About the Book

The Quran Speaks is an important work of scholarship that holds deep implications for Islam. Foreword Reviews (5-star review)

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The Quran, unquestionably, is
amongst the most influential books of all time. With more than 1.5 billion
adherents, it is also the most widely read. What draws special attention, however,
is the claim that it is the word of Allah. This invites scrutiny to confirm that
the Quran matches Allah’s other creation in magnificence.

When seen in this perspective, it comes as a surprise that
the Quran’s message is not well understood, which is hard to dispute
considering the myriad competing factions in Islam, all of whom cannot (at
once) be right in their understanding of the message. Is that because the Quran
is in a language unfamiliar to most readers? Not quite, as these differences
exist among Arab Muslims, too. Besides, there are consistent translations in almost every language, which makes it
difficult to blame the translations for the differences in interpretation.

The reason why Quran’s message is not understood with uniformity
has to do with its unusual compilation, which took place after the death of the
Prophet Muhammad. The Quran is not arranged chronologically. The first
verses that were revealed were placed in Chapter 96, for instance. The Quran is
also not arranged by subject, however. Different themes tend to intermingle
in the same chapter, while discussion on any one topic may get distributed among
different chapters. It is the peculiar arrangement of the Quran that makes it
difficult for the reader to follow the flow and creates room for competing (at
times, diametrically opposed) interpretations.

The Quran Speaks seeks to
overcome this difficulty and to uncover the true message of the Quran by
adopting two simple techniques. The first is to organize the discussion by
subject. For instance, Chapter 3 reconstructs the life of the Prophet Muhammad based
on the numerous disclosures made in the Quran itself, which are scattered
throughout the text. The picture that emerges is markedly
different from what is generally believed, but this emergent picture is difficult
to dispute, based on the Quran as it is. Similarly, the chapter on women facilitates
understanding of the Quran’s message on this topic by bringing together the relevant
verses. By letting the Quran speak directly on diverse subjects and, where necessary, through pointing out the context
and sequence in which the relevant verses were revealed, The Quran Speaks makes
the message of the Quran more easily accessible to readers.

The other technique the book employs is use of four highly recognized English
translations of the Quran regarding all verses discussed in the book. The translations are carefully chosen to
represent the conservative as well as the liberal interpretations of the Quran.
The thought behind this approach is that when all translators agree, as they do
regarding the vast majority of verses discussed in the book, we can be
confident of capturing the Quran’s intended message. On the rare occasion when the
translators disagree, the book discusses the disagreements as well. Relying thus
on four authentic translations, to which the reader is free to add his own
preference, The Quran Speaks provides the pathway to uncovering the
true message of the Quran. In the process, it assesses the claim
that the Quran is a scientific miracle, contains no inconsistencies, and is a
masterpiece of literature, while also evaluating the controversial incident of
the “Satanic” verses.

The book should be of interest to anyone who believes in the
Quran and would like clearer visibility of its message. The
word of caution offered by the author is that though the discussion proceeds “with
respect and reverence,” to quote a review, anyone who expects
to read recent advances in science and morality in the text of the Quran may find their
faith tested. The book should also appeal to those who do not adhere to the Quran’s
message but are looking for a closer look at the religion that is poised to
play a critical role in shaping the world ahead. On the whole, The Quran
Speaks provides the platform for a
holistic and constructive dialogue on the Quran, including the question whether
it is the word of Allah.

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The Quran Speaks is acknowledged as a notable
addition to the literature on Islam. Scholarly reviews recommend it in the
following terms: 

Is the Quran the word of God? The Quran
Speaks examines the Quran from a sophisticated, dissenting perspective [and]
works exclusively with the Quran as the primary text. No other scholarly works
are included, though Sedq cites the four different translations he
interrogates. Sedq touches on subjects that are controversial and close to the
heart of Islam: the role of women, slavery, justice, and partnerships with
other religious groups, such as Jews. Sedq takes on this task with respect and
reverence. Clearly, the ideas in The Quran
Speaks are controversial and worth discussing. Sedq’s powerful discussion
of the Quran is both moving and important. The
Quran Speaks is an important work of scholarship that holds deep implications
for Islam and the way it is lived. (Abridged) Foreword Reviews

The
narrative is accessible, with clean prose, and Sedq uses many different
translations of the Quran to present the material as clearly and sensibly as
possible. Ultimately, the book is an attempt to create dialogue, to “promote
understanding and inclusiveness amongst all religions (not just Islam)”. Bottom line: This is an intriguing, engaging
look at a religion still misunderstood by many in the West and abroad. It is
bound to provoke heated debate. (Abridged) Blueink Review

A searching
look at the teachings of the Quran. In a series of fast-paced, economically
written chapters, Sedq takes up several common assertions about the Quran and
subjects them to a scholarly, thorough, and often refreshingly cant-free
contemporary analysis that takes modern social norms and literary scholarship
into account. He applies a clear-sighted approach during his close reading of
the Quran’s verses [and] brings a fair amount of rigor to his textual analysis
of some of the Quran’s best-known passages. Sedq
offers an interpretative look at the Quran that curious minds of all faiths
will find fascinating. A credible attempt at evenhanded textual analysis of
the Muslim holy text. (Abridged) Kirkus Reviews

    Ayaan Hirsi Ali in The New York Times:
What’s the most interesting or important
book to come out recently about the Islamic world? “The Quran
Speaks,” by Bahis Sedq: a hugely important book by a scholar of Islam who is,
to my mind, the most sophisticated of all the dissidents in the Muslim world.
The tragedy is that he has to publish under a pseudonym. He could be the Muslim
Luther, if there were only a way to keep him safe.

      Anonymous: “a fascinating work
… have been captivated by it … nothing but revolutionary”

      Anonymous: “many are the parts
that are praise worthy … it is very good; and in many parts, it is simply excellent.”

 

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The Quran
Speaks is organized as follows.

·
Chapter 1: The Quran Speaks

·
Chapter 2: The Contradictions Challenge

·
Chapter 3: Muhammad: The Last Prophet

·
Chapter 4: The Quran: A Scientific Miracle

·
Chapter 5: The Quran and Justice

·
Chapter 6: The Quran and Women

·
Chapter 7: The Sword Verses

·
Chapter 8: The Jews of Medina

·
Chapter 9: The Glorious Quran

·
Chapter 10: The “Satanic” Verses

·
Chapter 11: Undistracted by Religion