Conciliation in the Qur¿an addresses an existing imbalanced focus in Islamic Studies on conflict in the Qur¿an, and moves beyond a restrictive approach to ¿ul¿ (reconciliation) as a mediation process in fragmented social contexts. The book offers a critical analysis of conciliation as a holistic concept in the Qur¿an, providing linguistic and structural insight based on the renowned pre-modern Arabic exegesis of Al-R¿z¿ (d. 1209) and the under-studied contemporary Urdu exegesis of I¿l¿¿¿ (d. 1997). This ambitious thematic study of the entire Qur¿an includes an innovative examination of the central ethical notion of i¿s¿n (gracious conduct), and a challenging discussion of notorious passages relating to conflict. The author offers solutions to unresolved issues such as the significance of the notion of i¿l¿¿ (order), the relationship between conciliation and justice, and the structural and thematic significance of Q.48 (S¿rat Al-Fat¿) and Q.49 (S¿rat Al-¿ujur¿t). Conciliation in the Qur¿an offers a compelling argument for the prevalence of conciliation in the Islamic scripture, and will be an essential read for practitioners in Islamic studies, community integration, conflict-resolution, interfaith dialogue and social justice.

Shafi Fazaluddin
, University of London, Great Britain.