The origins of the koran ibn warraq pdf file

It is undoubtedly true that in many passages of the koran the islamic varnish only thinly covers a heathen substratum,112 as for example in sura 1. Uthman chose zayd ibn thabit to prepare the official text. Their aim was to determine what could be known about muhammad and the rise of early islam quite apart from the pious and totally unobjective traditions preserved by. Ibn warraq books list of books by author ibn warraq. Introduction pp 935ibn warraq there is a notable lack of critical scholarship on the koran major. The pious fraud tariq ramadan, islamist and equivocator. The first part, which makes up a large portion of the book, is dedicated to examine the preislamic poetry of arabia and their influence on. Warraq has written historiographies of the early centuries of the islamic timeline and has. The quran is the holy book which muslims recite and turn to for guidance in all aspects of their life. In the 1990s, western liberals, alarmed at the presence of islamic fundamentalists in their midst, turned in desperation to muslims whom they dubbed reformers. See all books authored by ibn warraq, including the portable atheist. In 1977 john wansbrough noted that as a document susceptible of analysis by the. I could find of his online, and put it all in one big zip file for you to download. The stereotypic image of the muslim holy warrior with a sword in one hand and the koran in the other would only be plausible if he was left handed, since no devout muslim should or would touch a koran with his left hand.

The origins of the koran is an attempt to remedy this deficiency by bringing together classic critical essays which raise key issues surrounding islam s holy book. The origins of the koran, classic essays on islams holy book ed. The ultimate ibn warraq collection common sense atheism. Apostasy was a crime as well as a sin, and the apostate was. Ibn warraq is the pen name of an author most famous for his criticism of islam. Classic essays on islams holy book edited by ibn warraq. Ibn warraq is a pakistanienglish scholar who has written extensively on the history, literature, theology, culture and politics of islam, and on many other topics. He is the founder of the institute for the secularisation of islamic society and used to be a senior research fellow at the center for inquiry, focusing on quranic criticism.

As a scholar of islam myself, i find ibn warraqs attitude to be very refreshing, and his scholarship for the most part to be accurate and devastating in pinpointing weaknesses in muslim orthodoxy. Renowned scholar of islamic studies bernard lewis described the seriousness of leaving the islamic faith in the following dire terms. His third essay, some aspects of the history of koran criticism, 700 ce to 2005 ce, could almost. He is also the editor of the origins of the koran, what the koran really says, leaving islam, the quest for the historical muhammad, and which koran. When it comes to the study of islam and the koran, i confess i am but an interested bystander. The doublespeak of tariq ramadan, by caroline fourest. He is the founder of the institute for the secularisation of islamic society isis and is formerly a senior research fellow at the center for inquiry, focusing on quranic criticism. This was done by zaid ibn thabit, one of muhammads friend and amanuenses, at the command of abu bakr. The original sources of the quran white horse media. Neutral testimony, archaeological data, datable documents, and evidence. The original sources of the quran 4 about a year after muhammads death, as we learn from bukhari, the quran was first put together in a collected whole. More than one hundred years ago western scholars began to investigate the origins of islam, using the highest standards of objective historical scholarship of the time.

Its sacred book, the koran, is the subject of voluminous commentary, yet it rarely receives the kind of objective critical scrutiny that has been applied to the texts of the bible for over a. Ibn warraq, theodor noldeke, leone caetani, alphonse mingana, arthur jeffery, david samuel margoliouth, abraham geiger, william st. He defines, describes, and defends western values, strengths and freedoms far too often taken for granted. It contains a collection of critical studies of the quran written over the past two centuries by historians and scholars of the middle east. Why i am not a muslim download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. We had the pleasure of meeting at the bruno symposium sponsored by the alliance against conformity, in freiburg, germany in 2004. Warraq is the vicepresident of the world encounter institute.

I28 1995 297dc20 956342 cip printed in the united states of america on acidfree paper. Why i am not a muslim by ibn warraq the origins of islam the most important stages in islams history were characterised by the assimilation of. The notion that islam was born in the clear light of history still seems to be. Prometheus books, 1998 summarised by sharon morad, leeds part one. Ophelia benson growing up in pakistan, ibn warraq learned to read the koran in arabic without understanding a word of it a common experience for thousands of muslim children. Classic essays on islam s holy book, is a 1998 book edited by ibn warraq. Warraq is currently the vicepresident of the world encounter institute. It contains a collection of critical studies of the quran. I have collected everything significant i could find of his online, and put it all in one big zip file for you to download. Ibn warraqs latest book is divided into three parts that contains essays and articles by scholars from the 19th,20th, and 21st century that discusses the origins of the koran and the islamic stories. Ibn warraq more than one hundred years ago western scholars began to investigate the origins of islam, using the highest standards of objective historical scholarship of the time. Ibn warraq is an independent scholar and former visiting fellow at the center for law and counterterrorism, a project of the foundation for defense of democracies.

Ibn warraq is the highly acclaimed author of why i am not a muslim, virgins. We, in the west in general, and the united states in particular, have witnessed over the last twenty years a slow erosion of our civilizational selfconfidence. Ibn warraq is one of the most intelligent and important critics of islam living today. A muslim apostates defense of liberal democracy encounter books, december 2011 carries on the defense of the west started in defending the west. Classic essays on islam s holy book edited by ibn warraq. Classic essays on islams holy book, edited by ibn warraq. Ibn warraq has provided a valuable collection of some of the most important critical studies of the koran over the past century. Warraq, the vicepresident of the world encounter institute, has never been one to be cowed by academic or religious intimidation. He is the author of why i am not a muslim, what the koran really says, and virgins. A critique of edward saids orientalism, and which koran.

Quoted from daniel pipes in goel, sita ram editor 1998. It is the last testament in a series of divine revelations. Classic essays on islams holy book, is a 1998 book edited by ibn warraq. A critique of edward saids orientalism, political scientist peter berkowitz described. Since 1998, ibn warraq has edited several books of koranic criticism and on the origins of islam, including leaving islam. Classic essays on islams holy book, edited by ibn warraq prometheus books. Ibn warraq is the pen name of an anonymous author critical of islam. Al wahidi s asbab al nuzul download ebook pdf, epub. Divided into four parts, this important anthology begins with theodor noldekes first truly scientific study of the koran. He has contributed to the wall street journal and the guardian, and he lives in new york city. Ibn warraq islam has worldwide influence, and even in the united states is experiencing a period of unprecedented growth. John wansbrough has noted that as a document susceptible. This book, edited by the rather nebulous personage of ibn warraq neither his full name nor his institutional affiliation, if any, are anywhere given, consists of thirteen previously published essays on the history and nature of the quranic text, twelve of them dating from the halfcentury between 1890 and 1940 and only the thirteenth dating from as recently as 1985. The quest for the historical muhammad ibn warraq download.