Conference Schedule Available! IQSA 2023 Annual Meeting

Posted on by

IQSA’s Conference Schedule for the 2023 Annual Meeting held in San Antonio from November 17-20 is now available! Find the schedule for program units and special events below.

Please note that registration is required to attend the Annual Meeting (in person only). Register as a Member of an Affiliate Organization. Scroll to the bottom of the page for the Affiliate link and choose “International Qur’anic Studies Association” in the drop-down menu.

IQSA Events 2023

P17-105
Qur’anic Studies: Methodology and Hermeneutics (IQSA)
11/17/2023
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Room: Salon A – Marriott Riverwalk
Theme: Quranic Inimitability (ijaz) and Coherence

Yousef Wahb, University of Chicago Divinity School
Early iʿjāz al-Qurān Debates: The Transition from Kalām to Balāgha in the Ninth and Tenth Century (20 min)

Murtaza Shakir, Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah, Mumbai
The Doctrine of Iʿjāz al-Qurʾān (Inimitability of the Qurʾān), as Explained in the Majālis of the Fāṭimī Dāʿī al-Muʾayyad al- Shīrāzī (20 min)

Ersin Kabakci, Hitit University, Faculty of Theology
What Does the Qurʾān’s Being a Holistic Text Mean? An Analysis in the Context of Five Different Approaches (20 min)

Romain Louge, Université Catholique de Lyon
A Reading of Some Qur’anic Passages with the Help of an Arabic kalām in al-Qāsim al Rassī (20 min)

P17-207
Linguistic, Literary, and Thematic Perspectives on the Qur’anic Corpus (IQSA)
11/17/2023
1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Room: Salon A – Marriott Riverwalk
Theme: Law and Society in the Medinan Qur’an

Saqib Hussain, Loyola Marymount University
The Hypocrites and the Jews of Medina (25 min)

Nora K. Schmid, University of Hamburg/ University of Oxford
The Story of the Slander (ḥadīth al-ifk): Legal Storytelling in the Qur’an and the Sīra (25 min)

Thomas Hoffmann, University of Copenhagen
The Qurʾān’s Complex Carceral Whole (25 min)

Karen Bauer, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, London
Qur’anic law from Mecca to Medina (25 min)

Holger Zellentin, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
Biblical Law in the Medinan Surahs (25 min)

Discussion (25 min)

P17-301a
The Qur’an and Late Antiquity (IQSA)
11/17/2023
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Room: Salon A – Marriott Riverwalk

Irem Kurt, Universität Osnabrück
The Dichotomy of Food Purity: The Qurʾānic Terms khabīth and ṭayyib in the Context of the Urgemeinde of the Qurʾān (30 min)

Hannelies Koloska, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Tasting and Seeing the Divine: The Qur’anic Engagement with Late Antique Sensory Piety (30 min)

Emran El-Badawi, University of Houston
Q 113–114 and the Amulet of Alexandra: An Exploration (30 min)

Feras Q. Hamza, Institute of Ismaili Studies, London
Patrons and Patronage in the Qur’an (30 min)

Chris Mezger, Yale University and Hannah Stork, Yale University
The Precanonical Transmission of the Quran(s): Andreas Kaplony and Quranic Intertextuality (30 min)

P17-401
International Qur’anic Studies Association (IQSA)
11/17/2023
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Room: Salon A – Marriott Riverwalk
Theme: Presidential Address

IQSA’s General Reception will follow the Presidential Address from 8-9pm, featuring a special presentation by De Gruyter Publishers. Details to come.

P18-129
Linguistic, Literary, and Thematic Perspectives on the Qur’anic Corpus (IQSA)
11/18/2023
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Room: Salon A – Marriott Riverwalk

Theme: Discursive Tools within the Qur’anic Corpus

Abdulla Galadari, Khalifa University of Science & Technology
Clear or Veiled? A Linguistic Attempt to Solve a Qur’anic Paradox (25 min)

Valerie Gonzalez, SOAS, University of London
Understanding Quranic Eschatology through a Peircean Semiotic Reading of the Concepts of Mithal and Isharat (25 min)

Avigail Noy, The University of Texas at Austin
Mathal in the Qur’an and in Poetry: Insights from the Literary Critics (25 min)

Johanne Louise Christiansen, University of Southern Denmark
“We Have Made the Qur’an Easy to Remember, but Are There Any That Are Reminded?” (Q al-Qamar/54:17, 22, 32, 40): The Memory Challenge of Qur’anic Education (25 min)

Masoud Ariankhoo, Harvard University
The Misguiding God: Intratextual Analysis of Ighwāʾ as a Gateway to Qur’anic Satanology (25 min)

Discussion (25 min)

Graduate Student Luncheon
11/18/2023
11:00 AM  – 1:30 PM
Luncheon for registered graduate students and early career scholars. Event will be held offsite – email contactus@iqsaweb.org for details.

P18-245
The Societal Qur’an (IQSA)
11/18/2023
1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Room: Salon A – Marriott Riverwalk
Theme: Sura Studies and The Societal Qur’an

Anne-Sylvie Boisliveau, University of Strasbourg (France)
Proto-juz’ ‘Amma Practice: First Centuries Debates about Short Suras Recitation (30 min)

Zakir Demir, Siirt University
The Structure of Sûrah al-Kawthar and Critique of the Claim to be an Independent Miracle (30 min)

Ashher Masood, Yale University
Al-Kawthar and Abraham (30 min)

Adam Flowers, University of Chicago
The Qur’ān as a Tool of Rebellion and Counter-Rebellion in the Early Islamicate World (30 min)

Zeinab Vessal, Graduate Theological Union (GTU) in Berkeley
Rayat-E-Nasr Ayat: The Quranic Verses in a Safavid Victory Banner (30 min)

Shawkat Toorawa, Yale University, Presiding

P18-335
Qur’anic Studies: Methodology and Hermeneutics (IQSA)
11/18/2023
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Room: Salon A – Marriott Riverwalk
Theme: Quranic Visions of Warfare, Death, and Hell

Mohammad Hassan Khalil, Michigan State University
The Peculiar “Kill Yourselves” Command (Qur’an 2:54) and Al-Maturidi’s Conception of Qur’anic Consistency (20 min)

Javad T. Hashmi, Harvard University
Jihād Until No Fitna: The Pious Manipulation and Theological Militarization of the Qurʾān by the Medieval Exegetes of Islam (20 min)

Andrew O’Connor, St Norbert College
Conversations around the (Hell)fire: Dialogue of the Dead and Damned in the Qur’an (20 min)

P19-144
The Qur’an and Late Antiquity (IQSA)
11/19/2023
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Room: Salon A – Marriott Riverwalk

Juan Cole, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
The “Seven Sleepers” Tale inSūrat al-Kahf as an Allegory for the Sasanian Conquest (30 min)

Raymond K. Farrin, American University of Kuwait
Astronomical Events of 607 and 614 CE and the Early Meccan Qur’an (30 min)

Mohsen Goudarzi, Harvard University
Twilight of the Cults: Ancient Worship, Its Discontents, and Religious Polemic in the Qur’anic Milieu (30 min)

Paul Neuenkirchen, University of Bern
Remembrance of God, Prayer, and Constancy as Ways of Fighting Demons Between the Qur’an and Late Antique Ascetic Writings (30 min)

Daniel Bannoura, University of Notre Dame
Iltifāt in the Qurʾān: An examination based on Late Antique literary practices (30 min)

P19-234
Qur’anic Studies: Methodology and Hermeneutics (IQSA)
11/19/2023
1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Room: Salon A – Marriott Riverwalk
Theme: Shi’i Ismaili and Sufi Interpretations of the Quran

Khalil Andani, Augustana College (IL)
The Imam as Speaking Quran in Ismaili Muslim Exegesis and Practice (20 min)

Syed A.H. Zaidi, Emory University
The Brethren of Purity’s Intertextual Approach to the Qurʾān (20 min)

Stephen Cúrto, Union College, Union County NJ
The Qurʾān and Vedas as Ginānic Motifs: Theological Implications and Exegetical Interrelationships (20 min)

P19-341
The Societal Qur’an (IQSA)
11/19/2023
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Room: Salon A – Marriott Riverwalk
Theme: The Societal Qur’an

Lauren Osborne, Whitman College, Presiding

Johanna Pink, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
Beauty and Piety: Framing and Unframing the Qur’an as World Literature in Twentieth-Century Europe (30 min)

Mykhaylo Yakubovych, Freiburg University, Germany
A State-Supported Hermeneutics? The Theology of Translations of the Qur’an by the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs (30 min)

Riccardo Amerigo Vigliermo, Unimore, FSCIRE
The “Corano di Maometto”, a Qur’ānic Partial Traduction in Italian Language from the “Biblioteca Universale” Sonzogno (30 min)

Tehseen Thaver, Princeton University
Exegetical Space and the Shaping of Shi‘i Identity: Shaykh Abu al-Futuh al-Razi’s Persian Qur’an Commentary (30 min)

Francesca Badini, FSCIRE (Palermo)
The Qur’ān as an Instrument of Education: The Legacy of Ḥasan al-Bannā in Muḥammad al-Ġazālī (30 min)

P20-146
The Qur’an and the Biblical Tradition (IQSA)
11/20/2023
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Room: Salon A – Marriott Riverwalk
Theme: The Qur’an and the Biblical Tradition 1

Rushain Abbasi, Stanford University and Orit Malka, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
“Bear Witness, for I Bear Witness with You” (Q.3:81): The Concept of Shahāda in the Quran and Its Biblical Subtext (30 min)

Rachel Claire Dryden, University of Southern Denmark
Q 2:26 “God Is Not Ashamed to Strike a Mathal,” (inna allāha lā yastaḥyi an yaḍriba mathalan): Amthāl as an Educational Norm in the Qur’ān? (30 min)

Stephen Burge, Institute of Ismaili Studies
“Cry ‘Havoc!’ and Let Slip the Dogs of War”: Angelic Armies and Martial Language in the Biblical Tradition and the Qur’an (30 min)

Gabriel Said Reynolds, Notre Dame
Christianity as a Conversation Partner of the Qur’an (30 min)

Asad Uz Zaman, Ohio State University
The Qur’anic Rejection of an Enochian Etiology of Evil: A Look at Q18:50–51 and Q2:28–39 (30 min)

P20-240
The Qur’an and the Biblical Tradition (IQSA)
11/20/2023
1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Room: Salon A – Marriott Riverwalk

Theme: The Qur’an and the Biblical Tradition 2

David Penchansky, University of Saint Thomas (Saint Paul, MN)
A Brief Rumor Narrative in Surat-al-Nur and Related Biblical Passages (30 min)

Heydar Davoudi, Northwestern University
Mushite and Aaronite Priesthoods in the Hebrew Bible and the Qurʾān (30 min)

Shari L. Lowin, Stonehill College
“Say: Whosoever Is an Enemy to Gabriel”: Q 2:97 and the Destruction of the Temple (30 min)

Shlomo Zuckier, Institute for Advanced Study and David Gyllenhaal, Institute for Advanced Study
The Puns of Sin: Q2:58-59 in Light of Muqātil b. Sulaymān’s Tafsīr and Its Use of Hebrew Scripture (30 min)

Tugrul Kurt, Humboldt-Universität zu Berli
The Identification of Christians in the Qurʿan: Christian Groups in the Exegesis of Muqātil Ibn Sulaymān (d.150/767) and Ibn Jarīr al-Ṭabarī (d. 310/923) (30 min)

, Intertextuality (Interpretive Approaches), Comparative Religion / History of Religion (Comparative Religion / History of Religion)

P20-342
The Qur’an: Manuscripts and Textual Criticism (IQSA)
11/20/2023
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Room: Salon A – Marriott Riverwalk

Abdallah A Elkhatib, Qatar University
A Verse Count Analysis OF MSS Marcel 5, Arabe 335, Leiden Or. 14.545 A and Other MSS Some of the Oldest Qurʾān Fragments in Western Libraries (30 min)

Marijn van Putten, Leiden University
The Scribal Appendices of Three Mamluk Mushafs and the Crystallization of the al-Dūrī/al-Sūsī Divide (30 min)

Hythem Sidky, International Qur?anic Studies Association
Making the Case for Qurʾānic Case: Evidence for the Existence of an Early Qurʾānic Literary Register (30 min)

Discussion (30 min)

Call for Papers for Early Career Scholars

Posted on by

A Christian Arabic inscription featuring a cross and Aramaic dots over the dāls, see Younis al‐Shdaifat et al. “An Early Christian Arabic Graffito Mentioning ‘Yazīd the King’,” https://doi.org/10.1111/aae.12105

The ERC project “The Qurʾan as a Source for Late Antiquity” (QaSLA) has opened its call for papers for the conference Islamic Tradition at the End of Late Antiquity: New Perspectives on Hadith, History, and Historiography, to be held in Tübingen, Germany, from July 8–10, 2024.

The three-day conference aims at attracting contributions to the scholarly discourse on Islamic tradition and the late antique milieu, particularly studies that pursue connections between the hadith literature, Islamicate historiography, and Jewish and Christian traditions from the period of Islam’s emergence.

The conference is oriented towards exploring new connections between Islam and the late antique milieu, while shifting the emphasis to the hadith, broadly defined. Can the hadith prove to be a reliable source for historical inquiry into the 7th century, despite its codification in the 9th century? And, if so, can other genres of hadith convey insights that contradict or confirm the tafsīr tradition? How might different methodological approaches to the hadith and improved analytical techniques shed new light on the Qurʾan and its environment? And how is the hadith, if at all, a witness to the existence of and the specific cultural and religious impact of Jewish, Christian, or other communities in Arabia?

While we are particularly interested in scholarly contributions that engage with the preceding questions, we welcome other avenues of inquiry into the hadith, Islamic late antiquity, and the interaction of Jews, Christians, and (other) Arabian peoples in and around the 7th century CE. By way of example, themes to be addressed include:

1. Methodological approaches to the study of Muslim traditions: hadith, tafsīr, and akhbār

2. Judeo-Christian elements in hadith, such as the isrāʾīliyyāt, and other Islamic literature

3. Interactions between Islamic and other late antique legal and juridical ideas

4. Portrayals of Jews and Christians in Islamic tradition

 

Travel and accommodation expenses in Tübingen for the duration of the research symposium will be covered by QaSLA.

This call for papers invites Early Career Researchers (PhD candidates and within five years of the award of the PhD). It seeks to promote outstanding research of early career scholars and bring them in conversation with established scholars of Hadith Studies and Late Antiquity as well as historians of early Islam.

Please note that all proposals must include:

·         Author name and affiliation

·         C.V.

·         Paper title

·         250-word paper abstract (written in English)

 

Abstract Due: July 31st, 2023

For questions and proposals contact:

Ana Davitashvili: ana.davitashvili@uni-tuebingen.de

Raashid Goyal: raashid.goyal@uni-tuebingen.de

Early Bird Registration Ends TODAY!

Posted on by

Untitled design (27)

If you’re attending IQSA’s Annual Meeting in San Antonio this fall, remember to register TODAY before rates increase! Early Bird registration saves you over $50 compared to regular rates.

To sign up, Register as a Member of an Affiliate Organization here. Scroll to the bottom of the page for the Affiliate link and choose “International Qur’anic Studies Association” in the drop-down menu. Please note you must be an active IQSA member to attend.

To find more details about the Annual Meeting, visit https://iqsaweb.org/call-for-papers-iqsa-annual-meeting-2023/. We look forward to seeing you in San Antonio! 

 

Announcing JIQSA Volume 7 (2022)!

Posted on by

IQSA is proud to announce the official release of the Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association V.7 2022 (Lockwood Press).

Untitled design (16)

Executive Editor
Sean W. Anthony, The Ohio State University, USA
Associate Editor Saqib Hussain, Loyola Marymount University, USA

Editorial Board
Ahmad Al-Jallad, The Ohio State University, USA
Carol Bakhos, University of California, Los Angeles
USA Majid Daneshgar, University of Otago, New Zealand Vanessa De Gifis, Wayne State University, USA
Reuven Firestone, Hebrew Union College, USA
Feras Hamza, University of Wollongong, Dubai, UAE
Marianna Klar, University of Oxford, UK Shady Hekmat Nasser, Harvard University
USA Michael E. Pregill, University of California, Los Angeles USA
Nicolai Sinai, University of Oxford, UK

Volume 7 is available to IQSA members for FREE online via the member login on members.iqsaweb.org. Non-members can receive access by signing up for membership HERE.

Institutions wishing to subscribe for print and/or online access should fill out the form HERE. 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

Member Access

Full online access to the Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association is available by signing in to the member portal at iqsaweb.org HERE. Use the top menu to navigate to “JIQSA” and select the desired volume via the drop-down menu. Online access to JIQSA is NOT available via Lockwood Press’ website.

If you experience trouble logging in, please email contactus@iqsaweb.org to reset your password or confirm your membership.

Renew or sign up for IQSA membership HERE for full access to JIQSA, RQR, and more!

Table of Contents (Vol. 7, 2022)

  1. Roggema, Barbara. Obituary: Fred Leemhuis (1942–2021). JIQSA 7 (2022): 3-6
  2. Melchert, Christopher. The Variant Readings in Islamic Law. JIQSA 7 (2022): 7-26.
  3. Davitashvili, Ana. The Inner-Qurʾānic Development of the Images of Women in Paradise: From the Ḥūr ʿĪn to Believing Women. JIQSA 7 (2022): 27-64.
  4. Shiran, Adi. Bloody Wrath and Healing Touches: Joseph and His Brothers in Early Imāmī Shīʿī Tafsīr. JIQSA 7 (2022): 65-92.
  5. Mutter, Jessica. Iltifāt and Narrative Voice in the Qurʾān: Grammatical Shifts and Nested Dialogue in Sūrahs 19, 20, and 18. JIQSA 7 (2022): 93-121. 

The journal’s website, including additional information and contact details, can be found at http://lockwoodonlinejournals.com/index.php/jiqsa. For more information on the International Qur’anic Studies Association, please visit www.iqsaweb.org.

© International Qur’anic Studies Association, 2023. All rights reserved.

Deadline TODAY! Call for Papers – IQSA Annual Meeting 2023

Posted on by

Today is the deadline to submit paper proposals for IQSA’s Annual Meeting to be held in San Antonio, Texas from November 17-20, 2023. Paper proposals should be submitted through the SBL’s automated online submission system under the corresponding “Affiliates” link by March 14, 2023 (note: IQSA membership is required for proposal submission; see below). Paper proposals will be accepted through 11:59 PM (23:59) US Eastern Time (UTC-4). Submission links can be found below under the respective program units. If you require further information or experience difficulties with the submission process, please contact the chairs of the program unit to which you would like to apply.

Please note that all proposals must include:

  • Author name and affiliation
  • Paper title
  • 400 word paper abstract (written in English)

Eligibility for proposal submissions is contingent upon the following:

  • Active IQSA membership is required at the time of proposal submission for the IQSA Program, and the membership status of all applicants will be checked prior to acceptance
  • Participants must maintain current IQSA Membership through their participation in the Annual Meeting

Please also note that:

  • To ensure equity and diversity amongst participants, participants should submit only one paper presentation per IQSA Annual Meeting
  • All participants must adhere to IQSA’s Professional Conduct Policy
  • Participants will be required to register for the conference by submitting payment through SBL’s online submission system (users are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the “Super Saver” rates which end mid-May)

The Annual Meeting includes panels for each of IQSA’s seven program units:

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

The Linguistic, Literary, and Thematic Perspectives on the Qur’anic Corpus unit invites proposals for papers that engage with the study of the Qur’an from a literary standpoint and examine aspects such as rhetorical devices, literary motifs, characterization, themes, voices, sound, structure of passages or surahs, etc. While the unit welcomes proposals that explore any of these aspects, this year we particularly encourage papers that utilize linguistic, literary, and thematic perspectives to study the legal and prescriptive material found in Medinan surahs and verses.

Manuscripts and Textual Criticism

The aim of the Qur’an: Manuscripts and Textual Criticism unit is to provide a cross-disciplinary setting for the exploration of the various interconnected issues that arise when questions concerning the Qur’an’s text are investigated through the prism of its manuscript tradition. This latter term encompasses the field of Qur’an manuscripts per se, but also alludes to such information regarding the history of the text that can be gleaned from the citations, marginal notes, and detailed analysis provided in other branches of the Islamic sciences, for example Qur’an commentaries and the qira’at literature. It is hoped that bringing together scholars from a variety of disciplines will serve to enrich and strengthen each of these fields. The Manuscripts and Textual Criticism unit seeks to create a forum for the application of textual criticism to the Qur’anic text attested both in physical manuscripts and within the wider Islamic tradition. It also aims to investigate palaeographic, codicological, and art historical features in the Qur’an’s manuscript tradition. For the 2023 meeting in San Antonio, the unit welcomes papers on any topic within the range of the interests of the Manuscripts and Textual Criticism program unit. For the 2023 meeting in San Antonio, the unit welcomes papers on any topic within the range of the interests of the Manuscripts and Textual Criticism program unit.

The Qur’an and the Biblical Tradition

The focus of this unit is the Qur’an’s relationship to the Biblical tradition in the broadest sense: the books of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament in the various languages of their original composition and later translations (regardless of a particular book’s status of canonization within specific Jewish or Christian groups), as well as the exegetical, homiletic, and narrative traditions of the Bible in written or oral form. For the 2023 meeting in San Antonio, the Qur’an and the Biblical Tradition unit welcomes proposals that engage any aspect of the relationship between the Bible and the Qur’an.

Qur’anic Studies: Methodology and Hermeneutics

The Methodology and Hermeneutics Unit invites proposals for papers that focus on the theological and hermeneutical relationship between the Qur’an and extra-Qur’anic sources of truth or authority, including the prophetic Sunna, communal Sunna, consensus (ijma’), the Shi’i Imams and their Sunna, hadith literature, biographical literature (sira), formative exegetical literature (tafsir), the rulings of Muslim scholars (‘ulama’), the Sufi shuyukh or Sufi poetry, mystical unveiling (kashf), studies of the material universe, intellect, and so forth.

For example, proposed papers could consider:

  • The hermeneutical relationship between the Qur’an and the prophetic Sunna; for instance, in how hadith, sīra, or “occasions of revelation” (asbāb al-nuzūl) impact exegesis;  
  • How principles from Islamicate philosophy (falsafa) or theology (kalām) are used to exegete the Qur’an, or how specific verses become significant within Muslim ontological and cosmological discourse;
  • How the idea of the Imams as the authoritative interpreters of the Qur’an influences exegesis in Shiʾī Islam;
  • How Sufi works of literature like the Mathnawī of Rūmi or Divān of Hāfiz distill the Qur’an for popular audiences;
  • How Sufi exegetes read the Quran through the lenses of mystical principles and spiritual experience;
  • Ways in which modern and contemporary Qur’anic interpretation adheres to or departs from influential premodern methods of tafsīr, and so forth.

Surah Studies

The Surah Studies Unit invites proposals for individual papers on any of the 37 surahs in the 30th juz’ (Juz’ ‘Amma), viz. from Surat al-Naba’ (78, “The Announcement”) to Surat al-Nas (114, “Humanity”). Proposals about any aspect of any surah—or cluster of surahs—are welcome. Proposals which can take our collective thinking in new directions are especially encouraged. These might broach (1) such general themes as: addressee(s), chronology and dating, the eschaton, oaths and oracular language, rhyme and rhythm, or textual cruxes; (2) topics specific to particular surahs, such as: astral imagery and phenomena in Surat al-Buruj (85, “The Constellations”) or Surat al-Takwir (81, “Rolling Up”), non-human beings in Surat al-Nazi‘at (79, “The Dispatchers”), Surat al-‘Alaq (96, “The Clot”), and Surat al-Fil (105, “The War Elephant”), or the language of commerce and trade and wealth in Surat al-Takathur (102, “Vying”) and Surat al-Ma‘un (107, “Liberality?”); or (3) devotional, liturgical and recitational aspects of the surahs and the juz’. The Surah Studies Unit welcomes diverse methods and new approaches. The raison d’être of the Unit is specifically to bring different perspectives into dialogue with one another.

The Qur’an and Late Antiquity

For the 2023 IQSA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, the Qur’an and Late Antiquity program unit invites proposals that utilize various types of material or evidence—be that literary, documentary, or epigraphic—to illuminate the historical context in which the Qur’an was revealed and the early Islamic polity emerged. We are especially interested in papers that present and discuss new and comparative methodologies to approach the interplay between Late Antique phenomenon and the Qur’an.

The Societal Qur’an

The Societal Qur’an unit invites proposals for papers that investigate the Qur’an in its lived and societal contexts throughout history, from Late Antiquity to contemporary Late Modernity. Papers might, for instance, discuss topics such as:(1) ritual uses of the Qur’an; (2) practices of teaching the Qur’an; (3) talismanic and medical uses of the Qur’an; (4) the production of manuscript, print, and new media versions of the Qur’an and their commodification; (5) the role of the Qur’an in public debates, political organisation, and identity building; (6) the Qur’an in arts and media; (7) multilingual representations of the Qur’an. Proposals are encouraged that engage with sociological, anthropological, and political science theories and methods in their pursuit of the societal and lived Qur’an.

Questions? Email contactus@iqsaweb.org! We look forward to seeing you in San Antonio!

Andrew Rippin Best Paper Prize Winner 2023

Posted on by

rippinThe International Qurʾanic Studies Association is delighted to announce that the sixth annual Andrew Rippin Best Paper Prize (open to papers delivered by early career scholars at the 2022 Annual Meeting) has been awarded to Eric Devilliers for his paper: ““Seconding Sinai?: The Re-presentation of Mosaic Theophany in the Qur’an.” The winner of the Andrew Rippin Best Paper Prize receives a cash award. In addition, an expanded and edited version of the winning paper qualifies for publication in the Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association.

This award is given in honor of Professor Andrew Rippin (1950–2016), a leading scholar of the Qurʾān and inaugural president of the International Qur’anic Studies Association (2014). Prof. Rippin is remembered as “an esteemed colleague, revered mentor, and scholarly inspiration to many members of the IQSA community.” An announcement regarding submissions for the seventh annual Andrew Rippin Best Paper Prize will follow the 2023 IQSA Annual Meeting.

An abstract of the award-winning paper follows:

“Seconding Sinai?: The Re-presentation of Mosaic Theophany in the Qur’an”
Mosaic theophany constituted an axis of exegetical controversy in Late Antiquity. Jews and Christians offered contrasting accounts of what Moses saw at the Burning Bush and at Mount Sinai and therefore assigned different significance to these visual dispensations. In particular, Christian theologians interpreted Mosaic theophanies in a way that emphasized Jesus Christ’s prophetic and ontological superiority. Jesus Christ, they argued, alone truly saw God; Moses did not see God atop Mt. Sinai, and insofar as he saw God, he saw the coming of Christ.

An investigation of how the Qur’an receives the Mosaic theophanic accounts and the logic behind its reformulations remains a scholarly desideratum. This paper, then, outlines how the Qur’an systematically re-presents these two biblical episodes (e.g., in Q 7:142-172, 20:9-36, 27:6-12, and 28:29-35) to respond to Christian and Jewish presentations of theophany and visual dispensation. I argue that, in these passages, the Qur’an takes up Christian exegetical narratives and their paradigm of vision in order to inventively incorporate many late antique traditions into its own prophetology. In these Qur’anic accounts, vision delineates a boundary between God and man. However, prophetic authority is based upon the prophet’s ability to see – either God, or facets of the Unseen. Thus, the Qur’an presents a creative tension: Muhammad’s humanity seems to preclude vision of God; yet, his prophetic superiority seems to affirm a more authentic vision of God than those of other prophets (e.g., Q 53, 81).

Eric_DeVilliers_HeadshotEric DeVilliers hails from Fredericksburg, Virginia. He is a PhD candidate at the University of Notre Dame, specializing in Qur’anic studies and Islamic theology. His dissertation investigates the roots and significance of the controversy surrounding the vision of God (ru’yat Allah) from Late Antiquity to the early Islamic period. He is currently performing research in Cairo on a Fulbright student research grant that explores the topic of the vision of God in the Kalām tradition.

Want to try your hand at next year’s Andrew Rippin Best Paper Prize? Submit your proposals for the Call for Papers: IQSA Annual Meeting 2023 to be held in San Antonio, Texas this November!

© International Qur’anic Studies Association, 2023. All rights reserved.

New Publication—The Qur’an: A Guidebook

Posted on by

qur'anguideIQSA is excited to share the new publication of a book by Roberto Tottoli, Professor at the University of Naples, L’OrientaleI and QSA member, The Qur’an: A Guidebook (De Gruyter 2023). The essay Reading and studying the Qur’an is an updated English version of the work appeared in Italian (Rome 2021) Leggere e studiare il Corano which deals with the contents of the Qur’an, the style and formal features of the text, the history and fixation of it and an poutline of the reception in Islamic literature.

The aim of the work is to give a reader a description of what he/she can find in the Islamic holy text and the state of the critical debates on all the topics dealt with, focusing mainly on the growing scholarly literature which appeared in the last 30 years. As such, the work is unique in combining the aim to give comprehensive information on the topic and, at the same, time, reconstruct the critical debate in a balanced outline also emphasizing confessional approaches and the dynamics in the study of the Qur’an.

There is nothing similar in contemporary scholarship and the book is a handbook for students and scholars of Islam but also for readers in religious studies who need to know how the main questions related to the Islamic text have been discussed in recent scholarship.

Find more information about the book at this link.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Professor Robert Tottoli has a BA in Oriental Languages and Literatures from Venezia Ca’ Foscari (1988), and a PhD from Napoli L’Orientale (1996). He studied at Hebrew University in Jerusalem under the direction of M.J. Kister (1993-94), and then taught in Turin (1999-2002) and Naples L’Orientale since 2002, where he has worked as full professor in Islamic studies since 2011. He has been Visiting Researcher/Professor at Princeton University (2014), Harvard (2015), EHESS Paris (2016), Institute for Advanced Study Tokyo (2018), University of Pennsylvania (2019) and member of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton in 2016-17. Since 2019 he has been PI in the European project ERC-Synergy EUQU (The European Qur’an – cPI Mercedes Garcia-Arenal, Cisc, Madrid, PIs John Tolan, Nantes, Jan Lopp, Canterbury).

Prof. Tottoli has carried out research on biblical prophets in Islam (Biblical prophets in the Islamic tradition, Brescia, 1999, English translation 2002), he has dealt with Islamic literature in general and, more recently, with editions and translations of the Qur’an in the modern age (Ludovico Marracci at Work, written with R. Glei, Wiesbaden, 2016). He has translated several texts of Islamic literature into Italian (Malik, al-Muwatta’. Manual of Islamic Law, Turin, 2011, with which he won the King Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz International Award for Translation, 8th Section. 2015) and has edited works on Islam in the West (Routledge Handbook of Islam in the West, London, 2015) or on the history of Islamic civilization (The Wiley Blackwell History of Islam, Hoboken, 2018, edited with A. Salvatore, B. Rahimi). Since 2011 he has been writing about Islam for Corriere della Sera.

Call for Papers: IQSA Annual Meeting 2023

Posted on by

The International Qur’anic Studies Association has opened its call for papers for its Annual Meeting to be held in San Antonio, Texas from November 17-20, 2023. Paper proposals should be submitted through the SBL’s automated online submission system under the corresponding “Affiliates” link by March 14, 2023 (note: IQSA membership is required for proposal submission; see below). Submission links can be found below under the respective program units. If you require further information or experience difficulties with the submission process, please contact the chairs of the program unit to which you would like to apply.

Please note that all proposals must include:

  • Author name and affiliation
  • Paper title
  • 400 word paper abstract (written in English)

Eligibility for proposal submissions is contingent upon the following:

  • Active IQSA membership is required at the time of proposal submission for the IQSA Program, and the membership status of all applicants will be checked prior to acceptance
  • Participants must maintain current IQSA Membership through their participation in the Annual Meeting

Please also note that:

  • To ensure equity and diversity amongst participants, participants should submit only one paper presentation per IQSA Annual Meeting
  • All participants must adhere to IQSA’s Professional Conduct Policy
  • Participants will be required to register for the conference by submitting payment through SBL’s online submission system (users are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the “Super Saver” rates which end mid-May)

The Annual Meeting includes panels for each of IQSA’s seven program units:

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

The Linguistic, Literary, and Thematic Perspectives on the Qur’anic Corpus unit invites proposals for papers that engage with the study of the Qur’an from a literary standpoint and examine aspects such as rhetorical devices, literary motifs, characterization, themes, voices, sound, structure of passages or surahs, etc. While the unit welcomes proposals that explore any of these aspects, this year we particularly encourage papers that utilize linguistic, literary, and thematic perspectives to study the legal and prescriptive material found in Medinan surahs and verses.

Manuscripts and Textual Criticism

The aim of the Qur’an: Manuscripts and Textual Criticism unit is to provide a cross-disciplinary setting for the exploration of the various interconnected issues that arise when questions concerning the Qur’an’s text are investigated through the prism of its manuscript tradition. This latter term encompasses the field of Qur’an manuscripts per se, but also alludes to such information regarding the history of the text that can be gleaned from the citations, marginal notes, and detailed analysis provided in other branches of the Islamic sciences, for example Qur’an commentaries and the qira’at literature. It is hoped that bringing together scholars from a variety of disciplines will serve to enrich and strengthen each of these fields. The Manuscripts and Textual Criticism unit seeks to create a forum for the application of textual criticism to the Qur’anic text attested both in physical manuscripts and within the wider Islamic tradition. It also aims to investigate palaeographic, codicological, and art historical features in the Qur’an’s manuscript tradition. For the 2023 meeting in San Antonio, the unit welcomes papers on any topic within the range of the interests of the Manuscripts and Textual Criticism program unit. For the 2023 meeting in San Antonio, the unit welcomes papers on any topic within the range of the interests of the Manuscripts and Textual Criticism program unit.

The Qur’an and the Biblical Tradition

The focus of this unit is the Qur’an’s relationship to the Biblical tradition in the broadest sense: the books of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament in the various languages of their original composition and later translations (regardless of a particular book’s status of canonization within specific Jewish or Christian groups), as well as the exegetical, homiletic, and narrative traditions of the Bible in written or oral form. For the 2023 meeting in San Antonio, the Qur’an and the Biblical Tradition unit welcomes proposals that engage any aspect of the relationship between the Bible and the Qur’an.

Qur’anic Studies: Methodology and Hermeneutics

The Methodology and Hermeneutics Unit invites proposals for papers that focus on the theological and hermeneutical relationship between the Qur’an and extra-Qur’anic sources of truth or authority, including the prophetic Sunna, communal Sunna, consensus (ijma’), the Shi’i Imams and their Sunna, hadith literature, biographical literature (sira), formative exegetical literature (tafsir), the rulings of Muslim scholars (‘ulama’), the Sufi shuyukh or Sufi poetry, mystical unveiling (kashf), studies of the material universe, intellect, and so forth.

For example, proposed papers could consider:

  • The hermeneutical relationship between the Qur’an and the prophetic Sunna; for instance, in how hadith, sīra, or “occasions of revelation” (asbāb al-nuzūl) impact exegesis;  
  • How principles from Islamicate philosophy (falsafa) or theology (kalām) are used to exegete the Qur’an, or how specific verses become significant within Muslim ontological and cosmological discourse;
  • How the idea of the Imams as the authoritative interpreters of the Qur’an influences exegesis in Shiʾī Islam;
  • How Sufi works of literature like the Mathnawī of Rūmi or Divān of Hāfiz distill the Qur’an for popular audiences;
  • How Sufi exegetes read the Quran through the lenses of mystical principles and spiritual experience;
  • Ways in which modern and contemporary Qur’anic interpretation adheres to or departs from influential premodern methods of tafsīr, and so forth.

Surah Studies

The Surah Studies Unit invites proposals for individual papers on any of the 37 surahs in the 30th juz’ (Juz’ ‘Amma), viz. from Surat al-Naba’ (78, “The Announcement”) to Surat al-Nas (114, “Humanity”). Proposals about any aspect of any surah—or cluster of surahs—are welcome. Proposals which can take our collective thinking in new directions are especially encouraged. These might broach (1) such general themes as: addressee(s), chronology and dating, the eschaton, oaths and oracular language, rhyme and rhythm, or textual cruxes; (2) topics specific to particular surahs, such as: astral imagery and phenomena in Surat al-Buruj (85, “The Constellations”) or Surat al-Takwir (81, “Rolling Up”), non-human beings in Surat al-Nazi‘at (79, “The Dispatchers”), Surat al-‘Alaq (96, “The Clot”), and Surat al-Fil (105, “The War Elephant”), or the language of commerce and trade and wealth in Surat al-Takathur (102, “Vying”) and Surat al-Ma‘un (107, “Liberality?”); or (3) devotional, liturgical and recitational aspects of the surahs and the juz’. The Surah Studies Unit welcomes diverse methods and new approaches. The raison d’être of the Unit is specifically to bring different perspectives into dialogue with one another.

The Qur’an and Late Antiquity

For the 2023 IQSA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, the Qur’an and Late Antiquity program unit invites proposals that utilize various types of material or evidence—be that literary, documentary, or epigraphic—to illuminate the historical context in which the Qur’an was revealed and the early Islamic polity emerged. We are especially interested in papers that present and discuss new and comparative methodologies to approach the interplay between Late Antique phenomenon and the Qur’an.

The Societal Qur’an

The Societal Qur’an unit invites proposals for papers that investigate the Qur’an in its lived and societal contexts throughout history, from Late Antiquity to contemporary Late Modernity. Papers might, for instance, discuss topics such as:(1) ritual uses of the Qur’an; (2) practices of teaching the Qur’an; (3) talismanic and medical uses of the Qur’an; (4) the production of manuscript, print, and new media versions of the Qur’an and their commodification; (5) the role of the Qur’an in public debates, political organisation, and identity building; (6) the Qur’an in arts and media; (7) multilingual representations of the Qur’an. Proposals are encouraged that engage with sociological, anthropological, and political science theories and methods in their pursuit of the societal and lived Qur’an.

Questions? Email contactus@iqsaweb.org! We look forward to seeing you in San Antonio!

Andrew Rippin Best Paper Prize 2022-23

Posted on by

Deadline

A friendly reminder that the deadline for the Andrew Rippin Best Paper Prize is fast approaching at January 30th! 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.”

rippinIn honor of Andrew Rippin, the International Qur’anic Studies Association (IQSA) will award a prize to the best paper delivered at either of IQSA’s 2022 meetings in Palermo or Denver by a graduate student or early career scholar (Ph.D. awarded 2017 or later). The prize winner will receive $250. In addition, the award committee will provide him/her with detailed feedback and guidance enabling him/her to expand the paper into a scholarly article that qualifies for publication in the Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association (JIQSA), subject to peer review.

Interested scholars should submit a draft of the paper which they read at the most current Annual Meeting; this draft should be no longer than fifteen double-spaced pages (or 3750 words). Submissions should be sent to contactus@iqsaweb.org by January 30, 2023. The prize winner will be announced at the end of February. The winner should then be prepared to submit a fully revised version of the winning article by April 1, 2023. Publication of the final version is contingent upon review by the award committee and editorial staff of JIQSA.

Questions? Email contactus@iqsaweb.org. We look forward to receiving your submissions!

© International Qur’anic Studies Association, 2022. All rights reserved.

A Year in Sum: IQSA 2022

Posted on by

Emerging from the global pandemic crisis with a new vigor, it’s been a dynamic year for the International Qur’anic Studies Association. The year of 2022 included new publications, partnerships, aleadership, and two annual meetings in and outside of the US!

_D852218 1 (2)

Meetings

The 2022 Annual Meeting of IQSA was hosted by the La Pira Library and Research Institute in Palermo, Italy from September 5–7. For the first time, the Annual Meeting took place in Europe as an independent event, thanks to the support of the La Pira Library. Scholars and colleagues from La Pira and IQSA worked jointly to plan and convene this event, gathering scholars of the Qur’an to share current research and to explore new approaches to study of the Qur’an. Nearly one hundred scholars from at least nineteen countries— from Houston, Texas to Diyala, Iraq and Abu Dhabi, UAE—from various backgrounds and disciplines presented papers. Thanks to the contributions and enthusiasm of all speakers who submitted proposal for both panels and single papers, the conference covered a broad range of topics and approaches, from theology and philosophy to the study of visual and material culture, as well as philology, linguistics, literary studies, translation studies, and gender studies. In all, there were twelve panels of fifty-two papers, plus three lectures, two roundtable sessions, and one read-through session. The enthusiastic and generous support of the whole La Pira team in hosting the conference was fundamental in making the conference in Palermo possible.

book (1)

Back state-side, the 2022 North American IQSA Annual Meeting was held in conjunction with the SBL/AAR Annual Meetings in Denver, Colorado from November 18-21, 2022. The Programming Committee led by Andrew O’Connor (St. Norbert College) orchestrated panels based on themes identified in paper submissions. These included The Qur’an and Late Antiquity, Law Beyond Israel, Slavery, Resistance and Freedom, and a final panel presided over by former IQSA Executive Director, Emran El-Badawi. IQSA members and affiliates also met on Saturday evening for it’s annual General Reception, accompanied this year by live music!

panel

IQSA experienced a lot of change in 2022, with Nicolai Sinai (Oxford University) stepping down as Editor of JIQSA and Sean Anthony (Ohio State University) taking his place. We are extremely grateful to Nicolai for his immense contributions to the journal and organization, and we look forward to Sean’s vision for the journal. The ISIQ Monograph Series is currently edited by David S. Powers. As of January 1, 2023 it will be jointly edited by Karen Bauer, Joseph Lowry, and Shawkat Toorawa. We have also ended our publishing arrangement with Lockwood Press and are thankful to Billie Jean and the entire Lockwood Press team for their loyal support of a growing organization. We are extremely pleased to announce a new partnership with De Gruyter, and the availability of Open Access publications for both our journal and book series.

JIQSA_degruyter

IQSAweb.org

The executive office has been working with a design agency throughout most of 2021-22 to rebuild the IQSA website from the ground up. The new website will be more modern and mobile-friendly. It will feature a new weekly blog, drawing on scholarship from our growing member base. It will also launch with new initiatives including master classes, conference recordings, and webinars—all hosted by leading scholars of qurʾanic studies. The new platform will serve to further IQSA’s mission of advocating for the field of qurʾanic studies in the public square. We hope that the new website will also increase member engagement and add value to an IQSA membership!

IQSAweb.org has all the information necessary for you to benefit from IQSA and for you to get involved. On this site, visitors can familiarize themselves with IQSA’s governance, resources, and programs, as well as learn about its policies, vision, and history.

Online Discussion Group:

Join the IQSA Google Discussion Group to share ideas, discuss, and collaborate with other scholars and members of IQSA. Join by logging in to Google Groups and searching “International Qur’anic Studies Association.” Then click “Apply to Join Group”!

Weekly Blog Updates:

The IQSA blog has attracted widespread international interest and participation of scholars, students, and the general public. The blog includes weekly updates about IQSA, information on its academic meetings (North American and International), schedules for other conferences and colloquia taking place around the world, and various stories and reports on new research. IQSA strongly encourages all those working on new and exciting Qur’anic Studies projects to contribute to the IQSA blog.

Become a Member of IQSA:

Become a member of IQSA – join from the IQSA website, located under “Membership & Governance.” Be sure to follow IQSAweb.org for updates about this and other matters. Through the website, members will receive access to our publications, including:

  • Review of Qurʾanic Research
  • Membership Directory
  • Bilingual English-Arabic Journal of the International Qurʾanic Studies Association

If you are interested in getting involved, writing for the IQSA blog, or have advertising or other inquiries, please write to contactus@iqsaweb.org. Do not forget to find IQSA on Facebook and Twitter!

Donate:

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.

You have all made IQSA what it is today—a community of scholars and friends. Please help our community during its time of need. If each of you makes a humble donation it will go a long way to supporting our publishing and programming activity for the coming year(s).

On behalf of IQSA, we wish you a very Happy New Year! كل عام وأنتم بخير

© International Qur’anic Studies Association, 2023. All rights reserved.