The al-Baqara Crescendo: Understanding the Qur'an's Style, Narrative Structure, and Running Themes

By: Nevin Reda

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Synopsis: How is the Qur'an organized? Does its structure convey meaning? Why did the Islamic tradition neglect the study of the Qur'an's unusual configuration until the twentieth century? In The al-Baqara Crescendo, Nevin Reda introduces a bold new avenue of research: the poetics of Qurʾanic narrative structure. Focusing on Surat al-Baqara, the longest and most challenging of the suras, she uncovers the beauty and rationale behind the Qurʾan’s unusual organization. Reda argues that the sura – often dismissed by Muslim traditionalists and Orientalist critics as a baffling collection of disjointed material – can be appreciated as a coherent composition if it is approached as an oral text. Calling attention to oral organizational techniques such as repetition, this book’s repertoire of figures showcases Surat al-Baqara’s ingenious layout and pinpoint the sophisticated meanings that are embedded within it. Incorporating insights from literary theory and Biblical studies, the author advances inclusivity and intercultural bridge-building in the study of scripture. In an engaging narrative that is bound to captivate and challenge the reader, Reda communicates a deep love and thorough command of her subject, all while presenting a significant new development in Islamic hermeneutics.