God is Beautiful

The melodious recitation of the Quran is a fundamental aesthetic experience for Muslims, and the start of a compelling journey of ideas. In this important new book, the prominent German writer and Islamic scholar Navid Kermani considers the manner in which the Quran has been perceived, apprehended and experienced by its recipients from the time of the Prophet to the present day.

Drawing on a wide range of Muslim sources, from historians, theologians and philosophers to mystics and literary scholars, Kermani provides a close reading of the nature of this powerful text. He proceeds to analyze ancient and modern testimonies about the impact of Quranic language from a variety of angles. Although people have always reflected on the reception of texts, images and sounds that they find beautiful or moving, Kermani explains that Islam provides a particularly striking example of the close correlation, grounded in a common origin, between art and religion, revelation and poetry, and religious and aesthetic experience.

This major new book will enhance the dialogue between Islam and the West and will appeal to students and scholars of Islam and comparative religion, as well as to a wider readership interested in Islam and the Quran.

Recitarea melodioasa a Coranului este o experienta estetica fundamentala pentru musulmani si incepe o calatorie convingatoare de idei. In aceasta noua carte importanta, proeminentul scriitor german si carturar islamic Navid Kermani ia in considerare modul in care Coranul a fost perceput, retinut si experimentat de catre destinatarii sai de la vremea profetului pana in zilele noastre. surse, de la istorici, teologi si filozofi la mistici si carturari, Kermani ofera o lectura atenta a naturii acestui text puternic.