This book continues the work of The Quran in its Historical Context, in which an international group of scholars address an expanded range of topics on the Quran and its origins, looking beyond medieval Islamic traditions to present the Qurans own conversation with the religions and literatures of its day.

Particular attention is paid to recent debates and controversies in the field, and to uncovering the Qurans relationship with Judaism and Christianity. After a foreword by Abdolkarim Soroush, chapters by renowned experts cover:

• method in Qur'anic Studies
• analysis of material evidence, including inscriptions and ancient manuscripts, for what they show of the Qur'ans origins
• the language of the Qur'an and proposed ways to emend our reading of the Qur'an
• how our knowledge of the religious groups at the time of the Qur'ans emergence might contribute to a better understanding of the text
• the Qur'ans conversation with Biblical literature and traditions that challenge the standard understanding of the holy book.

This debate of recent controversial proposals for new interpretations of the Qur'an will shed new light on the Quranic passages that have been shrouded in mystery and debate. As such, it will be a valuable reference for scholars of Islam, the Quran, Christian-Muslim relations and the Middle East.