Koran For Dummies

Sohaib Sultan is a freelance journalist and student of the Islamic tradition who has studied the Koran and Islam extensively with Islamic scholars in the United States and Saudi Arabia.

• Introduction 1Part I: Revealing the Word of God: The Book 7Chapter 1: Getting to Know the Koran 9Chapter 2: From Revelation to Written Book 21Chapter 3: Mapping Out the Structure of the Book 37Chapter 4: Discovering the Language of the Koran 53Chapter 5: Relating the Koran to Abrahamic Revelations 65Part II: Searching for the Soul of the Koran 79Chapter 6: Interpreting the Koran 81Chapter 7: Understanding Interpretations of the Koran Today 93Part III: Seeing the Koranic Worldview 107Chapter 8: Meeting God, Prophets, and Mankind 109Chapter 9: Divining Nature, the Universe, and the Unseen 133Chapter 10: Taking the Koranic View of Other Faith Traditions 147Part IV: Living the Koran 157Chapter 11: Following in the Footsteps of Muhammad 159Chapter 12: Putting Meaning into Ritual 169Chapter 13: Understanding the Koranic View of Self 191Chapter 14: Achieving Koranic Ethics and Morality 203Chapter 15: Raising a Family the Koranic Way 215Part V: Relating the Koran to the World 231Chapter 16: Connecting the Koran to Society 233Chapter 17: Purifying Society through Islamic Law 255Chapter 18: Struggling for God: Jihad 273Chapter 19: Discussing Women in the Koran 283Chapter 20: The Koran and Modernity 295Part VI: The Part of Tens 309Chapter 21: Ten Misconceptions about the Koran 311Chapter 22: Ten Ways to Dig Deeper into the Koran 321Appendix A: Glossary of Koranic Terms 331Appendix B: Finding Prophets in the Koran 339Index 341

“…I was quickly humbled by this guide, which showed me how much I had misunderstood.  I would recommend this to anyone interested in Islam…”  (Catholic Herald, 26 November 2004) The Qur'an's overall context of hostility to those who disbelieve in Mohammed's prophecy is downplayed in one forthcoming book, The Koran for Dummies by Sohaid Sultan. Under the heading "Discovering the Basic Messages of the Koran," Sultan lists as Mohammed's basic themes "The unity of God," "Worship and service to God," "Prophets to teach and guide," "Completion of past revelations," "Guidance to a spiritual path," "Movement for social change," "Accountability of deeds." All of which sounds pretty harmless—nothing about making war on unbelievers. (Publishers Weekly, May 10, 2004)"...provides an introduction to Islam's holy book." (Publishers Weekly, February 9, 2004)