Andrew Rippin Best Paper Prize 2018

The International Qur’anic Studies Association (IQSA) is proud to announce the second annual Andrew Rippin Best Paper Prize. The Prize is awarded to the best paper delivered at the 2017 Annual Meeting in Boston, typically by a graduate student or early career scholar (Ph.D. awarded 2012 or later).

Interested scholars should submit a draft of the paper which they read at the 2017 Annual Meeting at Boston; this draft should be no longer than fifteen double-spaced pages (or 3750 words). Submissions should be sent to jiqsa@iqsaweb.org by January 5, 2018. The prize winner will receive $250, and an expanded and fully sourced edition of the paper will be subject to review and likely publication in the Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association Volume 2 (2017).The winner must be prepared to submit a revised “journal article” version of the paper by May 1, 2018. Publication of the final version is contingent upon review by the award committee and editorial staff of JIQSA.

The first annual Andrew Rippin Best Paper Prize was awarded to Jawad Anwar Qureshi of the University of Chicago for his paper “Ring Composition, Virtues, and Qurʾanic Prophetology in Sūrat Yūsuf (Q 12)”. Visit this link for more details.

Andrew Rippin was the inaugural president of the International Qur’anic Studies Association (2014). He is remembered as “an esteemed colleague, revered mentor, and scholarly inspiration to many members of the IQSA community.”

Andrew Rippin (third from left) and colleagues at the spring 2014 IQSA board meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Andrew Rippin Best Paper Prize 2018

In honor of Andrew Rippin, the International Qur’anic Studies Association (IQSA) will award a prize to the best paper delivered at the 2017 Annual Meeting in Boston by a graduate student or early career scholar (Ph.D. awarded 2012 or later).

The prize winner will receive $250 and an expanded and edited version of the paper will qualify for publication in the Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association.

Interested scholars should submit a draft of the paper which they read at the 2017 Annual Meeting at Boston; this draft should be no longer than fifteen double-spaced pages (or 3750 words). Submissions should be sent to jiqsa@iqsaweb.org by January 5, 2018. The prize winner will be announced by February 1, 2018. The winner should then be prepared to submit a fully revised version of the winning article by April 1, 2018. Publication of the final version is contingent upon review by the award committee and editorial staff of JIQSA.

The first annual Andrew Rippin Best Paper Prize was awarded to Jawad Anwar Qureshi of the University of Chicago for his paper “Ring Composition, Virtues, and Qurʾanic Prophetology in sūrat Yūsuf (Q 12)”. Visit this link for more details.

Andrew Rippin (third from left) and colleagues at the spring 2014 IQSA board meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Publisher’s Corner: Lockwood Press

Lockwood Press is proud to be partnering with the International Qur’anic Studies Association in the publication of both the IQSA Journal (Vanessa De Gifis, editor) and its new series, IQSA Studies in the Qur’an (David Powers, editor). The first volume scheduled for the new series is A Qur’anic Apocalypse by Michel Cuypers, to appear in Spring 2018.

Lockwood Press, under the direction of Billie Jean Collins, is committed to the dissemination of scholarship in Arabic, Islamic, and Qur’anic studies through its various academic journals and publications, including the distinguished Resources in Arabic and Islamic Studies series, edited by Joseph E. Lowry, Devin J. Stewart, and Shawkat M. Toorawa and supported by an equally distinguished board of international scholars.

The RAIS series features monographs, collected articles, study texts, translations of fundamental works, reprints of classic works, and handbooks and other reference works. Published titles include Bonebakker and Fishbein, A Reader of Classical Arabic Literature, and Aron Zysow’s seminal Economy of Certainty. With two to three new titles published each year, the series has quickly distinguished itself as a major resource in the field. Titles planned for 2018 include Arabic Belles-Lettres by Shawkat Toorawa and Joseph Lowry and Selected Studies in Modern Arabic Narrative: History, Genre, Translation, a collection of the works of Roger Allen.

Look for these publications and others at AAR, MESA, and AOS, among other conference venues throughout the year. We, the Lockwood Press staff, look forward to meeting you there!

IQSA Job Vacancy: Copy Editor

The International Qur’anic Studies Association (IQSA), a non-profit organization, seeks a copyeditor for freelance contract work on its three scholarly publication projects: JIQSA (annual journal), ISIQ (monograph series), RQR (monthly review of books). This is a deadline-driven position with overlapping seasonal workflows where diverse specialized texts require detailed technical editing in short turnaround times. Work is remote-desk and may be performed from any geographical location in the United States. This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys high-performance work and is looking to join a collaborative team of scholars in a dynamic professional field.

Position will report directly to Head Editor of JIQSA, but will also collaborate with other members of IQSA’s editorial and executive teams as appropriate.

Position open until filled.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

check texts to ensure they are well written and logically structured
correct grammar and spelling
check illustrations and captions
ensure texts conform to JIQSA Style Guide
check facts and raise queries with Head Editor
look out for potential legal problems and discuss them with the Head Editor
other duties as assigned

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Education: B.A. in English, journalism, Near Eastern languages, or other relevant field in the liberal arts, humanities or social sciences
excellent written English, including proper spelling and grammar
working knowledge of classical Arabic and relevant systems of transliteration
a meticulous approach to texts and an eye for detail
the ability to maintain high-quality work while meeting tight deadlines
strong concentration and ability to focus on texts that may be lengthy and highly technical
clear judgement in applying house style
the ability to retain authors’ voices after editing
excellent collaboration skills

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

M.A. or graduate study in relevant field
specialist interest in Qur’anic Studies or related disciplines
working knowledge of additional foreign languages (esp. Persian, Hebrew, Syriac, Greek, German, or French)

COMPENSATION:

Contract may be negotiated as hourly or by project; rate commensurate with qualifications and experience
Free access to IQSA member benefits

Interested candidates should submit resume/CV and cover letter to jiqsa@iqsaweb.org.

Advertising with IQSA

The International Qur’anic Studies Association is now extending advertising opportunities for interested publishers! See below for new print and online advertising offerings.

Advertise in the Annual Meeting Program Book – Every year the International Qur’anic Studies Association holds an Annual Meeting in conjunction with the Society of Biblical Literature/American Academy of Religion, attracting a wide audience in the scholarly community from across the nation. The accompanying Program Book published by IQSA is read by hundreds at the Annual Meeting and thousands around the world, providing a critical platform for relevant businesses market their publications and services. Email contact@iqsaweb.org to reserve an advertising space today!
Advertise in Print – IQSA provides advertising space in three of its flagship publications: the Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association (JIQSA), the monthly Review of Qur’anic Research, and the forthcoming monograph series IQSA Studies in the Qur’an (ISIQ). Email contact@iqsaweb.org for details.
Advertise Online – While IQSA does not currently hold a a physical headquarters, its website serves as the central meeting point and face of the organization visited by hundreds of members and non-members every day. Email contact@iqsaweb.org to inquire about advertising with us online via www.iqsaweb.org.
Send an Email to IQSA Members – IQSA will send emails on behalf of publishers and other advertisers of interest to our members. The publisher/advertiser is responsible for composing the email. Please contact the Executive Office at contact@iqsaweb.org for more information.

Launch: Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association,Vol.1 (2016)

IQSA is proud to announce the release of the first issue its flagship journal, the Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association by Lockwood Press. JIQSA, vol. 1 (2016) is co-edited by Michael Pregill (Boston University) and Vanessa De Gifis (Wayne State University) and features new research on the Qur’an. The editors offer an insightful introductory essay on the scope and subject matter of JIQSA, locating the field of Qur’an Studies today “between the Bible and Tafsir.” Articles include the 2015 presidential address by Reuven Firestone on and a response by Ebrahim Moosa, as well as a number of original contributions by international scholars, including posthumous contributions by Patricia Crone and Ali Mabrouk.

Readers will find JIQSA reflects the depth, diversity and debate latent within Qur’an Studies today. Subjects explored in this issue include the Qur’an’s place in late antiquity, literary and inter-confessional dialogue, its reception in the west, the hermeneutics of traditional and modern exegesis, transmission of the text, manuscripts, philology, rhetoric and more. A table of contents follows below.

Preparation for JIQSA, vol. 2 has already begun. Potential English and Arabic contributions to JIQSA, vol. 3 should be sent to the editors at jiqsa@iqsaweb.org for peer review.

The Table of Contents for JIQSA Volume 1 is as follows:

Pregill, Michael E. and Vanessa De Gifis. “Editors’ Introduction: The Qurʾān Between Bible and Tafsīr.” JIQSA 1 (2016): 3-9.
Firestone, Reuven. “The Problematic of Prophecy: 2015 IQSA Presidential Address.” JIQSA 1 (2016): 11-22.
Moosa, Ebrahim. “Response To Reuven Firestone’s 2015 IQSA Presidential Address.” JIQSA 1 (2016): 23-27.
Bauer, Karen. “The Current State of Qurʾānic Studies: Commentary on a Roundtable Discussion.” JIQSA 1 (2016): 29-45.
Graves, Michael. “Form Criticism or a Rolling Corpus: The Methodology of John Wansbrough through the Lens of Biblical Studies.” JIQSA 1 (2016): 47-92.
Anthony, Sean W. and Catherine L. Bronson. “Did Ḥafṣah Edit the Qurʾān? A Response with Notes on the Codices of the Prophet’s Wives.” JIQSA 1 (2016): 93-125.
Crone, Patricia. “Nothing but Time Destroys Us”: The Deniers of Resurrection in the Qurʾān.” JIQSA 1 (2016): 127-147.
Melchert, Christopher. “Bukhārī’sKitāb Tafsīr al-Qurʾān.” JIQSA 1 (2016): 149-172.
Stewart, Devin and Gabriel Said Reynolds. “Afterword: The Academic Study of the Qurʾān—Achievements, Challenges, and Prospects.” JIQSA 1 (2016): 173-183.

10. علي مبروك†,القرآن: ما بعد أبي زيد وما قبل المصحف. مجلة الجمعية الدولية للدراسات القرآنية. (2016): 192-187.

At this time institutions are strongly encouraged to subscribe for print or online access by filling out this SUBSCRIPTION FORM. Print subscriptions are also available for individual subscribers via THIS FORM.

ISSN 2474-8390 (Print)
2474-8420 (Online)

Subscription Rates:
Print and Online: US$70
Print only: US$40
Online only: US$40

For information about submissions, visit https://iqsaweb.org/publications/call-for-papers-jiqsa/ or send an email to the editors at jiqsa@iqsaweb.org.

2016 Year in Review & Happy 2017

It’s been a fruitful year for IQSA. In 2016 we furthered our work in the Review of Qur’anic Research (RQR), helped launch the the Qur’an Seminar Commentary, and completed work on the first issue of the Journal of the International Qur’an Studies Association, now in design and production. We also welcomed hundreds of friends and colleagues from around the world to our Annual Meeting in San Antonio. 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 2017.

2016 has also come with its challenges as well. We acknowledge the passing of renowned Qur’an scholars–and dear friends– during 2016. These include Ali Mabrouk as well as Andrew Rippin. The outpouring of support for the Andrew Rippin Best Paper Prize, and professor Rippin’s legacy has been unprecedented–thank you.

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! Three tiered membership remains in place for 2017 ($25, $50, $75), with students and select junior or international colleagues paying as little as US$25 (USD). We do our best to keep membership dues low while offering high quality, academic and professional member benefits. Your membership and support are what make this exchange possible–thank you.

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 2017 include:

Review of Qur’anic Research
Exclusive access to our global membership directory
Bilingual English-Arabic Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association (JIQSA)
Discounted registration/affiliate rate for the Annual Meeting held annually in November
Vote/governance
Andrew Rippin Best Paper Prize ($250 USD and potential publication in JIQSA)
Professional development opportunities for graduate students and junior scholars

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.

Finally, please do not forget to follow our Blog, Twitter and Facebook accounts, and to join the private IQSA Discussion Group. Thanks for your support!

We wish you a very Happy Holidays! كل عام وأنتم بخير

Write for us!

New coordinator at the IQSA blog

From this week on, the IQSA blog will have a new coordinator, Mehdy Shaddel, an independent scholar based in Iran, with interests in the Qur’an, late-ancient religion, and early Islamic history. The previous coordinator, Professor Vanessa De Gifis of the Wayne State University, is now the co-editor of our Journal, JIQSA. We would like to thank Professor De Gifis on behalf of the IQSA community for her efforts during her tenure as blog coordinator.

Share your research

If you are undertaking research as a faculty member or post-doc, working on a new project as a graduate student, or would like to share information about an upcoming Qur’an related conference, workshop or service, please consider writing a blog post for us. Posts in languages other than English are acceptable. Blog contributions should be sent to Mehdy Shaddel (mehdyshaddel@gmail.com). Scholarly reviews should be submitted to RQR and academic articles to JIQSA.

Become a member

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 member. IQSA members enjoy exclusive access to Review of Qur’anic Research (RQR), Qur’an Seminar, membership directory, job board, the Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association (JIQSA), and more.

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:

Review of Qur’anic Research
Qur’an Seminar project, including the Qurʾan Seminar Commentary and the Arabic text of the Qurʾan with detailed cross-references
Access to the membership directory
Bilingual English-Arabic Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association (JIQSA)

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!

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

A Letter of Thanks to IQSA Members

Dear IQSA members and friends,

I hope this message reaches you well, and that you found our time together in San Diego, both enlightening as well as enjoyable. Like many of you, I had the pleasure of meeting old friends and making new ones. I speak for myself, council and all IQSA officers when I say that we are quite pleased with how the conference went. Our sessions were well attended, and the papers were engaging and thought provoking. Our current membership numbers over 450 from all around the world, and we had the pleasure of having over one hundred of them represented during the Friday sessions, especially the keynote lecture and reception. 50 people attended our first business meeting, at which prof. Farid Esack was unanimously voted president elect for 2015.

We are, furthermore, heartened and impressed by the enthusiasm for IQSA–both within North American and internationally. Participants and audience members came from around the globe, including Indonesia, Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Australia, Europe and North America. This all bodes well for IQSA, not least because this is just our second annual meeting. The task of IQSA’s executive office is now to keep up with this growth and accommodate our members for many future meetings.

I am also happy to share with you that our success in San Diego played a significant role within the larger SBL / AAR conference, for the second year in a row. More on this and several other matters of business soon.

Please do not forget to tell your friends, colleagues and peers about us. IQSA members come from an incredibly diverse range of academic backgrounds, including Qur’anic Studies, Islamic Studies, Biblical Studies, Middle East Studies, textual studies, inter-religious studies, hermeneutics, studies on manuscripts or material culture, the hard sciences, and so on. There are numerous ways to stay connected with IQSA throughout the year, namely by:

* Becoming a member (http://membership.iqsaweb.org/Join.aspx)

* Subscribing to our blog (IQSAWEB.ORG)

* Joining the private IQSA Discussion Group

* Liking the “International Qur’anic Studies Association” on Facebook

* Following “@IQSAWEB” on Twitter

* Publishing with us!

(a) If you have an outstanding article or book length manuscript

(English, Arabic), please contact JIQSA@iqsaweb.org

Call for Papers: Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association

IQSA is pleased to announce the launch of the Journal of the International Qurʾanic Studies Association (JIQSA). In support of the Association’s mission of fostering scholarship on the Qurʾan, JIQSA will commence publication twice annually beginning in the first quarter of 2016.

(greenzblog.com)

The Journal is being launched at a time of particular vitality and growth in Qurʾanic Studies, and its primary goal is to encourage the further development of the discipline in innovative ways. Methodologies of particular interest to the Journal include historical-critical, contextual-comparative, and literary approaches to the Qurʾan. We especially welcome articles that explore the Qurʾan’s origins in the religious, cultural, social, and political contexts of Late Antiquity; its connections to various literary precursors, especially the scriptural and parascriptural traditions of older religious communities; the historical reception of the Qurʾan in the West; the hermeneutics and methodology of Qurʾanic exegesis and translation (both traditional and modern); the transmission and evolution of the textus receptus and the manuscript tradition; and the application of various literary and philological modes of investigation into Qurʾanic style and compositional structure.

We currently welcome submissions of articles for publication in the first volume. The complete Call for Papers is available here. Articles will be rigorously peer-reviewed through a double-blind review process, with reviewers appointed by the Head Editor and the Editorial Board. Interested parties are invited to email JIQSA@iqsaweb.org for more information about JIQSA and style and submission guidelines.

Andrew Rippin Best Paper Prize 2018

Andrew Rippin Best Paper Prize 2018

Andrew Rippin Best Paper Prize 2018

Publisher’s Corner: Lockwood Press

IQSA Job Vacancy: Copy Editor

Advertising with IQSA

Launch: Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association,Vol.1 (2016)

2016 Year in Review & Happy 2017

Write for us!

IQSA Membership 2016 Now Open!

IQSA 2015 – Updates & Announcements

A Letter of Thanks to IQSA Members

Call for Papers: Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association

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