What does the Koran talk about? About the book holy quran

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious and All-Merciful!

The Koran is the last divine message to humanity. It was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, for 23 years and has “survived” for 14 centuries. The Koran is full of wisdom. It contains reminders of the mercy and miracles of Allah, of His mercy and justice. This is not a history book, not a scientific book, not a book of stories, although all this is in the Koran. This is the greatest gift to humanity, which has no equal in the world. The book about which the Almighty says: “This Scripture, in which there is no doubt, is a sure guide for the pious” (Surah al-Baqarah, “The Cow”, verse 2).

The Koran is the foundation of Islam. Without faith in him, a person cannot be considered a believer. “The Messenger and the believers believed in what was sent down to him from the Lord. They all believed in Allah, His angels, His Scriptures and His messengers. They say: “We make no distinction between His messengers.” They say: “We listen and obey! We ask for your forgiveness, our Lord, and we are about to come to you.” (Surah Al Baqarah, The Cow, verse 285).

The Qur'an and Sunnah are the two main guides for a Muslim. Allah Almighty says to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “We sent down the Book to you so that you could clarify for them what they differed about and also as a guide to straight path and mercy for the believing people" (Surah an-Nakhl, "Bees", verse 64).

Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was tasked with bringing the Qur'an to all mankind. It was not an easy mission. And even in his farewell sermon, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sought testimony that he had conveyed the message of the Almighty.

The Koran talks about the attributes and qualities of Allah Almighty, explains what is prohibited and what is approved, the foundations of high morality and morality, and the rules of worship. It contains the stories of the Prophets, peace be upon them, the righteous predecessors, and also describes Heaven and Hell. The Koran is addressed to all humanity.

It is so unique in content and style that translators fail to convey the fullness of its meaning. Therefore, translations of the Quran are interpretations of its verses.

Each prophet or messenger appeared before the people to whom he was sent with those miracles that were relevant specifically for this area. For example, during the time of the prophet Musa, peace be upon him, witchcraft was quite common, so Musa, peace be upon him, had the opportunity to demonstrate miracles that surpassed the abilities of sorcerers. During the time of the Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the Arabs were considered outstanding poets and writers, they were true masters of words. Having heard the verses of the Koran, they were amazed by its sublime tone and extraordinary beauty of words.

This was a miracle of the Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, granted to him by the Almighty. Since he could not write or read, the Arabs knew that he himself could not come up with such eloquent texts. Therefore, in the Quran, the Almighty calls on them to compose something similar to it, if they do not believe that this is the message of the Almighty: “If you doubt what We have revealed to Our servant, then compose one similar surah and call your witnesses besides Allah, if you speak the truth” (Surah al-Baqarah, “The Cow”, verse 23).

Of course, they couldn't come up with anything like that. Unlike those who doubted the origins of the Koran, many Arabs accepted Islam only after hearing it recited. They knew that such beauty of words could only come from the Almighty. To this day, reading the Holy Book brings tears to many Muslims. And some, without even understanding its meaning, are impressed by its beauty.

It is important to understand that even though it was revealed in the 7th century, the Qur'an remained unchanged for 14 centuries. The Mushaf held by an Arab is exactly the same in content as the one held by a Muslim anywhere in the world. There are no differences, except maybe the design of the book. Because the Almighty promised to protect and preserve His book:

“Verily, We have sent down a Reminder, and We protect it” (Sura al-Hijr, Migration, verse 9)

This means that this divine message has been and will be protected by the Creator from distortion.

All religious teachings are based on books that tell followers about the rules of life. It is interesting that the authorship, date of writing and the person who translated it are most often impossible to establish. The Koran is the basis of Islam and is based on absolutely reliable sources that serve as the foundation of faith. This is a guide to a healthy lifestyle, covering all aspects of activity. Everything is described there, from the moment of its appearance until the Day of Judgment.

Holy Bible

The Quran is the Word of Allah. The Lord, with the help of the angel Jibril, conveyed his words to the Prophet Muhammad. He, in turn, told people about this, who were able to reproduce everything in writing. The messages help many people live, healing the soul and protecting them from vices and temptations.

According to followers, in heaven with Allah there is the original of the Koran on golden tablets, and the earthly scripture is its exact reflection. This book must be read only in the original version, since all translations are a simple semantic transfer of the text, and only out loud. On this moment This is a whole art, the Koran is read like the Torah in the synagogue, intoned and recited. Followers must know most of the text by heart, some even memorizing it completely. The book plays a significant role in public education, sometimes it is the only teaching aid, as it contains the basics of language teaching.

Koran, history of creation

According to Islamic traditions, it is believed that the scripture was sent from Allah on the night of Qadr, and the angel Jibril divided it into parts and transmitted it to the prophet for 23 years. During his life, Muhammad preached many sermons and sayings. When he spoke on behalf of the Lord, he used rhymed prose, the traditional form of speech for oracles. Since the chosen one could neither write nor read, he gave tasks to his secretary to record his sayings on bones and pieces of paper. Some of his stories have been preserved thanks to memory faithful people, then 114 suras or 30 perekops appeared, which the Koran contains. No one thought that such a scripture would be necessary, since during the life of the prophet there was no need for it; he could answer any incomprehensible questions personally. But after the death of Muhammad, the widespread faith needed a clearly formulated law.

Therefore, Omar and Abu Bekr instructed the former secretary Zeid ibn Sabit to collect all the reports together. Having completed the work very quickly, they presented the resulting collection. Together with him, other people were engaged in this mission, thanks to this, four more collections of commandments appeared. Zeid needed to collect all the books together and delete the drafts when finished. The result was accepted as the canonical version of the Koran.

Principles of religion

The Scripture is the source of all tenets for Muslims, as well as the guide that regulates both the material and spiritual spheres of life. According to religion, it is completely different from the sacred Talmuds of other faiths and has its own characteristics.

1. This is the last Divine book, after which there will be no others. Allah protects it from various distortions and changes.
2. Reading aloud, memorizing, and teaching others are the most encouraged acts of worship.
3. Contains laws, the implementation of which will guarantee prosperity, social stability and justice.
4. The Quran is a book containing truthful information about the messengers and prophets, as well as their relationships with people.
5. It was written for all mankind to help them come out of unbelief and darkness.

Meaning in Islam

This is the constitution that Allah conveyed to his messenger so that everyone could establish a relationship with God, with society and with themselves. All believers are delivered from slavery and begin new life to serve the Almighty and receive his mercy. Muslims accept the teachings and adhere to the guidance, avoid prohibitions and do not overstep restrictions, and do what the scripture says.

Sermons cultivate the spirit of righteousness, good behavior and fear of God. The most the best person, as Muhammad explained, is the one who teaches others and knows the Qur'an himself. What it is is known to representatives of many other faiths.

Structure

The Qur'an consists of 114 suras (chapters) of varying lengths (from 3 to 286 verses, from 15 to 6144 words). All suras are divided into verses (verses), there are from 6204 to 6236. The Koran is the Bible for Muslims, which is divided into seven equal parts. This is for ease of reading throughout the week. It also has 30 sections (juz) to pray evenly throughout the month. People believe that the contents of the holy scripture cannot be changed, since the Almighty will protect it until the Day of Judgment.

The beginning of all suras, except the ninth, sounds with the words “In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.” All parts of the sections are not located in chronological order, and depending on the size, at first longer, and then shorter and shorter.

Role in science

Today it is becoming very popular to study the Quran. That such writing has become so common should not come as a surprise. It's very simple, a book that was written fourteen centuries ago mentions facts that were recently discovered and proven by scientists. They prove that Muhammad is a prophet who was sent by Allah the Great.

Some Quranic statements:

• the star Sirius is a double star (verse 53:49);
• indicates the presence of layers of the atmosphere (science says there are five of them);
• the book prophesies the existence of black holes (verse 77:8);
• the discovery of layers of the earth is described (to date, the presence of five has been proven);
• the emergence of the Universe is described, it is said that it arose from nothingness;
• indicates the separation of earth and heaven, the world was initially in a state of singularity, and then Allah distributed it into parts.

All these facts were presented to the world by the Koran. That such a statement of facts has existed for 14 centuries still surprises scientists today.

Impact on the world

There are currently 1.5 billion Muslims who read and apply the teachings in their lives. It should be noted that admirers of the Holy Scriptures still praise God in prayers on any given day and bow to the ground 5 times a day. The truth is that every fourth person on earth is an admirer of this faith. The Koran in Islam plays out very important role, he leaves a huge mark in the hearts of billions of believers.

Difference from the Bible

Muhammad's revelations detail and accurately describe posthumous messages for the faithful and punishments for sinners. Paradise in the book is described in the smallest detail, talking about golden palaces and deck chairs made of pearls. The depiction of torment in hell can amaze with its inhumanity, as if the text was written by a notorious sadist. There is no such information in either the Bible or the Torah; only the Koran reveals this information. That such a scripture is known to many is not surprising; Islam has many followers.

Russia is multinational state. This determines the large number of religions that are officially registered on the territory of the Russian Federation. Due to ignorance of basic things about other religions and the Holy Scriptures, such situations can often be resolved. In particular, you should familiarize yourself with the answer to the question: “What is the Koran?”

What is the essence of the Quran?

The word "Koran" is of Arabic origin. Translated into Russian it means “recitative”, “reading aloud”. The Koran is the main book of Muslims, which, according to legend, is a copy of the Holy Scriptures - the first book, which is kept in heaven.

Before answering the question of what the Koran is, a few words should be said about the origin of Scripture. The text of the main book of Muslims was sent to Muhammad through an intermediary - Jebrail - by Allah himself. During the secular period, Muhammad recorded only individual notes. After his death, the question arose about the creation of the Holy Scriptures.

Muhammad's followers reproduced his sermons by heart, which were later compiled into a single book - the Koran. What is the Koran? First of all official document Muslims written in Arabic. It is believed that the Koran is an uncreated book that will exist forever, like Allah.

Who recorded the Koran?

According to historical data, Muhammad could not read or write. That is why he memorized the Revelations received from Allah, and then pronounced them out loud to his followers. They, in turn, learned the messages by heart. For a more accurate transmission of the Sacred texts, followers used improvised means to record revelations: some resorted to parchment, others to wooden tablets or pieces of leather.

However, the most proven way to preserve the meaning of Scripture was to retell it to specially trained readers who could remember long sunnahs - verses. The Hafiz subsequently accurately conveyed the Revelations told to them, despite the stylistic complexity of the fragments of the Koran.

The sources record about 40 people who were involved in writing Revelations. However, during the life of Muhammad, the suras were few known and practically unclaimed. This is due to the fact that there was no need for a single Holy Scripture. The first copy of the Koran created was then kept by his wife and daughter.

Structure of the Quran

The holy book of Muslims consists of 114 chapters, fragments, which are called “sura”. Al-Fatiha - the first sura - opens the Koran. It is a prayer of 7 verses, which is read by all believers. Contents of the prayer - summary essence of the Koran. That is why believers say it every time, performing five prayers daily.

The remaining 113 chapters of the Quran are arranged in Scripture in descending order, from greatest to least. At first, the suras are large in volume and are real treatises. At the end of the book, the fragments consist of several verses.

Thus, we can answer the question: What is the Koran? This is a clearly structured religious book, having two periods: Meccan and Medina, each of which symbolizes a certain stage in the life of Muhammad.

In what language is the Muslim Holy Book written?

As noted above, the recognized language of the Quran is Arabic. However, to understand the essence of Scripture, the book may be translated into other languages. But in this case, we should talk about the subjective transmission of the meaning of Holy Scripture by a translator who was able to convey his own interpretation to the readers. In other words, the Koran in Russian is only a kind of Holy Scripture. The only correct option is considered to be the Koran, written in Arabic, which appeared on earth by the will of Allah.

The Koran in Russian has its place, but any righteous believer must come to read the scripture in the source language.

The style in which the Qur'an is written

It is believed that the style in which the Qur'an is presented is unique, unlike either the Old One, or the Reading of the Qur'an reveals sharp transitions from the narration from the first person to the third and vice versa. In addition, in the suras, believers can encounter various rhythmic patterns, which complicates the study of the message, but gives it uniqueness, leads to a change in topic, and also gives a small hint at the revelation of secrets in the future.

The passages of suras that have a complete thought are mostly rhymed, but do not constitute poetry. It is impossible to classify fragments of the Koran as prose. While reading the Holy Scriptures in Arabic or Russian, a large number of images and situations arise that are reflected through the intonation and meaning of phrases.

The Quran is not just a book. This is the Holy Scripture for all Muslims living on Earth, which incorporates the basic rules of life for righteous believers.

Valery Miroshnikov: First, a little background. The following letter was sent to Tartaria.Ru:

“Good afternoon, Site Administration.

The imam of the mosque is writing to you. The site is interesting and informative, which is very pleasing. One thing upset me: I accidentally came across an article entitled “The Kazan New Martyr on Islam,” which writes about the teachings of Islam in a clearly distorted and negative form. We do not deny the fact that modern Muslims are largely losing their original understanding of Islam, especially their understanding of the Koran, just as the entire human world today is losing the spiritual values ​​originally laid down by the Creator. And you probably know that all this is being done not without the help of those very priests who would be happy to crush the weight of the world under themselves. And the author’s article does not serve the cause of creation at all.

I know that in mosques, imams, although there are only a few of them, read V. Maigret’s books and discuss them with parishioners. Many of those who consider themselves Muslims read the books, accepted Anastasia’s ideas and are rethinking them today. Agree, how difficult it is for a Muslim or another person who is already a follower of this or that teaching or idea. I am sure that the day will come when Muslims, Christians, and followers of other religions will unite on the basis of a common idea. Remember the words from the book: “The energies of Christ and Muhammad will unite their energies in space, and others will follow them.” In the meantime, let's be more tolerant of each other, not judge, but help each other in achieving mutual understanding. Remember the words from the book: “Also honor the rosary and the Koran, given to you by the supreme mufti of Muslims. And the Bible of your father Theodoret...”
Site administrator, you probably understand what I am asking of you. I wish you success. May your work be useful to everyone.”

We were very pleased with the information about the interest of Muslims and, especially, imams in Maigret’s books and the ideas of the family estate. And we apologized for the article, especially since it is not ours, but was preserved from the times of “old Tartary”. Robert sent an article, and I am pleased to post it and hope that it will continue.

Quran about the destiny of humanity

In the name of God, the Gracious and Merciful.

Each of us has thought about our purpose in life more than once in our lives. More than once I asked myself the eternal questions: “Who is God?”, “What is the meaning of my existence on Earth?”, etc.

We, looking back at our lives, are sometimes inclined to draw completely disappointing conclusions. Yes, as we see today, human life turned out to be imperfect. There is so much pain in our lives. There is so much fuss and dissatisfaction with one’s life - and as a result, unhappy destinies. And this is especially evident in the modern image of human society. Some people are not doing well in their family, some at work, some in something else. On top of that, there are constantly emerging conflicts, starting with the family and ending with wars on a global scale. People are dying for unknown reasons. Sometimes it seems to us that this is not life, but real hell!

Are we all really predetermined by such a sad fate on Earth?

Is this really the meaning of human life?

Has the Creator really planned such an unenviable fate for you and me in his brilliant program?

I'm sure - No!

The Great Creator, who created this beautiful Universe, could not predetermine such a terrible and sad fate for his beloved creatures - humanity. Could not! He could not, because he calls himself in the sacred pages of the Koran the Gracious and the Merciful, and each of his messages begins with these names of His. Another one of the greatest attributes of Allah is Wisdom, and one of His greatest names is the Name Al Hakim (The Wise One). The wise Creator did not create anything just like that. On the contrary, He created all creations, showing them His Grace and Mercy, for a great Wise reason and for sublime purposes. Allah says in the Quran: “Did you really think that We created you for fun and that you would not be returned to Us? Above all is Allah, the True Sovereign! There is no god but Him, the Lord of the noble Throne "(23: 115 - 116.).

This is what the Creator says in the Koran about the purpose of man: “ And so your Lord said to the angels: “I will install a vicegerent on earth”…(2.30).”

This indicates the high place that was assigned and predestined for man among other creations of the Lord. Here's an Arabic word khalifa means, as a rule, a successor, a viceroy, and hence the supreme or greatest ruler who replaced the one who ruled before him.

So, the Creator entrusted humanity with a noble and responsible mission - to be His honorary vicegerent - the ruler on earth. The question is - for what? Even the angels, who tirelessly glorify the Creator, at one time asked a similar question to the Great Creator. When the Creator, in the impulse of great creation, presented the image of man as the crown of His creation, the angels first doubted, discovering obvious shortcomings in man and asked: “...They said: “Will You place someone there who will spread wickedness and shed blood, while we glorify You with praise and sanctify You?” (2: 30)” , since the angels learned that a person who has the power and right to control the forces of nature can use them for unrighteous purposes, to which the Wise Creator and Creator replied: “…He said: “Truly, I know what you do not know” (2:30).”

Only the Creator initially knows about the essence of His creations, and this is a great secret, inaccessible even to the closest angels of His throne. The great mystery inherent in the essence of the beloved creation, the crown of all creations - man. Only a person’s heart is capable of keeping this secret, and only a person’s mind is able to know it.

So what is the purpose of man, that is, you and me?

Today we all need to understand the true intention of the Creator. Understand and feel His thoughts, His secret embedded in us.

So why did Allah create this world and us, our loved ones?

What is his program for the life predestined for humanity?

What does the Creator want from us?

Maybe someone will doubt the existence of a Divine program intended for humanity. Currently there is a lot of talk about it and everyone is talking about it in different ways. And if they say, then our future life on earth is presented only in black colors. More often you can hear that real heavenly life will come in the distant, distant future, not on earth, but in the transcendental heights of heaven. And this is the very first trick Iblis, who refused to recognize the governorship of man on earth and instills in us that life on Earth is only suffering and torment, and supposedly happy life is possible only somewhere out there, in the inaccessible heavens. Here people live, or rather exist, on earth, ignoring God’s covenant, which states that man is God’s deputy on earth, and that he is responsible for the fate of his planet. And most importantly, man is predestined to initially establish the Divine here on earth.” caliphate" A divine caliphate, where the community of all Allah's creations would live harmoniously and happily under the leadership of the crown of creation - man. But we forgot, we abandoned our covenant and today we continue to approach the edge of the abyss. Look around, we are destroying ourselves and our planet every day. Wild animals fleeing from us into the forests, there are fewer and fewer of them, and some disappear forever from the face of the earth. The seas and oceans, rivers and lakes are so polluted by us that all living creatures suffer and die from our consumer intervention. And the quality drinking water, which we use daily and of which we ourselves are 70 percent composed, is far from the original. We are still destroying our forests mercilessly, and it seems there is no limit to this. This is not enough for us - we destroy each other in various local and world wars. We blow ourselves up, naively believing that there, in heaven, we will find our happiness - the Gardens of Eden. Who will stop us, who will tell us the right way out of this situation, or were the angels right when they doubted the perfection of the human race?

Why are our spiritual mentors silent?

Unfortunately, spiritual leaders also disagreed in their interpretations of the meanings of the sacred scriptures - God's messages to humanity. Somewhere something was distorted, somewhere it was misunderstood. As a result, many, dividing into various movements, began to proclaim their vision of the meaning of humanity. All religions are united in only one thing and claim that God exists. So what is next…

Islam is no exception, although it is believed that the Koran is the latest revelation, call, reminder of the Creator to his beloved creation - humanity, but, unfortunately, still not fully understood by us, his successors.

The Koran is the words, the address of the Gracious and Merciful, the words of the Living, Wise Allah, who calls us to reflect on the verses - messages - through his prophet Muhammad (s.g.w.).

Allah is Wise, Knowing, Gracious and Merciful. And if this is so, then He could create only with meaning, only the eternal, beautiful and sublime, predetermining a joyful bright future for everyone and, first of all, for His loved one, whom He breathed in “from His Spirit.”

Today we often talk about predestination. We say that everything is predetermined. Yes it's true! Man is destined to have a happy life on earth and in heaven. Life in paradise gardens created by the Creator himself. After all, at the very beginning He said, pleased with His creatures: “O Adam, stay - you and your wife - in the garden, and eat of its abundant (food) wherever you please, and do not approach this tree, lest you be one of the unrighteous.”

From this message it becomes known that God, in addition to the Garden of Eden, also gifted man with the ability to choose, unlike His other creatures, knowing in advance about his possibility of making mistakes, but also knew that man was also capable of realizing and correcting his mistakes.

This is the great secret. A mystery that I couldn't fully understand Iblis, refusing to recognize the perfection of man and causing him to make mistakes, forcing him to move away from the Divine path.

Yes, and indeed the human community itself, under the influence, false suggestion Iblis, ignored the Divine program, and since then has embarked on the path of self-destruction and self-torture, which we are currently witnessing with our own eyes.

Modern man - a descendant of Adam and Eve - today seems to have forgotten that he was once entrusted with the Divine and flourishing land, where the Wise and Merciful Creator determined for him a happy existence through the improvement of His creations. In other words, a person was offered a certain lifestyle program that allowed him to know himself and the entire universe. To recognize and continue to fulfill the Divine program, which is defined in the Koran by the word “ Ibadat" , one of the meanings of which, in addition to the concept of “worship,” is also interpreted as “to pave the way for the benefit of others,” bringing into it one’s beautiful creations. God wants from man, the crown of his creation, only one thing - for him to blaze and pave the great path of God’s plan, spreading this Light of the Gracious and Merciful throughout the Universe. And this path begins from the Earth - from the cradle of humanity.

The predestination of Allah undoubtedly exists and anyone can get acquainted with it, and not just “chosen interpreters of the Secret.” It is stated everywhere and everywhere around by living signs - verses of the Great Creator, the nature He created.

In the Quran, the Creator calls us in many places and constantly to reflect on the meaning of his living evidence in the world around us. We read: “ Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, as well as in the alternation of night and day, there are signs for those with intelligence who remember Allah standing, sitting and on their sides and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: “Our Lord! You did not create this in vain. Glory are You Protect us from torment in Fire. (3: 190 - 191.)". The list can be continued even longer, since the entire Quran is permeated with a call to reflect on the living verses of created creations, starting from a small ant and ending with the stars and heavens.

Once upon a time, at the beginnings of human civilization, people still knew how to feel and live according to God's plan, but over time, all this was lost. And all the prophets came with only one main message - to return humanity to its origins through understanding the plan of the One Creator, to the way of life of the ancestors Adam and Eve. Allah's messengers came to people in different ways and at different historical periods. Many were misunderstood, slandered, killed, burned, and sent away. But the Gracious and Merciful Creator still knows and is confident that we will come to our senses, realize our true purpose - the mission of Allah’s vicegerent on earth - and come to an understanding of His Divine program. He as-Sabur waits for us with Divine patience that we will return to him, restoring the original appearance of our planet, reviving the original feelings in relation to all surrounding creations and especially between people.

Today we must certainly remember and realize with every cell of our body, with every fiber of our soul, our great destiny, which the Creator predetermined for us.

We, the human community, today must study the Divine program, message, by studying and reflecting on the created creations of Allah on earth and in the heavens. Having understood and realized our destiny to return the earth to its original appearance, turning the entire planet into a beautiful Garden of Eden. Create a fair community of all living beings on planet Earth, so that everyone feels good and comfortable in common house. If we succeed in doing this, then new horizons of knowledge will open before us for the exploration of other worlds, still hidden from our sight by the Wise Allah, which will help transform the entire known space between the Earth and the heavens, on other planets and galaxies, into paradise.

Explanations.

1. Iblis

FrontPage Magazine's guest is Professor Khalil Mohammed, a lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of San Diego.

Khalil Mohammed represents one of the existing, although not yet particularly widespread, views on what the Koran says regarding Jews, Israel and the right of Jews to live in the land of Israel. Based on passages in the Quran, Khalil argues that Eretz Israel is a God-given land for the Jews, and to oppose this is to oppose the Quran and God himself.

- Glad to see you, Mr. Mohammed.

- It is a great honor for me to talk with you. I sincerely thank you for the opportunity to introduce my position to your readers. As you probably know, I practice moderate Islam - an Islam that does not discriminate between people and advocates respect for all human rights. I see my mission as bringing back to the practice of Islam the beauty that was once inherent in it. However, this position is currently unpopular among fundamentalist Muslims.

You yourself are a Muslim. However, you claim that the right of Jews to own Israel is enshrined in the Koran. You rarely hear this from Islamic scholars and clerics, to put it mildly. Please tell us more about this doctrine.

— The ideas outlined in the Koran have a common theme: “Allah does not tolerate injustice and helps the offended.” A lot of attention is paid to this topic. Note that the most frequently mentioned person in the Qur'an is Moses/Musa. In the Qur'an, Musa is portrayed as a kind of revolutionary from Allah. Musa led the people, who were subjected to humiliation and persecution for worshiping Allah, from captivity and brought them to the Promised Land.

The fifth sura of the Koran (verses 20-21) clearly states: “Musa said to his people: “O my people! Remember the mercy that Allah showed you when He appointed prophets among you, made you lords and gave you what He did not give to any of the inhabitants of the worlds. O my people! Enter the sacred land that Allah has ordained for you; do not turn back (out of fear of its rulers), otherwise you will suffer damage.”

The Qur'an then explains why for forty years the Israelites were not allowed to set foot in the Promised Land... For my research, the key passage is where Moses says that the Holy Land is "ordained" for the Israelites by Allah. In both Islamic and Jewish interpretation, the word “ordained” contains connotations of finality, determination and immutability. Therefore, we have the Written Torah (unchanging) and the Oral Torah (involving changes in tradition in accordance with the spirit of the times). The Koran says, “Fasting is prescribed for you.” This emphasizes: Allah has ordained this, and no one is free to change this. So, if you are guided by faith, everything is very simple: since Allah has “written down” Israel as the people of Moses, people are not free to change this.

The Koran mentions the exiles, but does not close the way for them to return... The Koran tells the Jews: if you fulfill what you promised to Allah, Allah will fulfill what you promised. Of course, we can refer to the fact that the modern State of Israel was not created by the most soft methods, many were expelled: But, in my opinion, this is a minor point. Much more important is the fact that back in the 7th century, Muslims, when they first came to this land, were well aware of WHO it rightfully belonged to. And therefore, when Muslims refused to submit to God’s will (at least in the understanding of all faiths dating back to the faith of Abraham), they became accomplices in the crime. And now we are reaping the fruits of their deeds: innocent people, both Palestinians and Israelis, are dying every day.

I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that the medieval commentators of the Koran - and I have studied all their works without exception - recognized that Israel was given to the Jews and belongs to them by right of birth. This is how two of the most famous Islamic commentators of the Quran explain the word “ordained” in the 21st verses of the fifth sura.

Ibn Katheer (d. 774/1373) wrote: “to the land that Allah has prescribed for you” that is, “to the land that Allah promised you by the mouth of your father Israel, to the land that is the inheritance of those of you who believe.” Muhammad al-Shawqani (d. 1250/1834) understands the word “kataba” as follows: “that which Allah has singled out and destined for you, based on His original knowledge, assigning this land to you as a habitat.”

The idea that Israel does not belong to the Jews is a modern idea. It was probably generated by hostility towards European colonialism in the Middle East. But this idea definitely has nothing to do with the Koran. Unfortunately, the majority of Muslims do not read the Koran at all, do not try to independently interpret its original text, but, on the contrary, take on faith the interpretations of imams and preachers.

You said that in the 7th century, Muslims, having appeared in the Promised Land, “became accomplices in the crime.” Could you please explain this point in more detail? Is modern Islam hiding these facts?

— How did the Jews lose their right to live in the Promised Land? Judging by all reliable sources, this was due to the looting and burning of cities that began in 70-135 AD. Muslims appeared here in 638 and conquered these lands from Byzantium. Muslims knew very well who rightfully owned these lands. But in the Muslim chronicles we read that the Muslim caliph accepted the surrender of the local representative of the Byzantines, Sophronius, on certain conditions. One of these conditions was: “Keep Jews out of the city.” Personally, this story doesn’t seem very plausible to me. Modern researchers have proven that these chronicles were written after for a long time after the events themselves, and therefore less reliable than previously thought. We also know that in 1096-1099, participants in the First Crusade, conquering these lands, killed many Muslims and Jews. If Omar really signed such a treaty in the 7th century, where did the Jews come from here?

Speaking of complicity in a crime, I mean the actions of Abdul Malik, who built a mosque in Jerusalem and attributed fictitious hadiths to the Prophet. Mohammed allegedly said that a person should perform Hajj only to three mosques, Meccan, Medina and Jerusalem. But how could the Prophet say this if (this passage is clearly interpreted by ALL MUSLIMS) from the phrase of the Koran “Today I have completed [sent down] to you your religion” (Sura 5, verse 3) it follows that Jerusalem was not part of the geographical zone of the spread of Islam? That is why we are talking about “completion”. It is implied that arabic quran- for Arab tribes. Therefore, Quranic Islam DOES NOT ORDER Muslims to conquer territory that belongs to foreigners.

When the Muslims took Jerusalem, its gates should have been opened so that the true owners could return there. It is possible that the Jewish doctrines of the time allowed such a return only under the leadership of the Messiah - but this subtlety should not have influenced the actions of the Muslims. The story of the agreement with Sophronius is refuted by information that indicates that Omar actually opened the gates of the city to the Jews. In this case, the later Muslim occupation and the construction of a mosque on the site of the Temple were not sanctioned by the Koran. How openly is this history discussed in modern Islam? Well what can I say. In the current climate in the Middle East, honesty is being sacrificed for politics.

By giving lectures at universities, you expose these fabrications of politicians and thereby often incur the wrath of Muslims.

— Yes, my position is criticized because it does not correspond to the geopolitical shift towards fundamentalism. I would like to draw the attention of your readers to the fact that fundamentalism is rapidly becoming the dominant movement in Islam. Moderate Islam, on the contrary, is losing popularity. This is perfectly illustrated in Islam Besieged by Akbar Ahmed. Ahmed notes that in Pakistan the Taliban are no longer a marginalized group. Many Pakistanis became interested in their teachings.

Even in the United States, I irritate those mosque worshipers who use social pressure to force their extremist views on others. I'll share a story from personal experience: When my wife, after studying the issue for many years, came to the conclusion that women do not have to cover their heads and showed up at the mosque without a headscarf, many of her Muslim “sisters” refused to even return her greeting. Moreover, they were not at all interested in why she was doing this. Many Muslims oppose me for one reason only - because I argue that Israel has a right to exist.

There is a strange pattern in the statements of those who criticize me: people believe that by recognizing the legitimacy of Israel's existence, I am denying the rights of the Palestinians. To this I reply that I in no way deny the fact that Palestinians have certain rights. But they don’t even want to hear me: my opponents profess the “all or nothing” principle.

Recently, when I gave a lecture in Santa Cruz, members of some Muslim organizations put up posters there claiming that I was saying that the Koran contains negative statements about Jews. But these people greatly distort the facts. I admit that some verses of the Koran have a polemical meaning, but, in my opinion, the Koran shows respect for the Jews (otherwise Musa/Moses would not be mentioned in it so often). However, in the oral tradition of Islam (in the hadith), Jews are portrayed as negative heroes. Many Muslims find it difficult to come to terms with this inconvenient truth about the Qur'an, having been taught for almost 12 centuries that not being critical of oral tradition is component Islamic Creed.

Often critics try to object to me by citing scattered quotations from the Koran, but here they fail, since I have been studying interpretation and exegesis for many years. Sometimes I get challenged to a duel. In Santa Cruz, Muslims proposed a debate. I agreed on one condition - that the dispute be public. My opponents did not show up. And those few Muslims who came to the lecture and had the patience to listen to me could not detect any incorrect interpretations of the tenets of Islam in my reasoning.

In Montreal I was accused of racism when I said that 95% of Muslims these days are subject to anti-Semitic indoctrination. I gave the answer (which the Montreal Gazette refused to publish): let every Muslim frankly answer one simple question: “How should we understand the final two verses of the first sura of the Koran: “Guide us to the straight path, the path of those whom You have blessed, not those that [they fell under Your] wrath, and not [by] the way of the lost?”

This verse says nothing about either Jews or Christians: however, almost every Muslim learns from his teachers that “those who fall under Your wrath” are Jews, and “those who are lost” are Christians. The main problem is that the average Muslim memorizes this surah and learns its interpretation at the age of 5-8 years. And, as we know, knowledge acquired at this age is embedded deeply in the subconscious. Almost into genetic memory, figuratively speaking.

I thought my answer was self-evident. But what were the results? Some of my closest colleagues began to deny that they had been taught this. For me, this situation was even more painful than the criticism from some Muslim leaders. I always ask people: well, if you deny something publicly, at least in private, have a conscience - admit the truth. But even in private, my fellow Muslims did not find the courage to admit what was obvious to everyone. This in itself shows how far we have fallen.

However, I must emphasize that attacks on me are expressed only in the form of polemics. I have not received any threats to my health or safety. No matter how my Muslim co-religionists are embarrassed by my position, they recognize that I am a Muslim. I do not give up my faith, and therefore we can discuss. Here at the University of San Diego, where I teach, the local chapter of the Muslim Students Association filed a complaint against me, alleging that I accused members of this organization of anti-Semitism and homophobia. But soon these people abandoned their intention and did the right thing - otherwise they would have looked very stupid. Their letter speaks for itself. “We cannot be anti-Semites, because we ourselves are Semites,” they wrote, although among the authors of the letter there was not a single Arab by nationality. “And we are not homophobic at all, since there are gays and lesbians among our neighbors.”

Should we expect a reformist movement to emerge in Islam? Is there fertile ground for such a movement?

— Driving force Muslims living in the West will become reforms. Here the main role belongs to women who resolutely raise their voices. I can name several names that few people know yet. But these women did a lot to change the Muslim worldview. Some of them argue heatedly among themselves, but despite all their differences, they have done a lot to cure Islam of its centuries-old disease - male chauvinism: Fatima Mernissi, Aziza al-Hibri, Amina Wadud Muhsin, Irshad Manji, Rifat Hassan, Asma Jahangir. Of course, among the supporters of reform there are also men: Khalid Abu al-Fadl, Abdullah al-Naim, Sad al-din Ibrahim: Note that all of them were educated in the West, and now, with one exception, live there.

Mr. Mohammed, we were very glad that you honored us with your visit. I would like to thank you for so courageously defending your position in the Muslim community, which, unfortunately, does not favor honest debate. Continue to fight for a moderate Islam that can coexist with Western democracy. We hope that your influence will only grow. So, to conclude the interview, let's dot all the i's. Did we understand correctly from your words that the right of Jews to own Israel is enshrined in Islamic doctrine and that the Holy Quran obliges Muslims to accept the existence of this state?

- At the very beginning of the second sura of the Koran it is said: “This Scripture, the [divine revelation] of which there is no doubt, is a guide for the pious.” Consequently, every Muslim should regard the contents of the Koran as a guide to action sent down from above. The verses about Israel in the fifth sura are intended not only to be read, but also to be performed. One of the fundamental principles of Islam is the provision “The source of troubles should be removed” (“al darar yuzal”). Muslims must face reality. Many years have passed since the emergence of Israel. All these years, the whole region has been making efforts to destroy this state. However, these attempts are fruitless, and there seems to be no hope of success. The most constructive and pragmatic thing would be to come to terms with the facts: Israel exists, and you need to choose from two: either peacefully coexist with Israel, or fight with it until the end of time. The Qur'an explains to Muslims that Allah will not change their lives unless they change it themselves. This case- an excellent reason to put this dogma into practice.

Only by recognizing Israel on their own initiative will Muslims fulfill the dictates of their holy book - the Koran. Having received guarantees of its security, Israel will sit down at the negotiating table, and although occasional outbreaks of tension are possible, peaceful coexistence will become the norm.

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- Thank you very much, Mr. Mohammed, for an interesting conversation.

- Thank you, I was very glad to visit you.