How to Cite the Qur’an | APA, MLA & Chicago Styles
How you cite the Qur’an in your academic writing will depend on the citation style specified by your institution or publisher. To cite from the Qur’an, you need to know how to create the:
- In-text citation
- Reference list (bibliography) entry
The in-text citation includes the numbers of the sura and verse that you’re referencing, and sometimes the date of publication of the translation and the translator’s name.
The reference list entry includes the translator, the translation’s date of publication, and the publisher.
| In-text quotation | … Allah says, “Spend in God’s cause: do not contribute to your destruction with your own hands, but do good, for God loves those who do good” (The Qur’an, 2008, 2:195). |
|---|---|
| Reference list entry | The Qur’an (M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, Trans.). (2008). Oxford University Press. |
Your institution or publisher may have particular citation preferences for the Qur’an, even if they specify a citation style such as APA. So, be sure to consult any guidelines they provide.
Citing the Qur’an in APA Style
To write an in-text citation of the Qur’an in 7th edition APA Style, provide the date of the translation. Also include the sura and verse if you are quoting from or referring to a specific section.
The title of the work (i.e., The Qur’an) is italicized and there is a colon between the sura and verse numbers.
| Parenthetical citation of a direct quotation | … Allah says, “Spend in God’s cause: do not contribute to your destruction with your own hands, but do good, for God loves those who do good” (The Qur’an, 2008, 2:195). |
|---|---|
| Narrative citation | The Qur’an (2008, 2:195) mentions financial obligations relating to… |
The reference list entry should include the name of the translator, the year of publication of the translation, and the publisher.
Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services
Citing the Qur’an in MLA
To write an in-text citation of the Qur’an in 9th edition MLA style, provide the sura and verse.
The title of the work (i.e., The Qur’an) is italicized in a parenthetical citation but not in a narrative citation.
| Parenthetical citation of a direct quotation | … Allah says, “Spend in God’s cause: do not contribute to your destruction with your own hands, but do good, for God loves those who do good” (The Qur’an 2:195). |
|---|---|
| Narrative citation | The Qur’an (2:195) mentions financial obligations relating to… |
If there is more than one translation of the Qur’an in your Works Cited list, you can differentiate between them in your in-text citations by including the translator’s name (The Qur’an, trans. M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, 2:195).
In the Works Cited list, include the translator, publisher, and year of publication.
Citing the Qur’an in Chicago
To create a footnote for an in-text citation in Chicago style 17th edition (notes and bibliography), provide the sura and verse numbers separated by a colon.
There is no difference between full and short notes for citations of the Qur’an.
Don’t italicize the word Qur’an or include the definite article The. Remember to add the period at the end of the footnote.
1. Qur’an 2:195.
If there is more than one translation of the Qur’an in your bibliography, you can differentiate between them in your footnotes by including the translator.
1. Qur’an 2:195 (trans. M.A.S. Abdel Haleem).
In Chicago style, you don’t generally include a bibliography entry for references to the Qur’an. However, you can include one if it is necessary for your purposes (e.g., if you are comparing different translations so the reader needs to know exactly which translation you are referring to).
Citing the Qur’an: online sources
In-text citations of the Qur’an are the same for both online and book sources.
But reference list entries for online versions of the Qur’an should include the URL as well the “accessed on” date for some citation styles.
| Referencing style | Format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| APA 7th edition | The Qur’an (Translator’s first and last name, Trans.). (Year of publication of translation). Name of online version. URL | The Qur’an (M.H. Shakir, Trans.). (1983). The University of Michigan Library Digital Koran. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/k/koran/index.html |
| MLA 9th edition | Translator’s last name, first name., trans. The Qur’an. Year of publication of translation. Name of online version. URL | Shakir, M.H., trans. The Qur’an. 1983. The University of Michigan Library Digital Koran. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/k/koran/index.html |
| Chicago 17th edition (if required) | The Qur’an. Translated by Translator’s first and last name, Year of publication of translation, URL | The Qur’an. Translated by M.H. Shakir, 1983, https://quod.lib.umich.edu/k/koran/index.html |
Cite this Scribbr article
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
Driessen, K. (2024, November 06). How to Cite the Qur’an | APA, MLA & Chicago Styles. Scribbr. Retrieved December 3, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/citing-sources/how-to-cite-the-quran/
