Islam in World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives - Islamic Books ...

Chapter ElevenSuggestions for Further Readingand Internet ResourcesThis chapter contains annotated bibliographies designed to facilitate furtherreading in the subjects discussed in this volume. The resources for each chapterare broken down into three subsections: primary sources available in English,secondary sources, and Internet resources. However, due to the diversityof Muslim societies covered, there is unavoidably some unevenness in thenumber and type of sources available in English.1. Islam: Historical Introduction and OverviewPrimary Sources Available in EnglishA l - Q u r ’ a nThere are many different translations of the Qur’an available in English,each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Several, including the translationby N. J. Dawood (The Koran, Penguin Books), are published in editions thatalso include the original Arabic text in parallel columns. There are also anumber of Web sites offering searchable versions of different translations ofthe Qur’an, which can be helpful for comparing different renderings and interpretationsof the text. However, the best introduction to the Qur’an availablein English today is Michael Sells’s volume, Approaching the Qur’an.Esposito, John L. 1983. Voices of Resurgent Islam. New York: Oxford UniversityP r e s s .Esposito, John L., and John J. Donohue. 1982. Islam in Transition: Muslim Persp e c t i v e s . New York: Oxford University Press.Both of these volumes contain English translations of writings by twentiethce n t u ry Muslim reformist authors from the Middle East and South Asia. InVoices of Resurgent Islam, the primary source texts are complemented by a se-3 0 9