The Koran: Some Introductory Matters Series

About this series of lessons

As a student and teacher of the Christian Bible, what we believe to be the very Word of God, I know what my faith teaches. I am now learning what Islam teaches. There is a huge clash.

The Muslim holy book is unknown to a large number of Muslims, and almost all Christians. But nearly one-fourth of our world is now Islamic, so it is probably time that we know what this book teaches.

After some introductory pieces, I will be taking you a chapter and verse at a time through the Koran. Not every verse. Not even every chapter. But you will be well introduced to the content of the Mulsim's Bible by the time our 36 lessons are completed.

You can also go to sermonaudio.com or youtube.com to find audio and video versions of this study.

These are serious days. Knowledge is not everything. But it is something. I trust you will take seriously the implications of this study.

Lesson 1 , The Koran and Islam, Some Facts

The book itself

The word Koran (I will use this anglicized spelling throughout) means "a reading". The sayings that reportedly came to the prophet Muhammad were meant to be read aloud, recited. The book is divided simply into a long series of chapters, known as "suras", 114 to be exact. There are no other "books" within the book. The term sura carries with it the idea of a series. Within the sura is a series of what we would call verses, but which in the Koran are "ayahs". Islam teaches that even the verse arrangement was ordered by Gabriel, the angel who supervised all.

Its popularity and size

As to its worldwide popularity over the years, the Koran is the third best seller of all times. Over 800 million copies have gone out, as compared to 900 million of Chairman Mao's Quotations, and 5-6 billion copies of the Bible. For further comparison, consider the Book of Mormon at 120 million.

It is roughly 4/5 the size of the Christian New Testament. That's like starting at Matthew and ending at Hebrews.

Its style and content

Its style is semi-poetic, forced throughout even in sections that would not normally demand a poetic adaptation. But to the Muslim, especially a devoted one, the Koran is the very essence of style and language.

Those who know the book well have further identified and classified content based on the location of Muhammad when uttered. There is an identifiable "Meccan" period, before A.D. 622, when he was a powerful leader in Arabia. The suras tend to be non-threatening in this period. At the other extreme, Muhammad is the despised preacher of Medina, to which he has run for cover. Under severe threats, he lashes out in suras that show us what Islam can be, and many want it to be, in our age. The heart of Muhammad is exposed. His religion turns out to be very human after all. One cannot help but think of the "gods" of the ancients who behaved incredibly like men.

The Speaker within the text is nearly always God. The Royal "We" is used, and the command for Muhammad to "Say" whatever it is that follows. The angelic Messenger behind the revelations is referred to as the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, or Gabriel.

Changes from Bible truths and facts

There are obvious changes in the Bible stories quoted by the writer. Those who do not believe this was God's revelation have proved that Muhammad used Jewish and apocryphal New Testament sources throughout, except where there were simply mistakes, which of course cannot be conceived by a true Muslim.

Islamic thought

The sources of Islamic thought are the Koran (first and foremost), the Hadiths or sayings and actions of Muhammad, and the words and lives of the so-called "Companions", that is, those who knew and shared the life of Muhammad.

In addition, 25 men are listed as prophets of Islam. 21 are from the Bible, and are as follows: Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Lot, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, Ezekiel, David, Solomon, Elijah, Elisha, Jonah, Zechariah, John the Baptist, Jesus.

Another important Islamic list is the so-called books of God. Many are listed, five in particular are hailed, but only the Koran exists today, per the Muslim.

The other four books are the Scrolls of Abraham, the Law of Moses (Torah), the Psalms of David, and the Gospel of Jesus. In every case, the titles given do not match the corresponding parts of the Judaeo-Christian Holy Books, but instead refer to a supposed original text that told truth in its pristine form, then was corrupted by.... well, we don't know by whom or how, but definitely corrupted, says Islam in unison, and the resultant corruption is our current Bible. All of this corruption, per Islam, was the reason Muhammad had to come, to set everyone straight about the truth.