For generations, readers curious about Islam have faced a practical difficulty. The Qur'an, while revered as a sacred revelation, can be challenging for those encountering it for the first time without historical or theological guidance. Its structure, revealed over many years and arranged according to principles unfamiliar to modern readers, often requires contextual understanding.
Edward William Lane's Selections from the Kur-án, prepared and introduced by Stanley Lane Poole, was conceived precisely to address this need. Rather than offering another full translation, this volume presents carefully chosen passages that illuminate the central doctrines, moral teachings, and prophetic narratives of Islam. The selections are arranged thematically, allowing readers to grasp the essential elements of Islamic belief in a coherent and accessible order.
The first part focuses on the foundations of faith: divine unity, revelation, resurrection, paradise and hell, predestination, angels, true religion, and the duties of believers. The second part gathers passages relating to the great figures shared with Jewish and Christian traditions, including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Jonah, and the Messiah. Through these narratives, the Qur'anic perspective on earlier prophets and sacred history becomes clear.
This edition is presented in large print for ease of reading and study. Fully annotated, with a structured introduction and detailed notes, it provides the historical background necessary to approach the text with understanding rather than assumption.
For students of religion, readers of comparative theology, and those seeking a guided introduction to the Qur'anic message, this volume offers a thoughtful and carefully arranged gateway into one of the world's foundational sacred texts.
