Muhammad and the Origins of Islam:
Understanding the Qur’an
âSpeak to everyone in accordance with his degree of understandingâ is a dictum of Muhammad. Traditionally it is understood that there are seven levels of understanding possible in the passages of the Qur’an.
The Qur’anâs major goal then was to provide contemporary guidance to those who wished to live an exemplary life, not only on a societal level but, more importantly, on an interior level. Everything â thought, action, and word â needed to be in harmony if one were to follow in Muhammadâs footsteps. As Fred Donner writes in his book Narratives of Islamic Origins: The Beginnings of Islamic Historical Writing, The Qurâan omits any talk of politics then or in the future: âThe Qurâan certainly offers no clear guidance on who should exercise political power among the Believers after Muhammad â or even if anyone should; this simply does not seem to be of interest or concern to the Qurâan. Nor does it provide any indication of how power should be exercised; the only exceptions are moral injunctions so general and vague that they apply to all Believers alike, and so do not address the particular problems of political leadership and its rights or responsibilities in relation to its subjects in any meaningful way.â It does, however, provide detailed rules of conduct for the individual in a multitude of quotidian activities.
For example, in Sura 4 An-Nisaâ (The Women), even read in translation, one gets the sense that this is Godâs guide to life â and in intimate detail â because an awareness and connection with the Absolute is the only reason for the Believerâs life. God reckons all things. He is fully conscious of everything we do. He is forgiving and merciful â you donât have to worry about anyone elseâs behavior, worry about your own in the sight of God. God watches every action, every thought, behavior and intention.
The text establishes the requisite mental and emotional attitude, the continuous exercise of self-observation and awareness, that will take the Believer further into the consciousness of God. âYou shall remember God while standing, sitting or lying down.â (Quran 4:103.) Through haunting repetition one is constantly reminded that:
God is omniscient. Most wise.
God is forgiver. Most merciful.
God is fully aware of everything you do.
God is Pardoner. Omnipotent.
God is Almighty â most wise.
God is in full control of all things.
He has taught you what you never knew.
Jebara writes that Muhammad the Prophetâs audience âneeded both intellectual and emotional ways to relate to God.â The names of Godâtraditionally said to be 99 (the number representing a large number) â were devices to make âGod accessible and relatable.â The Prophet saw that they would âhelp people build their own direct relationship with the Divine,â as they had helped to lead him to his own life of âmentoring guidance, visionary inspiration, and sensitive healing.â
Jebara gives us examples of some of these names:
âAr-Raqibâthe Gentle Shepherd who cares for the injured
Ar-Raâufâthe Empathetic Soother
Ash-Shafiâthe Healer who guides recovery that emerges from within
At-Tayyibâthe Applier of Ointment to wounds
Al-Samiâthe Attentive Listener who does not judge.
Al-Malikâthe Reenergizer (used figuratively for king)
Al-Quddusâthe Elevator of the assiduous (used figuratively for holy)
As-Salamâthe Restorer of wholeness/Source of Solace (literally, repairer of cracks)
Al-âAzizâthe Builder of strength (literally, trainer/coach)
Al-Bariâthe Refashioner/Architect (literally, transformer of discarded elements)
Al-Hakimâthe Wise/Prudent (literally, fuser of weak fragments to make strong ropes).â
These names were guides to help people to actively âemulate the Divineâ and lead to a closer conscious connection. As Jebara explains âMuhammad was not bequeathing a scripture so much as an experience.â People âneeded to recognize that success comes from taking action and embracing their deficiencies as a challenge to improve.â
As a Believer progressed in understanding so his responsibilities increase: Sura 3:7 âAnd none receive admonition except men of understanding.â (Tafsir At-Tabari).
From the traditional point of view, âGodâs wordsâ were âspokenâ directly to Muhammad as they had been to the Old Testament Prophets before him. Because it is the language of sacred texts, Hebrew was often considered sacred. In post-biblical times, it was referred to as lashon ha-kodesh, the holy language. And like biblical Hebrew, the Arabic of the Qurâan (the Recitation) is also considered sacred because it is the language through which Muhammad received Godâs revelations.
Both texts were addressed to a predominately oral society. They were to be repeatedly read aloud, recited, and their sounds are an essential part of the experience. Both Hebrew and Arabic have multiple resonances of words that have the same trilateral root which affect the listener on multiple levels. Although English has metaphor, allegory etc., as do all Arabic languages, English can only provide a sense of this trilateral root resonance on a far, far simpler level, in certain phrases such as: âlooking through the paneâ where the pane of glass also can bring up the idea of physical or emotional pain.
The tension between the levels of meaning within a text such as the Quâran produces insights in the reader according to his/her capacity to understand. When absorbed simultaneously the reader can see further ranges of significance until the stage could be reached when he/she also finds understanding beyond verbalization. Socratic dialogue, Zen stories and the tales of Nasrudin are examples of other instrumental texts.
The Qur’an refers to Old Testament narratives and prophets such as Joseph, Jacob, Abraham, and Moses and New Testament figures such as Mary, Zachariah and Jesus. But, as Donner points out, âThey are told by the Qurâan not because they relate particular, unique episodes in the history of mankind or of a chosen people, but because they offer diverse examples illustrating the basic Qurâanic truths ⊠The lesson of every prophet is that there is an eternal moral choice â the choice between good and evil, Belief and unbelief â faced by all people from Adam on in more or less the same form, and hence simply repeated generation after generation âŠThe apostles and prophets are not, in the Quranic presentation, successive links in a chain of historical evolution, each with a unique role in the story of the communityâs development, but merely repeated examples of an eternal truth, idealized models to be emulated.â
The first audiences of the Qurâan were not unsophisticated linguists; these people were passionate about composing both poetry and prose; they excelled in oratory, diction and eloquence. The Arabic language was their pride and joy and they vied with each other in their ability to be fluent and eloquent speakers at competitive events for poetry and oration. Their stories told of their adventures and their valor in warfare, of their amorous exploits and extolled the virtues of their women. Like the ancient Greeks and other oral societies of old, they committed thousands of tales and poems to memory which were passed down by oral tradition from generation to generation. Their pride in their mastery of the Arabic language knew no bounds: they referred to all non-Arabs as âAjumsâ (people suffering from a speech impediment.)
As noted in The Study Quran, the 4th and the 7th revelation came after a long period, which may have lasted 12 or 40 or 50 days. It is further noted that an idolater said to him at that point that âit seems your satan has forsaken you.â According to this account Surah 93 of the Qurâan (The Morning Brightness) was revealed to him at this time, bringing reassurance with it that God had not forsaken him. Further, it was revealed to him that those who experience the care of God have a duty to others â⊠one who asks for help â do not turn him away;â (The Qurâan 93.10) and Muhammad was clearly instructed to proclaim Godâs message to the Quraysh: âAnd the grace of your lord â proclaim!â (The Qurâan 93.11) Thus Muhammad became a Messenger whose duty it was to remind his people of what they had forgotten in both religious and social terms.
Jebara writes that âThe Qur`an sought to accompany people on their life journeys, offering an evolving experience rather than rigid routine. Just as the hundreds of Divine names provided many access points to God, the Qur`an aimed to make itself accessible to diverse audiences in various life circumstances. It sought to appeal to peopleâs needs without dismissing their fears and concerns, offering a revolutionary approach to pursuing a fulfilling life.â
The Qurâan evokes the seekerâs navigation through darkness. Remember, this is the deep darkness of the desert where no artificial light intervenes, but against which stars are seen in all their brilliance. Each chapter of the Qurâan is called a surah, meaning a constellation of stars by which the traveler journeys on, but within which âeach ayah or passage is the brightest star in the constellation.â Later, towards the end of his life, Muhammad divided the Qur’an into portions for ease of ârecitation and study.â
The prophet received revelations for 23 years until his death in 632.
External Stories and Videos
Quran Fragments Found in Britain Are Dated to the Birth of Islam
Dan Bilefsky, New York Times
The fragments appeared to be part of what could be the worldâs oldest copy of the Quran, and researchers say it may have been transcribed by a contemporary of the Prophet Muhammad.