This topical guide and index is designed to enhance the study of the Korân. The introduction explains the basic organization of the guide and offers basic information about the historical periods relevant to the Korân’s divisions. Maddock uses the 1734 translation by George Sales and has added verse divisions in accordance with modern guidelines. For the chronological order of the sūras or chapters, he relies on the work of scholar Theodore Nöldeke (1836-1930). Further making the guide easy to use, Maddock utilizes different typesets for each historical period’s writings—for example, plain italics for Early Mecca, dark face italics for Mid Mecca, and so forth, as explained in the introduction. The guide is organized in alphabetical order by topic with either the verse in which a word appears rendered in its entirety, or in the case of a word appearing numerous times, an index of the word’s use.

Written as a companion piece for Maddock’s 1300 Year’s War, this index and topical guide to the Korân is a viable reference for those undertaking a serious study of its writings, as well as those wishing to gain a basic understanding of its concepts. The author’s suggestions of other works which would help in one’s study, his utilization of different type to denote historical periods of the text, and his division of the text into verses are extremely helpful for readers. This easily accessible guide includes an introduction that affords readers plenty of clarity concerning the author’s purpose and method. “It is not exhaustive in its scope, but is meant to answer common questions about Sharia Law as quoted from the Korân.” Exhaustive or not, this is a wonderful source for study enrichment and expanding one’s knowledge of the Korân.

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