《古兰经》载有真主——宇宙的创造者和维持者——向人类启示的讯息。它是真主给人的讯息，因此对我们至关重要。要正确领会一项讯息，首先需要准确理解其内容，为此必须深入、详细地研读《古兰经》。事实上，确有一些人终其一生研读《古兰经》、诵读并思索其义，随着他们在身体和精神上的成长，他们自己发现了新的含义和启示。

The Qur'an contains the revelations of Allah, the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, to mankind. It is the message from God to man and therefore of utmost importance to us. To properly grasp a message, one needs first of all to understand its contents exactly, and for this purpose one must study the Qur'an deeply and in detail. In fact, some people do spend their whole lives studying the Qur'an, reading and reflecting upon it and, as they grow and develop, both physically and spiritually, they discover for themselves new meanings and implications.

其次，要更充分地理解经文的含义及其影响，还需要掌握有关经文所处背景的某些特殊知识。这些特殊知识中，有一部分可以从《古兰经》本身推导出来，但仍有另一些领域的知识，只能通过更广泛的学习与研究才能发现。

Secondly, some special knowledge of the circumstances that surround the message is also necessary for fuller understanding of its meaning and implications. Although some part of this special knowledge can be derived from the Qur'an itself, there remain other areas of knowledge that can only be discovered by wider study and research.

穆斯林自最早的时代起，便不仅致力于研习安拉的启示——《古兰经》本身，也致力于研究它的背景与框架。这些方面的持续关注，最终发展成为有关《古兰经》的"学科"，或称关于《古兰经》的"知识"，即"古兰经学"（ʿUlūm al-Qurʾān）。

Muslims have from earliest times, applied themselves not only to the message from Allah the Qur'an but also to its setting and framework, and the preoccupation with these ultimately developed into the 'sciences' of or 'knowledge' about the Qur'an, known as "ulum al-qur'an'.

在我看来，对待《古兰经》的正确方法可以分为三个阶段。你必须：

The proper approach to the Qur'an, in my humble view, can be described in three stages. You must:

首先,通过聆听或阅读来领受《古兰经》的启示。

 first, receive the message of the Qur'an, by hearing or reading it.

第二，通过思考和研究《古兰经》的含义来理解它的信息。

 second, understand the message of the Qur'an by reflecting upon it and studying its meanings.

第三，将《古兰经》的信息运用于实践：依照其教导来安排你的个人生活，也依照其教导来规范社会生活。

 third, apply the message of the Qur'an by ordering your personal life as well as the life of society according to its message.

被称为"ulum al-Qur'an"(古兰经学)的知识分支,可以作为达到第二阶段——通过理解经文的背景与情境来领会《古兰经》信息——的一种途径。

The branch of knowledge, called 'ulum al-Qur'an may be used as a means for the accomplishment of the second stage, understanding the message of the Qur'an, by understanding its setting and circumstances.

根据一般的定义,《古兰经》学科('ulum al-qur'an)[萨布尼,穆罕默德·阿里:《古兰经学阐释》,贝鲁特,1970年,第

According to a general definition, 'ulum al-qur'an [Sabuni, Muhammad 'Ali: al-tibyan fi 'ulum al-qur-an, Beirut, 1970, p.

10.] 指的是对降示给最后一位先知穆罕默德ﷺ的启示之书所进行的研究，[每当提到先知的名字时，应当致以惯常的祝福（愿安拉的福佑与平安降临于他ﷺ），本文中将不再逐次重复，但恳请读者留意这一穆斯林传统。] 即：

10.] denotes studies concerned with the book of revelations sent down upon the last Prophet Muhammad, [The customary blessings on the Prophet (Allah's blessings and peace beupon him) each time his name is mentioned will not be repeated in the text, but the reader is kindly requested to observe this Muslim tradition.] namely:

这是启示。

 Its revelation.

它的合集。

 Its collection.

其次序与安排。

 Its order and arrangement.

这是书面记录。

 Its writing down.

关于启示的原因和背景的信息。

 Information about the reasons and occasions of revelation.

关于麦加启示与麦地那启示的区分。

 About what was revealed in Makka and what in Madina.

关于废止性经文与被废止经文。

 About the abrogating and abrogated verses.

关于"明确的"与"不明确的"经文。

 About the 'clear' and the 'unclear' verses.

该术语也涵盖与《古兰经》相关的学问，例如：

The term also covers Qur'an-related studies, such as:

对经文和段落的解释，包括先知本人、他的圣门弟子、再传弟子以及后来的古兰经注释学者的解释。

 The explanation of verses and passages by the Prophet himself, his Companions, their followers and the later exegetes of the Qur'an.

解释的方法

The methods of explanation.

注释学者及其著作。

 The scholars of exegesis and their books.

本书作为一部《古兰经学》著作，其宗旨在于通过提供有关《古兰经》降示的背景、框架和情境的信息，帮助读者更好地理解《古兰经》的启示。在很大程度上，本书是对传统《古兰经学》学科的叙述性介绍。《古兰经学》的某些分支，如经文的划分、文体、文学形式等，仅作了简要提及；而另一些看似更为重要的分支，则作了更为详细的论述。尤其是与经文理解相关的主题（如降示背景（Asbab al-Nuzul）、废止与被废止（al-Nasikh wa al-Mansukh）等），本书进行了更为广泛的论述；至于“七种读法”（al-Ahruf al-Sab'ah）或奥斯曼的书写定本（al-Rasm al-'Uthmani）等内容，则只对仅具备良好古典阿拉伯语知识的读者才有益处，本书仅作了介绍，未作深入阐述。

The aim of this book as all 'ulum al-qur'an is to help towards a better understanding of the Qur'anic message by providing information on its setting, framework and circumstances. To a great extent it is a descriptive account of the traditional subject of 'ulum al-qur'an. Some branches of 'ulum al-qur'an, such as the divisions of the text, style, literary form etc., have only been touched upon briefly, while others that seemed more important have been dealt with in more detail. In particular such topics related to the understanding of the text (asbab al-nuzul, al-nasikh wa al-mansukh, etc.) have been treated more extensively while others, such as the 'seven ahruf' or the 'Uthmanic writing, which are of benefit only to readers with a good knowledge of classical Arabic, have been introduced, but not elaborated upon.

我在本书中只陈述学界普遍接受的观点；对于尚无共识的问题，则提及其中最重要的几种不同见解。尽管我对某些问题自有看法，但我在这篇“导言”中的基本目的，是向读者介绍这一主题，而不是明示或暗示地引导他接受我自己的结论。

I have restricted myself to presenting the generally-accepted views on the issues and, where no consensus exists, have referred to the most important of the divergent opinions. Although I do have my own views on some questions, my basic aim in this 'Introduction' is generally to inform the reader about the subject, and not to guide him overtly or covertly towards my own conclusions.

在我撰写这部《古兰经学导论》时，有若干与古兰经研究相关的问题我特别加以关注，因为本书是为一类特定的读者而写的，即那些受过教育的年轻穆斯林，他们很少或根本无法接触到该领域的原始文献。因此，我纳入了若干对这类读者尤为相关的主题，例如：

There are a number of matters related to the study of the Qur'an to which I have drawn special attention since this 'Introduction' to the 'ulum al-qur'an is aimed at a special readership, namely, young educated Muslims with little or no access to the original sources on the subject. I have therefore included several topics, of special relevance for that readership, such as:

东方学家与《古兰经》。

 Orientalists and the Qur'an.

《古兰经》译文。

 Translations of the Qur'an.

现代的《古兰经》诠释

 Modern interpretation of the Qur'an.

《古兰经》的语言。

 Language of the Qur'an.

《古兰经》的诵读与背诵。

 Reading and recitation of the Qur'an.

再次，为了便利这些读者，我常常引用典型的例子来说明所讨论的各个要点，使之更易于理解。

Again, particularly for the benefit of these readers, I have often quoted typical examples to illustrate the various points discussed and make them more easily comprehensible.

最后，为了方便不熟悉阿拉伯语的读者，我在有英文译本的地方提供了相应参考文献（例如圣训集的译本等）。然而，对于某些主题（例如 asbab al-nuzul 或 al-nasikh wa al-mansukh），目前尚无英文文献，因此参考文献只能限于阿拉伯语来源。

Finally, to assist readers not familiar with Arabic, I have supplied references to English translations, where available (such as translation of hadith books, etc.). However, on certain topics (e.g. asbab al-nuzul or al-nasikh wa al-mansukh) there is no literature available as yet in English and references had to be restricted to Arabic sources only.

我还尝试在参考书目中，为每个部分至少列出一两本英文书籍，读者可从中进一步了解所讨论的主题。

I have also attempted to note in the bibliography at least one or two books in English for each section, from which more insight may be gained on the topic discussed.

愿本卷(据我所知,这是欧洲语言中同类著作的首部)达成其宗旨,帮助您充分领会《古兰经》的讯息并将其运用于生活之中;愿真主接纳这一微薄的努力,并宽恕其中的不足。

May this volume (to the best of my knowledge, the first of its kind in a European language) fulfil its purpose and assist you to grasp fully the message of the Qur'an and to apply it in your life, and may Allah accept this humble effort and forgive its shortcomings.

Ahmad von Denffer 莱斯特 斋月 1981/1401

Ahmad von Denffer Leicester. Ramadan 1981/1401