While reading The Qur’an, I find that the text brings certain significance to its
instructional style of narrative from God, himself, to his chosen prophet,
Muhammad. It is truly interesting in comparing to the book of Genesis with this text. The Qur’an clearly relates that this is
a revelation from God in his own words to the Prophet to be a guide for its
people. In Genesis, the text merely
narrates a story of God’s interactions in the world with certain people. God claims,
“the Qur’an was revealed as guidance for mankind, clear messages giving
guidance and distinguishing between right and wrong” (Sura 2:85). The words in the text illustrate the ways of
being a righteous person and a devotional worshiper to God. In Sura 24, the text clearly explains in many
instructions on how to carry out God’s law, especially when concerning some
situations such as dealing with adulterers, respecting authorities, and several
others. With the instructive narrative, the text is a guide for its followers.
To disprove lots of opposition to
these “new” revelations, the text communicates itself in the instructional
manner to reveal its perfection, which links that it is must be directly from
God. For people to follow such a doctrine, the text must appear and express
itself as a valid revelation. Being a direct guide from God, should it not be
consistent and wise in all its teachings? Possibly, when using the instructive
style, it reveals the text as true because of its consistency in its reasoning
and explanations of proper living. Even the text points out that these words
have to be consistent, it states, “[i]f it had been from any one other than
God, they would have found much inconsistency in it” (Sura 4:82). The text presents
the instructional manner because it has to convey itself as clear and
understandable for its believers to use it as a guide.
In The Qur’an, the text establishes another point of the Prophet
receiving these revelations gradually and for others to understand that fact as
well. God points out that “[w]e sent it in this way to strengthen your heart
[Prophet]; [w]e gave it to you in gradual revelation” (Sura 25:51). Instructing
someone gradually with new revelations allows for better comprehension and
acceptance. The gradual revelations reinforce the instructional style of
narrative because this makes the revealing of these new ideas more believable.
Again, God says to the Prophet “[w]e Ourself have sent down this Qur’an to you
[Prophet] in gradual revelation” (Sura 76:23). Slowly introducing these
revelations through instruction allows those who read it understand that this
is guide for how to live.
I find that
the text was written in such an instructive manner for the significance of it
being believable as a revelation from God and comprehendible as a guide for the
believers.
I find it interesting that although as Liezel points out, the text is very clearly a step-by-step instruction manual for how to lead a pious life, it is published as a series of discrete chapters. There is no immediately apparent overlaying theme or organization as to how one must begin learning, that is to say, the order of the lessons. That creates an interesting dynamic, in that it makes an intermediary or teacher that knows the text well helpful while reading the Qur'an. This compounded with the clarity of the text makes it credible that the Qur'an would lead to a much better defined religion than one based on books like Genesis that may be interpreted to a far greater degree.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your insight that that the instructive tone of the Qur'an lends it a more authoritative air than the narrative style of the Bible. I would add a comparison to Darwin. In On the Origin of Species Darwin also uses tone to increase the authority of his writing. lines such as "A certain number of facts will certainly reject my theory"(482) are written with a similar tone of certainty. this lends a sense of immutability and authority to the speaker. such rhetorical devices are important for both an incipient prophet and an innovative scientist.
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