Book Review - The Koran - The Opening
I got one of those emails yesterday that my fellow Christians send out around blindly, without checking it out. It said that in the Koran 9:11 is a prophecy of the U.S. being awakened against Islam. I had never looked up anything in the Koran before, so I googled, and found a website with the Koran online. Well, not only was it not a verse, there is no verse like it anywhere in the Koran.
I hate receiving those kinds of emails, but it seems that my fellow Christians can often be the most ignorant. I find that many non-believers are more informed about Christianity! It’s disheartening.
Well, one I had the Koran in front of me, it dawned me that perhaps I should read it. I started by skimming chapter 9, and I found in it rather interesting. It read to me like an attempt to help one balance man’s obligation to be true to the faith (by showing general disfavor to those against Allah) to reflecting God’s mercy (by showing favor to those who God shows mercy). It is clearly a difficult balance to accomplish. So, it dawned on me to try reading the Koran, and see what it says. I do not believe it to be God’s word, but many many people do, and as something that is clearly playing a role in the End Times, it seems like something we should hold ourselves responsible to be familiar with… versus sending out self-gratuitous mis-information like the email I received above.
I will attempt to just read it straight, without looking at anybody’s commentary. I realize that such an approach can lead one astray with the Bible, as verses that were straightforward meaning 3000 years ago no longer are when viewed with modern Western eyes. Therefore, I could fail to see the meaning that a learned Muslim would see. However, I love God and believe He is the one and only God. So, I would like to think that I have the kind of perspective that would show me the meaning in the Koran that a Muslim would have, who has the same attitude toward his religion that I have toward mine.
I also would like to think that having a close relationship with God will give me the clarity and discernment necessary to see where the Koran takes God’s truth at face value, and where it is distorted. After all, I do not believe the Koran is from God, but I do believe that it contains a lot of God’s truth. This is as it should be, as every religion has an amount of truth; every Christian church has its liars. It is as objective as I can be, but I believe it is good enough for two reasons: 1)I believe I am right with God, or at least as “right” as I can be given my point in this life, 2)Logically speaking, if I am looking for the truth, and end up seeing nothing but truth, then my perspective will allow me to notice it.
The Opening
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
[1.1] All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.
[1.2] The Beneficent, the Merciful.
[1.3] Master of the Day of Judgment.
[1.4] Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help.
[1.5] Keep us on the right path.
[1.6] The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favors. Not (the path) of those upon whom Thy wrath is brought down, nor of those who go astray.
This is the first chapter of the Koran.
As it is, I can agree with its apparent meaning. However, I find its focus rather interesting…
[1.1] All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.
The first thing the Koran says is to give Allah praise. I agree.
The first thing the Koran says about God is that he is Lord of the Worlds. I agree.
I have no idea whether “Worlds” is a reference to the present world and the afterworld(s), or to multiple inhabited planets. However, as a faithful Christian, it is my belief that God is Lord over the afterworld, and that if there are other inhabited planets, then He is Lord over them, too. As a Christian, if this were a verse in the Bible, I would say that it is my own attitude that would seem to matter in this verse, not the detail of what the other “worlds” might be. And so, I will take this verse here to mean that.
[1.2] The Beneficent, the Merciful.
God is good, and God shows mercy. As a Christian, I believe this. This is as much a statement about man’s need for mercy as it is about God’s propensity to show it. Based on what little I read of chapter 9 already, God may show mercy to those who come to faith, and we are to allow for that and treat them well. Therefore, this verse makes me think of the mercy God shows people who come to faith. It is a cornerstone of Christianity, as well is Islam.
[1.3] Master of the Day of Judgment.
I would guess that Islam’s notion of the “Day of Judgement” is different from mine, but I agree there is one, and that God is its master.
[1.4] Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help.
I agree that God’s followers are to serve him, and that this should be mentioned after God’s mercy, which is the only reason anyone can serve God, but the tone seems off to me. It makes me think of God as dictator, especially in the context of “Master of the Day of Judgement”, “God the Beneficent”, “God the Merciful”. He is things, but I generally hear such titles bestowed upon dictators. These are truths about God, but their focus would seem to stir a different perspective on how to carry out those truths in life… surely my preconceived notions getting the best of me, but that’s how it reads.
[1.5] Keep us on the right path.
Again, I agree, but if God is merciful dictator, then staying on the right path has the feeling to me of shutting out all of the world from my site, in order to stay my master’s good graces. Yet, these very words are words I would pray, though with a different intention… to stay in God’s grace, but to walk out the grace that I am in. Certainly these are different perspectives.
[1.6] The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favors. Not (the path) of those upon whom Thy wrath is brought down, nor of those who go astray.
There are two paths. There is a right one and a wrong one. The right path is the one for those to whom God bestows favors. On the surface, I agree, but the perspective is all wrong for a Christian, who sees the path as for those whom God has shown grace. The other path is for those who will receive God’s wrath, which appears to include those who have gone astray. The thing is, we all go astray at times. Now, there are similar verses in James that divide us into two seemingly absolute groups, and the explanation is that it is a reflection of heart and who we generally are… committing a murder in the past does not make us a murderer in heart today. Being a drunkard in the past does not make us a drunkard today. Perhaps that is all this means. After all, what little I read of Chapter 9 already suggests that God can show favor to one who was not a follower of Allah, but chooses to be now… but then that person is not someone who will ultimately suffer God’s wrath, and is not someone who has gone astray. So, there is room for conversion there. Well then, this appears to be a verse about those who have or will make knowing decisions (either for or against) and those who will ultimately make no decision (which is a decision against). And so, this again comes off to me like God the Merciful dictator.
It also seems to be saying that God will show favors upon those who choose him, but no favor upon those who do not… this would have to be in the ultimate sense, because God certainly shown me favor in this life… what should a Muslim make of that? They would have to say that is either that I will make a choice for Islam one day… hence the favor; or that I will burcn in Allah’s wrath one day, in the afterlife.
Interesting. If in my heart, I see God as loving, I could read these as God the Loving Dictator… but so far I do not see love in these verses. Perhaps in later chapters?
I don’t know how far I’ll go with this…