The Quran, (also Qur’an or Koran) is the sacred text of Islam, much like the Bible is the sacred text of Christianity. The word “Islam” means “surrender” or “submission,” to the will of God (Allah in Arabic). The word “Qur’an” means “to recite” or “to read,” probably related to the reciting of religious texts, although it is also said that Muhammad recited his revelations to followers who later wrote them down (see my Bible post 47). Muslims (followers of Islam, literally meaning “those who submit”) believe the Quran is a revelation from God which was revealed to the prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel. The revelations began when Muhammad was 40, and continued for 23 years until his death in 632. How the revelations came to be written down in its final form is a matter of some discussion and controversy, just as with the compilation and editing of the Bible. Wikipedia’s “Quran” entry goes into the history of the text for those interested in more detail.
Muhammad receiving revelation from the angel Gabriel
From the manuscript Jami’ al-tawarikh by Rashid-al-Din Hamadani, 1307, Ilkhanate period
(Contrary to popular belief the Quran does not prohibit images of Muhammad.)
The Quran is divided into chapters called “suras” (aka “surahs” or “suwar”), meaning “steps or rungs”. Each sura is given a title, which helps identify it (easier than remembering numbers, I suppose). Its organization and structure is quite different than that of the Bible. In the Bible you have books devoted to the history of mankind and the Jewish people (“History,” whether taken as factual or folk lore), some books of wise teachings (“Wisdom” books, like Psalms and Proverbs), and books of the prophets, usually addressing various needs and problems of their times (“Prophets,” like Isaiah). Then in the part called the New Testament you have 4 books purporting to be the story of Jesus, one with the history of the early church, and the rest are letters and commentaries written by Christian leaders. So overall there is a chronological and topical order to the Bible, with subsections within. It is not so with the Quran. The surahs are not arranged in chronological order, but tend to go in order of decreasing length. Some scholars detect a ring structure to the Quran; I leave it to you to research further if interested. One interesting aspect of the Quran is that it often makes reference to Biblical stories and characters, but usually with Muhammad’s own spin on it.
Why am I writing articles about the Quran? I’m not a Muslim and certainly not a scholar of Islam. Well, I think it is important for us infidels to know what the Quran is about and what it teaches. Islam is approaching the size of Christianity, with nearly 2 billion adherents. Islam is an active political force in many countries, particularly in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, and increasingly in the West. I do not feel comfortable discussing or especially criticizing a religion or culture without some firsthand knowledge of it, which is why I finally got around to reading the Quran. I know some Muslims will say one cannot really appreciate the beauty and wisdom of the Quran without hearing it recited in its original Arabic language. My response to that is, “What good is a religious text if the majority of people in the world can’t really understand it?” It is kind of like people who say the only authentic version of the Bible is the King James Version, while ignoring that most people in the world cannot read the English language and therefore cannot read the KJV. Anyway, I am just reading the Quran and commenting on what it says. Obviously you are free to form your own opinion of what it says. Just please don’t initiate a fatwa (an official ruling) declaring a jihad (struggle or fight) against me! I’m trying to read and understand what the book says. That seems fair to me.
I am using a translation by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem. It is very readable. Many years ago I bought a translation that read like King James English, and it was very burdensome to read, and I gave up on it. I encourage you to get a modern translation. The edition I have is published by Oxford University Press and has an extensive introduction and good footnotes to help an infidel like me understand it better. You can find it online but I prefer a paper copy in my hands (https://archive.org/details/TheQuranANewTranslation/mode/2up).
Let’s dive in.
Sura 1. The Opening
The Quran starts with a short but important sura. It is incorporated into the daily prayers that are recited (there’s that word again!) several times a day. Here it is in its entirety:
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy!
Praise belongs to God, Lord of all worlds, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy, Master of the Day of Judgment. It is you we worship; it is You we ask for help. Guide us to the straight path; the path of those You have blessed, those who incur no anger and who have not gone astray.
That first key line is repeated at the beginning of each sura. Just to point out how complex language is, particularly when translating from one language to another, the word “mercy” used here as multiple layers of meaning. Its use in the Quran sometimes implies “majestic” or “mighty.” Probably every major word used in this short sura could be dissected and discussed, but I think that sometimes not only bogs down the reader but also obscures the overall meaning. So, let’s stick to the given translation and not get carried away.
Although short and simple I find several things of interest. First, I can see this same prayer being recited by Muslim, Jew or Christian without any problem. I might mention that those three religions are often grouped together, known as “Abrahamic” religions, because all three look to Abraham as a pivotal figure in the history of their religions. As I mentioned above, the Quran makes reference to Biblical stories and characters such as Abraham. These three also are considered monotheistic, i.e., acknowledging only one God, although the Quran takes issue with the Christian concept of a triune God, rather than a single God. (But then, even in Christianity that has been an age-old debate.) When I read the Quran I found Muhamad speaking of Jews and Christians not as enemies, but as brothers who have gone astray – note the last line of this sura. He acknowledges that Jews and Christians worship the true God, the only God, but they have allowed error to creep into their religions. Such as Christians thinking that God had a son. Anyway, this first sura is relatively straightforward and fairly universal. And I hope non-controversial (although I realize in religion virtually every single word can be made controversial!).
The next sura has a curious title: The Cow. Stay tuned!
Exercise:
Memorize this sura, or at least the first line, so you can share it with your Muslim friends. Ask them what they think it means. Hopefully they will be impressed by your effort to understand their religion, and not offended that you as an infidel dare to recite their holy text!