Shady Hekmat Nasser

شادي حكمت ناصر

United States / United Kingdom · Scholar of Qur'anic studies; Associate Professor of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard

Shady Hekmat Nasser is Associate Professor of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard, where the faculty page marks him as on leave. He took his PhD in Arabic and Islamic Studies at Harvard in 2011 under Wolfhart Heinrichs. From 2009 to 2012 he was Senior Lector of Arabic and coordinator of the Arabic programme at Yale, and in 2013 he was appointed University Lecturer in Classical Arabic Studies in the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at Cambridge. He is also a Faculty Affiliate of the Program in Islamic Law at Harvard Law School. Harvard event pages from 2017 and 2019 still call him Assistant Professor. His birthplace and early life are not given on any page this archive found, so none is stated here.

His work is on the transmission history of the Qur’an: its variant readings (qirāʾāt), the claim of mass transmission (tawātur) and the emergence of the “irregular” (shawādhdh) readings, along with early Arabic poetry and the akhbār literature, and hadith transmission. His first book, The Transmission of the Variant Readings of the Qurʾān (Brill, 2012 or 2013, depending on the source), argued that the Qur’an’s readings were transmitted by single reports and that mass transmission was claimed later. His second, The Second Canonization of the Qurʾān (324/936): Ibn Mujāhid and the Founding of the Seven Readings (Brill), is about how Ibn Mujāhid fixed the canon of seven readings in the tenth century; its year is given as 2020 or 2021.

He convened the one-day workshop “Qur’an” at Harvard on 7 December 2019 and, on 13 May 2022, released the Encyclopedia of the (Variant) Readings of the Qur’an website (erquran.org), whose operator the site itself does not name. Most of his talks and journal articles are not freely online. The archive links to what is, and flags what could not be verified.

Archived 16 October 2026 · Biography sources: nelc.fas.harvard.edu · pil.law.harvard.edu · pil.law.harvard.edu · islamicstudies.harvard.edu · erquran.org

Works

Books 3

BOOK 2013 · English · Brill, Leiden

The Transmission of the Variant Readings of the Qurʾān: The Problem of Tawātur and the Emergence of Shawādhdh

His first book, on the transmission of the Qur'an's readings and the problem of mass transmission.

Archived 16 October 2026 · Source: 4enoch.org

Cite

Nasser, Shady Hekmat. The Transmission of the Variant Readings of the Qurʾān: The Problem of Tawātur and the Emergence of Shawādhdh. 2013. Archived 16 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/shady-nasser/#shady-nasser-transmission-of-the-variant-readings

No free copy online

BOOK 2020 · English · Brill, Leiden

The Second Canonization of the Qurʾān (324/936): Ibn Mujāhid and the Founding of the Seven Readings

On Ibn Mujāhid's selection of the seven readings; Brill's description mentions an audio collection of over 5,000 recitation files.

Archived 16 October 2026 · Source: brill.figshare.com

Cite

Nasser, Shady Hekmat. The Second Canonization of the Qurʾān (324/936): Ibn Mujāhid and the Founding of the Seven Readings. 2020. Archived 16 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/shady-nasser/#shady-nasser-the-second-canonization-of-the-quran

No free copy online

COLLECTION 2022 · English · erquran.org

Encyclopedia of the (Variant) Readings of the Qur'an (erquran.org)

A searchable website on the Qur'an's variant readings, released 13 May 2022; announced by Harvard Islamic Studies.

Archived 16 October 2026 · Source: erquran.org

Cite

Nasser, Shady Hekmat. Encyclopedia of the (Variant) Readings of the Qur'an (erquran.org). 2022. erquran.org, https://erquran.org/. Archived 16 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/shady-nasser/#shady-nasser-erquran-encyclopedia-of-the-variant-readings

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Articles & essays 6

REVIEW 2015 · English · Review of Qur'anic Research (IQSA) 1, no. 9

Review of The Transmission of the Variant Readings of the Qurʾān Hamza M. Zafer

A review of his book.

Archived 16 October 2026 · Source: IQSA

Cite

Zafer, Hamza M.. Review of The Transmission of the Variant Readings of the Qurʾān. 2015. IQSA, https://iqsaweb.org/2015/12/08/variant-readings-of-the-quran/. Archived 16 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/shady-nasser/#shady-nasser-about-zafer-review-of-transmission

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REVIEW 2016 · English · Bulletin critique des annales islamologiques 30

Review of The Transmission of the Variant Readings of the Qurʾān Marcin Grodzki

A review of his book.

Archived 16 October 2026 · Source: IFAO (BCAI)

Cite

Grodzki, Marcin. Review of The Transmission of the Variant Readings of the Qurʾān. 2016. IFAO (BCAI), https://www.ifao.egnet.net/bcai/30/11/. Archived 16 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/shady-nasser/#shady-nasser-about-grodzki-review-of-transmission

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INTERVIEW 2020 · English · Minding Scripture (podcast)

Minding Scripture, Episode 14: Transmission of the Qurʾān Gabriel Reynolds (host)

A podcast conversation with Gabriel Reynolds, shared by IQSA on 12 October 2020.

Archived 16 October 2026 · Source: Minding Scripture

Cite

(host), Gabriel Reynolds. Minding Scripture, Episode 14: Transmission of the Qurʾān. 2020. Minding Scripture, https://mindingscripture.com/episode-14-transmission-of-the-quran/. Archived 16 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/shady-nasser/#shady-nasser-interview-minding-scripture-transmission-of-the-quran

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REVIEW 2022 · English · Bulletin critique des annales islamologiques 36, pp. ~20–23

Review of The Second Canonization of the Qurʾān Hassan Chahdi

A review of his book.

Archived 16 October 2026 · Source: IFAO (BCAI)

Cite

Chahdi, Hassan. Review of The Second Canonization of the Qurʾān. 2022. IFAO (BCAI), https://www.ifao.egnet.net/bcai/36/6. Archived 16 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/shady-nasser/#shady-nasser-about-chahdi-review-of-second-canonization

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REVIEW 2024 · English · İslam Araştırmaları Dergisi 51, pp. 196–201

Review of The Second Canonization of the Qurʾān Eren Pilgir

A review of his book.

Archived 16 October 2026 · Source: Marmara University (AVESİS)

Cite

Pilgir, Eren. Review of The Second Canonization of the Qurʾān. 2024. Marmara University (AVESİS), https://avesis.marmara.edu.tr/yayin/43a4eaed-c85e-47e8-9025-89d919d5dcf2/shady-hekmat-nasser-the-second-canonization-of-the-quran-324-936-ibn-mujahid-and-the-founding-of-the-seven-readings. Archived 16 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/shady-nasser/#shady-nasser-about-pilgir-review-of-second-canonization

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INTERVIEW English · Bottled Petrichor (podcast)

E15 The Qur'an and its Variant Readings with Dr. Shady Nasser

A podcast conversation recorded before his second Brill book appeared.

Archived 16 October 2026 · Source: Player FM

Cite

Nasser, Shady Hekmat. E15 The Qur'an and its Variant Readings with Dr. Shady Nasser. Player FM, https://fr.player.fm/1BCuxAr. Archived 16 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/shady-nasser/#shady-nasser-interview-bottled-petrichor-e15

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Papers 5

PAPER 2009 · English · Journal of Arabic Literature 40, pp. 241–272

al-Muhalhil in the historical akhbār and folkloric sīrah

On the pre-Islamic poet al-Muhalhil in the sources.

Archived 16 October 2026 · Source: nelc.fas.harvard.edu

Cite

Nasser, Shady Hekmat. al-Muhalhil in the historical akhbār and folkloric sīrah. 2009. Archived 16 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/shady-nasser/#shady-nasser-al-muhalhil-in-the-historical-akhbar

No free copy online

PAPER 2013 · English · Oriens 41, pp. 41–75

The Two-Rāwī Canon before and after ad-Dānī (d. 444/1052–3)

On the role of Ibn Ghalbūn (d. 389/998) and the Qayrawān/Andalus school in creating the two-transmitter canon.

Archived 16 October 2026 · Source: nelc.fas.harvard.edu

Cite

Nasser, Shady Hekmat. The Two-Rāwī Canon before and after ad-Dānī (d. 444/1052–3). 2013. Archived 16 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/shady-nasser/#shady-nasser-the-two-rawi-canon-before-and-after-al-dani

No free copy online

PAPER 2015 · English · Journal of Qur'anic Studies 17, no. 1, pp. 85–113

Revisiting Ibn Mujāhid's Position on the Seven Canonical Readings: Ibn ʿĀmir's Problematic Reading of kun fa-yakūna

On Ibn Mujāhid's treatment of Ibn ʿĀmir's reading.

Archived 16 October 2026 · Source: nelc.fas.harvard.edu

Cite

Nasser, Shady Hekmat. Revisiting Ibn Mujāhid's Position on the Seven Canonical Readings: Ibn ʿĀmir's Problematic Reading of kun fa-yakūna. 2015. Archived 16 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/shady-nasser/#shady-nasser-revisiting-ibn-mujahid-kun-fa-yakuna

No free copy online

PAPER 2015 · English · Journal of Abbasid Studies 2, pp. 1–37

The Grammatical Blunders of Qurʾān Reciters: Zallat al-qāriʾ by Abū Ḥafṣ al-Nasafī (d. 537/1142)

On a medieval work on reciters' mistakes.

Archived 16 October 2026 · Source: nelc.fas.harvard.edu

Cite

Nasser, Shady Hekmat. The Grammatical Blunders of Qurʾān Reciters: Zallat al-qāriʾ by Abū Ḥafṣ al-Nasafī (d. 537/1142). 2015. Archived 16 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/shady-nasser/#shady-nasser-the-grammatical-blunders-of-quran-reciters

No free copy online

PAPER 2016 · English · Islamic Law and Society 23, pp. 23–51

(Q. 12:2) We have sent it down as an Arabic Qurʾān: Praying behind the Lisper

On the legal question of praying behind an imam who cannot pronounce Arabic correctly.

Archived 16 October 2026 · Source: nelc.fas.harvard.edu

Cite

Nasser, Shady Hekmat. (Q. 12:2) We have sent it down as an Arabic Qurʾān: Praying behind the Lisper. 2016. Archived 16 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/shady-nasser/#shady-nasser-praying-behind-the-lisper

No free copy online

Videos 2

VIDEO 2017 · English · Harvard CMES

Twelver Imami Shiite Views on the Variant Readings of the Quran: Legal and Theological Implications (Harvard Law and Religion Lecture Series)

A lecture on 30 November 2017 (CMES, Harvard). The event page carries no video link, so this is an information link only.

Archived 16 October 2026 · Source: cmes.fas.harvard.edu

Cite

Nasser, Shady Hekmat. Twelver Imami Shiite Views on the Variant Readings of the Quran: Legal and Theological Implications (Harvard Law and Religion Lecture Series). 2017. Archived 16 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/shady-nasser/#shady-nasser-video-twelver-imami-views-on-variant-readings

No free copy online

VIDEO English

ErQuran site tutorial

A tutorial for the Encyclopedia of Variant Readings site, linked from his Harvard page.

Archived 16 October 2026 · Source: YouTube

Cite

Nasser, Shady Hekmat. ErQuran site tutorial. YouTube, https://youtu.be/7N_dsGcOxgM. Archived 16 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/shady-nasser/#shady-nasser-video-erquran-tutorial

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