Senate Understanding Islam (and reading the Qur'an chapter by chapter)

2. The Cow




Introduction

The second sura (chapter) is, by far, the longest in the Qur'an. It also covers a lot of topics, and going back-and-forth between a few of them. As I said in the last post, it's a Medinan sura, which means it was written after the mass exodus of Muslims from Mecca to Medina, sometime in the last 10 years of Mohammed's life. At this time, Mohammed goes from a preacher to an administrator, so Medinan suras are said to usually be more concerned with the rules of how a proper Muslim society should operate.

In this, we get a summary of the core beliefs, retellings of a few stories from the Bible, and then some lengthy passages about war, marriage, and finance. It's named after the Cow that Moses tells the Israelites to sacrifice, to reaffirm their devotion to God. The sura doesn't say why the entire sura is named after it, but I have an idea. In the sura, it's retold how Moses tells the Israelites to sacrifice a cow. They then keep asking for detail after detail after detail of what type of cow they should sacrifice, down to the cow's age and yellow color and unblemished skin.

I think calling the entire sura after this short, somewhat insignificant story within it is because God knows the people want the precise details about how they should do something (like the Israelites asking all the follow-up questions about the cow), and a lot of this sura is also about clarifications on how exactly some things should be conducted...from how a person with disabilities should have witnesses and a guardian to help them handle their debt obligations... to which sexual positions are permissible for a husband to do to his wife (spoiler alert: God says He doesn't care which way you do it )

To go through it in order (I'll just be quoting some select parts of it this time)...




Beginning:

In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy​

​

Alif Lam Mim​

​

This is the Scripture in which there is no doubt, containing guidance for those who are mindful of God, who believe in the unseen, keep up in prayer, and give out of what We have provided for them; those who believe in the revelation sent down to you [Mohammed], and in what we sent before you, those who have firm faith in the Hereafter.​

So begins the second sura. Again, the Qur'an seeks to underline the association between God and Mercy.

The second line, which I've skimmed ahead and seen in other chapters, are the names of letters in the Arabic alphabet (the specific letters named vary by chapter). According to the footnotes, there is discussion on why these are included. One interpretation is that it was an indication to the early Muslims of Arabia that the Qur'an indeed consists of letters and words of their own language, not from Rome or Greece or Persia or Egypt. Another interpretation is that they were exclamatory, meant to wake people up and get their attention.





Believers, Disbelievers, and Hypocrites... the Garden versus the Fire

After the first section, it slides into discussion about believers, disbelievers, and hypocrites. To summarize, it says that those who have made up their mind to not believe will not be persuade otherwise, and they'll be the ones to face the consequences with "torment" in the Hereafter (which is also a common Christian belief). Later on, it contrasts "the Garden" (heaven) with "the Fire" (hell). In the footnotes, it explains this Arabic word for torment is "adhab," which is the kind of pain/difficulty/famine you get by restraining from something that is bad for you. So, it seems to be saying that the pain that righteous people have in this life by restraining from things that feel good but are ultimately bad, will be the kind of pain that those in "the Fire" will feel when it finally all catches up to them (except they know that there will be no payoff this time). Even as a Christian, I've always had personal difficulty accept an eternal place of suffering, so this passage still rubs me the wrong way, but it's in the same way some Biblical passages do too. Still, it contrasts with proclaiming God as the Lord and Giver of Mercy. Anyways. it also explains later in this sura that the Muslim view of "disbelievers" is actually narrower than the common Christian view.

After speaking about disbelievers, there's a lengthy disapproval of hypocrites, who attempt to deceive God or others but really only hurt themselves, and of those who are self-deluded. The Qur'an here seems more condemning of them than of disbelievers. It also speaks of people who claim they are trying to "put things right," but are really just spreading corruption across the land even if they do not see it. There's a lot of condemning in this sura of 'spreading corruption in the land', which I think is implied to be a general corruption.

There's more talk contrasting the Gardens of flowing water, with the Fire, of how God is all-powerful and all-knowing, and to not allow there to be rivals to God in your heart. In verse (ayah) 27: "[These] who spread corruption on the earth--these are the losers." These words, or some variant of them, are repeated often in this sura.




The Fall of Iblis/Satan, and the story of Adam

Then we move into the story of Adam and Eve (though Eve isn't named), their fall, and the fall of Satan, all-together. It's actually quite short, just two paragraphs in the Qur'an, so I'll quote the entire thing here:

​

[Prophet], when your Lord told the angels, 'I am putting a successor on earth,' they said, 'How can You put someone there who will cause damage and bloodshed, when we celebrate Your praise and proclaim Your holiness?' but He said, 'I know things you do not.'​

He taught Adam all the names [of things], then He showed them to the angels and said, 'Tell me the names of these, if you truly [think you can].' ​

They said 'May You be glorified! We have knowledge only of what You have taught us. You are the All Knowing and All Wise.'​

Then He said, 'Adam, tell them the names of these.' When he told them the names, God said, 'Did I not tell you that I know what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and that I know what you reveal and what you conceal?'​

​

When We told the angels, "Bow down before Adam,' they all bowed. ​

But not Iblis, who refused and was arrogant: he was disobedient.​

We said, 'Adam, live with your wife in this garden. Both of you eat freely there as you will, but do not go near this tree, or you will both become wrongdoers.'​

But Satan made them slip, and removed them from the state they were in. ​

We said, 'Get out, all of you! You are each other's enemy. On earth you will have a place to stay, and livelihood for a time.' Then Adam received some words [teaching Adam how to repent] from his Lord and He accepted his repentance: He is the Ever Relenting, the Most Merciful. We said, "Get out, all of you! But when guidance comes from Me, as it certainly will, there will be no fear for those who follow My guidance nor will they grieve--those who disbelieve and deny Our messages shall be the inhabitants of the Fire, and there they will remain.'​

So here we have the Qur'an's summary of the beginning, with some new details. God speaks of Adam as his "successor," or humanity as his stewards/princes. It seems to be implied that the garden Adam was in was separate from the earth, or something more metaphysical. Also, the angels already seem to know that humankind will make poor moral choices, but God still believes in humans and still seems us as superior to angels. The importance of language is emphasized here. The fall of Iblis into Satan is directly connected to humanity in the Qur'an, where it was never specified in the canon books of the Bible.

The biggest difference here is that God forgives Adam (and presumably Eve)... there is no original sin here. Individual humans are expected to make both good and poor decisions, but God has the power to forgive them.




The Children of Israel (the Jews),,, and a little on Christians

The Qur'an then immediately jumps to talking about the Children of Israel, the Hebrews. God reminds them how He blessed them, and warns them not to sell their faith for "a small price."

Without mentioning Jesus or Christians, the Qur'an then seems to subtly imply their disagreement with Christianity:

Guard yourselves against a Day when no soul will replace any other in any way, no intercession will be accepted from it, nor any compensation; nor will they be helped.​

This seems to be put in there to argue against the idea that one Human can pay the cost for the sins of others, which is how many (though not all) Christian denominations explain the importance of Jesus and his death on the cross.

But the Qur'an doesn't dwell on this, and goes on to summarize the story of Exodus... of how God delivered the Children of Israel from the Pharoah's people, parted the sea, brought them to Mount Sinai, and how Moses found some of them worshipping a calf upon his return from the summit after 40 days and nights. (We're on about verse 50 of 286 verses in this chapter). God then continues to recount to Mohammed the trials of the Children of Israel when wandering in the desert. Then we come to this, verse 62:

The Muslim believers, the Jews, the Christians, and the Sabians -- all those who believe in God and the Last Day and do good -- will have their rewards with the Lord. No fear for them, nor will they grieve.​

Here, we learn what the definition of a "believer" is... basically, to believe in One God, a day of resurrection and judgment (but perhaps God, being most merciful, judges that everyone go to the Garden?), and for the faith in these things to be accompanied by good works too.

Then we get to the story of the Cow in the title, which I already summarized. Following that, more on the everlasting Garden versus the everlasting Fire, and more condemning hypocrites and also false prophets, especially those who take advantage of the uneducated.

Hypocrisy of some of the Jewish tribes in Medina at the time is then pointed out:

Remember when We took a pledge from the Children of Israel: 'Worship none but God; be good to your parents and kinsfolk, to orphans and the poor; speak good words to all people; keep up the prayer and pay the prescribed alms.' Then all but a few of you turned away and paid no heed. We took a pledge from you, 'Do not shed one another's blood or drive one another away from your homelands.' You acknowledged it at the time, and you can testify to this. Yet here you are, killing one another and driving some of your own people from their homes, helping one another in sin and aggression against them.​

Somewhat relevant for the times...


It then goes on, repeats again how God sent Moses and successors, and eventually:

We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear signs and strengthened him with the holy spirit.​

Here we have our first (I think) explicit mention of Jesus in the Qur'an, and Mary, and the holy spirit too in verse 87. Important to point out, I think. The Qur'an then comments on how the people tend to mock or even kill the messengers who bring news of things they do not want to hear.





Other parallels with the Bible are then summed up, some more distinctions, and its own recap...

The angels Gabriel and Michael are then named as angels of God, then it speaks of Harut and Marut and the corruption and witchcraft from Babylon of the Kingdom of Solomon. God says: Any revelation we cause to be superseded or forgotten, We replace with something better or similar. Which is an interesting admission. And tells Muslims to forgive and forbear when the "People of the Book" (Jews and Christians) try to convert them. Any who direct themselves wholly to God and do good will have their reward with their Lord: no fear for them, nor will they grieve. (verse 112) is a saying that appears, in some variants, several times and pops up here again. Then it mentions the debate between Jews and Christians, and how God will settle the matter on their differences on Judgment Day. Funnily, the Qur'an does slip in a direct refutation to a core Christian idea in verse 116, They have asserted, 'God has a child.' May He be exalted. No! ... but this is interjected in, with nothing else about the topic either before or after it. It's kind of like it was just snuck in there to wake people up and make sure they're paying attention, in the middle of a discussion on something else. It then talks about how those who go into "the Blaze" are solely responsible for their decisions and those consequences, not anyone else. About a dozen verses later, the saying about those rejecting the truth being losers is repeated, and the part about how no soul can stand in for another is repeated, and how blessed the Children of Israel are is repeated.




Abraham and descendants

After its own recap, the Qur'an then begins to speak of Abraham for the first time. It tells of how, after passing a test, Abraham went with Ishmael and built the House (which is the Kaaba). And how Abraham's sons worshipped God, as well as Abraham's grandson Jacob and his sons, and how the sons of Jacob reassured their father on his deathbed that they too will continue to worship the God of Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac. God is praised some more, underlining how he is the only one true God, and how people should believe now and not regret it later.




Dietary Restrictions... and leniency for it

There's some talk of dietary restrictions, but it is very brief, in verses 172 and 173 (much shorter compared to the Old Testament):

You who believe, eat the good things. We have provided for you and be grateful to God, if it is Him that you worship. He has only forbidden you carrion, blood, pig's meat, and animals over which any name other than God's has been invoked. But if anyone is forced to eat such things by hunger, rather than desire or excess, he commits no sin: God is most merciful and forgiving.​

I like that the Qur'an has that leniency built right into it.





The Qur'an's own summary of core beliefs:

Then there's this nice short summary of Islamic beliefs in verse 177:

Goodness does not consist of turning your face towards East or West. The truly good are those who believe in God and the Last Day, in the angels, the Scripture, and the prophets; who give away some of their wealth, however much they cherish it, to their relatives, to orphans, the needy, travelers and beggars, and to liberate those in bondage; those who keep up the prayer and pay the prescribed alms; who keep pledges whenever they make them; who are steadfast in misfortune, adversity, and times of danger. These are the ones who are true, and it is they who are aware of God.​

This seems to summarize the core beliefs I talked about in my first post here, and most of the 5 pillars, really well. Putting it all together. It also talks about how freeing people from slavery is an act of charity.





"Fair Retribution"?

Next in verse 178, it talks about "fair retribution" for justice in murder. I'm not sure what exactly it's trying to convey. Perhaps someone can help me out?




Bequests, Fasting, and Ramadan:

It then talks about making proper bequests when preparing to die... and then it tells of the importance of fasting, and makes the month of Ramadan into a month of fasting. But again, there's some leniency built into it. From verse 185: God wants ease for you, not hardship. It then says God will now allow married couples to have sex during a month of fasting, but please no sex in the mosque, that's the limit. Seriously.







Since this sura is so long, I'm going to stop here for now, and pick up at verse (ayah) 190. There's a little less than a hundred versus left, so this is about two-thirds of chapter 2. This is when the more legalistic, detailed part of this sura starts.

And we will begin right away, in verse 190, with when God says it's ok to go to war, and what the rules of war should be.

So, that will probably catch the interest of a lot of people, especially when there are so many extremists trying to justify terrorist attacks, other murder, and torture in the world today. How close are they actually to the Qur'an? Find out about that, and more, next time...

 

Oh my God, this is epic and wonderful.

 

I think this verse is basically "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" when is says " ye who believe! Retaliation is prescribed for you in the matter of the murdered; the freeman for the freeman, and the slave for the slave, and the female for the female"

It goes on to say that if you go beyond the prescribed retaliation then you will basically go to hell. Its says "This is an alleviation and a mercy from your Lord. He who transgresseth after this will have a painful doom.".

 

Is there any sort of reward for those who forgo retaliation?

 

Isn't not being evil its own reward?

 

Yes, but it's way down the track. Sneak preview is below:

Surah 41: Fusilat
Verse 34: "The good deed and the evil deed are not alike. Repel the evil deed with one which is better, then lo! he, between whom and thee there was enmity (will become) as though he was a bosom friend."

 

Well I guess I didn't really necessarily have "material reward" in mind so much as a "God approves of your actions" sort of deal.

Mmm, so not that different from Christianity?

 

Alpha-Red, yeah I guess so. That verse appears to be a version of "turn the other cheek" but scripture is maddingly deceptive and I'm sure there are probably six different interpretations all serving as the basis of whatever outcome the "reader" is trying to justify.

 

The explanation of the Qur'an by many different Islamic scholars has been available in English for some time, but it's good that they're putting it in the same book. It's worth mentioning though that the Arabic Qur'an + explanation in one book has been around for a very long time.

Awesome posts, Ghost. I've been lagging behind but I'll try my best to provide some relevant comments.

With regards the "Opening", this sura is usually the first one kids memorize. It's the minimum that is required to perform the 5 daily prayers, and as such, it's recited by all Muslims around the world at least 17 times a day during prayers. While this sura isn't the first one to be revealed to Mohammed PBUH by Gabriel, it's the first sura to be revealed in its entirety.

As for the "Cow", it's indeed filled with many different topics and themes, including many rules. But if you think these rules are a lot, just wait until you get to "Women"

With regards to hypocrisy in religion, Islam does indeed treat it as worse than disbelief. In fact the only thing worse than hypocrisy in Islam is worshiping a deity other than God. The reason why hypocrites have such a prominent part in the Qur'an is because during the very early days of Islam, people tried to undermine it by posing as Muslims and then doing un-Islamic things and thus making Islam look bad. Remind you of anyone?? Furthermore, they would sometimes agree to declare themselves as apostates together in order to encourage other new Muslims to apostate as well. They would also pose as Muslims to get into the community and share their secrets with the enemies of the early Muslim community.

As for the story of Adam, various details of this story are mentioned in many places in the Qur'an. In a way, reading the Qur'an is like watching Lost. Sometimes you're in the present, sometimes you're in the past, and sometimes you're watching the same story from another point of view, with more details being revealed.
And yes, there is no Original Sin in Islam. In fact there is no sin upon anyone until they reach the age of reason and can distinguish between good and bad and the consequences of each.

Then all but a few of you turned away and paid no heed.

"All but a few" is actually a recurring theme throughout the Qur'an, as you will notice as you keep reading. God mentions a pattern in which throughout history it's always been the "few" that would go out of their way and do what is right even if it's against the flow of society, whereas the majority always tend to go with the flow even if that flow is evil, oftentimes without even noticing. With this God is telling us to always analyze what we're doing and to be objective, and if you choose to the hard way (against the flow) to do what is ultimately right, that this is what God really values, and this is what separates a true believer from the rest.

Regarding God taking a son, this isn't necessarily directed at Christianity, but also the Arab pagans at the time who worshiped other gods, some of which they saw as children of God.

As for the dietary restrictions and leniency, it's important to note that one of the basic principles of Islam is that survival is placed above religious rules. So for example, if you're dying of hunger in the middle of the desert and you see a pig, you're allowed to eat it. There is a verse in the Qur'an that says that God does not place more burden onto humans than they can bear, and that religion and the rules that come with it are meant to be a source of ease, not difficulty.

With regards to retribution, the Qur'an places rules to contrast some of the customs at the time, that unfortunately exist even today, where a family would go to war with a family because one a family member killed one of theirs, and so they go and kill one of theirs, and then a feud goes on for decades and centuries. This aya, in conjunction with several others that you'll find in the Qur'an, define justice as "eye for an eye" in that only the perpetrator of the act is to be punished by the existing legal body. So in this case God says that justice for murdering an innocent is capital punishment against the perpetrator. However, as you will see in other ayas, God says that if you forgive, it is better for you.

As for sex, yes it's allowed in Ramadan, but only after sunset, just as food, drink and other bodily desires are meant to be controlled during the time of fasting. Sex is not explicitly mentioned in the Qur'an other than "be with your wives", and I think there is one verse (not sure if it's in this sura or another) that dispels a common belief that the pagans had where if you do it from behind that the child will be diseased and cursed. God says... nope, "approach them however you wish".

 

As Appmaster said, these are not acts of Islamic terror. It was usually nationalist political terror.

 

Remember Tom Clancy's mega-blockbuster bestseller Red Storm Rising? WW3 was triggered by terrorists who blew up a Soviet refinery while shouting "Allahu akhbar!" I don't believe any of the millions of readers were shocked at the idea of Muslims as terrorists when it was published in the mid-80s; I wasn't. Were their motivations religious or political? Well, there's no separation of church and state in most Arab nations, and their line between politics and religion is blurry if not non-existent. In short, "Moslem terrorism" was most definitely a thing long before 9-11.

 

No, I'm inclined to agree with Ender. The fundamental reason behind the terrorism is political, while the religion is more added in as an afterthought and justification. The terrorist needs to sell and justify his actions to the people back at home, hence the "Allahu akhbar", but the reason he blew himself up is a perceived grievance (whether real or imagined) and not so much "because the Quran said so".

 

I'm not clear on how separation of church and state or lack thereof contributes to terrorism.

If a country like Egypt implements "some" Islamic rules in their laws like they do today (ie. marriage and divorce laws, inheritance, capital punishment for murder), does that mean Egyptian soldiers fighting for Egypt's national interests is the same as them fighting for Islam? Even if as a Muslim country their generals use some religious rhetoric to motivate their troops, that's the same as if US soldiers go to war and their superiors tell them God-speed... are they're somehow no longer fighting for the US but for Christianity?

In any case, the point I made was that acts of terrorism carried out by people who identified themselves as Muslims were not more common than those of people who identified themselves as members of other faiths. It's also worth mentioning that the Middle East and South East Asia have had colonial powers like the British, French and Americans meddling in their affairs and stealing their resources for decades, and naturally there would be resentment among the local populace. Especially in cases like Afghanistan where the US pretty much created the Taliban in order to fight Russia, just as they pretty much created ISIS by arming them. Not to mention the complete destruction of Iraq over WMDs that till today have not been found.

So... religious or political? You tell me.

 

Religion is the salve which soothes the fears and steadies the hand for the acts of self-destruction carried out for geo-political reasons. If writers ever featured Christian Hezbollah suicide bombers in their books (which they don't BTW) then I'm sure they would also make last minute declarations to the Christian God. Soldiers for millenia have invoked the name of God when running into the front lines or where they were facing certain death. The old saying "there are no atheists in fox holes" is very true. It doesn't mean that everyone who invokes the Lord when they are about to die or risk death are carrying out their activities in the name of the Lord or for religious reasons.

 

I agree with most of those statements, AlphaRed, aPPmaSTer, and LostOnHoth. My only point is that terrorists were often identified, mistakenly or not, with Islam before 9-11.

Apologies to Ghost for this tangent, and I'm looking forward to your next installment.

 

I'm sorry, but you are quite aware that Red Storm Rising, whilst from a period when Clancy was relevant and not barking mad and on the game, is fiction right? Speculative fiction.

The critical year for the shift in terrorism from being largely radical political in nature to religious is 1979. The PLO, PFLP, and its splinter group PLFP-GC were all fighting for a radical leftist agenda - the establishment of a state. Not for the establishment of a wider caliphate.

In 1979, two key events happen; Russia invades Afghanistan, and Iran's revolution. In the former's case, the scum of the middle east was kicked out of jails and sent to fight the Soviets. In the latter's case, the Revolutionary Guard - Pasdaran - were charged with exporting revolution. So whilst they provided support to Arafat and co (Force 17 - and the like 1983 embassy bombing mastermind, Imad Mughniyeh) it was to destabilise Iraq's influence and build Iran's. The spread of an Islamic caliphate was Pasdaran's ultimate goal, but not one it insisted upon from its followers.

Back to Afghanistan - angry young Saudi Usama bin Laden goes to Peshawar, starts up the precursor to al-Qaeda, and spends bucketloads of his money training young radicals on how to follow the teachings of Sayyid Qutb and how to fight the Russians, the secular mujahideen, everyone.

The aborted 1993 WTC bombing might have been Islamic in nature, but it wasn't until the 1998 US embassy bombings in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam that Arab terrorism became mostly religious instead of mostly political.

Red Storm Rising is great though, but the American troops are too disciplined. Not enough redneck yahoo rapists.

 

The founders of PFLP, George Habash and Waddi Haddad, who both pretty much wrote the book on international terrorism in the 1970s were also Orthodox Christians and not Muslims.

 

Gee, Ender, thanks for telling me Clancy wrote fiction. I had no idea.

Can we get back to the Qu'ran now?

 

2. The Cow (continued)

As promised, here's the second part of the second Sura/Chapter.

Picking up where were left off, with Ayah/Verse 190. We have already covered about two-thirds of this sura, but now it gets much more detailed, and we begin with a relevant topic to recent news.


The Rules of War

Fight in God's cause against those who fight you, but do not overstep the limits.*​

* In the footnotes: the Arabic command "la ta'tadu" [to "do not overstep the limits"] is so general that commentators have agreed that it includes prohibition of starting hostilities, fighting non-combatants, disproportionate response to aggression, etc.​

​

God does not love those who overstep the limits.​

​

Kill them where you encounter them,*​

* In the footnotes: Muslims were concerned whether it was permitted to retaliate when attacked within the sacred precincts in Mecca when on pilgrimage. They are here given permission to fight back wherever they encounter their attackers, in the precinct or outside it.​

​

and drive them out where they drove you out,​

​

for persecution is more serious than killing.*​

* In the footnotes: 'Persecuting you unlawfully is worse than you killing them in the precincts in self-defense.' The article "al-" in Arabic sometimes takes the place of a pronoun, as here 'their persecution' and 'your killing them.'​

​

Do not fight them at the Sacred Mosque unless they fight you there. If they do fight you, kill them-- this is what such disbelievers deserve-- ​

​

but if they stop, then God is most forgiving and merciful.​

​

Fight them until there is no more persecution, and worship [at the Sacred Mosque by those who were no longer persecuted] is devoted to God. ​

​

If they cease hostilities, there can be no [further[ hostility, except towards aggressors. ​

​

A sacred month for a sacred month: violation of sanctity [calls for] fair retribution. So if anyone commits aggression against you, attack him as he attacked you, but be mindful of God, and know that He is with those who are mindful of Him.​

​

Spend in God's cause: do not contribute to your destruction with your own hands*, but do good, for God loves those who do good. ​

* In the footnotes: this verse is generally understood to outlaw Suicide and other forms of self-harm.​

​

​

So, that is the main chunk in this sura of the discussion on violence and the rules of law. That's the entire section, I didn't skip a single verse or clause, and those footnotes are just as I found them and not my own commentary.

Here, we see how easily things can be taken out of context by either Extremists of Islamophobes, but seeing the entire passage, and in true context with the help of the footnotes, paints a much more complete picture.

The Qur'an outright forbids suicide missions, or other forms of contributing to your own destruction, which so many terrorists use as a tactic.

The Qur'an makes clear that if you attack Muslims or severely persecute them... such as how the elites in Mecca had been torturing and killing Muslims, as I described in my summary of the life of Mohammed (that is what they mean by "persecution")... they will attack back and keep fighting.

But if the aggressors/persecutors stop fighting, the Qur'an calls for Muslims to cease hostilities.

Muslims aren't called to be pacifists, they are called to fight in self-defense. It is definitely more similar to the Old Testament's "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" concept of fair retribution.

But they are forbidden to be aggressors or attack those who aren't or stop fighting.

I wonder how the Qur'an will treat the teachings of Jesus, such as turning the other cheek and loving/forgiving your enemies. I have a prediction: that would Jesus calls for would be ideal and is holy, but that God still permits these other methods as more pragmatic especially when it comes to self-preservation. But we shall see.




I meant to finish Sura 2 in the next post, and I still plan on it later tonight, but I'd like to let this post stand on its own too. To be continued...

 

2. The Cow (concluded)




After the discussion on war, there is more discussion on Pilgrimages (the major one, and minor), the rules of pilgrimages, how one can make them up, charity and fasting, etc. Then it gets into some basic theology.




The Hereafter, the Devil, the Good, "Everyone Hurts", Charity, Fighting, and Hope

Then there's this thought on prayer in ayah 200-202, on how Islam values both this life and the next:

There are some who pray, 'Our Lord, give us good in this world,' and they will have no share in the Hereafter; ​

others pray, "Our Lord, give us the good in this world and in the Hereafter, and protect us from the torment of the Fire.'​

They will have the share they have worked for: God is swift in reckoning.​

In a little bit, there's this warning and description of evil's temptation, in ayah 204-209:

There is [a kind of] man whose views on the life of this world may please you [Prophet], he even calls on God to witness what is in his heart, yet he is the bitterest of opponents.​

When he leaves, he sets out to spread corruption in the land, destroying crops and livestock-- God does not like corruption.​

When he is told, 'Beware of God,' his arrogance leads him to sin. Hell is enough for him, a dreadful resting place.​

But there is also a kind of man who gives his life away to please God, and God is most compassionate to His servants.​

You who believe, who enter wholeheartedly into peace [submission to God] and do not follow in Satan's footsteps, for he is your sworn enemy. ​

If you slip back after clear proof has come to you, then be aware that God is almighty and wise.​

I like how seductive they make evil seem here, that description at the beginning here.

Later, in ayah 212 and beyond, on the hereafter and how "everybody hurts" yet there's hope:

The life of this world is made to seem glamorous to those who disbelieve, and they laugh at those who believe. But those who are mindful of God will be above them on the Day of Resurrection: God provides immeasurably for whoever He pleases. Mankind was a single community, then God sent prophets to bring good news and warning, and with them he sent the Scripture with the Truth, to judge between people in their disagreements.​

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[...]​

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Do you [believers] suppose that you will enter the Garden without first having suffered like those who passed away before you? They were afflicted by misfortune and hardship, and they were so shaken that even [their] messenger and the believers with him cried, 'When will God's help arrive?' Truly, God's help is near. ​

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They ask you [Prophet] what they should give. Say, 'Whatever good things you give should be for parents, close relatives, orphans, the needy, and travelers. God is well aware of whatever good you do. Fighting has been ordained for you, though it is hard for you. You may dislike something although it is good for you, or like something although it is bad for you: God knows and you do not.'​

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Rules on a variety of topics: Drinking, Gambling, Orphans, Idols, Menstruation, Cleaning, Sex, Oaths, Divorce, Women, Breastfeeding

The Qur'an then goes on to get into the particulars about a variety of topics, such as taking care of Orphans, and not marrying those who worship idols. Right before that, there's this on drinking and gambling, for which God gives some very short answers in ayah 219, which I'll quote just to show its own simplicity:

They ask you [Prophet] about intoxicants and gambling: say, 'There is great sin in both, and some benefit for both, the sin is greater than the benefit.'​

They ask you again what they should give: say, 'Give what you can spare.'​

It moves on to mention Menstruation, informing how it's a painful process for women, so keep away from women during it and until they're cleansed.

The Qur'an then makes a tangent to go on and say in general:

[God] loves those who keep themselves clean.​

The Qur'an then clarifies if it's okay to have sex in positions other than "missionary," as I previewed in the introduction to this sura:

Your wives are [like] your fields, so go into your fields whichever way you like, and send [something good] ahead of yourselves.​

There you have it. In the footnotes, it explains that when Muslims immigrated to Medina they heard that a child born from a woman approached from behind would have a squint. So God wanted to dismiss that nonsense officially in the Qur'an.

It moves on to Oaths, how they shouldn't keep you from doing good and how people won't be judged on oaths uttered unintentionally, giving some flexibility.

Then on to Divorce, and how Women have rights and should have their fair share, and how men can't take back what they gave to their now-divorced ex-wives. There's a lot of details in here, starting in ayah 226, but I won't cover too much of it except highlights because it covers a lot. It also seems to prohibit domestic abuse, saying women cannot be held onto with the intent to harm them or commit aggression, in ayah 231. It also prevents a person's family from interfering in whether a couple should remain married or not.

It goes on to Breastfeeding and weaning, and then on to the topic of Widowhood, and then returns to Divorce and how even if a marriage is broken up before consummation that a fair provision should still be made for them. Then it returns to Widows, and how husbands should make sure they'll be well taken care of for at least a year after the husband dies, and how a widow may not be expelled from her house in that time.




King Saul, the Ark of the Covenant, David and Goliath, Jesus son of Mary and the holy spirit

There's a shift in topic, and a return to God's history with the Children of Israel. This time the story is recounted of how Israel wanted to be like other countries and have a government some time after Moses, and how a prophet announced that Talut (Saul) was chosen to be King in ayah 247. The Qur'an says the people disliked the choice because Saul came from a poor background instead of riches. The prophet answers with how God is all-knowing, and then tells a story of Saul/Talut and the Ark of the Covenant, and of how David defeats Goliath against the odds because God was with them.

It again mentions Jesus son of Mary in ayah 253, and how he was strengthened with the holy spirit, and how God gave clear signs to show his importance, but not much more on that topic here. Aside from repeating that there will come a (Last) Day where there is no bargaining or intercession.




God on His Throne, and "There is No Compulsion in Religion", Abraham and Resurrection.

Here are some of the more famous passages in the Qur'an, in ayah 255 and 256.

The "Throne Verse" (255):

God: there is no god but Him, the Ever Living, the Ever Watchful. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. All that is in the heavens and in the earth belongs to Him. Who is there that can intercede with Him except by His leave? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, but they do not comprehend any of His knowledge except what He wills. His throne extends over the heavens and the earth; it does not weary Him to preserve them both. He is the Most High, the Tremendous.​

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Ayah 256:

There is no compulsion in religion: true guidance has become distinct from error, so whoever rejects false gods and believes in God has grasped the firmest hand-hold, one that will never break. God is all hearing and all knowing.​

Some more short stories follow on Abraham, and a few examples of how God has the power to resurrect.




More on Charity, Kind Words, Forgiveness

The Qur'an again goes over the importance of charity and kind words and forgiveness, with more parables and stories beginning with ayah 261.

It reminds people that God is self-sufficient.

God promises you His forgiveness and His abundance: God is limitless and all knowing, and He gives wisdom to whoever He will. Whoever is given wisdom has truly been given much good, but only those with this insight bear this in mind. ​

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Mohammed is told, like what Jesus preached, that giving charity to the needy in private is better than doing so publically, but both are good.




Usury, Debt, Witnesses, Concealing Evidence

Ayah 274 to ayah 281:

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Those who give, out of their own possessions, by night and by day, in private and in public, will have their reward with their Lord: no fear for them, nor will they grieve.​

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But those who take usury will rise up on the Day of Resurrection like someone tormented by Satan's touch. That is because they say, "Trade and usury are the same,' but God has allowed trade and forbidden usury. Whoever, on receiving God's warning, stops taking usury may keep his past gains-- God will be his judge-- but whoever goes back to usury will be an inhabitant of the Fire, there to remain. God blights usury, but blesses charitable deeds with multiple increase: He does not love the ungrateful sinner.​

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Those who believe, do good deeds, keep up the prayer, and pay the prescribed alms will have their reward with their Lord: no fear for them, nor will they grieve. You who believe, beware of God: give up any outstanding dues from usury, if you are true believers. If you do not, then be warned of war from God and His Messenger. You shall have your capital if you repent, without suffering loss or causing others to suffer loss. If the debtor is in difficulty, then delay things until matters become easier for him; still, if you were to write it off as an act of charity, that would be better for you, if only you knew. Beware of a Day when you will be returned to God: every soul will be paid for in full for what it has earned, and no one will be wrong. ​

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Usury is condemned here in probably some of the strongest terms possible. It can mean the practice of making unethical monetary loans that unfairly enrich the lender, a "loan shark," or it can generally mean charging Interest on loans at all.

God clearly does not approve of the Big Banks in the Qur'an.

It then goes over some rules concerning debt in general. How it should be put down in writing. If the debtor has a mental disability, then the debtor should have a legal guardian overseeing the debt to ensure its fairness. Two men can be witnesses, or a man and two women, and witnesses cannot refuse a summons. If there is no scribe, something should be handed over a security.

And then there's a brief command, to "not conceal evidence."




Ending

After that, this sura ends with the following two verses (285 & 286), with a statement of faith and with a prayer:

The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, as do the faithful. They all believe in God, His angels, His scriptures, and His messengers. 'We make no distinction between any of His messengers,' they say, ' We hear and obey. Grant us Your forgiveness, our Lord. To You we all return!​

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God does not burden any soul with more than it can bear: each gains whatever good it has done, and suffers its bad-- 'Lord, do not take us to take if we forget or make mistakes. Lord, do not burden us as You burdened those before us. Lord, do not burden us with more than we have strength to bear. Pardon us, forgive us, and have mercy on us. You are our Protector, so help us against the disbelievers.'​

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Thus ends the second sura, The Cow.









Let me know how I'm doing so far, please leave comments! Thanks to everyone else who has already commented and initiated discussion. This was the longest section by far, so I hope to have Sura 3 done soon!

 

Is there a general consensus among scholars about which interpretation is correct? I would imagine that banning predatory loans while still permitting the charging of reasonable rates of interest was the intent...or else there'd be no incentive for banks to exist. Don't religious rules often have a practical purpose behind them?

 

My understanding is that any form of interest charging is considered usury and is forbidden which is why Islamic finance is completely different from traditional lending as is it geared more towards a joint venture model, the bank puts up capital and joins in the risk and reward (profit sharing) rather than just lending a sum and charging interest.

 

Has anybody learned anything new about Islam, or the Qur'an, or Mohammed, so far?
Anything surprising?

Is there anything in particular you want to learn more about?


(This weekend is busier than I thought it was, so I might not get the chance to update it this weekend.)

 

Okay, I am catching up on this thread today or tomorrow because I'm way behind right now!

 

I think you've done a very nice job of covering the first suras so far, but would you mind using Arabic names for the prophets? For example Abraham is Ibrahim.