Ashher Masood: The Origins of the Qur’ān
October 16, 2025
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Location
Suite B01 BSB (Arab American Cultural Center)
Calendar
Download iCal FileThe Qurān is the foundational text of Islam and is considered sacred by nearly 2 billion Muslims worldwide. Within its chapters lie the main sources of Islamic law and ethical guidance, and each of its verses has attracted the attention of Muslim scholars for over thirteen centuries. Yet, it is not only Muslim scholars who have engaged with the text; in fact, the study of the Qurān in modern Western universities has become a growing field and has expanded rapidly since its inception by European scholars in the nineteenth century. This talk explores Western academic approaches to the Qurān, with a particular focus on the question of origins—a notably important area of research that has drawn scholars from Biblical Studies, Islamic Studies, Semitic Philology, and beyond. Where did the Qurān come from? Who is responsible for shaping the text as it exists today? To what extent can we trust Islamic-era sources with regard to the collection and codification of the Qurān? This talk will address these questions and more.
Co-sponsored by the Department of Classics and Mediterranean Studies and the Arab American Cultural Center.
Date posted
Oct 3, 2025
Date updated
Oct 3, 2025