Arabic translations of religious and historical studies
Hisham Shamieh (Arabic: هشام شامية) is a Syrian translator specializing in pre-Islamic Arabian history, comparative religion, political thought, and critical studies of Islamic origins and religious discourse.[1][2][3][4] His translations are cataloged by libraries and include Arabic editions of scholarly works on early Islamic history, Qur’anic textual scholarship, and Islamic historiography.[5][6][7][8] His works are produced in collaboration with publishers in the Arab region.[9][10] His translations have been cited in peer-reviewed research and specialized outlets.[11][12][13]
Career
After studying English–Arabic translation at the University of Damascus, Shamieh transitioned to full-time literary translation after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, he participated in a Syria-based cultural initiative focused on translating works on religion, history, and free thought.[14][15]
Shamieh has worked on Arabic editions of academic studies in early Islamic history, Qur’anic textual research, and religious historiography.[1][2][5][6][7][8][3][4] He is listed as a translator with Naqesh Publications and as a member/translator with the Academic Center for Research.[9][10][16][17]
Reception and impact
Shamieh’s Arabic translations have been cited or used in scholarly venues, including: a 2023 article by Mominoun Without Borders on historical-anthropological approaches to Qur’anic studies;[18] a 2024 peer-reviewed paper (University of Kufa / IASJ) listing The Concept of Allah and Divine Counterparts in Pre-Islamic Arabia among primary sources;[12] a 2024 article from the Tafsir Center for Qur’anic Studies on manuscript methodology;[11] and a 2025 IASJ paper on Islamic historiography and textual criticism.[13]
Selected translations
Muhammad at Mecca (W. Montgomery Watt) — Dar al-Takween, 2025. ISBN 9789933702717.[19][20]
Living My Life (Emma Goldman) — Naqesh Publications & Dar Shleer, 2024. ISBN 9783989190511.[21]
Revolutions in Reverse: Essays on Politics, Violence, Art, and Imagination (David Graeber) — Naqesh Publications, 2023. ISBN 9783989190108.[22]
Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism (Anne Applebaum) — Arabic ed., 2022. ISBN 9789921712605.[23][24]
Philology of Islam: The Qur’an, Islam, the Caliphate (selected studies by Theodor Nöldeke) — Academic Center for Research, 2024. ISBN 9781990131295.[10][25][9]
Sex and Eroticism in Mesopotamian Literature (Gwendolyn Leick) — Academic Center for Research, 2022. ISBN 9781990131370.[26]
The Idea of Idolatry and the Emergence of Islam (G. R. Hawting) — Academic Center for Research, 2021. ISBN 9781990131110.[2]
