Creating the Qur'an: A Historical-Critical Study

Creating the Quran is a comprehensive historical-critical study of the Qurans origins, drawing on methods and perspectives to demonstrate that the Islamic tradition relates not a single attested account of the holy texts formation. It concludes that the canonical text of the Quran was most likely produced only around the turn of the eighth century.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 370 pages
Publication date: 08 November 2022
Publisher: University of California Press

Upon publication, a free open-access eBook is accessible. Discover more at www.luminosoa.org.
Creating the Quran offers a comprehensive historical-critical exploration of the origins of the Quran, employing methods commonly employed in the study of other scriptural traditions. Through meticulous analysis, Stephen J. Shoemaker demonstrates that the Islamic tradition does not present a singular, attested account of the holy texts formation. Instead, he reveals how the Quran preserves a diverse array of memories concerning its early history and canonization. Shoemaker incorporates perspectives from radiocarbon dating of manuscripts, the linguistic history of Arabic, the social and cultural history of late ancient Arabia, the limitations of human memory and oral transmission, as well as peculiarities within the Quranic text itself. By considering a wide range of relevant data, Shoemaker presents the most thorough and compelling examination of the origin and evolution of the Quran available. In his conclusion, he suggests that the canonical text of the Quran was most likely produced during the turn of the eighth century.

Weight: 590g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520389038