Call it a day
Well after midnight last night I completed the 83rd and final weekly segment of the Jihad Watch Blogging the Qur'an series, which began a year and a half ago, in May 2007. This Sunday that segment will go up, and thus endeth the series.
Although the series was inspired by Slate's "Blogging the Bible" and bears a similar name, it was never as personal or idiosyncratic as that series was. I opted instead to report on what the most respected and authoritative Muslim commentators say about the various passages of the Qur'an, so as to inform non-Muslims about what are generally the mainstream understandings of the Qur'an. Accusations have come, as always, that I have selected the commentaries to quote from from a negative bias and ignored more pacific and benign interpretations of various passages; this charge, however, generally comes from non-Muslims who don't even know which commentaries on the Qur'an Muslims generally consider most reliable, and just assume that I must be doing that.
My exclusive reliance on Islamic commentaries has, I'm afraid, often made the series as "wrist-slittingly boring" as John Derbyshire once termed the Qur'an itself, despite my best efforts. The Qur'an itself is extremely repetitive, and so any chapter-by-chapter overview will inevitably be repetitive also. In any case, I intended it all along to stand as a reference source for any and all interested parties, and it will remain here at Jihad Watch as a resource as long as there is a Jihad Watch. The ongoing translations of the series into Italian, German, Czech, and Danish indicate that some people have found it helpful, and I thank them for that.
Whatever else it may be, this Blogging the Qur'an series is certainly unique. Ziauddin Sardar's series of the same name at The Guardian, which began a few months after mine, stopped going through the Qur'an passage-by-passage in June (after completing just the first two suras), and appears to have petered out altogether in October after 41 segments. Sardar complained that "the exercise turned out to be much harder than I expected" and that "by far the hardest thing for me to do was to answer all the questions raised by Madeleine [Bunting] and other bloggers." Yet the questions at The Guardian were always screened and controlled. Questions on this series have always been open and free, and I always took care to answer every one that I saw.
Those of you who have read all or most of the segments (I know there must be one or two of you out there!) might think for a moment about subjects that never came up in the Qur'an. What is not there is of almost as much interest as what is. If you have any final or summary questions, have at it now or Sunday on the last segment.
subjects that never came up in the Qur'an.
Jerusalem, to name one?
I've always wondered just when Muslims turned their prayers away from Jerusalem. Since all 7th century mosques have their quibla (prayer direction) set towards Jerusalem, the Islamic scripture (being a *lot* easier to change than buildings :) seems to be in error on that issue, quite possibly being post-edited in Babylon to reflect a desired truth (Mecca) rather than a historical truth (Jerusalem).
When exactly did the quibla change? And - why?
Please publish this series as a book Robert. I want one. Thanks for your great effort.
Yes, I'll buy the book also.
The Golden Rule
Have your book translated into Arabic, Farsi, Urdu. Give it a subtitle: What A Crazy Infidel Claims the Qur'an Says. Let it be advertised all over the Internet. Sell it to Arabs, Iranians, Pakistanis at cost, in small onion-skin editions. Offer a large prize to anyone who can find something in your exegesis that does NOT correspond to what Muslims are taught to believe the Qur'an means. Any Muslim or non-Muslim apologist for Islam can enter. All they have to do, in order to win the prize -- make it a big one -- is find something you have written, some meaning you have attributed to this or that Qur'anic passage, that can be demonstrated is an unfair misreading.
I look forward to the entries of Al-Qaradawi (Q.-q. Q.), Tantawi, assorted Saudi sheiks, and of course, our inimitable and home-grown Defenders of the Faith, such as John Esposito and Carl Ernst.
Let the contest begin!
Robert,
I'm one of the MANY who have follow this series from the start. It has been an eye-opening read and extraordinarily informative. Thank you very much for your hard work and dedication!
Looking forward to purchasing the book "Blogging the Qu'ran" one day in Barnes and Nobel!
kuta
Robert, first of all, thank you for all you do to get the truth out about the jihad we are facing. I especially appreciate the dispassionate and academic tone your site sets. In a world generally more concerned with pop culture than with genuine education, your site is refreshing.
As for your Blogging the Qur'an series, I too strongly recommend that you publish this as a book. I promise I would buy one. A book is just so much more convenient to carry with you and crack open at moment's notice. So I add my voice to that growing list of people who would love for you to publish this series ASAP.
Thank you again for your true scholarship. I feel like with all I've read from you I am slowly acquiring another BA in Islamic Studies. But after reading Stealth Jihad, I see we truly need people, above all, who are knowledgeable about this subject. It is the coming war most are completely oblivious to at this point. But it is coming, is already here, of course.
Subjects that never came up in the Qur'an:
Not that it didn't come up at all, but, I hadn't thought too much about it until it was pointed out: holiness. If you took the word holy (or holiness, etc.) out of the Bible, it would hardly be the same book. It comes up over and over. If you took the word holy out of the Qur'an, though, it would pretty much change nothing. Apparently it appears about three times.
In the Bible, God is repeatedly referred to as being holy. Likewise, we are also called to be holy, as he is. In the Qur'an, though, "Holy" is mentioned as one of Allah's attributes, but I guess that's the extent of it. As as for the believiers, the emphasis is on obedience. There is no call to strive for holiness.
What a difference in perspective.
"Please publish this series as a book Robert. I want one. Thanks for your great effort."
I want one too!
Great stuff!!
RS writes:
I'm afraid, often made the series as "wrist-slittingly boring
and
Those of you who have read all or most of the segments (I know there must be one or two of you out there!)
You once again under-rate yourself. Your series has been both entertaining and informative. You have given me an education that I can never beging to repay. However, I will try to by speaking up about Islam and educating those around me with what I have learned here. I do not believe that I am the only one, either. As Churchill said, Never, never, never, never, ever quit! The stakes are way to high for that.
Thank you for this series, I saved it all for reference and further reading...
One question out of curiosity...About the 'Black Rock'...I read somewhere (?) that pre-Mohammad every mosque had it's own 'black rock'.
Do you know anything about that?
Thanks...
Robert,
Thank You for all your selfless hard work.
.
You Sir, get the lifetime award for Anti-Dhimmi.
Please print the book.
PLEASE!
Thanks for your amazing ability to stick with it, and your deep understanding. It was a truly outstanding effort on your part.
Well done; thank you!
This is an excerpt from a radio program:
STARING AT THE VIEW
PERSPECTIVES ON LIFE IN RIYADH
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008
Who was the Father of Muhammad? Part 2
This is not mentioned in the Quran, I don't think...About Mohammad being in the womb four years. It is a good example of Islamic medical science at the time...
AHMAD: How have the Muslim scholars dealt with the issue of Hamza being four years older than Muhammad?
ABUNA: Many of them have claimed that a pregnancy of four years is no problem. "Al-Sirah Al-Halabiyah” says that Malik and Dahak Ibn al-Muzaim both remained in the wombs of their mothers for two years. The “Muhadarat” of Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti states that another person was in his mother’s womb for three years. The Imam of Cordoba, Ibn al-Arabiya, wrote that if a fetus could remain in his mother’s womb for five years, it could also remain for ten years or more...
Will it be picked by Al Azhar?
You call the Koran boring? It may be but it can't hold a candle to the Book of Mormon, a short excerpt from which follows:
1 For behold, it came to pass that *fifty and five years had passed away from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem; wherefore, Nephi gave me, Jacob, a acommandment concerning the bsmall plates, upon which these things are engraven.
2 And he gave me, Jacob, a commandment that I should awrite upon bthese plates a few of the things which I considered to be most precious; that I should not touch, save it were lightly, concerning the history of this people which are called the people of Nephi.
3 For he said that the history of his people should be engraven upon his aother plates, and that I should bpreserve these plates and hand them down unto my seed, from generation to generation.
4 And if there were preaching which was asacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the bheads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of our people.
5 For because of faith and great anxiety, it truly had been made manifest unto us concerning our people, what things should ahappen unto them.
6 And we also had many revelations, and the spirit of much prophecy; wherefore, we knew of aChrist and his kingdom, which should come.
7 Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, that we might persuade them to acome unto Christ, and partake of the goodness of God, that they might enter into his brest, lest by any means he should swear in his wrath they should not center in, as in the dprovocation in the days of temptation while the children of Israel were in the ewilderness.
8 Wherefore, we would to God that we could persuade all men anot to rebel against God, to bprovoke him to anger, but that all men would believe in Christ, and view his death, and suffer his ccross and bear the shame of the world; wherefore, I, Jacob, take it upon me to fulfil the commandment of my brother Nephi.
9 Now Nephi began to be old, and he saw that he must soon adie; wherefore, he banointed a man to be a king and a ruler over his people now, according to the reigns of the ckings.
10 The people having loved Nephi exceedingly, he having been a great protector for them, having wielded the asword of Laban in their defence, and having labored in all his days for their welfare—
11 Wherefore, the people were desirous to retain in remembrance his name. And whoso should reign in his stead were called by the people, second Nephi, third Nephi, and so forth, according to the reigns of the kings; and thus they were called by the people, let them be of whatever name they would.
12 And it came to pass that Nephi died.
13 Now the people which were not aLamanites were Nephites; nevertheless, they were called Nephites, Jacobites, Josephites, bZoramites, Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites.
14 But I, Jacob, shall not hereafter distinguish athem by these names, but I shall bcall them Lamanites that seek to destroy the people of Nephi, and those who are friendly to Nephi I shall call cNephites, or the dpeople of Nephi, according to the reigns of the kings.
15 And now it came to pass that the people of Nephi, under the reign of the second king, began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring many awives and bconcubines, and also Solomon, his son.
16 Yea, and they also began to search much agold and silver, and began to be lifted up somewhat in pride.
17 Wherefore I, Jacob, gave unto them these words as I taught them in the atemple, having first obtained mine berrand from the Lord.
The rest of it slogs on in this mind-numbing vein.
Thanks much for taking the time to do this series Robert. I know it must have been tedious for you. I've been reading since early in it's run at Hot Air (I still think they were mistake to drop it.), and it's been very educational. Without it, I'm sure I'd have missed a lot of what's significant in the Qur'an. I hope someday to see it compiled in book form.
Those of you who have read all or most of the segments (I know there must be one or two of you out there!)
....................
I'm certainly one who has followed the series since its beginning--I know there are many others. I first read the Qur'an about three years ago, and I know that if I could have had the "Blogging the Qur'an" comments by my side as I read, it would have been immensely useful. Great series--and, I agree, it would make a great book.
Thanks so much for all your hard work--I'm looking forward to the last installment.
Congratulations, Robert, on finishing the series. I remember when it was but a gleam in a blogger's eye. Throughout the year and a half you've been writing it, Blogging the Qur'an was obviously a labor of love along with the blood and sweat it took to produce, and no one could have done it as well or as thoroughly and honestly as you have. Along with several other commenters above, I also think it should be turned into a book.
As for your question, I could be mistaken but grace and love don't seem to have come up too often in the Qur'an.
Everyone:
Many thanks for your kind words.
Re the Q-Blog in book form: first there will be a thematically arranged and breezy, not wrist-slittingly boring, overview of the Qur'an. Coming next November from Regnery Publishing will be my ninth book, The Infidel's Guide to the Koran -- all I have to do is write it first.
After that, in 2010 or 2011, I hope to interest another publisher in publishing the Q-Blog in substantially the form in which it has appeared online, arranged chapter by chapter. There will be some overlap between the two books, but actually I don't think there will be very much -- and those who want a more in-depth treatment will be able to find it in the Q-Blog book.
Cordially
Robert Spencer
Robert
You are a tireless warrior. Your fight against extremism is just as vital to us as that fought by our brave soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Thank you for an excellent series of blogging quaran.
Henrik:
Seventeen months after the Muslims arrived in Medina in 622. At that point he received a revelation from Allah instructing the Muslims to face Mecca instead of Jerusalem for prayers and declaring that the prayers in the direction of Jerusalem were only a test for the believers.
When Allah revealed the new qibla, he told Muhammad that it would bring him joy: “We see the turning of thy face (for guidance) to the heavens: now shall We turn thee to a Qibla that shall please thee. Turn then thy face in the direction of the sacred mosque [in Mecca]: Wherever ye are, turn your faces in that direction.” The revelation even asserted that the Jews and Christians (“the People of the Book”) knew that the Muslims’ new direction for prayer was the correct one: “The People of the Book know well that that is the truth from their Lord. Nor is Allah unmindful of what they do” (Qur’an 2:143-144). Dissenters were warned: “So from whencesoever thou startest forth, turn thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque ….” (Qur’an 2:150).
News traveled quickly among the Muslims. “While some people were at Quba (offering) morning prayer, a man came to them and said, ‘Last night Qur’anic Verses have been revealed whereby the Prophet has been ordered to face the Ka’bah [at Mecca], so you, too, should face it.’ So they, keeping their postures, turned towards the Ka’bah. Formerly the people were facing Sham (Jerusalem).”
Some traditions report that some of the rabbis came to Muhammad at this point and told him that they would declare him a prophet and accept Islam if he turned his people’s prayers back to Jerusalem. The Prophet of Islam refused, receiving another revelation: “The fools among the people will say: ‘What hath turned them from the Qibla to which they were used?’ Say: To Allah belong both east and West: He guideth whom He will to a Way that is straight” (2:142).
Cordially
Robert Spencer
duh swami:
Pre-Muhammad? Every mosque? A black rock?
Pre-Muhammad the black stone was in the Ka'bah, as it still is (although it may not be the same one).
I'm not sure where to go with this one, Swami. Suffice it to say that every mosque has a qibla -- a niche in the wall indicating the way toward Mecca, so that prayers can be said facing in the proper direction.
Cordially
Robert Spencer
Seymour Paine:
Mark Twain got off one of the best and most devastating lines ever said about any book, ever, when he called the Book of Mormon "chloroform in print."
Cordially
Robert Spencer
YES. YES.
Hugh . . .along this line of thought, GatesofVienna.blogspot.com has a thread about a current effort to create just such a Rosetta Stone project for Ehsan Jami, Part 1.
Please don't blog the Book of Mormon. Please don't blog the Book of Mormon.
Jewel Atkins:
Oh, no worries!
Cordially
Robert Spencer
That was a gem, Robert. It certainly is. Whatever one can say about the OT or NT, they are beautiful (at least in translation). The Koran, not so much. But Mormonism and Scientology's basic books are simply embarrassingly puerile and silly.
There's the Qur'an -- and then there's Abdullah Mikail's own translation of the Qur'an (I think he has the only copy).
Good luck selling your Softer-Side-of-Islam version of the Qur'an to your fellow Muslims, AM, and I bet you get your ass kicked trying.
Don't get me wrong. I love Mormons. But I used to live a a part of the country that had a lot of Mormon door-to-door bicycle da'wah going on, and one day, after answering the door to impeccably dressed missionaries wanting to set up a time to talk about 'the family', I told them I was a former Mormon (I'm not, but I read a lot) and wasn't interested in coming back to the faith.
Big mistake. I ended up inviting them in from the rain, and had to endure all kinds of weeping and praying for me to come back...but mostly the weeping over my hell-damned soul and pleading with me to tell them what went wrong.....I almost converted out of shame for making them cry.
Mr Spencer, thank you.
I have diligently read every word of your Qur'an Blog, and have commended it to others.
As for what is NOT in the Qur'an, just backing up direct-fired - the almost complete absence of any reference to, or interest in, the concept of holiness, in the Qur'an, as opposed to the fact that the words 'holy' and 'holiness' are all over the TaNaKh and the Christian scriptures.
I think Dr Mark Durie points this fact out - that holiness is central to the Biblical view of the character of YHWH, whereas it has pretty much no significance at all in the Islamic portrait of 'allah' - in his book "Revelation? Do We Worship the Same God?" that demolishes the usual Muslim claim that Christians and Muslims worship 'the same god'.
And bp, too, is right - grace and love are pretty much conspicuous by their near-absence.
Another huge gaping hole, indeed, a literal silence - MUSIC and SONG (such few oblique references as there are in the Qur'an, are negative).
By contrast the Bible is full of song from very early on: the first major group celebration is on the shores of the sea after the deliverance form the Egyptians - Miriam and the women of Israel go out along the shore with tamborines, singing' I will sing unto the LORD for He has triumphed gloriously; the horse and rider thrown into the sea".
I went through the Qur'an in Dawood's translation, looking at every place where Paradise was described. And guess what: the Muslim paradise is a lovely garden/ feasting hall with lots of luscious food, wine, and delectable females and males for carnal delight...but there is NO MUSIC. Not one description of Paradise, in the Qur'an, mentions music or singing.
Whereas, of course, the Christian conception of the life beyond, gives music and singing a central place - just read Revelations 5:9, 14:2-3, 15:3. Dante's Purgatorio and Paradiso are saturated with song and, indeed, in the Paradiso, the blessed do not merely sing, they also dance! The stereotypical cartoon image of the Christian afterlife - a white-robed figure sitting on a fluffy cloud playing a harp - goes right back to Revelations where St John envisages the redeemed with harps in their hands, singing 'the song of Moses and of the Lamb'.
Thank you very, very much Robert. It was most illuminating, scary, but illuminating.
Thank you Robert for your tireless work in defending life, love, freedom, joy and creation -- in all its myriad aspects. I'm going to push for your Beatification while you're still alive. Then Canonisation should be a breeze. You are the greatest Defender of the Faith!
Ziauddin Sardar is a blowhard.
At one point, back in the eighties, he seemed to be proposing to preside over the creation of a totally new 'Islamic' science that would replace crummy western science. What would that science have looked like? From the list of characteristics it might have, given in his autobiography, it's clear that the distinction between science and technology seems to be a little too subtle for him. Another clue can be found in his never seeming to have mentioned evolution in his voluminous writings. Any suggestion that he was a creationist would have blown his credentials with the Guardanistas who peovide him with journalistic employment. His close collaborator - the revert Merryl Wyn Davies - however, wrote a splendidly meaningless postmodernist screed, the style of which seemed vaguely reminiscent of Sardar's, refuting Charles Darwin ( to her satisfaction).
As with his Koran commentary, the great Muslim science project seems to have been dropped somewhere along the line and he now poses as a cultural commentator.
"I ended up inviting them in from the rain..."
You're an admirably tolerant and generous lady, Jewel. For behavior like that -- and the sacrifice that followed --, soldiers get medals, at least a purple heart.
When you publish the book, publish the questions and answers, too.
Looking forward to book #9, The Infidel's Guide to the Koran. Please put illustrations and relevant art and images in the book, if possible. Make it a multi-media sort of book. That's very seductive and engages readers on several levels, thus reaching more readers more deeply.
Hey, the Mormans are potential and often actual allies for us, give em a break.
Mormons are okay because they'e usually hardcore Zionists and will always work to preserve Western values (except monogamy). I really like Romney, even though all I can think when I see him is "you're wearing funny Mormon 'garments.'" It is a cult, though, which is why they prayed for you, Jewel. I had two friends when I lived in Texas who had fled the Mormons back in Utah. They changed their names, moved 1200 miles, left no paper trail, and the Mormons still found them and begged them to come back.
Allow me to add my thanks for all your revelatory and tireless scholarship. And fine, clear writing style, with not a little humor, albeit of the mordant sort.
Mr. Spencer:
Allow me to add my thanks for all your revelatory and tireless scholarship. And fine, clear writing style, with not a little humor, albeit of the mordant sort.
Mr. Spencer, thank you for your work. May it serve to enlighten many in the days to come.
Regarding comments by Dumbledoresarmy on music and the Koran:
The Bible contains over 600 references to music.
Musical instruments are described throughout the Old Testament.
People are exhorted and encouraged (in both Old & New Testaments) to sing and make much music .
Music is God's gift to the human soul, when words are not sufficient to express what's in the heart.
To imagine God without music is to imagine the unimaginable.
For the past 2,000 years Christians have been busy composing, playing and singing songs about their God, Jesus Christ.
And I think it can be safely said that no other historical figure has ever inspired the enormous volume and variety of music that He has.
How bleak and joyless it would be to serve a god who inspires no music!
Dear Mr. Spencer,
I've read every entry of your Qur'an blog, always with great interest.
Thank you so much for making this hard-to-read book accessible to us people who don't have your seemingly endless patience.
dumbledoresarmy, joydesigns,
Amen to that! Music also plays an important role in my life, both as an artistic endeavor and a form of worship.
Regardless of the (false) claims of Islam, its absence of music makes it deeply flawed to begin with.
The only thing original about Islam is Jihad - everything else regarding their theology they decided to steal/modify from Judaism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism.
You know what they say about people who pray to meteorites.
Robert,
I've also read and enjoyed "B the Q". And look forward to tome #9. I wonder if you might consider, in one or other book, ordering the Surahs chronologically, the better to highlight the steadily increasing bloodthirsty-ness and sectarianism of Muhammad's message?
On the Mormons (a bit OT, but oh well....), they may be a bit loopy, but their bizarre beliefs are saved, in my view, by the last three of their "Articles of Faith" (from Wikipedia):
"....11. We claim the privilege of worshipping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
"12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
"13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul — We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."
Imagine how different Islam -- and the world -- would be if it hewed to these principles, especially 11 and 12!
Cheers,
Meeker, you might enjoy (or at least appreciate; it is the Koran, after all) The Center for the Study of Political Islam's 'A Simple Koran,' which orders everything chronologically and provides the necessary tafsir for understanding it. They also have 'An Abridged Koran,' which is the same thing, just without all the repetition. I have found 'A Simple Koran' to be very useful, plus, when you buy it, you know the money is going to a good cause.
I followed this series, but must admit that I missed maybe 20%. However, I never found it boring. I hope that some day I can buy an expanded form of this series in book form!
I think this is a valuable series, one which everyone in the West should read.
I opted instead to report on what the most respected and authoritative Muslim commentators say about the various passages of the (Koran).
And therein lies the spirit of Robt. Spencer. And that's no lie. He lets the "religion" of Islam (aka Surrender) explain itself, with little or no intermediation.
His is objective writing to the utmost, at its very best.
Not so for Moslems and their craven volunteer Infidel Islam apologists. Their craft is obfuscation by misdirection and elision.
These are the aceholes of the squalid and dysfunctional discourse we have around Islam. And what a confused, tiring conversation that is.
A conversation that is wretched and self-inflicted, with small truthful voices not only drowned out, but derided. Truthful voices announced, pronounced, denounced, and sometimes even renounced (e.g., Dave Johnson of LGF).