ISLAM - The Quran

  In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful!  

  Master of day of Judgement

  You alone we server and you alone we come for help.

  Guide us on the straight path,

  The path of those whom you have blessed,

  Not the path of those whom there is displeasure,

  Nor those who have gone Astray.

                                                             - Sura I, Fatiha

     This is the begining of the Quran - very very impressive! Although the Quran is not changed since first revealed to Mohammad, the translation do show different interpretations. There ways in which people understand it. The principle reference source for this paper is J. M. Rodwell, IVY books, NY. Other by translator Shams Peerajada, Idara, Davatul Quran Publications, Mumbai.

                        Islam is in the family of Abrahimic religions, sometimes it is called Mohammadan religion which is not exactly true. Mohammad is considered prophet in Islam not a divine personality, but Quran is. Muslims believe Quran is given to Mohammad as a fulfillment of Judiasm and Christianity. In fact, in Quran, the faith goes back to Ishmael, Hegar and Abrahim.

            Quran means ‘recitation’ in Arebic. When Quran was passed to Mohammad, it came into segments. He had no control over what is told and when it is told. Since then it has remained Unpenitrable. When I read Quran, not all but many passages, I found these prominent themes in it

1. Uncompromising Monoethism Allah is the only supreme god, Lord of all.

2. Absolute morality and social structure. I have not read a religious book which is so clear on social contents, how society should be structured, how women should be treated and how rituals and daily practices are followed.

3. Askirat - The day of reckoning, judgement and after death.

4. Mohammad as Paigambar(the prophet) last and most direct receiver of Knowledge.

5. The poetic nature in Arebic. I heard the recitation on Internet and the words are sweet and like song. Those who know Arebic language would agree.

            In Koran, God refers to himself interchangeably as ‘we’,’he’,’I’. The commands are passed on as an Authority and the words ‘may be’, ‘can be’ are far less. When reading I found that these commands are for welfare of all human beings. Look at this passages asking to do good things.

‘Whatever you do shall be rewarded by Allah. Help poor and helpless. To be charitable in public is good but to give alms to the poor in private is better and will atone for your sins. Allas has knowledge of all actions’.

There are many passages in Koran asking al to show forgiveness, earnetness, Humilty and fairness. It does promote nonviolence.

‘Shall I not inform you of a better act then fasting, alms and prayers? Making peace between one another : enmity and malice tear up heavenly rewards by the root’ .

There is a threat shown for wrong deeds and those who do that would be punished by God at the time of ‘Day of Judgement’.

‘For these have nothing in the next world but the fire. All that they have wrought in this life shall come to nought and vain shall be all their doings’ - Sura 11.

            Islam condemns idolatary, there are deepest level warning not to enslave oneself anything less that God.

‘God will not forgive those who serve other gods beside Him, He will forgive whom He will, for other sins. He that serves other Gods besides Him is guilty of Heinous sins.’

            The Quran improved the situation of women in the ancient Arabian world. Girl-child infanticide was outlawed , protections including divorce were sanctioned, and women were given inheritance rights for the first time. Some Muslim feminists see the Quran as problematic. Nevertheless, some see it as an ally rather than as an enemy. The Quran explicitly asserts that men and women are equal before God and enjoy the same religion duties and previledges.

There are some Mystic passages in Quran although there are tons of them in Sufi literature.

‘There is no refuge in God but in Him’.

‘Wheresoever you turn, there is face of God’.

‘Verily we are God’s and unto him we shall return’.

            Althought there is nothing provocative or violent written in the books I read, there was an attempt to show the Islam is one and only dominant and true faith.

            Overall when I see Islam, I see a religion which promotes universal brotherhood. This is a religion which a beggar from Africa can have a lunch with Emperor of Turkastan just because they are Muslims. Here are exerts from a letter by Malcom X in 1964 from Mecca where his experience of color-blind Muslim solidarity came as a revelation

“For a past week, I have been utterly speechless and spellbound by graciousness I see displayed all around me by people od all colors. I have been blessed to visit the Holy city of Mecca. ...there are tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world, all praticipating in same ritual, displaying spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experience in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and non-white. ...I have eaten from the same plate, drunk from the same glass, and slept on the same rug while praying to the same God with fellow Muslims. ... We were truly all the same because their belief in Ond God. .... All the praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.”