Ulum Al-Qur'an - An Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur'an

The development of the disciplines and branches of knowledge which were related to the understanding of the Qur'an and arc considered necessary for this purpose - what is known as ulum al-Qur'an - began in the lifetime of the Prophet himself, peace and blessings be upon him. Numerous books have since been written on this subject, in most Muslim languages. However, until now there was no book in English language on this subject. The author has therefore rendered a great service by compiling the first English book,which fills a very serious and deeply-felt gap. An average English reader who has no access to an Arabic text like al-itqan had nothing to help him/her in understanding the Qur'an. This book is precise, brief, yet quite comprehensive. It deals with the traditional subjects such as meaning of revelation, history and transmission of the text, asbab al-nuzul, exegesis, etc. as well as issues of more recent origin, like recording of the Qur'an, orientalists' views, translations and others. The concluding chapter has valuable practical advice for reading and studying of the Holy Book of Islam.