نشریه قرآن پژوهی خاورشناسان (قرآن و مستشرقان)
سال چهارم شماره 1 (پیاپی 6، بهار و تابستان 1388)

This article deals with the introduction of “Encyclopedia of the Quran”. Its five volumes till 2006 with chief edition of Dean Jane McAuliffe got accomplished and printed. Afterward, the writer keeps on analyzing and presenting an exhaustive criticism on the above-mentioned encyclopedia and with reminding of the instances disapproves its claim of impartiality and scientific scrutiny. Subsequently he comes up with a statistical analysis of its article’s writers. From amongst 270 writers of the articles only 20% of them are Muslim writers, at the same time the entire writers are chosen selectively from a particular type of Muslim and orientalists who maintain that the holy Quran is a human text and is to be historically interpreted. Eventually, he poses some problems in respect to the encyclopedia. For instance, according to him some of the sources are not genuine and criticizes selection of some of the entries. It’s been asked that why it does not have an entry for “Allah” whiles it has the benefit of an entry about the “African literature”.

One of the orientalists who enjoy standing fame and prominence amongst all orientalists is Theodore Noldeke from Germany. The third section of his book “the history of Quran” “Geschet des Quran” called has been specialized to the issues of orthography and recitation of the Quran. The topics of recitation and orthography of the holy Quran have a long-lasting record. Both the importance and precedence of these two subjects prompted the intellectuals to write and edit frequent amount of books and writings; in a manner that some of them have particularly put forth their works in the above mentioned subjects. Notwithstanding all these ample works on the subjects (and the clarity prevails over them) still there exist some doubts and problems though being responded with sound and noteworthy reasoning. Noldeke in his research has propounded the doubts and his views about the text, recitations and orthography of the Quran. The very article addresses some of his opinions as: the allegation of ascribing all recitations to the prophet Muhammad (Peace be on him and his progeny), the exact relation between Quran and recitations, the non-existence of a unique text for Quran, the formation of difference in recitations due to variety of accents, the validity of Hadith of seven Ahruf, the alleged ascription of existence of literal errors in the Quran to the prophet, the existence of inaccuracy in Uthmani style of manuscript and finally the incompleteness of the Quran at the lifetime of the prophet.

There seems to be a long period that the new waves of consistent and inconsistent reflections are in the way of formation or creation with respect to the religions in general and the religion of Islam in particular. The development of the western societies and their domination in the field of printing technology and industry to some an extent caused that the Muslim countries should not have unanimous and corresponding approaches. This research would also probe about the Quran’s entrance in the west at the time of renascence. Ultimately, the paper with a very brief description of the great role played by the Quran as a source of the success and advancement of the prominent scholars, tries to bring unanimity amongst the Muslim communities. In this way he intends to have a part in rapid globalization of Islam and Quran.

The article of “Economics” from encyclopedia of the Quran being accomplished in Leiden is written by Abdullah Saeed and is endowed with focal points of economics in Quran. The author has almost succeeded explaining part of the main and key issues of economics in Islam. Moreover, he has put forth some important points from the standpoints of contemporary scholars such as martyred Sadr, Talqani and etc in regard to justice and communal responsibility, acquisition and distribution of wealth, regulation thorough fulfilling contracts in Quran and the Islamic economic principles. Nevertheless, the article from other aspects suffers slips and defects and remains in need of amendment. This article is covering all these issues.

Historically, the orientalists have tried their best to introduce the Holy Quran a book whose source does not possess the flavor of revelation and is fabricated of man’s mind. Therefore, for attaining such a purpose they have chosen some theoretical foundations. The present essay is intent to have a critical observation on those theoretical bases of alleged contradictions in the Quran raised by orientalists. They claim that the Holy Quran is either made of human thought or is taken and barrowed of the Christian and Jew’s sources or is impressed of the ignorant culture of the Arab. In addition, the religious experiences and historicity of the Quran are also added to the list their claims.

This essay deals with the Orientalists’ accounts in regard to the impressions that the holy Quran receives from the culture, traditions and regulations of Arabs. The writer after explaining the Oreintalists’ doubt and its historical background elucidates its genesis. He is of the idea that the Holy Quran has had three type of treatment towards the culture of that era. It can be counted as negatively treatment, affirmative and reformative one. While explaining each of these three types, the writer offers examples but has not neglected this important issue that for conveying the divine concepts the Holy Quran has employed the usual means of exchanging messages amongst the people. Ultimately, he derives this conclusion that the Holy Quran is not affected by the superstitious culture of Pre-Islamic Arabs. The examples and arguments of Orientalists in this regard can be criticized.

Maher Jarrar has written an article under the theme of Houris and printed in the second volume of Leiden encyclopedia of the Quran, the present article reviews this paper of his. Maher Jarrar searches this term in Quran and traditions and after stating and examining the opinions of the early Islamic exegetes draws this conclusion that the root of the belief of Houris is either Zoroastrian or Christian creed. He adds that belief in Houris is effective in phases of Jihad (holy war) and martyrdom. But the translator criticizes this theory stating that firstly the sources of the article are weak and are almost from Sunni sources. Secondly, the similarity existing amongst Islamic beliefs with the precedent religions does not necessarily entail borrowing; rather means that the source of them had been one. Thirdly, in the Islamic sources the promise of Houris is has not come for the sake mere motivation because the purpose of Islamic Jihad is to firstly defend and secondly acquire the divine satisfaction.

The writing you have just decided to read is intent to hint at subjects and necessities of research in the Quranic works of the orientalists. It’s been tried to mention the subjects which orientalists have researched and enquired about. The topics of research which will follow as beneath are divided into two parts: the first category covers the subjects which the articles of “Encyclopedia of the Quran” of Leiden are dealing with. Some of these articles found themselves printed and criticized though some are not done yet. The second category is of the subjects which are available in other books of the orientalists. It is hoped that the researchers with choosing, analyzing and having critical reviews on these subjects, could play a vital role in expansion of Quranic culture throughout the world. A major part of these subjects have been collected by masters of The Quran and Orientalists Department of Al_Mahdi Quranic Research Centre.