The Gospel According to Sayyid Ahmad Khan (1817–1898): An Annotated Translation of Tabyīn al-kalām (Part 3)

Abstract

book itself is quite accessible to a broader readership, which is aided by the decision to publish it as open access. Creating the Qur’an is also significant for seeking to untangle the details surrounding this enigmatic text’s history and development. In this, Shoemaker’s breadth and depth of engagement helpfully advance the discussion. Negatively, Shoemaker’s critical engagement with Günter Lüling is minimal, while he entirely passes over the work of the pseudonymous Christoph Luxenberg. The direct relevance of their arguments to Shoemaker’s subject makes this omission unfortunate. Finally, this work has important implications for Christian–Muslim dialogue. There is a widespread belief among Muslims that, unlike the Qur’an, the Bible’s textual history has rendered it corrupted, which has prompted a detailed response. Shoemaker’s thesis that the Qur’an is a ‘composite and composed text’ (256) shows that both ‘holy books have a history’. Fred Donner rightly announced Creating the Qur’an to be ‘a milestone in Qur’anic studies’. It deserves to be read widely.