Mahmoud Hussein is the pseudonym of Bahgat Elnadi and Adel Rifaat, French political writers of Egyptian origin. Together, they have published many successful works, including La lute de classes en Egypte and Al-Sira, le Prophete de l'islam raconte par ses compagnons.

`Timely and provocative ... Knowledge of the context of revelation is indispensable to our very understanding of the Qur'an and of the wisdom behind sharia. This alone makes Hussein's work a much needed intervention, especially when dominant currents in modern and contemporary Islamic thought tend to ignore the particularity of the event in favour of the generality of the signifier.' Journal of the Society for Contemporary Thought and the Islamicate World; 'Understanding the Qur an Today, with its careful explanations and logical reasoning, is a much-needed contribution to modern Islamic philosophy.' Kalimat

• Contents: 1. What the Qur'an says and what people make it say 9 2. The created and the uncreated 17 3. Understanding the Qur'an 21 4. The historical setting for Revelation 25 5. The beginnings of Revelation 29 6. The Qur'an in its historical context 39 7. The Qur'an in the time of Creation 43 8. Text and context 49 9. God replies to the arguments of the polytheists 53 10. God orders combat against the polytheists 69 11. God replies to the arguments of the Jews 75 12. God replies to the arguments of the Christians 85 13. God cares for the Muslim community 89 14. God guides His Messenger 107 15. Verses concerning the person of the Prophet 125 16. Verses concerning the contemporaries of the Prophet 129 17. Verses concerning historical events 133 18. The abrogated verses 141 19. Circumstances and causes 151 20. Yesterday and today 155 Notes 168 Works cited 175

Mahmoud Hussein is the pseudonym of Bahgat Elnadi and Adel Rifaat, French political writers of Egyptian origin. Together, they have published many successful works, including La lute de classes en Egypte and Al-Sira, le Prophete de l'islam raconte par ses compagnons.

`Timely and provocative ... Knowledge of the context of revelation is indispensable to our very understanding of the Qur'an and of the wisdom behind sharia. This alone makes Hussein's work a much needed intervention, especially when dominant currents in modern and contemporary Islamic thought tend to ignore the particularity of the event in favour of the generality of the signifier.' Journal of the Society for Contemporary Thought and the Islamicate World; 'Understanding the Qur an Today, with its careful explanations and logical reasoning, is a much-needed contribution to modern Islamic philosophy.' Kalimat

• Contents: 1. What the Qur'an says and what people make it say 9 2. The created and the uncreated 17 3. Understanding the Qur'an 21 4. The historical setting for Revelation 25 5. The beginnings of Revelation 29 6. The Qur'an in its historical context 39 7. The Qur'an in the time of Creation 43 8. Text and context 49 9. God replies to the arguments of the polytheists 53 10. God orders combat against the polytheists 69 11. God replies to the arguments of the Jews 75 12. God replies to the arguments of the Christians 85 13. God cares for the Muslim community 89 14. God guides His Messenger 107 15. Verses concerning the person of the Prophet 125 16. Verses concerning the contemporaries of the Prophet 129 17. Verses concerning historical events 133 18. The abrogated verses 141 19. Circumstances and causes 151 20. Yesterday and today 155 Notes 168 Works cited 175