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 An illuminated 19th-century manuscript of the Qur'án. | |
| Genre | Scripture |
|---|---|
The Qur'án (sometimes incorrectly spelled Koran) is the Islamic holy book. Regarded by Bahá'ís as the infallible Word of God, Bahá'u'lláh describes it as the "Way of God" and tells His followers to study its holy texts. The Báb refers to the Qur'án in His writings. The Qur'án translates as "Recitations", and is the collection of the recorded revelations of Muhammad, the Apostle, or Manifestation, of God Who lived in Arabia from around 570 - 632 C.E.
The story is that Muhammad, a believer in monotheism Who lived in the pilgrimage town of Mecca, was meditating in a cave on nearby Mount Hira, (in around 612 C.E.) when He had a vision of an "angel", who instructed Him to "recite" or "read" the words on the page of a book which had appeared in front of Muhammad. As Muhammad was quite illiterate, He was somewhat amazed by His sudden ability to recite the words aloud. From that first beginning, Muhammad increasingly had periods of sudden revelation. His followers would frantically cast around for something on which to write these words, which ended up being recorded on flat stones, sheets, leaves - whatever was at hand. The words of the Qur'án are in a form of poetry, with a rhythm which in itself aids memorisation.
After the passing of Muhammad, the first Caliph instructed that these recitations be collected together, transcribed in book form, and copies be sent to the major Muslim cities. 114 such recitations, now called surahs ("chapters"), were collected. The Caliph instructed that the shortest chapter (the Fatiheh) be first in the book, but after that come all the longest (and therefore arguably most important) ones.
Criticism[edit]
For people who have an understanding of progressive revelation between religions, and also progressive revelation within the Manifestation's message, this presents a difficulty when discussing the Qur'án, in that they are misled by certain points in the book, particularly with reference to self-defense. The earlier surahs, revealed while Muhammad was still in Mecca, explain the peaceful, tolerant teachings of Islám. The ones revealed later, when the new religion and community were under constant attack, include references to defense of the community, and the attitudes the Muslims should adopt in their dealings with the non-believers who were trying to wipe out the new Faith. In the Qur'án, in its published form, these different stages of revelation of the religion are mixed together, and the revelation through time is not in the least obvious.
Some Muslims assert that Muhammad, during His later years, insisted that certain surahs should go before others, and so it was the Messenger of God Himself who ordered the chapters.
However, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá says that Muhammads' military expeditions were always defensive in nature.[1] From the context it is clear that such expeditions were not acts of "self defense" in the face of perceived or imaginary threats, but situations of response to actual physical aggression. The implication that the Qur'án itself is instilling aggressive attitudes or behaviors is irrelevant.
Translation into English[edit]
Some Muslims, especially those who happen to have Arabic as a first language, resent any translation of the Qur'án at all, somehow seeing it as no longer the Word of God. However, there have been a number of translations into English. That by Yusuf Ali is generally regarded as one of the best.[citation needed] The Guardian recommended Rodwell's translation. Rodwell himself tried to do English-speakers a favour by re-arranging the chapters into some sort of chronological order (see above), but this then means that chapter references from his translation differ from all others. Moojan Momen, in his book, Islam and the Bahá’í Faith, uses the translation done by Marmaduke Pickthall, who was himself a Muslim.
See also the articles Disconnected Letters and Nineteen
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (1981) [1904-06]. Some Answered Questions. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá’í Publishing Trust. ISBN 0-87743-190-6.
