I’m very pleased to announce that my book The Critical Qur’an: Explained from Key Islamic Commentaries and Contemporary Historical Research is set to be published by Bombardier Books on November 16, 2021, and is available for preorder now.
Here is the publisher’s description of the book:
As Islamic terrorism become distressingly common features of life in North America and Europe, it has become increasingly important for non-Muslims to be aware of the ideology that animates and motivates jihad violence and Sharia oppression of women and others. That ideology is rooted in Islam’s holy book, the Qur’an.
English-speaking people, however, have found their attempts to understand the Qur’an and Islam impeded by unclear, densely worded translations and explanatory notes written by Islamic apologists who are attempting to conceal, rather than reveal, how Islamic jihadis use the texts and teachings of the Qur’an to justify violence and supremacism and make recruits among peaceful Muslims.
The Critical Qur’an, in contrast, makes clear the passages of the Qur’an that are used to incite violence. Historian and Islamic scholar Robert Spencer elucidates the Qur’anic text with extensive references to the principal tafasir, or commentaries, that mainstream Muslims use today to understand the Qur’an, showing how interpretations that sanction violence are unfortunately not outliers, but are central in Islamic theology.
Spencer also refers to cutting-edge scholarship on the development of the Qur’an, showing the numerous problems with the standard claim that the book originated with Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, and offering alternative theories of how and why it was formulated.
The Critical Qur’an is the Islamic counterpart to the numerous critical and skeptical editions of the Bible that have appeared over the last century and more. It is the one edition of Islam’s book that doesn’t shy away from elucidating why the holy book of Islam is so frequently quoted and referred to with reverence by people who commit acts of violence or justify those acts. It is a basic resource for everyone who wishes to understand the persistent phenomenon of Islamic terrorism, and for those who wish to understand the most peculiar provenance of this most provocative of books.
This is the first Qur’an to translate the word jihad in Arabic (in its various grammatical forms) as “jihad.” It is also the first to contain variant readings from Qur’an manuscripts that differ from the standard text, readings which Islamic apologists insist do not exist. And it is the first Qur’an to explain exactly how Islamic scholars that are revered throughout the Islamic world to this day view the passages of the Islamic holy book that apologists assure us really teach peace, when properly understood.
Preorder The Critical Qur’an here now.
Infidel says
Congratulations on this new book. Speaking of which, when I tried accessing quranbrowser.com or quranbrowser.qa, found that that site was no longer active. A pity, b’cos back in the day, it was a very good reference to any verse one wanted to look up
Speaking of which, you once had a series, co-published on HotAir, called ‘Blogging the quran’. Where is it now, and why is it tough to find even on this site?
gravenimage says
Dear Infidel, is this the same as Qur’an Browser [dot] org?
https://www.quranbrowser.org/
I have also found this useful, although it is obviously not aimed at Kuffar like us.
The Qur’an Corpus, which directly compares six or seven common translations of each verse is also useful.
Infidel says
Yeah, it is. Previously, it would redirect to quranbrowser.qa or something like it.
Anyway, also what happened to ‘Blogging the quran’ here on JihadWatch?
gravenimage says
Thank you, Infidel–glad I could help!
As for “Blogging the Qur’an”, I had thought that Robert Spencer had gathered his blogs into a book, and that in addition they were still available here. I haven’t been able to find either. Sorry–I’ll keep looking.
gravenimage says
Infidel, I have not tried it, but it looks as though you can download the text of “Blogging the Qur’an” here:
https://www.scribd.com/document/39403160/Blogging-the-Quran-by-Robert-Spencer
mortimer says
It’s all over for Islam once this book is available. Muslim apologists will be unable to refute the devastation to Islam caused by this book.
The cracks revealed in Islam’s foundations will turn into the collapse of Islam’s prison walls.
Islam’s mental prison will not survive intellectual analysis.
gravenimage says
Oh, Muslim apologists, if they take note of it all, will probably claim that the edition is (somehow) not to be considered because Robert Spencer is an “Islamophobe”–without, of course, actually being able to point out anything he has actually gotten wrong.
mortimer says
Reply to GI and Tyler: Facts are stubborn things.
– The voice of the intellect is a soft one, but it does not rest until it has gained a hearing. Ultimately, after endlessly repeated rebuffs, it SUCCEEDS. This is one of the few points in which one may be optimistic about the future of mankind, but in itself it signifies not a little … In the long run NOTHING, CAN WITHSTAND REASON and experience. – Sigmund Freud
This dictum of Freud is proved every day. An estimated 30,000 Muslims are abandoning Islam every day.
gravenimage says
I really hope you are right, Mortimer.
Ty Ader says
Let us see whether the book is allowed to be distributed.
gravenimage says
Coming in November: The first English edition of the Qur’an that translates ‘jihad’ as ‘jihad’
……………….
This sounds excellent. Looking forward to it.
Buraq says
Owning ‘The Critical Qur’an’ will be like having Robert Spencer at your side every time you want to argue against an apologist for Islam. Invaluable!
mortimer says
Buraq is correct. The Islamic apologists may mock this volume, but they will inwardly tremble. They will be unable to refute the LITERAL ARABIC WORDS of warfare against disbelievers and unable to ‘RE-INTERPRET’ the word ‘jihad’ as an innocent activity like ‘going to the gym’, for instance.
It’s game over for taqiyya-shoveling Islamic apologists.
OTTER says
While this book will be a valuable addition to elucidating what exactly jihad is, the problem is not the world does not know, and instinctively understand jihad, it is that it refuses to accept the connection between Islam and terrorism. This will continue to remain unchanged because of political considerations. When matters of religion are concerned, analysis based on logic hopelessly is inadequate. Expect this book not ever to be mentioned by the MSM and the ‘professional’ scholars of Islam.
Meanwhile the debt of the world to this extraordinarily brave and erudite man continues to deepen.
Thank you Mr Spencer from the bottom of my heart!!!
john smith says
+1
Tunde says
I can’t wait to order this!
Mohini says
Would love to read it. My parents are hardcore leftists though. They’ll shower me with abuses if they see this book in my possession.
Infidel says
Do you have a tablet? Download the Kindle or Nook app (if the latter is available on the Indian store) and then see if the book can be ordered from there. Then it will be one of the things on your tablet that your parents are unlikely to know, unless they are really tech savvy
All books I buy these days are on Nook (Don’t wanna further enrich woke monopoly Amazon). That way, I don’t have to dedicate physical space to books, and over time, the pages don’t rot either
Pro tip: while reading any book on a tablet, read it in dark mode (i.e. black pages, white print)
Mohini says
Thanks, Infidel.
gravenimage says
Good luck, Mohini!
Brenrod says
Tell them to read it and give their arguments, and that abuse and name-calling is a sign of intellectual bankruptcy.
mortimer says
To Brenrod: very reasonable comments. However, in my experience, Muslims generally don’t read. They do call names, and then, they run away from intellectual argument. You seldom get a chance to discuss with a Muslim. He insults you and then disappears. Even the ‘best’ Muslim debaters do this, even in scheduled, adjudicated debates, as Robert Spencer and other champions of debate will sadly tell you!
All Muslim apologists are ‘intellectually bankrupt’ … Islam can only be defended through obscurantism. Historical facts refute foundational Islam. Islam was ‘concocted’, rather than ‘revealed’.
gravenimage says
Sadly true.
mortimer says
To Mohini: Leftists won’t mind if you criticize Mohammed, but they won’t allow criticism of Muslims … even jihadic terrorists … they see jihadism (incorrectly) as ‘revolutionary struggle’.
I offered my copy of THE SIRA (the official biography of Mohammed) to a Leftist. He refused to read it in order to learn about the ‘REAL’ Mohammed. Couldn’t be bothered.
I said to him, ‘Mohammed was a warlord. It’s all in his official biography, The Sira.’ He listened silently.
Mohini, you might leave a copy of the SIRA on a table or on your chair so your parents will be able to check it out. The Sira was written by Muslims who admired the warlord and slave-trader Mohammed, rather than by critics of Islam.
Mohini says
Thanks for the suggestion, mortimer.
Shy Guy says
I avoid giving my business to Bezos’ Amazon whenever possible. Ordering my copy for overseas from BD, with 10% off:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Critical-Quran-Robert-Spencer/9781642939491
Infidel says
Same here, but I’ve switched to ebooks, so I go w/ Nook. That way, no physical space occupied by extra books, no rotting of books over time, and of course, fewer slaughtered trees ?
James Lincoln says
Sounds like Robert Spencer hit another homerun with “The Critical Qur’an: Explained from Key Islamic Commentaries and Contemporary Historical Research”
In case it gets canceled by Amazon, just wondering if there is another way to purchase it…
Shy Guy says
Psst! See my comment, just before yours.
James Lincoln says
Much thanks, Shy Guy!
Ade Fegan says
I’ve been trying to obtain a Saudi quran in English for my collection if anyone can help please
gravenimage says
Ade, I think this might be what you are looking for:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Noble-Quran-Arabic-English-Translation-from-Madinah-Saudi-Arabia-/223647633526