The essays in this volume discuss recent trends and issues in the scholarly study of the Qur&;ān and its exegesis. The last few years have witnessed an unprecedented development in qur'anic studies in terms of both the number of volumes that have been produced and the wide range of issues covered. It is not an exaggeration to say that the field of qur'anic studies today has become the 'crown' of Islamic studies. In this book, scholars of diverse approaches critically engage with the Qur&;ān and its exegesis, including questions about the milieu in which the Qur&;ān emerged, the Qur&;ān's relation to the biblical tradition, its chronology, textual integrity, and its literary features. In addition, this volume addresses recent scholarship on tafsīr (qur'anic exegesis), including thematic interpretation, diacronic and syncronic readings of the Qur&;ān. Various approaches to understanding the Muslim scripture with or without tafsīr are also discussed.
