The Integrated Encyclopedia of the Qur'an (IEQ) responds to an urgent contemporary need: the scholarly discourse on the Qur'an has been dominated for over 300 years by those who do not believe it to be a revealed text. In the absence of an authentic, source-based reference work that presents the true message of the Qur'an based on Islamic scholarly tradition, thousands of works have appeared which present a distorted image of the Qur'an and Islam. IEQ has been conceived as the first English-language reference work encapsulating fourteen hundred years of Muslim scholarship on the Qurʾān, as an authoritative contribution to that same tradition, and as a source introducing a contemporary readership to centuries of reflective scholarly engagement with the Qurʾān. IEQ shares with its sources a committed scholarly approach. It is spiritually informed by the awesome encounter with the very Word of the Creator, and it securely rests on well-documented scholarship extending back to primary sources.

In selecting the lemmata, the editors have relied on the internal thematic structure of the Qur’ān. IEQ present all concepts, places, persons, events, and things mentioned in the Qur’ān. Only those proper nouns have entries which are directly mentioned in the Qur’ān or are referred to in an undoubtable fashion (e.g. Q 9:40, where Abū Bakr, may Allah be well-pleased with him, is the undoubtable referent). All indirect references to persons are covered in related or compound entries (such as Anonymous Mentions (mubhamāt), Companions of the Prophet, Allah be well-pleased with with them all, and Family of the Prophet, upon him be blessings and peace, and the like). Extensive cross-referencing links articles to other entries. In order to maintain analytic focus, the editors have not included allied concepts and themes in IEQ, even though they form an integral aspect of the sciences and arts originating from the Qur’ān. For example, the article on the Qur’ān covers its writing and includes notes on its script, but there is no separate article on “Calligraphy.” “Pen and Writing,” likewise, originating from the second verse of Surat Nun (By the pen and what it writes), is a lemma, but the article does not delve into writing implements in Islamic civilization and their role in the spread of knowledge.

A short answer: Yes it is a Sunni work. It covers all four Sunni Schools of thought in matters of fiqh. In credal issues, it presents a diversity of approaches seen from the Ashaʿrī-Māturīdī creedal lens. IEQ is based on primary sources; personal opinions of the authors of the entries are not entertained; every major statement (whether of credal or fiqhi nature) is fully referenced back to a broad spectrum of opinions within the above stated parameters. IEQ seeks to locate itself within (not outside or above) its subject matter. In other words, IEQ is not a tafsir of the Glorious Qur’ān; rather, it is an encyclopedia that synthesizes a broad range of positions on credal or legal questions, based on 1400 years of Muslim scholarship; preference is given to the pre-modern period works. Effort is made to employ the earliest sources available and to trace material and ideas back to their first appearance in the tradition. Only authentic Hadiths are used..

IEQ is an international and collaborative effort. Only Muslim scholars are invited to write its entries. Authors work closely with the editorial team and their work is blindly reviewed by other scholars. Each Volume has its own author list. Click here to view authors of Volume 1, published in 2013. Click here to view authors of Volume 2, scheduled for publication in 2019.

IEQ serves a wide range of readers, including academic scholars and serious seekers of Truth, its potential readers include both Muslim and non-Muslim researchers, and scholars. It is a reference work which conforms to the academic standards of reference works. It is not an easy read for an average lay person; rather, it has been conceived as a primary source which will be used for numerous secondary works on Islam and the Qur’ān. It is also a valuable resource for producing educational material for Muslims. For instance, the entry on Animals in Volume 1, provides details about all animals mentioned in the Qur'an along with their context, frequecy of appearence, and explanation of key verses in which in these 32 animals are mentioned. A teacher or homeschooler can produce a variety of useful lessons based on this fully referenced entry. Likewise for many other entries.

Currently, eighty percent Muslims do not have direct access to the Qur’ān in Arabic -- and even those who can read it in its oringal Arabic, are often unaccustomed to the rich tradition that explains the message of the Qur'an. IEQ presents readers with reliable, integrated, and authentic scholarship, drawn from and representing the vast repository of classical Islamic tafsir works, as well as numerous other works dealing with the sciences of the Qur'an.

IEQ brings to the academic world a unique reference work, sharing with its sources the premise that the Qur’ān is a revealed text while simultaneously maintaining scholarly norms and standards. It provides a window for academia into traditional Islamic approaches and scholarship on the Qur’ān. In this respect, IEQ is the only such work in the field. We hope that the academic scholars will welcome a reference work on the Qur’ān that presents, in distilled form, the vast historical scope of Muslim reflection on the Qur’ān.

IEQ is being funded by individuals, institutions, and businesses interested in scholarly projects. Any individual, business, or corporation may contribute financially to the IEQ Project, which strictly requires that funds be drawn from lawful sources. Center for Islamic Sciences (CIS) is a registered charity in Canada (Charity number 864472899RT0001) and has a 501(c)(3) status in the United States (Tax ID no 46-2649994); all donations are 100% tax deductible.

Yes. http://online.iequran.com/

Online at amazon or directly from the IEQ website.

There is no comparable reference work on the Qur’ān in the English language that takes, as its foundational premise, the Muslim belief that the Qur’ān is a revealed text.