Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to attend an Open House at a local Muslim Mosque. Since then, I have been back two more times.
Each time I have learned many new things about Islam. Prior to these meetings, I knew very little about Islam and the Qur’an.
After spending some time talking with a local Muslim woman about the differences between Islam and Christianity, I decided to begin reading through the Qur’an to hopefully gain a better understanding of Islam.
While I now have dozens of questions to ask my Muslim friend about the Qur’an, the main things that stood out to me were:
- There was a heavy emphasis on taking care of the poor.
- There was a heavy emphasis on the horrors of judgment day.
- There is a heavy emphasis on the rewards of Paradise, such as gardens, the maidens, the rivers, etc.
- It was interesting that, in the English translation, the pronouns used for God are plural (Such as “We” instead of “I”)
- While Jinns are mentioned in various chapters, I never quite understood where they came from or what their primary role is.
- The stories in the Qur’an are quite repetitive. Many of the same stories are repeated numerous times throughout different chapters - such as the stories of Abraham, Moses/Pharaoh, etc.
- In the Qur’an, God seems to care a lot about people praying regularly, paying alms-tax, and giving to the poor.
- Surah 3 - This chapter explains how husbands are supposed to properly discipline their wives.
- Surah 4 - It seems like polygamy is permitted, but only up to four wives?
- Surah 5 and Surah 24 - I am unsure if these instructions are still practiced today, but these chapters indicate that fornicators are supposed to receive lashings, and thieves are supposed to have their hand(s) cut off.
- Surah 18 - This chapter contained a story about a man who killed a boy because the boy might someday cause his parents to become disbelievers…
- Surah 27 - This chapter had a story about talking ants and talking birds.
- Surah 66 - This chapter contained an explanation of a story of two of Muhammad’s wives conspiring together to convince him that his breath stunk.
I was already family with some of the prophets mentioned in the Qur’an, such as:
- Aaron, Abraham, Adam, David, Elisha, Enoch, Isaac, Jacob, Job, John the Baptist, Jonah, Joseph, Lot, Moses, Noah, Solomon, Zachariah, and of course, Jesus.