This is book is a very concise and relevant view of issues related to the Koran. The Koran is a scripture, not a treatise or dogmatic theology.
The author points out some of the known issues in the Koran, like the issue of abrogation of verses. How can all powerful Allah not know? The author does not delve too much in the many explanations given by Muslim apologists defending or denying abrogation, but I guess it is very difficult to defend the resulting contradictions due to the many abrogations listed in the Koran.
The other issue was introduced by 13th century scholar of Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah, who argued that all Muslims shall have to learn Arabic in order to really understand Islam. Suffice to say, this completely impractical suggestion is pretty relevant even to this date where a number of scholars argue its many merits, leaving me flabbergasted generally.
The next issue was relevance of Koran when juxtaposed with modernity values of science, religious tolerance and women rights. With science, the author quotes studies profiling Koran in light of modern science. The obvious disadvantage being that science will move on, thus making the Koranic justifications redundant. Religious tolerance is also an issue with many Scholars declaring non-Muslims subservient in the light of Koranic verses. Similar stance is taken when women are considered through the Koranic lens. I think the author has made a pretty valid point as Koran fares very well when compared to the Bible and other scriptures but lacks when judged against modernity. More efforts have to be taken by the Islamic scholars to modernise the Koran, I guess otherwise it could be resigned to obscurity like other previous scriptures.
The other issue is whether to consider the Koran literally or metaphorically? other issues discussed are...
- Should the Koran be bought or sold like the Jews?
- How to dispose a worn out or used Koran properly? Wipe off the ink from the paper maybe? But what to do with the inky water? the author cites the example of the Taliban who banned all paper bags in Afghanistan in fear that the paper may contain Koranic verses.
- How to make sure that the text remains accurate? Engrave it on the rock for longevity? The Chinese Hun did it but that too could not last for more than a decade. There are no master copies of the Koran.
All in all the author likes the way Koran was preserved, with all errors intact, the way how the Koran was broadcasted across the ages.
Finally the tradition of numbering the verses has been pretty recent and the naming of Surahs is also man made, not divine.
The author points out some of the known issues in the Koran, like the issue of abrogation of verses. How can all powerful Allah not know? The author does not delve too much in the many explanations given by Muslim apologists defending or denying abrogation, but I guess it is very difficult to defend the resulting contradictions due to the many abrogations listed in the Koran.
The other issue was introduced by 13th century scholar of Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah, who argued that all Muslims shall have to learn Arabic in order to really understand Islam. Suffice to say, this completely impractical suggestion is pretty relevant even to this date where a number of scholars argue its many merits, leaving me flabbergasted generally.
The next issue was relevance of Koran when juxtaposed with modernity values of science, religious tolerance and women rights. With science, the author quotes studies profiling Koran in light of modern science. The obvious disadvantage being that science will move on, thus making the Koranic justifications redundant. Religious tolerance is also an issue with many Scholars declaring non-Muslims subservient in the light of Koranic verses. Similar stance is taken when women are considered through the Koranic lens. I think the author has made a pretty valid point as Koran fares very well when compared to the Bible and other scriptures but lacks when judged against modernity. More efforts have to be taken by the Islamic scholars to modernise the Koran, I guess otherwise it could be resigned to obscurity like other previous scriptures.
The other issue is whether to consider the Koran literally or metaphorically? other issues discussed are...
- Should the Koran be bought or sold like the Jews?
- How to dispose a worn out or used Koran properly? Wipe off the ink from the paper maybe? But what to do with the inky water? the author cites the example of the Taliban who banned all paper bags in Afghanistan in fear that the paper may contain Koranic verses.
- How to make sure that the text remains accurate? Engrave it on the rock for longevity? The Chinese Hun did it but that too could not last for more than a decade. There are no master copies of the Koran.
All in all the author likes the way Koran was preserved, with all errors intact, the way how the Koran was broadcasted across the ages.
Finally the tradition of numbering the verses has been pretty recent and the naming of Surahs is also man made, not divine.
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