Eric Inverson, age 16, of Nashua, N.H., for his question:
JUST WHAT IS THE KORAN?
The Koran is the sacred book of the Muslims. The name Koran means "a recitation" or "something to be recited," presumably in worship. The Muslims believe the Angel Gabriel revealed the Koran to Muhammad and that it contains the words of God. The Koran is slightly shorter than the New Testament. It is made up of verses grouped into 114 chapters called suras. The chapters vary in length from a few lines to several hundred verses. The Koran is written in rhymed Arabic, a language that is especially rich, forceful and beautiful.
For hundreds of years, Muslims refused to translate the Koran into other languages. They thought they should preserve the words of God in their original form. But recenly, the Koran has been translated into Eastern and Western languages.
Muslims believe the Angel Gabriel revealed the Koran to Muhammad a little at a time. The revelations began about A.D. 610 and continued until Muhammad's death in 632. Then his followers, who had written down or memorized the revelations, collected them into the book now known as the Koran. The text was formed about 652.
Muslims consider the Koran to be the words of God Himself and in no sense the composition of Muhammad. They believe that the earthly book, bound between covers, is a copy of the "Well Preserved Tablet," an eternal book that is preserved in heaven.
The central teaching of the Koran is that there is only one God. The word for God in Arabic is Allah. Allah is the creator of the universe and requires Islam or submission to Himself. Allah, in His mercy, sent the Koran as a guide for mankind.
Another important teaching concerns the prophets who have been God's messengers to different peoples. The Koran mentions the prophets Abraham, Moses and Jesus, and many others. It describes Muhammad as the latest of the prophets.
The Koran speaks of a day of judgment when men shall stand before God to account for their lives. It contains many specific teachings designed to regulate the daily lives of Muslims. It requires daily prayers, and it also stresses charity and brotherly love among Muslims. It teaches that one should be humble in spirit, temperate, brave and just.
The influence of the Koran is great. It is one of the most widely read books in the world. Its teachings formed the basis of the great Islamic civilization of the past and it still guides and inspires millions of Muslims.
The Koran is the final authority in matters of faith and practice for all Muslims. The reverence for the holy book is so great that thousands of Muslims learn it by heart.
Parts of the Koran resemble the Bible, the Apocrypha and the Talmud. The Koran contains many stories about the prophets that appear in the Old Testament.
The Koran, like the Bible, forbids lying, stealing, adultery and murder. It teaches honor for parents, patience, kindness, honesty, industry, courage and generosity.