In this part . . .
In this part, I focus on the dynamic style, language, and construction of the Koran. I introduce you to its overall message, and tell you how the Koran came together in book form. I also compare the Book with the Judeo-Christian Scriptures.
Chapter 1
Getting to Know the Koran
In This Chapter
Summarizing the Koranic message
Zooming in on the audience for the Koran
Discovering the basics about the Islamic faith and Muslims
A s you begin the exciting journey into one of the world’s most respected and sacred texts, you need to become familiar with some basics regarding the divine revelation known as the Koran.
In this chapter, I address the meaning of the Koran and explore its divine message to readers and followers alike. I also point out some key information about the Islamic faith and the Muslim community that should help prepare you for a look into the Koranic worldview.
Receiving Revelation Straight from the Source
Muslims view the Koran in its original form and language as the literal and unaltered word of God, preserved for all times to come. When Muslims say, “God says,” or “the Koran says,” they are in fact using different words to quote one source — namely God Himself.
The Koran provides a direct relationship from its source (God) to its audience (humanity). As such, Muslims have a deep reverence for the Koran. In fact, in traditional understandings of Islam, if you express doubt that the Koran is the word of God, then you have uttered words of disbelief.
Finding meaning in the word “Koran”
Linguistically, the word Koran (pronounced Qur’an) comes from several roots that shed some light on the significance of the Book to Muslim culture and identity.
Koran comes from the root word Qara’a, which means “to read” or “to recite.” The word Koran, therefore, means “recitation.” (Interestingly, the very first word revealed to Prophet Muhammad was Iqra, meaning “read” or “recite.”) This definition points to the nature of the Koran as an oral tradition that is understood and preserved with the majestic voice of God through the human voice of recitation (see Chapter 2).
Koran also comes from the root word meaning “city,” which denotes civilization. The Koran is the foundational book for Islamic civilization, just as the Bible is for Western civilization or the Torah is for the Hebrew people. For Muslims, the Koran forms Islamic identity in individuals and societies alike.
The Koran is also referred to as the Book, which in itself was a revolutionary concept for pre-Islamic Arabs. Up until the Koranic revelation, the Arabs didn’t transmit knowledge through writings, but mostly through oral culture. The Koran was literally the first book for the Arabs.
The root word for book in Arabic means “to bind.” The Koran served, and to this day serves, as the Book that unites hearts all around the Muslim world, irrespective of language or cultural origin. Muslims have different cultural attitudes and lifestyles, but all Muslims can understand one another through a shared Scripture that transmits the same basic ethics and morals. This shared experience facilitated the spread of Islam throughout Asia, Africa, and parts of Europe.
Guiding the Way: Prophet Muhammad
Muhammad is the final prophet and messenger of God, through whom the Koran was revealed and taught to the people of Arabia. As such, he has a very important role in the Koran and Islam.
The Koran describes Prophet Muhammad as a mercy to mankind (21:107) and the best example to be followed in worshipping God (68:4). Muslims seek to emulate Muhammad’s nature, character, and actions on a daily basis as the best of God’s servants.
The role of Prophet Muhammad is extremely important in Islamic law because his sayings and actions are considered only second to the Koran in the interpretation and development of Islamic law (see Chapter 17). Furthermore, the life example and teachings of the Prophet supplement Koranic teachings by clarifying or expanding on ideas and concepts.
Muhammad preached the message of Islam, which means submission to God alone; he never asked to be worshipped himself. In fact, worshipping Muhammad would immediately place you outside the Islamic faith. Therefore, the term Muhammadanism, which some people use to describe the Koranic message, is not only incorrect, but also offensive to Muslims.
In this book I quote sayings and examples of Muhammad, wherever appropriate, to provide further explanation of Koranic concepts. See Chapter 11 for more about Muhammad and his role in Islam.
Discovering the Basic Messages of the Koran
This section gives you a brief glimpse into the different themes covered in the Koran.
The unity of God
The Koranic message centers around the teaching of God’s unity as One, known as Tawhid in Arabic. This concept says that God is the Creator of all beings, the Sustainer of each living creature, and that He has power over all things (see Chapter 8).
Worship and service to God
The Koran teaches that all creations on earth and in the universe submit to God in worship by following His laws. So, the sun and the moon, the plants and the trees, and the animals bow down in praise of God for sustaining them with His mercy and compassion (24:41) (see Chapter 9).
In this theatre of divine creation, humans play a unique role. God chose humans, over all His creations, as His vicegerents and representatives on earth (see Chapter 8 for more information on the purpose of human life). Human beings, then, must nurture civilization into a God-conscious society by establishing God’s laws, known as Shariah in Arabic (see Chapter 17).
Prophets to teach and guide
Humans are endowed with reason, superior thought, articulation, and free will that allow them to work for the betterment of humanity. To guide humans in this daunting task, God sent prophets, throughout history and to every community on earth, who taught mankind the ways of spiritual, moral, and ethical excellence (16:36). Muslims show their reverence for these prophets by saying, “Peace be upon him,” after mentioning any one of them by name.
From time to time, God also sent down His revealed Books, such as the Psalms and the Torah, to teach humans the difference between right and wrong, and the application of divine laws on earth.
Completion of past revelations
The message of God’s Oneness, and the belief system it entails, remained the same with each prophet, but the laws of God changed for each community and time period, ending in the Koranic revelation and prophethood of Muhammad (see Chapter 11). The prophets who preached this message, and their subsequent followers, are all known in the Koranic worldview as Muslims — those who submit willingly to God’s will (22:78).
The Koran doesn’t preach a new message or even introduce a new religion. Instead, the concept of Islam as submission to the will of God has existed f...
