Koran (Rodwell, 1861)

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The Koran is a tough read. It is of course meant to be read in the original Arabic - and meant to be read out loud, recited, memorised, so that every detail of the text sinks into the memory; it helps also if you are familiar with the career of the Prophet and thus able to relate particular passages to particular issues face by him and his followers during the two decades of his ministry. But even then, I think it is a tough read.

The 114 Suras are arranged roughly in decreasing order of length, which means that there is no internal progression of ideas, and certainly no chronological sequencing (the most we get is that some are tagged as written in Medina and others in Mecca). Sura 2, the show more longest, covers thirty pages and addresses many subjects including the creation of Adam, the observance of Ramadan, and the witnessing of debts. There is little variation of style: this is a series of revelations to a single individual, and is therefore in a single prophetic voice throughout (unlike, say, the Bible which was written by dozens of authors over a period of several centuries, and includes straight history, poetry and allegorical fable).

I notice that gardens are often mentioned, particularly as a metaphor for paradise, and I find that rather moving - I have not been to the desert myself but I can imagine how our primeval attraction to garden landscapes must be intensified by living in conditions of extreme aridity. I was interested to come across familiar (and less familiar) narratives from the Bible and from Christian tradition, proclaimed from a rather different direction; a useful reminder that these stories all began as living, breathing texts. Since I'm not likely to put in the years of study necessary to fuly grasp the text, I find it difficult to really make an assessment of the Koran as a whole. But I am glad that I have at least read it from cover to cover. show less

"If your wife won't submit to you sexually then beat her until she does submit." And with that Muhammed tosses his cap into the "pro-rape" ring. Way to go, asshole! This book looks like a poorly remembered re-write of the Bible by an illiterate epileptic pedophilic warlord from the 7th century who thought worshipping god would be better without all the pesky morality and complicated, nuanced, multi-faceted, and rich text to deal with. Instead we get mostly promises of "gardens through which waters flow" and a "grievous chastisement" for unbelievers. The world is a nightmare enough as it is but if Islam is true then it is even worse than we could've imagined. I wonder if Islam is the only religion that claims to be peaceful and then show more kills those who say otherwise. Probably not, but it definitely is the biggest. Perhaps also interesting about this book is that it was written by one man and yet contains roughly 5-7 mutually precluding mankind origin myths. And Muslims claim this shit is scientific. Anyways, this score doesn't so much mean the book is terribly written as the evils it has wrought on this world. show less

The Koran, the holy scripture of Islam, is the record of Muhammad's oral teaching delivered between the years immediately preceding the Hegira in AD 622 and the Prophet's death in AD 632.

It has exerted untold influence upon the history of mankind. Apart from its specifically religious content, inspiring the triumphant arms of Islam throughout vast areas of Asia, Africa and southern Europe, it was the starting point of a new literary and philosophical movement which powerfully affected the most cultivated minds among both Christians and Jews in the Middle Ages; and the movement inaugurated has resulted in some of the finest products of genius and learning.

Alan Jones has restored the traditional ordering of the Suras, enabling the reader show more to trace the development of the Prophet's mind from the early flush of inspiration to his later roles of warrior, politician and founder of an empire. show less