LECTURE VIDEO: The Koran (Decoding the past: Secrets of the Koran), watch by 2/21/12

 

Week 3: Surah Analysis #2: 500-word integrative analysis, due 2/21/22 midnight

Comment on the following surahs (chapters).  Your essay must be at least 500-words. Find a common theme in all the short surahs.

1. AN-NAS (MANKIND)

Total Verses: 6
Revealed At: MAKKA

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In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. 114.001
YUSUFALI: Say: I seek refuge with the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind,
PICKTHAL: Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind,
SHAKIR: Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of men,

114.002
YUSUFALI: The King (or Ruler) of Mankind,
PICKTHAL: The King of mankind,
SHAKIR: The King of men,

114.003
YUSUFALI: The god (or judge) of Mankind,-
PICKTHAL: The god of mankind,
SHAKIR: The god of men,

114.004
YUSUFALI: From the mischief of the Whisperer (of Evil), who withdraws (after his whisper),-
PICKTHAL: From the evil of the sneaking whisperer,
SHAKIR: From the evil of the whisperings of the slinking (Shaitan),

114.005
YUSUFALI: (The same) who whispers into the hearts of Mankind,-
PICKTHAL: Who whispereth in the hearts of mankind,
SHAKIR: Who whispers into the hearts of men,

114.006
YUSUFALI: Among Jinns and among men.
PICKTHAL: Of the jinn and of mankind.
SHAKIR: From among the jinn and the men.

2. AL-FALAQ (THE DAYBREAK, DAWN)

Total Verses: 5
Revealed At: MAKKA

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In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. 113.001
YUSUFALI: Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the Dawn
PICKTHAL: Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the Daybreak
SHAKIR: Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn,

113.002
YUSUFALI: From the mischief of created things;
PICKTHAL: From the evil of that which He created;
SHAKIR: From the evil of what He has created,

113.003
YUSUFALI: From the mischief of Darkness as it overspreads;
PICKTHAL: From the evil of the darkness when it is intense,
SHAKIR: And from the evil of the utterly dark night when it comes,

113.004
YUSUFALI: From the mischief of those who practise secret arts;
PICKTHAL: And from the evil of malignant witchcraft,
SHAKIR: And from the evil of those who blow on knots,

113.005
YUSUFALI: And from the mischief of the envious one as he practises envy.
PICKTHAL: And from the evil of the envier when he envieth.
SHAKIR: And from the evil of the envious when he envies

3. AL-IKHLAS (SINCERITY)

Total Verses: 4
Revealed At: MAKKA

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In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. 112.001
YUSUFALI: Say: He is Allah, the One and Only;
PICKTHAL: Say: He is Allah, the One!
SHAKIR: Say: He, Allah, is One.

112.002
YUSUFALI: Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;
PICKTHAL: Allah, the eternally Besought of all!
SHAKIR: Allah is He on Whom all depend.

112.003
YUSUFALI: He begetteth not, nor is He begotten;
PICKTHAL: He begetteth not nor was begotten.
SHAKIR: He begets not, nor is He begotten.

112.004
YUSUFALI: And there is none like unto Him.
PICKTHAL: And there is none comparable unto Him.
SHAKIR: And none is like Him.

4. AL-MASADD (PALM FIBRE, THE FLAME)

Total Verses: 5
Revealed At: MAKKA

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In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. 111.001
YUSUFALI: Perish the hands of the Father of Flame! Perish he!
PICKTHAL: The power of Abu Lahab will perish, and he will perish.
SHAKIR: Perdition overtake both hands of Abu Lahab, and he will perish.

111.002
YUSUFALI: No profit to him from all his wealth, and all his gains!
PICKTHAL: His wealth and gains will not exempt him.
SHAKIR: His wealth and what he earns will not avail him.

111.003
YUSUFALI: Burnt soon will he be in a Fire of Blazing Flame!
PICKTHAL: He will be plunged in flaming Fire,
SHAKIR: He shall soon burn in fire that flames,

111.004
YUSUFALI: His wife shall carry the (crackling) wood – As fuel!-
PICKTHAL: And his wife, the wood-carrier,
SHAKIR: And his wife, the bearer of fuel,

111.005
YUSUFALI: A twisted rope of palm-leaf fibre round her (own) neck!
PICKTHAL: Will have upon her neck a halter of palm-fibre.
SHAKIR: Upon her neck a halter of strongly twisted rope.

5. AN-NASR (SUCCOUR, DIVINE SUPPORT)

Total Verses: 3
Revealed At: MADINA

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In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. 110.001
YUSUFALI: When comes the Help of Allah, and Victory,
PICKTHAL: When Allah’s succour and the triumph cometh
SHAKIR: When there comes the help of Allah and the victory,

110.002
YUSUFALI: And thou dost see the people enter Allah’s Religion in crowds,
PICKTHAL: And thou seest mankind entering the religion of Allah in troops,
SHAKIR: And you see men entering the religion of Allah in companies,

110.003
YUSUFALI: Celebrate the praises of thy Lord, and pray for His Forgiveness: For He is Oft-Returning (in Grace and Mercy).
PICKTHAL: Then hymn the praises of thy Lord, and seek forgiveness of Him. Lo! He is ever ready to show mercy.
SHAKIR: Then celebrate the praise of your Lord, and ask His forgiveness; surely He is oft-returning (to mercy).

 

Week 2: Surah Analysis #1: Al Fatihah, 500 words, due 2/17/12 midnight

Write a 500-word critical commentary of the first surah, Al-Fatihah (The Opening).

Below are translations of the Al Fatihah (The Opening).

Provide an integrative analysis.

Essentially provide a response based on your own unique here and now reader-response (hermeneutic) experience — as a Muslim, Christian, Catholic, Buddhist, Hindu, atheist, etc.

AL-FATIHA (THE OPENING)

Total Verses: 7
Revealed At: MAKKA
Maududi’s introduction

001.001
YUSUFALI: In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
PICKTHAL: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
SHAKIR: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

001.002
YUSUFALI: Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds;
PICKTHAL: Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds,
SHAKIR: All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.

001.003
YUSUFALI: Most Gracious, Most Merciful;
PICKTHAL: The Beneficent, the Merciful.
SHAKIR: The Beneficent, the Merciful.

001.004
YUSUFALI: Master of the Day of Judgment.
PICKTHAL: Master of the Day of Judgment,
SHAKIR: Master of the Day of Judgment.

001.005
YUSUFALI: Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek.
PICKTHAL: Thee (alone) we worship; Thee (alone) we ask for help.
SHAKIR: Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help.

001.006
YUSUFALI: Show us the straight way,
PICKTHAL: Show us the straight path,
SHAKIR: Keep us on the right path.

001.007
YUSUFALI: The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray.
PICKTHAL: The path of those whom Thou hast favoured; Not the (path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray.
SHAKIR: The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favors. Not (the path) of those upon whom Thy wrath is brought down, nor of those who go astray.

 

Week 1: Introductions, due 2/17 midnight

Please introduce yourself as much as you’d like to. Respond to at least to other introductions.