A Mercy for All People Introducing Islam

A Mercy for All People Introducing Islam

A Mercy for All People Session Two: The Qur an and its Place in Muslim Life

Structure, Division, and Genre The Sura is the primary division of the Qur an. (114) Arranged from longest to shortest with the notable exception of Sura 1/Al-Fatiha. Suras are divded into aya (verses, signs)/rhymed ending. Not arranged in chronological or thematic order (17:106) Primary Distinction: Meccan vs. Medinan Suras. (Different content in each category) Types of material: theological, historical, ethical/legal, doxological, apocalyptic

We sent down the Qur an with the truth, and with the truth it has come down [Prophet], We sent you only to give good news and warning it is a recitation that We have revealed in parts, so you can recite it to people at intervals; We have sent it down little by little. Sura Al-Isra (17: 105-106)

Meccan vs. Medinan Suras Meccan Unity of God/Allah (tawhid) No Associate (shirk) Muhammad as Prophet and Lineage of Previous Prophets Highly Eschatological Resurrection/Heaven and Hell Medinan Laws of Community (Marriage, Divorce) Conduct in War and Peace Relationships with People of the Book (ahl al-kitab) Engagement with munafiqun (hypocrites)

The Place of Law in the Qur an The Qur an contains some 6,200 verses (ayat) and out of these only 100 deal with ritual practices, 70 verses discuss personal laws, 70 verses discuss civil laws, 30 penal laws, and 20 judiciary matters and testimony. MAS Abdel Haleem

Collection and Publication Material was originally memorized by companions of the Prophet. How much was collected and organized during the life of the Prophet? The Battle of Yamama (633 CE) and death of many who memorized Qur an. Abu Bakr, Zayd ibn Thabit and Uthman/The Uthmanic Codex (645 CE) Is Qur anic text critical work possible? (Sana a manuscript/birmingham Codex)

Revelation First person, divine speech Revelation by descent (tanzil) Switch in address (iltifat) for rhetorical purposes Notion of inimitability (i jaz al-qur an) Occasions of Revelation (asbab al-nuzul) It is not granted to any mortal that God should speak to him except through revelation or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger to reveal by His command what He will: He is exalted and wise. Sura Al-Shura (42:15)

Levels of Revelation in Qur an God Preserved Tablet Heavens Angel Gabriel Muhammad

The Role of the Prophet in Revelation In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy We sent it down on the Night of Glory. What will explain to you what the Night of Glory is? The Night of Glory is better than a thousand months; on that night the angels and the Spirit descend again and again with their Lord s permission on every task. Peace it is until the rising of the dawn Sura al-qadr

The Earliest Revelations Generally very short Marked by apocalyptic imagery Concerned with demonstrating the authenticity of the Divine Word and the status of Muhammad as messenger (an Arabic Quran) Focused on polytheistic worship/avoidance of shirk Engages in ethical critique of traditional practices and questions traditional norms for religious belief and knowledge

In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy When the sun is rolled up, when the stars are dimmed, when the mountains are set in motion, when pregnant camels are abandoned, when wild beasts are herded together, when the sea boils over, when souls are sorted into classes, when the baby girl buried alive is asked for what sin she was killed, when the records of deeds are spread open, when the sky is stripped away, when Hell is made to blaze and Paradise is brought near: then every soul will know what is has brought about. Sura Al-Takwir (81:1-14)

In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy The Crashing Blow. What is the Crashing Blow? What will explain to you what the Crashing Blow is? On a day when people will be like scattered moths and the mountains like tufts of wool, the one whose good deeds will be heavy on the scales will have a pleasing life, but the one whose good deeds are light will have the Bottomless Pit for a home what will explain to you what that is a blazing fire. Sura Al-Qar ia (101)

In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy Competing for more distracts you until you go into your graves. No indeed! You will come to know. No indeed! In the end you will come to know. No indeed! If only you knew for certain. You will most definitely see Hellfire. Then you will see it with the eye of certainty. On that Day, you will be asked about your pleasures. Sura Al-Takathur (102)

An Arabic Qur an We have never sent a messenger who did not use his own people s language to make things clear for them. (14:7) Nor could this Qur an have been devised by anyone other than God. It is a confirmation of what was revealed before it and an explanation of the Scripture. Let there be no doubt about it. It is from the Lord of the Worlds. Or do they say, He has devised it.? Say, Then produce a sura like it, and call on anyone you can beside God if you are telling the truth. (10:37-38) Also:17:85ff.

The People of the Book Recognizes the importance of past revelations primarily the Torah/Tawrat and Gospel/Injil. Notion of the ahl al-kitab (people of the book) Claim that Jews and Christian have distorted or concealed aspects of the Scriptures (tahrif) We have assigned a law and a path to each of you. If God had so willed, he would have made you one community, but He wanted to test you through that which He has given you, so race to do good, you will all return to God and He will make clear to you the matters you differed about. Sura Al-Ma ida (5: 48)