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I want to start reading Qur'an--as a Christian. (OP)
I want to read the Qur'an, (so I can conduct a comparrison to the Bible) but first I would appreicate it if anyone could please give me some pointers to get me started.
Please teach me the basics. I have questions: How is the Qur'an organised?
What is the best book/section to read to get started? I have already read the Troah/old testament (from the Bible).
PS: What is your favourite Koranic verse?
This video should help with some basic understanding!
Thanks for the video
Greetings,
It is interesting to note that even when rulings or laws are being mentioned in the Qur'an, these are often connected back to belief and glorification of Allaah, the Exalted. Remember that Muslims believe the Qur'an is the literal speech of Allaah the Exalted. This means that the order of every verse and chaper has a purpose, and scholars have written about connections and patterns between these. The Qur'an is a sea of knowledge; the deeper one goes the more pearls he will find. That is why you should read the Qur'an with an open heart and reflect on it as much as you can. God-willing, you will find the guidance you are looking for.
Alif, Lam, Meem. This is the Scripture whereof there is no doubt, a guidance unto those who ward off (evil). [Chapter 2: verse 2]
Hi Ernest.format_quote Originally Posted by Ernest
This is an amazing journey.I recommend you read Mariful Quran it will take you to the old times and show you everything in deep.Its not just interesting,its something else.
Download the pdf file from here.http://www.maarifulquran.net/index.p...lish-pdf-vol-1
From page 1-28
I love surah Najam,The star.Chap# 53.What is the best book/section to read to get started?
Sigh... wish i could post all my fav verses.Some are here which i love to read daily.PS: What is your favourite Koranic verse?
(50:16) Surely We have created man, and We know the promptings of his heart, and We are nearer to him than even his jugular vein.
(67:13) Whether you speak in secrecy or aloud, (it is all the same to Allah). He even knows the secrets that lie hidden in the breasts of people.
(67:14) Would He not know, He Who has created, when He is All-Subtle, All-Aware?
(67:19) Have they not seen birds above them spreading and closing their wings, with none holding them except the Merciful One? He oversees everything.
(57:4) He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then established Himself on the Throne. He knows all that enters the earth and all that comes forth from it, and all that comes down from the heaven and all that goes up to it. He is with you wherever you are. Allah sees all that you do.
More will come Inshallah
Most of the surahs at the end were revealed first. The Quran isn't compiled according to the order of revelation which is why Surahs revealed later are placed first.
The order of the Surahs in the Quran is from God as is the order of the verses. Sometimes whole Surahs were revealed while at other times one or a few verses were revealed and then the Angel Gabriel would tell Prophet Muhammad (SAW) where to put each new Surah/verse that was revealed.
The earlier Surahs were revealed in Makkah where there were mostly unbelievers. These Surahs are short, have short verses and have information about the Islamic faith, God, The Day of Judgment, Hell, Paradise, stories of previous Prophets, etc. The Surahs revealed in Madina, where there were more Muslims and had a Muslim state, are longer and have long verses. These contain information about Islamic law, religious rituals, prohibited and allowed things, etc.
Some Qurans have the order of revelation next to each Surah. I had a list of Surahs according to order of revelation, if i can find it, i'll post it, insha-Allah.
The first Surah revealed was Al-Alaq (96) and the last Surah revealed was Surah Al-Nasr (110).
Greetings.
I know people have mentioned the end of the Qur'an, but I'd like to talk about the beginning of the Qur'an.
Something to note, is that the Qur'an doesn't begin chronologically like the Old Testament, nor genealogically like the New Testament.format_quote Originally Posted by Ernest
If you look at the first words of the Qur'an revealed (96:1-5), they talk directly about reading, teaching, knowing, and writing. The word Qur'an lexically means 'reading' and came to refer to 'the text which is read'. The Qur'an often calls itself 'kitaab'; lexically this means 'writing', and came to refer to 'the written book'. Thus the siginificance of reading and writing the revealed scripture is emphasised from the very beginning of Islam, and is locked in the very nouns that designate the Qur'an.
Another thing to note, is that the first word in the Qur'an, and in Islam, was an imperative ('Read!') addressed to the Prophet, linguistically immediately making the authorship of the text outside of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This is maintained throughout the Qur'an. It talks to the Prophet or talks about him, and does not allow him to speak for himself. The Qur'an describes itself (over 200 times) as a book that God 'sent down', conveying the concept that the Qur'an is from above and that the Prophet was merely a recipient. God is the one to speak in the Qur'an. The Prophet is addressed, 'O Prophet', 'O Messenger', 'Do', 'Do not do', 'They ask you...', 'Say', (the imperative form of the word 'say' is used in the Qur'an well over 300 times).
The next words of the first revelation, after 'Read!', are, "in the name of your Lord'.
"I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account." (Deuteronomy 18:18-19)
With the first words of the Qur'an, this prophecy is fulfilled to the letter. Indeed, Waraqah bin Nawfal, a learned Christian and cousin of the Prophet's wife Khadija, when told of Muhammad's (peace be upon him) first revelation, recognized his call to prophecy as authentic and said: "This is the same one who keeps the secrets whom God had sent to Moses..."
If you look at the the first words in the arrangement of the Qur'an, they also begin, as in the first verse of revelation, "In the name of Allah..". This is followed by praise of God, acknowledgement of His Mercy and Lordship, affirmation that only He is worthy of being worshipped and asked for help, and a prayer to ask for guidance to the right path. The rest of the book is the guidance asked for, as in the first sentence of the very next Surah:
"This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah," (2:2)
Lastly, put aside any preconceived notion that you might have of a book. As brothers MustafaMc and Muhammad have alluded, this book is completely unique, and unlike any other book in the history of the planet, or that ever will be. It is unique in every way; its content, arrangement, style, authorship, preservation, memorisability, etc.
Also remember, that you are reading a translation of the Qur'an, which won't have the rhythm nor poetic beauty, nor elongations of emphasis etc in the right places for the meanings. If you like, we can help you with some nice short passages of audio that you can listen to, to get a feel for it's sound.
And finally, as you read, if any questions crop up, please do ask, and we'll do our best to help.
Peace.
First two paragraphs adapted from: Understanding the Qur'an; Themes and Style, by M. Abdel Haleem
Last edited by Insaanah; 07-02-2012 at 11:20 AM.
Muhammad liked this post
assalamu alaykum, for 25+ years i read the Bible, and after many years of examination i eventually started to see the lies that the false prophet was teaching to the church. It became clear to me that the christian church was lost and that they were all following the same lie. But i still could not fully understand what the lie was. Then one day about 2 years ago i picked up the Qur'an for the first time in my life. For years prior to that, my mind set was brainwashed into thinking the Qur'an was "ev_l", remember i was a christian. I found one copy of the Qur'an in a book store and took it home to read. My thought was to read the Qur'an just like i would read the Bible, that is to listen for the Voice of God as it is read. About the third verse into the first chapter the Revelation became alive for me. It is a great peace to have all my questions finally answered about who Jesus actually was and to clearly see the lies that the false prophet teaches.format_quote Originally Posted by Ernest
Greetings.
Since I mentioned this:
a special thread has been created for this here:format_quote Originally Posted by Insaanah
Qur'an Recitation
format_quote Originally Posted by MuhammadRead more (and listen to beautiful recitations, with translation) in the thread.format_quote Originally Posted by Muhammad
Peace.
Last edited by Insaanah; 07-03-2012 at 09:47 PM.
It was my understanding that a person cannot touch the Qur'an without being in a state of purity, wudhu? (sorry if I got that wrong, I'm still learning) So, is reading a translation okay? I've wanted to read the Qur'an for many years, but I haven't done so because I wanted to be respectful of the tradition. Thank you so much for clarification!
You are right sis! An english translation is ok as it is not considered the Quran. If you want to start reading I suggest you download vol. 1 from this link here http://ibnayyub.wordpress.com/2007/0...mani-complete/ its useful to me and I hope it will be useful to you.
Thank you so much for the clarification and the links. I'll be able to start reading this weekend.
SyrianFellow liked this post
May Allah the Creator of the Worlds guide you to the right path. Ameenformat_quote Originally Posted by Ernest
I was an ex Christian (non practising) and the funny thing is that I learned more about Bible when I became a Muslim.
I have loved Quran and being a Muslim more knowing it is what the Bible mainly teaches us what to do and follow.
Beleiving in One True God (1st Commandment), The hijab (Virgin Mary), Fasting (40days each for Prophet Jesus & Moises) and many more...
I always say, the best thing about being a Human is becoming a Muslim. I dont know what to do if I didnt find Islam, I'm sure my life will remain in confusion, worries, hell...
Alhamdollellah (Thanks to Allah)
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