On June 15, 2020, a new YouTube channel called “Variant Quran” was born.
By now, the channel’s thirty videos have been viewed a total of approximately 475,000 times, all over the world and by speakers of many different languages. Ten percent of views to date come from the first video, “Missing Words In A Quran Manuscript.”
The videos of this first year have dealt with my own research in early Quran manuscripts, focusing upon physical corrections and variants within them. I’ve also recorded answers to viewer questions along the way. I related good news as well, such as the publication of the German edition of my book Corrections in Early Qurʾān Manuscripts: Twenty Examples. Beyond these topics, I had the pleasure of sharing three interviews with two special guests, Dr. Asma Hilali, and the pseudonymous Ibn Warraq. Finally, I’ve dealt with (and continue to answer) critiques of my book and my work coming from academics, including Yasir Qadhi and Tayyar Altikulaç, among others.
With tremendous gratitude, I’ve begun to receive financial support from a number of viewers. This has helped so much to free me up to do these things.
While I’d aspired to post one video every 1-2 weeks, it has occasionally gone at intervals of 3 weeks or even a month. However, I believe I’ve struck a good pace alongside the main work of reading and writing.
WHY THIS CHANNEL, AND WHY NOW?
Driving the lively discussion were comments made in an interview by Yasir Qadhi, in which he said words to the effect that “the standard narrative” (i.e. about the history of the text of the Quran) has “holes” in it.
In early summer 2020, there was a development in the public discussion around the text of the Quran, which some colleagues brought to my attention. Driving the lively discourse were comments made in an interview by Yasir Qadhi, in which he said words to the effect that “the standard narrative” (i.e. about the history of the text of the Quran) has “holes” in it. When I eventually heard those remarks and was able to see at least that portion of the interview in question, I knew (since this is what I do, and we were familiar with largely the same body of literature) exactly what Dr. Qadhi had meant and found it refreshing that he had said it.
One of my colleagues suggested that it might be a good time to begin recording educational videos centered around my research, and upon reflection I thought that the time was indeed about right.
Variant Quran is still in relative infancy, and still has so much unexploited potential. I look forward with anticipation as we are now moving into year two.