'IQRA': The Challenge: November 2013

Friday, November 1, 2013

OVERVIEW

Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!

In REAL time, it is the end of 2013.

WE ARE DONE!!!!

My linguistic and contextual research on 604 pages of the Qur'an is done, and uploaded.
Now, I have to revise my work, make the necessary corrections/ additions/ changes before I publish.

Do you have any ideas on how best to get this important information out?
Let me know what you think.

What we are seeing around the world today with regard to 'Islam' and 'Muslims' has made this project so crucial. Imagine how the world might benefit by it and how much closer we'd be to the Peace we dream of, if people's misconceptions were cleared. I know it's much more complicated than it sounds, but we have to start somewhere, and there is no place more secure than a correct interpretation of the Qur'an.

Islam is misunderstood, especially by many of its own followers: We Muslims NEED to understand the Qur'an, before anyone else.

To make this a doable 'One year Qur'an Study Project,’ I've been posting under the heading of 2010-2011. I will probably repost differently as I revise.

You probably know of my website already, where my Research is posted by Qur'an chapter and verse numbers. Friends have found this to be more convenient:

Qur'an Blog

God bless you, dear companions on this long journey!
May peace reign in your hearts, homes, and lands.

Peace unto all.

Randa Hamwi Duwaji

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Let's think outside the box!

A remarkable poem written by the first Ming Emperor of China, Zhu Yuanzhang (born 1328).

"Since Creation of Universe, Divinity had already appointed, Faith-Preaching Great Saint. From West He was Born,To receive Holy Scripture, With thirty part Book.To guide all Creation, King of all Kings, Leader of Holy Ones. With Support from Divine, To Protect His Nation, With five daily prayers,Silently hoping for peace,With heart toward Allah.Empowering the Poor ,Saving them from calamity,Seeing through the Unseen,Pulling souls and spirits,Away from all wrongdoing. Mercy to the World,Walking ancient Crowned Path, Evil vanquished to One, Religion Pure and True,Muhammad, The Noble High One.

DID YOU KNOW THAT:

Did you know that the term 'rijaal' in Arabic is the plural of 'rajul,' meaning 'man' AS WELL AS the plural of 'rajla' meaning woman? As seen in this everyday dictionary (Mukhtarul Sihah), the connotation is about someone active, on their feet 'arjul' and is not restricted to gender, although that is the more common context. ‘Rijaal’ is not only opposite to ‘nisaa’ but also opposite to ‘rukbaan,’ which means ‘riders’ (on their mount) HQ2:239. In travel, you’d have men, women, or both together, travelling on foot ‘rijaal’ while others would be ‘rukbaan.’ Unfortunately, since the usage of dictionaries is uncommon these days in the Arab/Muslim educational system, only linguists would be familiar with this, whereas common-folk would be misinterpreting and misrepresenting Islam as related to women. We are responsible today, especially if we're Arabs, to at least make sure that each of our families has an Arabic-Arabic dictionary (pocket size costs $1), and more importantly, that each Arabic-teaching school ANYWHERE uses one. Only then perhaps would women in the entire Muslim world feel as welcome in the hallowed halls of learning as men. The Qur'an certainly welcomes them! As for 'Tradition,' let us remember that MOST TRADITIONS have always been biased against women, and that 'Muslim tradition' is kinder than 'Judeo-Christian tradition!' Click on picture.

QUESTION: What is 'siraat?'

* السراط: الطريق الواضح السهل الذي يسلكه المرء في مرٍّ وذهابٍ حتى لكأنّه يغيب فيه. Siraat’ in Arabic is defined as “the clear, smooth road which persons pass through until they seem to disappear into it*.”Variations of the word are used for: the act of swallowing food (‘misrat’ means pharynx)- and ‘sarataan’ is the Arabic name for both ‘crab’ (the crustacean) and ‘cancer’ (the disease). Western linguists (and some Arab commentators influenced by them) have postulated that there are words in the Qur’an that are not Arabic, and that this is one of them. They say that, similar to ‘street,’ ‘strasse,’ strada,’ ‘siraat’ is derived from the Latin ‘strata, stratum’ meaning ‘paved road’. Arab linguists and historians who have studied the Qur’an tell us it is, indeed, the OTHER way around: many Arabic words migrated into other languages during the period when Arabic was the language of information, innovation, architecture, science, and art; when Arabic was the 'Lingua Franca.' There are many other examples which appear in our Posts: Put 'etymology' in 'Search this Site!'

'IQRA': The Challenge

CLICK IMAGE: Tanzil Website

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A BREAKTHROUGH project which helps understand the Qur'an AS REVEALED -not just 'as explained.'

Friday, November 1, 2013

OVERVIEW

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