The Qu’ran: A Biography / Bruce Lawrence / 2017

The Qu’ran: A Biography / Bruce Lawrence / 2017

I wanted to read the Qu’ran to better understand my Islamic clients and students. I asked Ameena for an English translation she’d recommend and she pointed me here instead. This is not a translation of the Qur’an, but rather a history of Islam, covering the story of Muhammad, the tension in Islam between mystic and non-mystic traditions, and Islam’s transformations as it traveled East and into Black communities. I especially appreciated Lawrence’s attention to philosophical debates in Islam, especially in India, and his analysis of Bin Laden’s interpretations of the Qu’ran and the Nation of Islam’s. This is a solid introduction to a complex tradition and it’s given me great directions to go for further studies. 5/5 as the book accomplishes its modest goals handedly.