An Anthology of Qur'anic Commentaries, Volume I: On the Nature of the Divine

The tradition of scriptural commentary is largely unknown to those outside the field of Qur'anic studies and yet it constitutes one of the earliest and most significant traditions of Islam. From the earliest period, these commentaries reveal a wide spectrum of issues that engaged Muslim scholars who were seeking not only to understand the Qur'an but also to develop tools of understanding for relating revelation to the developing sciences of law, theology, philosophy, and governance. This groundbreaking work examines both early and contemporary commentaries, covering a wide spectrum of theological and hermeneutic approaches. The first volume analyses the approaches of Sunni, Shi'i, Ibadi, Mu'tazili, and Sufi commentators to six key verses of the Qur'an, revealing the subtle differences that influence debate in Islam today.