How to Cite the Quran in IEEE (standard)
Learn how to cite the Quran, in Arabic or in translation in IEEE format (standard). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.
IEEE Reference List Format
Here is the standard IEEE format for citing the Quran in your reference list:
[1] The Qur’an, trans. A. A. Translator. City, Country: Abbrev. of Publisher, year.
IEEE Example for the Quran
A complete IEEE reference for the Quran, written by hand and checked against the official IEEE guidance for this source:
[1] The Qur’an, trans. M. A. S. Abdel Haleem. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford Univ. Press, 2008.
Matching in-text citation: [1]
IEEE In-Text Citation
Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:
Parenthetical
[1]
Narrative
Surah 2, verse 255 of the Qur’an [1] states...
Key IEEE Formatting Rules
- The IEEE Reference Guide has no format for religious texts, so the usual practice is its translated-book pattern, with the translator after trans.
- IEEE has no author to lead with here, so the entry begins with the title of the edition.
- Give the surah and verse in your sentence; IEEE’s bracket locators cover parts such as chapters and sections, not verses.
- Number the reference in order of first citation and reuse the same number for every later passage from the same translation.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your Quran.
- Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the IEEE (standard) template shown above.
- Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
- Add to your reference list: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
- Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match IEEE requirements.
Evidence and review notes
Worked examples on this page are written by hand from the style's own published guidance and checked against it, because the general CSL styles do not encode this source's rules. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.
Metadata to collect
- the translator’s name
- the title of the edition as printed
- the publisher and the year of the copy you used
- the surah and verse numbers
- the series or edition, if the translation was revised
Common metadata traps
- Translations differ in wording, so a surah and verse number alone does not tell the reader which text you quote; always name the translator.
- Some older European translations use a different verse numbering from the standard Cairo numbering used by Abdel Haleem, so check that your verse numbers match your edition.
- Page numbers change between printings of the same translation, so cite surah and verse, never a page.
Editorial sources
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I cite the Quran in IEEE?
- To cite the Quran in IEEE (standard), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
- What is the IEEE format for the Quran citation?
- The IEEE format for the Quran is: [1] The Qur’an, trans. A. A. Translator. City, Country: Abbrev. of Publisher, year.
- What does the in-text citation look like for the Quran in IEEE?
- In IEEE, the in-text citation for the example above is [1]
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