Summary: Today's podcast briefly discusses the transition of the Qur'an from an oral message into a closed codex through political decisions of the community leaders after Muhammad's death. The episode also quickly highlights the difficulties that face modern historians who are trying to make sense of the history of the formation of the Qur'an. Sources and Recommended Readings: The Qur'an: a Beginner's Guide by Farid Esack Major Themes of the Qur'an by Fazlur Rahman The Koran: a Very Short Introduction by Michael Cook The Cambridge Companion to the Qur'an by Jane McAuliffe (editor) The Blackwell Companion to the Qur'an by Christopher Buck (editor) The Qur'an: a New Translation by Tarif Khalidi The Qur'an: an Introduction by Abdullah Saeed The Qur'an in its Historical Setting by Gabriel Said Reynolds (editor) Approaching the Qur'an: the Early Revelations by Michael Sells La Pensée Arabe by Mohammed Arkoun
