Contemporary Approaches to The Qur’an

The beauty of the Qur’an is such that its miracles cannot truly be understood until one contemplates every verse of every surah; this alone makes tafsir one of the most amazing sciences of Islam. Surah Al-Mulk is a chapter of the Quran which would be recited every night by the Prophet (peace be upon him), in its midst are deep meanings which highlight the purpose of our creation, as well as entailing the message of Islam. In this book, the author takes the reader on a wonderful journey through the gardens of the first surah in the 29th Juzz of the Qur’an.

About the Author: Dr. Philips was born in 1947 in Jamaica, but grew up in Canada, where he converted to Islam in 1972. He completed a diploma in Arabic language and a B.A. degree in 1979 from the College of Islamic Disciplines at the Islamic University of Madinah, an Islamic university in Saudi Arabia. At the University of Riyadh College of Education he completed his M.A. in Islamic Theology in 1985, and in 1994 he completed his Ph.D in Islamic Theology in the department of Islamic studies at the University of Wales. He later taught Islamic education and Arabic language in private schools in Riyadh for over ten years. Because of his opposition to Saudi Arabia’s position in the Gulf War, he had to leave the country and for three years he lectured M.Ed. students in the Islamic Studies department of Shariff Kabunsuan College (SKC) in Cotabato City, Mindanao, the Philippines. Islamic Information Center Since 1994, he has founded and directed the Islamic Information Center (which is now known as Discover Islam) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and is known as a prolific speaker and author on topics relating to Islam, including audio lectures and books. Presently, he is a lecturer of Arabic language and Islamic Studies at the American University in Dubai and ‘Ajman University in Ajman, United Arab Emirates. He frequently appears at the Islamic Research Foundation in Mumbai, India, on lecture tours. He has also founded the Distance Learning Program called Islamic Online University, which offers a four year degree in Islamic Studies plus a variety of short courses. Dr. Philips is something of a pioneer as a person of Western origin achieving the status of a scholar of Islam inside the tradition.

Usool at-Tafseer, essentially refers to the branches of knowledge necessary for providing an accurate interpretation of the Quranic texts, such as Arabic grammar and syntax, Arabic literature and Quranic sciences (Uloom al-Quran). Familiarity with modern fields of learning, like the pure sciences and social sciences is also necessary for a commentator in this era to make the Quraanic explanations relevant to human society. This book addresses the actual step-by-step methodology of interpreting Quran to ensure that interpretations are not merely the result of human whims and fancies.