Islam: a brief introduction to the Koran
The Quran is the holy book of the Islamic world. Collected over a period of 23 years during the seventh century AD, the Qur'an is said to be constituted by the revelations of Allah to the prophet Muhammad, transmitted through the angel Gabriel. These revelations were written by the scribes as Muhammad pronounced them during his ministry, and his followers continued to recite them after his death. By the will of Caliph Abu Bakr, the chapters and verses were collected in a book in 632 CE; that version of the book, written in Arabic, has been the holy book of Islam for over 13 centuries.
Islam is an Abrahamic religion, in the sense that, like Christianity and Judaism, it reveres the biblical patriarch Abraham and his descendants and followers.
The Koran
The Quran is the holy book of Islam. It was written in the seventh century AD
Its content is the wisdom of Allah as received and preached by Muhammad.
The Qur'an is divided into chapters (called sura) and verses (ayat) of different length and topics.
It is also divided into sections (juz) as a 30-day reading program for Ramadan.
Islam is an Abrahamic religion and, like Judaism and Christianity, honors Abraham as patriarch.
Islam reveres Jesus ('Isa) as a holy prophet and his mother Mary (Mariam) as a holy woman.
Organization
The Quran is divided into 114 chapters of different topics and lengths, known as surah. Each sura is composed of verses, known as ayat (or ayah). The shortest sura is Al-Kawthar, consisting of only three verses; the longest is Al-Baqara, with 286 lines. The chapters are classified as Meccan or Medinan, based on whether they were written before Muhammad's pilgrimage to Mecca (Medinan) or later (Meccan). The 28 chapters of Medinan mainly concern the social life and growth of the Muslim community; the 86 Mechanics face faith and the afterlife.
The Qur'an is also divided into 30 equal sections, or juz '. These sections are organized so that the reader can study the Koran over the course of a month. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims are recommended to complete at least one full reading of the Quran from one cover to another. The ajiza (plural of juz ') serves as a guide to accomplish that task.
The themes of the Koran are intertwined in all the chapters, rather than presented in chronological or thematic order. Readers can use a concordance - an index that lists each use of each word of the Qur'an - to search for particular themes or topics.
Creation according to the Quran
Although the history of creation in the Qur'an says "Allah created the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, in six days", the Arabic term "yawm" ("day") could be better translated as "period ". Yawm is defined as different lengths at different times. The original couple, Adam and Hawa, are considered the parents of the human race: Adam is a prophet of Islam and his wife Hawa or Hawwa (in Arabic for Eva) is the mother of the human race.
Women in the Koran
Like other Abrahamic religions, there are many women in the Qur'an. Only one is explicitly called: Mariam. Mariam is the mother of Jesus, who is himself a prophet in the Muslim faith. Other women who are mentioned but not named include the wives of Abraham (Sara, Hajar) and Asiya (Bithiah in the Hadith), wife of the pharaoh, Moses' adoptive mother.
The Quran and the New Testament
The Quran does not reject Christianity or Judaism, but rather refers to Christians as "people in the book", that is, people who have received and believe in the revelations of the prophets of God. The verses highlight the points in common between Christians and Muslims, but they consider Jesus a prophet, not a god, and warn Christians that worshiping Christ as a god is slipping into polytheism: Muslims see Allah as the only true God.
“Surely those who believe and those who are Jews, Christians and Sabians - whoever believes in God and in the last day and does good, will get their reward from their Lord. And there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve "(2:62, 5:69 and many other verses).
Mary and Jesus
Mariam, as the mother of Jesus Christ is called in the Koran, is a righteous woman in her own right: the 19th chapter of the Koran is entitled The Chapter of Mary and describes the Muslim version of the immaculate conception of Christ.
Jesus is called 'Isa in the Qur'an, and many stories found in the New Testament are also in the Qur'an, including those stories of his miraculous birth, his teachings and the miracles he performed. The main difference is that in the Qur'an Jesus is a prophet sent by God, not by his son.
Getting along in the world: interreligious dialogue
Juz '7 of the Koran is dedicated, among other things, to an interreligious dialogue. While Abraham and the other prophets invite the people to have faith and leave false idols, the Qur'an asks believers to patiently endure the rejection of Islam by non-believers and not to take it personally.
“But if Allah had wanted, they would not have associated. And we haven't named you as a tutor to them, nor are you a manager to them. ” (6: 107)
Violence
Modern critics of Islam claim that the Qur'an promotes terrorism. Although written during a period of common violence and revenge during the trial, the Qur'an actively promotes justice, peace and moderation. Explicitly urges believers to refrain from falling into sectarian violence, violence against brothers.
“As for those who divide their religion and divide into sects, you have no part of it. Their relationship is with Allah; in the end he will tell them the truth of everything they have done. " (6: 159)
The Arabic language of the Koran
The Arabic text of the original Arabic Quran is identical and unchanged since its revelation in the seventh century AD. About 90 percent of Muslims in the world do not speak Arabic as their mother tongue, and there are many translations of the Koran available in English and other languages. . However, to recite prayers and read chapters and verses in the Qur'an, Muslims use Arabic to participate as part of their shared faith.
Reading and acting
The prophet Muhammad instructed his followers to "beautify the Koran with your voices" (Abu Dawud). The recitation of the Qur'an in a group is a common practice and the precise and melodious commitment is a way in which the members keep and share its messages.
While many English translations of the Qur'an contain footnotes, some passages may require further explanation or be placed in a more complete context. If necessary, students use Tafseer, an exegesis or comment, to provide more information.