scholars in the field who will participate in the conference, to mention a few names (in alphabetical order), are: Fred Donner, Ali Mabrouk, Daniel Madigan, Jane McAuliffe, Gabriel Reynolds, Andrew Rippin, Abdullah Saeed, Nayla Tabbara, along with Indonesian scholars such as Amin Abdullah, Noorhaidi Hasan, Moch. Nur Ichwan, Syafaatun el-Mirzanah, Yusuf Rahman, Quraish Shihab, Sahiron Syamsuddin.

If you are interested in presenting your research on any of the following topics, please send your abstract (250 words) to Mun’im Sirry (msirry@nd.edu).

Possible topics:

Critical Approaches to the Qur’an
Qur’anic Milieu
Intertextuality: The Qur’an and the Biblical tradition
The Qur’an and Other Religions
Re-assessing the Exegetical Tradition of the Qur’an
Modern Trends in the Tafsir Tradition
The Indigenization of the Qur’an: Is there an Indonesian Tafsir

Please note that abstracts, papers and presentation must be in English.

Important Dates:

Deadline for submission of abstract: November 1, 2014
Notification of acceptance: November 15, 2014
Confirmation of attendance: December 1, 2014
Submission of full paper: June 1, 2015
Conference dates: August 4-7, 2015

Qur’an Seminar Website Now Open to Members

Qur’an Seminar Website Now Open to Members

Qur’an Seminar Access:

IQSA 2015 – Updates & Announcements

Registration for IQSA Annual Meeting NOW OPEN

Job Opportunities at IQSA for Graduate Students

Review of Qur’anic Research Now Online

CFP Deadline Extension (Fri, Mar 6) & Clarification

Last Call: CFP Deadline MAR 5 & 2015 Membership Open

Annual Meeting 2015 Call for Papers Now Open!

IQSA Discussion Group Key to Networking and Crowdsourcing in Qur’anic Studies

IQSA, SBL and AAR in the News

NOW ONLINE – Program Book for San Diego, Nov 21-24

International Qur’an Conference: “Recent Trends in Qur’anic Studies”

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