The Qur’an and Its Cultic Subtext | Program in Iranian Studies

Mohsen Goudarzi is Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies at the Harvard Divinity School. He is a scholar of religion who studies the Qur’an and early Islamic history using a variety of analytical approaches, including literary, linguistic, comparative, and historical perspectives. Currently, he is working on two book projects. The first provides a new interpretation of major elements of the qur'anic worldview, including the Qur’an’s vision of history, prophecy, and scripture. His second project explores the significance of cultic rituals, especially those centered on the Meccan Sanctuary, to the religious teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, the identity of his earliest followers, and their interactions with other religious groups in their environment.