Reading the Qur'an : the contemporary relevance of the sacred text of Islam

Few books have had a more profound impact on human history than the Qur an. It shapes the beliefs, lives and behavior of over 1.5 billion Muslims, who regard it as the Word of God, revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. It has been the basic source of law, morality and politics for over 1,400 years. Almost everything that happens in a Muslim society is a direct or indirect product of what the Qur an says. But what does the Qur an really say? How should it be read and interpreted? What is the significance of its teachings, if any, for the twenty-first century? In this enlightening and highly readable book, Ziauddin Sardar, one of the foremost Muslim intellectuals of our time, offers a refreshingly new interpretation of the Qur an. Emphasizing plurality and inclusiveness, Sardar shows how the text is interrelated and interconnected, demonstrates the importance of reading the verses of the Qur an in the context in which they were revealed, and highlights the relevance of its teachings for today. Argumentative and lively, Reading the Qur an is an insightful guide to understanding the Sacred Text of Muslims in these conflict- ridden and distressing times. Whatever one believes or does not believe, the central importance of the Qur an in today s globalize world cannot be ignored. In this book, the author laments that for far too many Muslims, the Qur'an he had learned in his mother's lap has become a stick used for ensuring conformity and suppressing dissenting views. Indeed, some find in the Qur'an justification for misogyny, validation for hatred of others, an obsession with dress and mindless ritual, rules for running modern states. Arguing against these trends, he speaks out for a more open, less doctrinaire approach to reading the Qur'an. He contends that the Qur'an is not fixed in stone for all time, but a dynamic text which every generation must encounter anew, and whose relevance and implications for our time we have yet to fully discover. The words of the Qur'an imply movement: the religious life, it tells us, is not about standing still but always striving to make our life, our society, the entire world around us a better place for everyone. He explores the Qur'an from a variety of perspectives, from traditional exegesis to hermeneutics, critical theory, and cultural analysis, drawing fresh and contemporary lessons from the Sacred Text. He also examines what the Qur'an says about such contemporary topics as power and politics, rights of women, suicide, domestic violence, sex, homosexuality, the veil, freedom of expression, and evolution. In his book about the Qur'an and Islam today, the author opens a new window on this remarkable Sacred Text.-- From publisher, Oxford University Press