My latest book, The Critical Qur’an: Explained from Key Islamic Commentaries and Contemporary Historical Research, will be available in a few weeks, and is available for preorder now here.
This is another one that I’ve wanted to write for years, and have finally had the opportunity. It’s the fruit of thirty-plus years of research and study on the Islamic holy book, and is an all-in-one handbook for understanding what the Qur’an really says, how its various passages are understood in mainstream Islam, how it is used to incite violence, and more, including variant readings that numerous Islamic apologists in the West have denied even exist.
More on this soon. Meanwhile, here is the material from the publisher:
A unique resource for understanding the Islamic Holy Book.
As Islamic terrorism becomes a distressingly common feature of life in North America and Europe, it has become increasingly important for non-Muslims to be aware of the ideology that animates and motivates jihad violence and Sharia oppression of women and others—an ideology that’s rooted in Islam’s holy book, the Qur’an.
English-speaking people, however, have found attempts to understand the Qur’an and Islam impeded by unclear, densely worded translations and explanatory notes written by Islamic apologists attempting to conceal, rather than reveal, how Islamic jihadis use the texts and teachings of the Qur’an to justify violence and supremacism, and to make recruits of peaceful Muslims.
The Critical Qur’an, in contrast, makes clear the passages that are used to incite violence. Historian and Islamic scholar Robert Spencer elucidates the Qur’anic text with extensive references to the principal tafsir, or commentaries, that mainstream Muslims use today to understand the Qur’an, showing how interpretations that sanction violence are unfortunately not outliers, but central in Islamic theology.
The Critical Qur’an is the Islamic counterpart to numerous critical and skeptical editions of the Bible that have appeared over the last century and more. It is the one edition of Islam’s book that doesn’t shy away from elucidating why the holy book of Islam is so frequently quoted and referred to with reverence by people who commit and/or justify acts of violence. It is a basic resource for everyone who wishes to understand the persistent phenomenon of Islamic terrorism, and the peculiar provenance of this most provocative book.
Rev G says
Now I will have to dig out my paperback Pickthall translation and my CAIR hardcover version so this one will have company.
PRCS says
“my CAIR hardcover version”
I, too, have a copy of The Message of THE QUR’,AN (thank you CAIR!) which–rather than the usual denials and obfuscations Muslims regurgitate regarding the amputation of thieves’ hands–provides the specific why, what, when parameters of Qur’an 5:38.
There’s no “out of context” nonsense about that in that Qur’an.
Infidel says
The best way to learn the quran was a project done here (and on Hotair.com at the time) some 10 years ago, called ‘Blogging the Qur’an’
It used to be among the reference links at the top of the page, but has since disappeared. Can they be resurrected to the original articles by RS on JW, if the Hotair posts to which they were originally linked are gone?
On a different note, I boycott Amazon, so if I get this, I’ll only do it once it’s available as an e-book on Nook
gravenimage says
Infidel, I found part of that excellent series here:
“Robert Spencer’s Blogging the Qur’an, Sura 4: ‘Women’”
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2015/04/robert-spencers-blogging-the-quran-sura-4-women
It deserves to be listed again at the top of the home page, as it was for some time.
Infidel says
Thanks. I’ll reference it again. It’s better than having quranbrowser, or even the Critical quran
Ade Fegan says
May I suggest corpus.quran.com ?
You get 7 translations of each verse by to scholars
and commentary, and word for word translation and more
The search function on the website is brilliant
and it’s by muslims, for muslims ….
so it’s an admission of guilt in the form of a website
and a perfect own goal
https://corpus.quran.com/translation.jsp?chapter=8&verse=12
gravenimage says
Ade, that is also an excellent resource. I use it regularly.
b.a. freeman says
Infidel, it looks like the series continued at PJ Media; see https://www.jihadwatch.org/2015/04/robert-spencers-blogging-the-quran-sura-3-the-family-of-imran.
i found this site by doing a site search using duckduckgo.com (*N*O*T* googal!) be entering this string in the search bar:
site:https://www.jihadwatch.org/ “Blogging the Quran”
all search engines use this form in order to search *only* the website specified, rather than the entire web (specifically, i have verified that it works on googal, bing, duckduckgo, and yahoo), mostly because googal invented it, and everybody else must therefore use it. i haven’t tried searching conservative or anti-ISLAM (not anti-muslim, leftists) sites with googal, but i wouldn’t be surprised if such a search came back with no results.
gravenimage says
Many Qur’an translations try to obscure what it really says. This one makes it clear.
…………………
I’ll be ordering this! I have read the Qur’an in several translations, as well as Robert Spencer’s excellent “Blogging the Qur’an” series. I am looking forward to this, if one can be said to be looking forward to tackling the ugly, irrational, and violent Qur’an.
Katrina says
I really have to read this book. My husband, a SBC pastor, said to me” how can you lead Muslims out of the darkness if they don’t know they’re in it.” There are just as many Christians who twist the Word Of God to fit whatever they want. I can’t wait to read it…
Ade Fegan says
Great job !
I have been trying to get my hands on an English edition of the official Saudi Quran
(to go with my collection of Qurans)
Maybe someone can help me find one in the UK ?
Personally I prefer to hear Muhammad’s (evil) message
as close to the horses mouth (so to speak) as possible
Ade Fegan says
May I also suggest : corpus.quran.com ?
You get 7 translations of every verse by top islamic scholars
and commentary, and word for word translation and more
The search function on the website is brilliant
and because it’s by muslims, for muslims,
it’s an admission of guilt in the form of a website, and a perfect own goal.
https://corpus.quran.com/translation.jsp?chapter=8&verse=12
dhimmi says
congratulations !
islamic mirror says
Quran made up:
• a Sample of rag tag, Non-sensical/stupid/ verses of the quran
• 100 quranic verses of sexsual perversion
• 14 verses not to befriend with non muslim plus WALAA WAL BARAA
• Over 400 verses hating, subjugating, killing, non muslims
example to follow. Muhammad had a unique sense of entitlement-
One of the most interesting and harmful delusions
He raided villages and towns, massacred thousands of unarmed people, chopped their heads, and looted their properties, raped their women, enslaved their children, tortured them in the most inhumane ways, and yet, he was convinced to be the best of the creation,
There is a huge gap between Muhammad’s claims about himself and his conduct. There is hardly any other person whose claims and deeds are so diametrically opposed to each other.
His followers focus on his claims. They believe in his words. His detractors focus on his deeds. There lies the discrepancy.
Copied from the book about the psychology of Mohamed.
One of the most interesting and harmful delusions to which men and nations can be subjected is that of imagining themselves special instruments of the Divine will,( Bertrand Russel) . Applies clearly to Mohamed, Islam and their followers
David Foot says
I wonder how many Ramadas has Boris booked for his friends coming to give us the odious Sharia law, how many are we paying Jizya for Boris?
How many benefit seeking invaders has Patel brought in on her Border Farce taxi today?
Boris just loves immigration and can’t get enough of the worst type and he is laughing, the Turkish descendant knows we can do nothing until the election. I hope everybody remembers!
Next month Patel will give us another porkie about stopping this while she brings in even more so they can live it up in the Ramadas which they have booked for them and the English destitute and homeless veterans can sleep in the street, Priti has been doing this ever since 2019.