Readings

1. Sells, Michael. "Introduction" of Approaching the Qur'an. Ashland: White Cloud Press, 1999: 1-34. | Download Approaching the Qur'an
2. Nelson, Kristina. "The Sound of the Divine in Daily Life" of Everyday Life in the Muslim Middle East. Edited by Donna Brown & Evelyn Early. Bloomington: University of Indiana Press, 2002: 257-261. | Download Sound of the Divine in Daily Life
3. Graham, William A. Beyond the Written Word: Oral Aspects of Scripture in the History of Religion. Cambridge: University of Cambridge Press, 1987: 79-95. | Download Beyond the Written Word

For recitations of the Qur'an verses to be played during the seminar

1. The ICS website recitations
2. Sells, Michael. Approaching the Qur'an has a CD with various recitation styles of early Meccan chapters
3. Various sites on the internet by using Google; see, for instance, http://www.jannah.org/quran/

Summary

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The readings selected for Session Three illustrate the role that the Qur’an plays in the lives of Muslims as an oral/aural scripture. While Jews and Christians view their holy books as narratives of divine inspiration that are accessible through the written word, many Muslims interact with and encounter their holy book primarily through the sound of the recited text. The sound permeates every day life in Muslim majority countries as people hear the recited Qur’an in “secular” environments such as markets and shopping malls, over the radio and at a variety of public functions. As such, Muslims are more likely to hear the Qur’an rather than read it. Indeed, it has been said that the majority of the world’s Muslims encounter the Qur’an through the ear rather than the eye. Most Muslims believe that the Qur’an embodies God’s actual speech in Arabic as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel. Not surprisingly, the oral recited Qur’an is absolutely integral to the believer in incorporating a relationship with the Divine into daily life. Muslims view the beauty and perfection of the Qur’an to be manifest in the sound and imagery that the spoken word emotes in the listener. In fact, believers point to this very perfection of the text as the proof of the prophethood of Muhammad. For many, the notion that the Qur’an is inimitable, that is, no human could possibly have produced anything so perfect, proves that it had to be God who revealed this message to Muhammad.

Guiding Questions

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1. Some scholars claim that the Muslim emphasis on hearing the Divine Word (Qur’an) in its recited form results in a different understanding of communing with God than that of Jews and Christians. As you go through these readings, document examples that highlight this claim of difference. Think about what the practical effect these differences produce within the believer, if any. As you learn more about Islam and Muslim cultures, compare and contrast the ideals represented in the recited scripture versus the way that people behave. Is this substantially different in other religions?
2. Consider the nature of a religion’s emphasis on the recitation of a holy message. How is this emphasis related to the cultural/literary context in which the Qur’an was revealed? In what ways would this emphasis be uplifting and deeply touching in a personal context? In what ways would it be anti-individual and restricting? What freedom does the individual reciter have in determining the manner and style of his/her recitation? How does looking at religion through a cultural context change what you think about both someone else’s religion and your own system of beliefs which may be religious or not.
3. How do the three monotheistic religions use scripture differently? How does the way a believer looks at scripture predispose his/her response to his/her own religion? How do you think that these differences substantially reflect culture? How do these differences stand in the way of mutual understanding?
4. What key information do these readings highlight which you think make a difference in a better/clearer understanding of Islam by non-Muslims?