Research In: Religious Studies

Qur'an

The Qur'an (sometimes spelled Koran), meaning "recitation," is the holiest text in Islam. Within the Islamic faith, it is considered to be the divine revelation of God to the prophet Muhammad. The Qur'an was originally composed in Arabic, and its written form is thought to date to around the 7th century. 

For a helpful overview of the significance of the Qur'an, see: 

In the Library: 

At Holy Cross, we organize our books using a system called Library of Congress Classification or LCC. LCC is based on the subject of the books. Each letter represents a specific subject. Each subject is broken down into more specific letter sections, each of which is further broken down into number ranges for specific topics. Most call numbers have additional  numbers and letters on the end of them, which are used to give each book a unique spot on the library shelves. 

The Libraries own multiple editions of the Qur'an. 
 

Suggested Resources: 

Hadith

Hadith are the collection of sayings of the prophet Muhammad. They are considered an important source of divine revelation and Islamic law. Different collections of hadith are given different weight depending upon who has compiled them; Shia and Sunni Muslims also view certain hadith differently.

For a helpful overview of the significance of hadith, see: 

In the Library: 

At Holy Cross, we organize our books using a system called Library of Congress Classification or LCC. LCC is based on the subject of the books. Each letter represents a specific subject. Each subject is broken down into more specific letter sections, each of which is further broken down into number ranges for specific topics. Most call numbers have additional  numbers and letters on the end of them, which are used to give each book a unique spot on the library shelves. 

The Libraries own multiple editions and compilations of Hadith: 
 

Suggested Resources: 

Tafsir

Tafsir is the term for commentary on the Qur'an. In general, commentaries are designed to help students, scholars and practitioners of religion work more effectively with sacred texts. A commentary will help you better understand what you are reading and ask questions about it. It will highlight important parts of the text which you should particularly pay attention to or ask questions about.  The work of commentaries is often called exegesis.

Works of tafsir may address linguistic, legal, and/or theological questions, and different tafsir represent differing traditions and schools of thought about the Qur'an. The creation of tafsir, undertaken by religious scholars (mufassirun), is considered a 'religious science,' and typically has an aim of religious understanding as opposed to secular/academic analysis. 

For a helpful overview of the history and significance of tafsir, see:

In the Library: 

At Holy Cross, we organize our books using a system called Library of Congress Classification or LCC. LCC is based on the subject of the books. Each letter represents a specific subject. Each subject is broken down into more specific letter sections, each of which is further broken down into number ranges for specific topics. Most call numbers have additional  numbers and letters on the end of them, which are used to give each book a unique spot on the library shelves. 

Works of tafsir in the library will be located in the following section: 
 

Note that Dinand Library does not have an extensive collection of tafsir. 

Suggested Resources: 

Islamic Law

Like other religious traditions, Islam has developed its own legal traditions to guide Muslim life in a secular world. 

Shar'iah ("the path or road leading to the water source"), while often colloquially used to refer to Islamic law, is actually the term for the divine code of ethical and moral values which is believed to be revealed through the Islamic scriptures. It does not change over time, but can be subject to varying interpretations. 

Fiqh ("understanding"/"knowledge") is the term for Islamic jurisprudence -- the tradition of legal rulings, texts, and scholarship produced by human scholars in pursuit of interpreting Shar'iah. Fiqh is not a universal code of law; it is dependent on cultural and geographic context, can change over time, and is not always agreed upon. 

For a helpful overview of Islamic jurisprudence, see:

In the Library: 

At Holy Cross, we organize our books using a system called Library of Congress Classification or LCC. LCC is based on the subject of the books. Each letter represents a specific subject. Each subject is broken down into more specific letter sections, each of which is further broken down into number ranges for specific topics. Most call numbers have additional  numbers and letters on the end of them, which are used to give each book a unique spot on the library shelves. 

Works on Shar'iah and fiqh will be located in: