This new edition of the Qur'an is specifically designed to meet the needs of students of religion, and provides them with a one-volume resource comparable to what is available for the Jewish and Christian scriptures. The meticulously crafted translation affords readers not only a better sense of what the Qur'an says, but how it says it, in a rendition that strives to remain faithful to the way it was originally expressed. Accompanying the translation is an extensive set of annotations. These are keyed to the text for ready reference, and divided according to their boldface topical headings at the bottom of each page. The annotations offer a wealth of linguistic and historical detail to enhance the understanding and appreciation of the text. They also contain abundant references to parallel passages within the Qur'an, as well as comparatively among the scriptures of Judaism and Christianity. With an introduction, set of maps, timeline, guide to further reading, and comprehensive index, this is the edition of the Qur'an all students of religion beginning as well as advanced will want to possess for their exploration of Islam s central text. Praise for this volume: 'The major benefit of this meticulously crafted translation is its extensive set of intratextual and intertextual references. The former cover all the major terms used in the Qur'an, providing the Arabic original word in a footnote, with usages, whether parallel or variant, from other Qur'anic chapters. The latter display an intimate engagement with both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, as well as a range of secondary literature that can be seen to supplement brief or cryptic Qur'anic references. Both sets of references make this an indispensable companion or guide book for reading, engaging and studying the Qur'an. A further, attractive feature of Droge's annotations is the highlighting of subsets or pericopes of each chapter in the footnotes; the reader, by glancing through these bold highlighted passages, can quickly surmise what are the chief elements, as also their relationship, within each chapter. Even the most seasoned scholar, and the most devout Muslim, will learn from Droge's annotated translation. It is a treasure trove of both familiar and novel elements of the Noble Book. In sum, Arthur Droge is to be commended for the extraordinary Herculean effort.' Bruce B. Lawrence, Duke University 'At long last, a version of the Qur'an that is willing to introduce the reader to the complexities of the historical formation and secular interpretation of this important text. Droge is to be congratulated for making accessible to the student of religious studies a critical apparatus, something that is all too often ignored in other translations.' Aaron Hughes, University of Buffalo 'Several new translations of the Qur'an have appeared over the past 20 years or so. None, however, have attempted the depth and breadth of annotation of the entire text that Droge's work provides. Readers coming to the Qur'an with a desire to compare the scripture to the Biblical text will especially find the extensive citation of parallel passages to be of interest. Droge has provided lucid explanations of unclear passages and significant variant readings, making the ambiguities and challenges of the Qur'an open to all curious readers.' Andrew Rippin, University of Victoria
A.J. Droge writes and teaches about religion in the ancient Mediterranean world. He is the author (with James D. Tabor) of A Noble Death: Suicide and Martyrdom among Christians and Jews in Antiquity, Homer or Moses? Early Christian Interpretations of the History of Culture and Strange But Not a Stranger: The Glory, Jest & Riddle of the Gnostic Gospel (forthcoming). He has taught at the University of Chicago, the University of California-San Diego, and most recently the University of Toronto.
"I cannot recommend a better English translation of the Qur'an for an academic setting. Both Droge and his publisher are to be warmly congratulated." -- Shawkat M. Toorawa, Cornell University, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies "Droge's work provides the field of Qur'anic Studies with a rich and meticulously researched translation that is particularly appropriate at a time when interest in the Qur'an is growing." -- Ayman Ibrahim, Fuller Graduate Schools, International Qur'anic Studies Association (www.iqsaweb.org) "Highly recommended for its critical scholarship and its general usefulness. Likely to become the standard tool in the years to come for courses involving the study of the Qur'an in a secular academic context. -- Einar Thomassen, University of Bergen, Marburg Journal of Religion "Even the most seasoned scholar, and the most devout Muslim, will learn from Droge's annotated translation." -- Bruce B. Lawrence, Duke University "At long last, a version of the Qur'an that is willing to introduce the reader to the complexities of the historical formation and secular interpretation of this important text. Droge is to be congratulated for making accessible to the student of religious studies a critical apparatus, something that is all too often ignored in other translations." --Aaron Hughes, University of Rochester "Several new translations of the Qur'an have appeared over the past 20 years or so. None, however, have attempted the depth and breadth of annotation of the entire text that Droge's work provides. Readers coming to the Qur'an with a desire to compare the scripture to the Biblical text will especially find the extensive citation of parallel passages to be of interest. Droge has provided lucid explanations of unclear passages and significant variant readings, making the ambiguities and challenges of the Qur'an open to all curious readers." -- Andrew Rippin, University of Victoria "A choice for larger libraries or those serving Islamic communities." -- Muhammed Hassanali, Booklist Online "...[Droge's] translations leans toward the literal, [but] it does so in an untraditional manner in an attempt to give the classroom a translation tailored for students of religious studies. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; general readers." Choice "Droge's work...is valuable because of the way it answers questions which Muslims and non-Muslims have about the text. [...] Without such serious philological work on the Qur'an Muslims and non-Muslims alike would be left without explanations of important features of the text." --Gabriel Said Reynolds, Islamochristiana

A.J. Droge