[Ap Zylstra]

THE KORAN

A concise summary

The Koran consists of 114 chapters or Surahs. The Surahs are subdivided into verses, altogether 6200. The shortest Surahs have three verses (Surah 108 and 110), the longest has 286 verses (Surah 2). The Surahs revealed to the Prophet in Mecca are earlier and shorter than the ones revealed to him in Medina. The Surahs have been arranged according to length and the Meccan Surahs occur at the end of the Koran, those of Medina at the beginning. The exception is the first Surah (see below).
In orthodox Islamic theology, the Koran is the uncreated, eternal Word of God. The written Arabic version is its sacred representation of which a translation is not really possible. The words and phrases of the Koran themselves have a kind of incantatory value, and the saying and writing of them have a salutary effect. Parts of the Koran are written in decorative friezes and the like on mosques.

The first Surah, “The Opening of the Scripture”, has been called the Lord’s Prayer of the Muslims. It consists of seven verses:

"In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
1. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds,
2. The Beneficent, the Merciful.
3. Owner of the Day of Judgment,
4. You (alone) we worship; You (alone) we ask for help.
5. Show us the straight path,
6. The path of those whom You have favored;
7. Not (the path) of those who earn Your anger nor of those who go astray."

The translation is by Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall (1953). I have changed the archaic personal pronoun and verb form: instead of “Thou hast”, “You have,” etc.
[In referring to Surahs and verses, I use Arabic numerals, whereby, e.g. 21:83 means Surah 21, verse 83.]

Each Surah has a title which is taken from the text, but may not indicate the main subject matter of the Surah. Examples of titles are “The Cow” (2), “The Pilgrimage” (22), “The Winnowing Winds” (51), “Defrauding” (83). All the Surahs except one (9) begin with: “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.” After this, the first verse often consists of two or three spelled out letters of the Arabic alphabet, e.g. “Alif. Lâm. Râ.” (12:1), or “Tâ. Sîn” (27:1).
Much of the text of the Koran consists of more or less formulaic phrases of praise and admonition. The subject matter of most of these concerns the fact that Allah, the one god, speaks through Mohammed, his Messenger, and that believers will be rewarded and unbelievers punished in the hereafter. Often, this is followed by a story of previous messengers from God. The following are two examples:

"This is the Scripture whereof there is no doubt, a guidance unto those who ward off evil. Who believe in the unseen, and establish worship, and spend of that We have bestowed upon them; And who believe in that which is revealed to you (Muhammad) and that which was revealed before you, and are certain of the Hereafter. These depend on guidance from their Lord. These are the successful. As for the disbelievers, whether you warn them or you warn them not it is all one for them; they believe not. Allah has sealed their hearing and their hearts, and on their eyes is a covering. Theirs will be an awful doom." (2:2-7)

"Thus Allah the Mighty, the knower inspires thee (Muhammad) as He inspired those before you.. . And thus we have inspired in you a Lecture [or, Reading, Qur’an] in Arabic that you may warn the mother-town [Mecca] and those around it, and may warn of a day of assembling whereof there is no doubt. A host will be in the Garden, and a host of them in the Flame.. . He has ordained for you that religion which He commanded unto Noah, and that which We inspire in you (Muhammad), and that which we commended to Abraham and Moses and Jesus, saying: Establish the religion, and be not divided therein. Dreadful for the idolaters is that unto which you call them. Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills, and guides unto Himself who turn toward Him." (42:3, 7, 13)

As indicated by the above, coupled with these passages are frequently repeated accounts of previous warnings issued by Messengers from Allah. Often, these accounts consist of a version of an Old Testament story, e.g., Noah and the ark, Abraham and the angels, the rescue of Lot, Moses and Pharaoh. (Other biblical figures mentioned are Adam, Ishmael, Jacob, Joseph, Saul, David, Solomon, Elijah, Jonah, Job, Zachariah, Mary (the mother of Jesus), and Jesus; sometimes in groups, sometimes with an individual story.)
Here follows a typical example, but short. Some of them are much longer, for example, the Moses and Pharaoh stories in 10:76-91, 20:9-72, and 26:10-67.

"And verily We sent Moses with Our revelation unto Pharaoh and his chiefs, and he said: I am a messenger of the Lord of the Worlds. But when he brought them Our tokens [the plagues], behold! They laughed at them. And every token that We showed was greater than its sister (token), and we grasped them with the torment, that haply they might turn again. And they said: O wizard! Entreat thy Lord for us by the pact that he has made with you. Lo! We verily will walk aright. But when We eased them of the torment, behold! They broke their word.
And Pharaoh caused a proclamation to be made among his people saying: O my people! Is not mine the sovereignty of Egypt and these rivers flowing under me? Can you not then discern? I am surely better than this fellow, who is despicable, and can hardly make (his meaning) plain! Why, then, have armlets of gold not been set upon him, or angels sent along with him? Thus he persuaded his people to make light (of Moses), and they obeyed him. Lo! They were a wanton folk.So, when they angered Us, we punished them and drowned them every one. And we made them a thing past, and an example for those after (them)." (43:46-56)

This passage is immediately followed by one about Jesus:

"When Jesus came with clear proofs (of Allah’s sovereignty), he said: I have come unto you with wisdom, and to make plain some of that concerning which you differ. So keep your duty to Allah, and obey me. Lo! Allah, He is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him. This is a right path. But the factions among them differed. Then woe unto those who do wrong from the doom of a painful day." (43:63-65)

Other topics

Jews and Christians:
Lo! Those who believe (in that which is revealed unto thee, Mohammed), and those who are Jews, and Christians, and Sabaeans [a Christian sect]—whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does right—surely their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve." (2:62)
Torah and Gospel:
"He [Allah] has revealed to you (Mohammed) the Scripture with truth, confirming that which was revealed before it, even as He revealed the Torah and the Gospel." (3:3)
Qiblah (Kibla):
"We have seen the turning of your face to heaven (for guidance, O Mohammed). And now verily We shall make you turn (in prayer) toward a qiblah which is dear to you. So turn your face toward the Inviolable Place of Worship [the Ka’bah at Mecca] and you (O Muslims), wherever you may be, turn your faces (when you pray) toward it." (2:144)
Pilgrimage:
"Perform the pilgrimage and the visit (to Mecca) for Allah. And if you are prevented, then send such gifts as can be obtained with ease, and shave not your heads until the gifts have reached their destination. And whoever among you is sick or has an ailment of the head must pay a ransom of fasting or almsgiving or offering." (2:196a)
Ramadan and Fasting:
"The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the Criterion (of right and wrong). And whoever of you is present, let him fast the month, and whoever of you is sick or on a journey, (let him fast the same) number of other days. Allah desires for you ease; He desires not hardship for you; and He desires that you should complete the period, and that you should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that peradventure you may be thankful." (2:185)
Paradise:
"Garden of Eden, whereof the gates are opened to them [i.e. they “who ward off evil”]. Wherein, reclining, they call for plenteous fruit and cool drink 9that is0 therein. And with them are those of modest gaze, companions. This it is that you are promised for the Day of Reckoning." (38:51-54)

I have tried to give a fair sample and still stay within the limit of words one can use here, but anyone else attempting the task would have come up with others.

[urmod4u]

Did someone ask for this?

[Ap Zylstra]

The Koran is about 400 pages of small print. Someone wanted to get a brief overview. This is what I came up with within the word limit for this site.