We are curating some lists of things to read and watch while in self-isolation. It’s a mix of free, to buy, @ihrc resources and others. Please send us your feedback, requests and suggestions.
We start with the Holy Qur’an. As Ramadan approaches, now is always a good time to reconnect or ramp up our connection with the Holy Book. Whether you want to learn how to read it, just want a new copy, a new translation or more challenging explanations, try some of the links.
We start with Imam Muhammad al-Asi, superlative tafseer The Ascendant Qur’an: Realigning Man to the Divine Power Culture.
We have volumes 1- 8 in stock covering Surah Fatiha to the end of Surah Nisa
The Ascendant Qur’an: Realigning Man to the Divine Power Culture is the first tafsir to be written directly in the English language. It is also the first tafsir to be written specifically to reinterpret the lessons of the noble Qur’an for the needs of Muslims living in the modern world, and particularly for those active in the contemporary Islamic movement.
By writing directly in English, now the most widely spoken language of the Muslim world, the precise meaning of the Qur’anic verses can be conveyed in the language in which the tafsir is being read. Further by highlighting elements of the Qur’an that are often missing from other tafsirs, such as the dimensions of power, authority, and wealth – which are particularly relevant to the struggle of the contemporary Islamic movement and the understanding of institutional injustice, disparity, and oppression in the world – it gives Islamic workers and those struggling for social justice a sense of urgency in observing their divine responsibilities.
Buy copies here. You can watch and read more from Imam Asi on his blog on the IHRC Website here, or on the ICIT Digital Youtube channel here.
Seyfeddin Kara’s IN SEARCH OF ALI IBN ABI TALIB’S CODEX: HISTORY AND TRADITIONS OF THE EARLIEST COPY OF THE QUR’AN examines both Shi’i and Sunni traditions on the issue of the text of the holy book and its history, aiming to date them back to the earliest possible date and, if possible, verify their authenticity. To achieve this, the traditions are examined using Harald Motzki’s isnad-cum-matn method, which is recognised as an efficient tool in dating the early Islamic traditions and involves analysis of both matn (text) and isnad (chain of trans-mission) with an emphasis on finding a correlation between the two. You can buy the book here, and watch the author discuss his research here or below.
We also welcomed Nazmina Dhanji to talk about her book 50 Qur’anic Comforts for Mums. The video of that will be uploaded in the coming weeks. This book draws on the comforting words of the Creator in the Qur’an and offers a way to focus your heart and mind to what the day brings. Her book is an amazing guide to the emotions and challenges faced as a mother, and how the Qur’an speaks to those moments in accessible ways. Buy it here.
Send us your own suggestions, links and so and we’ll try and share too.
Prayers and Peace,
The IHRC Bookshop & Gallery team
Shop[AT]ihrc.org
