Editor of by Michael Josef Marx
Manuscripta Coranica, 2025
The online reference catalogue Manuscripta Coranica gives access to early Qurʾānic manuscripts in... more The online reference catalogue Manuscripta Coranica gives access to early Qurʾānic manuscripts in collections all over the world. It contains more than 50.000 digital images about more than 2.400 fragments (call numbers) from more than 95 collections worldwide. The online catalogue provides source material for the study of the history of the Qurʾānic text with a special focus on the first centuries. Entries of the online database contain information about cataloguing data, codicology, palaeography and in some cases (more than 1.500 pages) transliterations of the Arabic text. “Manuscripta Coranica” provides more than 50.000 images of ancient Qur’anic manuscripts, in some cases (British Library, Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi, National Library of Russia and others) images could not be made accessible due to missing image rights. Manuscripts can be searched according to the verse they contain (e.g., Q 20,1 https://corpuscoranicum.org/en/verse-navigator/sura/20/verse/1/manuscripts) or according to the collections: (https://corpuscoranicum.org/de/manuscripts).
Catalogue of Qurʾānic Fragments preserved by Qatar National Library , 2020
in 2020 and 2021. Most catalogue entries contain transliterations of the Qurʾānic text included i... more in 2020 and 2021. Most catalogue entries contain transliterations of the Qurʾānic text included in the fragments. The script style for each fragment (most of the written on parchment) is listed according to the palaeographical typology of François Déroche (Déroche 1983: 35-47, based on Déroche 1992, catalogue of Qurʾān manuscripts of the French National Library). The following list contains the call numbers of the catalogued fragments. (Unfortunately the precise call number of three items was not provided by QNL, for technical reasons they are refered to as "unknown call number", "unknown call number I" and "unknown call number II". Qurʾān fragments of QNL give a condensed overview of many early script styles (ḥiǧāzī, kūfī, New Style), with some fragments written in maghribī. List of Qurʾānic Fragments
"Digital Publication of Corpus Coranicum", ed. by Michael Josef Marx et.al.
Manuscripta Coranica, Variae Lectiones Coranicae, Texte aus der Umwelt des Korans,
Corpus Coranicum, 2007
(1) Manuscripta Coranica, published by Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften, edite... more (1) Manuscripta Coranica, published by Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften, edited by Michael Marx, with contributions by Ali Aghaei, Salome Beridze, Umberto Bongianino, Marcus Fraser, Esra Gözeler, Tobias Jocham, Tuba Karaşahin, Mohammad Ali Khavanin Zadeh, Ayşenur Elif Ünal Şahin, Ignacio Sánchez and Karina Söhl, Transliterations by Morteza Rahimi Ahangar, Mojgan Azimian, Salome Beridze, Sabrina Cimiotti, Laura Hinrichsen, Fatemeh Nayeree, Zahra Mollaei, Emaan Safah, Morteza Tavakkoli, Azam Shahpasand, Elahe Shahpasand, and Rahele Shahpasand, with assistance from Farah Artika, Lamees Azzam, Charlotte Bohm, Stefanie Franke, Hadiya Gurtmann, Annemarie Jehring, Manssur Karamzadeh, Tolou Khademalsharieh, Edin Mahmutovic, Nora Reifenstein, Jens Sauer, Johanna Schubert and Sophie Schmid. As of: 31.10.2024.
https://corpuscoranicum.de/de/manuscripts
(2) Variae Lectiones Coranicae (Variant Readings of the Qurʾān), published by Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften, edited by Michael Marx, with contributions by Edin Mahmutovic, Manssur Karamzadeh, and Andreas Ismail Mohr, with earlier contributions by Suad Hodzic, Feras Krimsti, and Jens Sauer; Beta version: as of 22.10.2024 Betaversion: Stand 27.12.2021
https://corpuscoranicum.de/en/verse-navigator/sura/20/verse/1/variants
(3) Texts from the World of the Qurʾān, published by Berlin-Brandenburgischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, edited by Michael Marx, with contributions by Sebastian Bitsch, Vasiliki Chamourgiotaki, Emmanouela Grypeou, Dirk Hartwig, Nestor Kavvadas, David Kiltz, Yousef Kouriyhe, Mohammed Maraqten, Adrian Pirtea, Veronika Roth, Johanna Schubert and Nicolai Sinai. As of: 31.10.2024.
https://corpuscoranicum.de/de/intertexts
(4) Edition of the Qurʾān (al-Qurʾān al-karīm), Cairo 1924, Image, Unicode Text, Latin Transcription, digital edition by Michael Marx, in collaboration with Tobias J. Jocham et al. (Corpus Coranicum). https://corpuscoranicum.de/en/verse-navigator/sura/1/verse/1/print
Der Islam, 2012
zusammen mit Johannes Pahlitzsch und Dorothea Weltecke.
"Diversity and hybridity, interaction a... more zusammen mit Johannes Pahlitzsch und Dorothea Weltecke.
"Diversity and hybridity, interaction and exchange: these terms compose the thematic focus of this issue of the journal 'Der Islam': Eastern Christianity in History and the Present: Perspectives and Obstacles. The issue features contributions to a conference held in the year 2008. Evaluating the state of research on Eastern Christianity in Germany, the participants observed that this field of academic enquiry is in danger of becoming extinct in this country. Thus, this collection of articles hopefully serves as a catalyst for jumpstarting debate on Eastern Christianity in the German academic community. The study of Eastern Christian communities’ cultural identity is at the same time ineluctably intertwined with Qur‘anic Studies and Islamic History - i. e. an Islam in dialogue with, but not mimicking Jewish and Christian traditions of the Hijaz. Diversity in the Islamic ruled world is a historical reality that has been largely ignored in the study of Islam as well. This edition of 'Der Islam' therefore highlights research that considers the interaction between Muslim and non-Muslim groups, as well as the entangled develop-ment of the religious traditions, in order to better understand the socio-religiousplurality of Western Asia. Interaction and exchange, however, also include moments of conflict and discrimination. As we close upon the one-year anniversary of the 'Arab Spring', the authors are reminded that it is important to consider the worsening condition of Eastern Christian communities today and their representation in Western studies as well as in the political systems they live in."
The Qur'an in Context: Historical and Literary Investigations into the Qur'anic Milieu, Leiden: Brill, 2009.
Although recent scholarship has increasingly situated the Qur'ān in the historical context of Lat... more Although recent scholarship has increasingly situated the Qur'ān in the historical context of Late Antiquity, such a perspective is only rarely accompanied by the kind of microstructural literary analysis routinely applied to the Bible. The present volume seeks to redress this lack of contact between literary and historical studies. Contributions to the first part of the volume address various general aspects of the Qur'ān’s political, economic, linguistic, and cultural context, while the second part contains a number of close readings of specific Qur'ānic passages in the light of Judeo-Christian tradition and ancient Arabic poetry, as well as discussions of the Qur'ān’s internal chronology and transmission history. Throughout, special emphasis is given to methodological questions.
"Im vollen Licht der Geschichte". Die Wissenschaft des Judentums und die Anfänge der kritischen Koranforschung, Berlin: Ergon, 2008.
Blickt man auf die Entstehung und Entwicklung der Orientwissenschaften im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert... more Blickt man auf die Entstehung und Entwicklung der Orientwissenschaften im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert zurück, so kann man nicht umhin, festzustellen, dass die maßgebliche Rolle des Pioniers und dann Formgebers hier jüdisch akkulturierten Wissenschaftlern in Europa, insbesondere in Deutschland, zukommt. Orientwissenschaft ist in ihren Anfängen keine lineare Bewegung von westlichen, d.h. christlichen oder noch öfter säkularisierten Forschern hin auf einen islamischen Orient. Sie reflektiert auch keine reine Subjekt-Objekt-Beziehung, wie Edward Saids Konzept Orientalism suggerieren könnte. Vielmehr ist das mit dieser Forschung eröffnete intellektuelle Spannungsfeld nur als ein kreatives Dreiecksverhältnis zu begreifen: Es waren zunächst deutsche Juden, die sich dem 'Orient' zuwandten, die mit den im säkularisierten Europa entwickelten Methoden arabistische Textforschung betrieben. Und es waren Angehörige der Wissenschaft des Judentums, die diese von ihnen studierte 'orientalische Kultur' - statt sie als exklusives Forschungs-Objekt wahrzunehmen - als Teil ihrer eigenen Kultur begriffen. Diese plurikulturellen 'Ursprünge' möchte das hier vorliegende Buch beleuchten. Der von Ernest Renan erhobene Anspruch, der Islam sei 'im vollen Licht der Geschichte' entstanden, verdient heute neu reflektiert zu werden: Der Band will zeigen, wie das von der Wissenschaft des Judentums auf den Koran geworfene Schlaglicht auch heute Wege zu einer kulturell offeneren, der islamischen Tradition angemesseneren Wahrnehmung der Grundurkunde des Islam weisen kann.
Papers by Michael Josef Marx
Edited by
This book is printed on acid-free paper. This volume has emerged from the conference “Historische... more This book is printed on acid-free paper. This volume has emerged from the conference “Historische Sondierungen und methodische Reflexionen zur Korangenese: Wege zur Rekonstruktion des vorkanonischen Koran, ” January 2004, Berlin. The conference and the publication of its proceedings were assisted by a grant from the Fritz Thyssen Foundation. Brill has made all reasonable efforts to trace all rights holders to any copyrighted material used in this work. In cases where these efforts have not been successful the publisher welcomes communications from copyrights holders, so that the appropriate acknowledgements can be made in future editions, and to settle other permission matters.
Mathieu Tillier/Naim Vanthieghem, The Book of the Cow, An Early Qurʾānic Codex on Papyrus (P. Hamb. Arab. 68), Documenta Coranica vol.3, Leiden/Boston 2024, Brill, pp. 101-105.., 2024
Michael Marx, „Edition of the P. Hamb. Arab. 68 according to the Corpus Coranicum mark-up system“... more Michael Marx, „Edition of the P. Hamb. Arab. 68 according to the Corpus Coranicum mark-up system“, in: Mathieu Tillier/Naim Vanthieghem, The Book of the Cow, An Early Qurʾānic Codex on Papyrus (P. Hamb. Arab. 68), Documenta Coranica vol.3, Leiden/Boston 2024, Brill, pp. 101-105.
Book Studies and Islamic Studies in Conversation, 2018
Vgl. eine erste Übersicht von Fragmenten, die auf ca. 750 n. Chr. zu datieren sind, in: Marx: Der... more Vgl. eine erste Übersicht von Fragmenten, die auf ca. 750 n. Chr. zu datieren sind, in: Marx: Der Korantext als Herausforderung (Fußnote 24), S. 430-35. Vgl. die Untersuchungen von Gregor Schoeler zur Wissensvermittlung im frühen Islam, z. B. Gregor Schoeler: Écrire et transmettre dans les débuts de l'Islam. Paris: Presses universitaires de France 2002.
Radiocarbon, 2023
This article discusses radiocarbon dating results of documents preserved at the Central Library o... more This article discusses radiocarbon dating results of documents preserved at the Central Library of the University of Tehran (hereafter, CLUT) as part of the project "Irankoran." The paper adds new evidence to an ongoing campaign of dating Qurʾāns and Oriental manuscripts by the Corpus Coranicum Project. The dated manuscripts include one kūfī fragment of the Qurʾān on parchment (no. 10950) and a selection of Islamic and Persian manuscripts, all from the second millennium: the Arabic dictionary Muǧmal al-Luġah (Meškāt no. 203), the medical encyclopedia Ḏaḫīrah-ye Kh w ārazmšāhī (no. 5156), the epic Panǧ Ganǧ of Neẓāmī (no. 5179), the book of wisdom Ādāb al-Falāsifah (no. 2165) attributed to Ḥunayn b. Isḥāq (d. 873 CE), and one of the oldest extant manuscripts of the Avesta Wīdēwdād (no. 11263). Although the authenticity of their colophons is disputed, radiocarbon dating supports the dates of the colophons; even in cases where they were suspected of being tampered with, they most likely present the accurate original dates of the corresponding manuscripts. Only in the case of Ādāb al-Falāsifah (no. 2165), radiocarbon dating of the parchment has identified the manuscript as nonauthentic. Inconsistent carbon dating results of two samples taken from Ḏaḫīrah-ye Khwārazmšāhī (no. 5156) and Panǧ Ganǧ (no. 5179) provide evidence of later replaced/added leaves.
Museum of Islamic Art: The collection, 2022
Two Folios from an Umayyad Qur'an Manuscript Single Folio from an Umayyad Qur'an Manuscript Sura ... more Two Folios from an Umayyad Qur'an Manuscript Single Folio from an Umayyad Qur'an Manuscript Sura Ta-ha, verses 126-134 (recto); Sura Ta-ha, verses 134-135 to Sura al-Anbiya' (The Prophets), verses 1-7 (verso); West Asia or North Africa; Umayyad period, c. 2nd century AH/c. 8th century CE
Journal of Iran National Museum, 2021
"This paper presents the carbon dating results of seven Qurʾān manuscripts and one Syriac Bible (... more "This paper presents the carbon dating results of seven Qurʾān manuscripts and one Syriac Bible (Peshitta) of the National Museum of Iran (NMI) in the context of palaeography of early Qurʾān manuscripts. The carbon age measurements, for the first time obtained from a collection in the Eastern lands of Islam, include results from one manuscript in script style kūfī B, one in kūfī C, and five in kūfī D. Measurements from carbon analysis of the Qurʾāns of the National Museum confirm the relative chronology of script styles in Qurʾānic palaeography. Obtained measurements from the Qurʾāns of NMI, however, give evidence for an early dating of kūfī D script styles. For the intricate question of date, carbon dating provides essential anchor points in chronology, beneficial for a historical understanding of Qurʾāns specifically and manuscripts in general, as the carbon date results of the Syriac Bible of NMI show. Scientific dating is recommended for producing comprehensive catalogues of manuscript collections as it reveals a new perception of Qurʾānic palaeography where chronology remains unexplored."
Qurʾān Quotations Preserved on Papyrus Documents, 7th-10th Centuries, 2019
zusammen mit T. J. Jocham. S. 188–221. Ed. Andreas Kaplony/Michael Marx. "According to 14C measur... more zusammen mit T. J. Jocham. S. 188–221. Ed. Andreas Kaplony/Michael Marx. "According to 14C measurements, the four Qurʾān fragments University Library Tübingen Ma VI 165, Berlin State Library We. II 1913 and ms. or. fol. 4313, and University Library Leiden Cod. or. 14.545 b/c are older than had been presumed due to their paleographical characteristics. Within the framework of the joint German-French project Coranica, Qurʾān manuscripts and other texts of Late Antiquity (Syriac Bible manuscripts, Georgian manuscripts, dated Arabic papyri, etc.) have been dated for comparison and turn out to be reliable according to dating by 14C measurement. This article emphasizes the importance of combining 14C measurements with paleographical characteristics and orthography when dating Qurʾān fragments. The archaic spelling that appears within the four fragments (e.g., of the words Dāwūd, ḏū, oršayʾ) demonstrates that Arabic orthography in the text of the Qurʾān was still developing duringthe 7th and 8th centuries. The fact that the long vowel /ā/ was—in the earlymanuscripts—spelled usingwāworyāʾ in the middle of a word, rarely using alif whose original phonetic value is the glottal stop (hamza), led to spellings that are now obsolete. Alongside orthographic and paleographical questions, the large number of fragments in Ḥiǧāzī spelling urges us to reconsider the role that written transmission plays within the textual history of the Qurʾān."
Comparative Oriental Manuscript Studies: An Introduction, 2015
Edited by: Alessandro Bausi (General editor), Pier Giorgio Borbone, Françoise Briquel-Chatonnet, ... more Edited by: Alessandro Bausi (General editor), Pier Giorgio Borbone, Françoise Briquel-Chatonnet, Paola Buzi, Jost Gippert, Caroline Macé, Marilena Maniaci, Zisis Melissakis, Laura E. Parodi, Witold Witakowski
Project editor: Eugenia Sokolinski
Peer review body: European Science Foundation, Standing Committee for Humanities
Frankfurter Zeitschrift für islamisch-theologische Studien, 2015
zusammen mit Tobias J. Jocham. "Radiokarbonmessungen zufolge sind die vier Koranfragmente Ma VI 1... more zusammen mit Tobias J. Jocham. "Radiokarbonmessungen zufolge sind die vier Koranfragmente Ma VI 165 (Tübingen), We II 1913 und ms.or.fol. 4313 (Berlin) und Cod.or. 14.545 b/c (Leiden) älter als man aufgrund paläographischer Merkmale annahm. Im Rahmen des deutsch französischen Projektes “Coranica” wurden Koranhandschriften und andere spätantike Texte zum Vergleich (syrische Bibelhandschriften, arabische datierte Papyri u. a.) datiert, welche die 14C-Datierungen als zuverlässig herausstellten. Der Artikel plädiert dafür, die 14C-Messung zusammen mit paläographischen Merkmalen und Orthographie bei der Datierung von Koranfragmenten zu berücksichtigen. In den vier Fragmenten auftretende archaische Schreibungen (z. B. der Wörter Dāwūd, ḏū oder šayʾ) zeigen, dass sich die arabische Orthographie während des 7. Jh. noch entwickelte. Die Schreibung des Langvokals /ā/, der in den frühen Handschriften durch wāw oder yāʾ, aber nur selten durch ʾalif (dessen eigentlicher Lautwert das hamza, der Kehlverschlusslaut, war) in der Wortmitte geschrieben wurde, führte zu inzwischen obsoleten Schreibweisen. Neben orthographischen und paläographischen Einzelfragen hält uns die hohe Zahl von Fragmenten in ḥiǧāzī-Schrift dazu an, die Rolle der schriftlichen Überlieferung bei der Textgeschichte insgesamt zu überdenken."
Michael Josef Marx, "Le Coran de ‘Uthmān dans le Traité de Versailles", in: Les origines du Coran, le Coran des origines, ed. François Déroche, Christian Julien Robin, Michel Zink 2015.
Les origines du Coran, le Coran des origines, 2015
S. 271-296, ed. François Déroche, Christian Julien Robin, Michel Zink. "Le Coran est le premier l... more S. 271-296, ed. François Déroche, Christian Julien Robin, Michel Zink. "Le Coran est le premier livre arabe attesté dans les dernières décennies du viie siècle (ère chrétienne). Il est intéressant de constater que, selon la tradition musulmane, avant la mort du Prophète (en 632) le texte du Coran, considéré comme le fondement spirituel de la première communauté musulmane, ne circulait pas encore sous forme de codex. C’est seulement après sa mort que des notes et des transcriptions (enregistrées sans doute avec l’aval du Prophète, qui était à partir de 622 le chef politique du premier État musulman) ont été collationnées (selon les informations des sources musulmanes postérieures) pour produire, sur..."
ETH Yearbook 2014, 2015
zusammen mit E. Youssef-Grob, T. Jocham und I. Hajdas.
Wege zur Weltliteratur. Komparatistische Perspektiven der Editionswissenschaft , 2015
S. 253–278. Berlin 2015.
Uploads
Editor of by Michael Josef Marx
https://corpuscoranicum.de/de/manuscripts
(2) Variae Lectiones Coranicae (Variant Readings of the Qurʾān), published by Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften, edited by Michael Marx, with contributions by Edin Mahmutovic, Manssur Karamzadeh, and Andreas Ismail Mohr, with earlier contributions by Suad Hodzic, Feras Krimsti, and Jens Sauer; Beta version: as of 22.10.2024 Betaversion: Stand 27.12.2021
https://corpuscoranicum.de/en/verse-navigator/sura/20/verse/1/variants
(3) Texts from the World of the Qurʾān, published by Berlin-Brandenburgischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, edited by Michael Marx, with contributions by Sebastian Bitsch, Vasiliki Chamourgiotaki, Emmanouela Grypeou, Dirk Hartwig, Nestor Kavvadas, David Kiltz, Yousef Kouriyhe, Mohammed Maraqten, Adrian Pirtea, Veronika Roth, Johanna Schubert and Nicolai Sinai. As of: 31.10.2024.
https://corpuscoranicum.de/de/intertexts
(4) Edition of the Qurʾān (al-Qurʾān al-karīm), Cairo 1924, Image, Unicode Text, Latin Transcription, digital edition by Michael Marx, in collaboration with Tobias J. Jocham et al. (Corpus Coranicum). https://corpuscoranicum.de/en/verse-navigator/sura/1/verse/1/print
"Diversity and hybridity, interaction and exchange: these terms compose the thematic focus of this issue of the journal 'Der Islam': Eastern Christianity in History and the Present: Perspectives and Obstacles. The issue features contributions to a conference held in the year 2008. Evaluating the state of research on Eastern Christianity in Germany, the participants observed that this field of academic enquiry is in danger of becoming extinct in this country. Thus, this collection of articles hopefully serves as a catalyst for jumpstarting debate on Eastern Christianity in the German academic community. The study of Eastern Christian communities’ cultural identity is at the same time ineluctably intertwined with Qur‘anic Studies and Islamic History - i. e. an Islam in dialogue with, but not mimicking Jewish and Christian traditions of the Hijaz. Diversity in the Islamic ruled world is a historical reality that has been largely ignored in the study of Islam as well. This edition of 'Der Islam' therefore highlights research that considers the interaction between Muslim and non-Muslim groups, as well as the entangled develop-ment of the religious traditions, in order to better understand the socio-religiousplurality of Western Asia. Interaction and exchange, however, also include moments of conflict and discrimination. As we close upon the one-year anniversary of the 'Arab Spring', the authors are reminded that it is important to consider the worsening condition of Eastern Christian communities today and their representation in Western studies as well as in the political systems they live in."
Papers by Michael Josef Marx
Project editor: Eugenia Sokolinski
Peer review body: European Science Foundation, Standing Committee for Humanities