Islamic Quotes from Quran Islam Quotes About Life Love Women Forgiveness Patience life and death peach marriage Mother Photos

Islamic Quotes from Quran Biography

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It is difficult for any non-Muslim to approach the Qur'an. It is written in a strange and mysterious language, and its organization is bewildering. The suras (or suwar, plural of sura, chapter) are ordered neither by chronology nor by topic, but by length, the longest ones first. The text also frequently alludes to events in the life of Muhammad that are not narrated; one must really know Muhammad's biography before one studies the Qur'an. A non-Muslim also approaches the Qur'an "from the outside," not having learned to regard it as a sacred text.

And so non-Muslims and Muslims will see this text very differently. Muslims derive inspiration from it and treat it with reverence. Non-Muslims also should treat it with respect, but may have criticisms coming from their experience of how Muslims have used the Qur'an and the role this text has played in history.

Thus the dilemma of this presentation. How does one talk about the role of the Qur'an in promoting religious intolerance without encouraging even more religious intolerance? The tension of this question should be kept in mind throughout our discussion.

The Qur'an is a complex document, with many layers of meaning: historical, biographical, pedagogical, aesthetic, and spiritual. We cannot really explore all these layers here. Our task is to consider the message of the Qur'an regarding other religions, its meaning both in the context of its own time and how it is used in our time.

When recited by an expert, the Qur'an is hauntingly beautiful. Indeed, the authenticity of the Qur'an has traditionally been demonstrated by challenging any poet to produce more beautiful Arabic verse. Not one has ever succeeded.

As a Middle Eastern Jew, I grew up hearing sounds much like the sounds of the Qur'an, as it is heard now and has been for centuries. The chants I heard in the synagogue, especially during the High Holy Days, sound much like the chanting of the Qur'an. And so hearing the Qur'an reminds me of my own roots. I find it deeply moving.

Muslims are right to insist there is no substitute for the Qur'an in its original Arabic. No translation can really convey a sense of its poetry. For example, even the sensitive translation of Michael Sells (1) does not do justice to the rhyming, rhythmic lines of the following sura. To capture any sense of the beauty and music of these words, they must be heard in Arabic:

When the sky is torn
When the stars are scattered
When the seas are poured forth
When the tombs are burst open
Then a soul will know what it has given
And what it has held back
Oh, O human being
What has deceived you about your generous Lord
Who created you and shaped you and made you right
In whatever form he willed for you... (82: 1-8)
The Qur'an as written and chanted is a work of great beauty. Ironically, this only makes more incongruous and dreadful the message of intolerance that runs throughout the text. We will need to look at this in some detail. The problem of intolerance in the Qur'an goes beyond just a few isolated verses. Intolerance is one of its most basic themes.

Before continuing, one central premise of our discussion must be stated. It should be possible to criticize Islam without encouraging ill will towards Muslims. Islam is a religion and a set of ideas. Muslims are people. One must never lose that distinction - no matter how many terrorist atrocities are committed in Islam's name. It is legitimate to examine the possible role of the Qur'an and other Islamic sources in encouraging intolerance, but one must never lose sight of the individuality of the people involved. In the previous section we mentioned that "militant" Islam is as Islamic as any other form of Islam. It is also true that it is not the only Islam.

So may the following observations be received as the result of a concerned non-Muslim's journey into Islam. They represent the questions and doubts raised in my mind after looking at Islamic sources and Islamic history. I would love to be in contact with moderate Muslims who feel I may be overstating my case, and indeed, would love to establish a true dialogue. I have tried to base everything that follows not on personal opinion but on original sources, on the historical record, and on straightforward logic. Any response to this presentation will have to take all of those into account.

Islamic Quotes from Quran Islam Quotes About Life Love Women Forgiveness Patience life and death peach marriage Mother Photos 

Islamic Quotes from Quran Islam Quotes About Life Love Women Forgiveness Patience life and death peach marriage Mother Photos 

Islamic Quotes from Quran Islam Quotes About Life Love Women Forgiveness Patience life and death peach marriage Mother Photos 

Islamic Quotes from Quran Islam Quotes About Life Love Women Forgiveness Patience life and death peach marriage Mother Photos 

Islamic Quotes from Quran Islam Quotes About Life Love Women Forgiveness Patience life and death peach marriage Mother Photos 

Islamic Quotes from Quran Islam Quotes About Life Love Women Forgiveness Patience life and death peach marriage Mother Photos 

Islamic Quotes from Quran Islam Quotes About Life Love Women Forgiveness Patience life and death peach marriage Mother Photos 

Islamic Quotes from Quran Islam Quotes About Life Love Women Forgiveness Patience life and death peach marriage Mother Photos 

Islamic Quotes from Quran Islam Quotes About Life Love Women Forgiveness Patience life and death peach marriage Mother Photos 

Islamic Quotes from Quran Islam Quotes About Life Love Women Forgiveness Patience life and death peach marriage Mother Photos 

Islamic Quotes from Quran Islam Quotes About Life Love Women Forgiveness Patience life and death peach marriage Mother Photos