The Quran Islam’s Holy Book

Translations Islam –Translates to “surrender” (to the will of God) Muslim –Translates to “Those who have surrendered” Quran –Translates to “Recitation” –Written in Arabic – Untranslatable –God’s word –Meanings lost in translation

The Quran Mohammad visited by angelic figure –Gabriel Conversation went as follows: –Gabriel: “You are the messenger of God! Recite!” –Mohammad: “I cannot recite.” –Gab: “Recite in the name of the Lord!” Mohammad recited verses

The Quran Visions continued 22 years. Passed orally to his followers. –Written down 41 years after original vision by followers to form the Quran

The Quran - Layout 114 suras (units of revelations) - we'll use "chapters" –Each chapter divided into "verses". Led with Fatihah not in chronological order. –Traditional name ("The Cow," "The Bee," "The Night Journey.") –All chapters but one begin with "In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate"

Bible Overlap Extension of Old & New Testament Mohammad expected to be well-received by Christians and Jews. He sees himself as the latest of prophets through whom God has communicated –Abraham –Moses –David –and Jesus.

Teachings form core of Islam. –Doctrine of a single, unified, and unifying God. –Islam is a worldly religion that insists: on the unity of the sacred and the earthly, of faith The practice of building a good society.

FYI Historians who see is as a "revolutionary" religion do so because Muhammad's teachings required him to flee the anger of the rulers in Mecca in order to conduct guerrilla warfare against the old ways of running a society. –These early struggles against social injustice continue as the fundamentalists jihad (holy war). This is a twisting of the book, much like fundamentalist Christians twist the Bible for their own uses.

Quran called for: –the defeat of more than three hundred idols worshipped in Mecca in favor of one God –the need to submit to new laws about such things as marriage, the spoils of war, slavery, inheritance, and the rights of women. The common practice of killing newborn girls was outlawed. –It also address common everyday matters like washing, eating, daily prayer…