Summary
Analysis of the book Approaching the Qur’an: The Early Revelations by Michael Sells demonstrates that its main purpose consists in the expression of the information about the importance of the Qur’an for every Muslim. This book unites people of the different nationalities as it is the source of the vital existential themes.Describing the content of book, the author indicates that there are the same messages as in the Torah and the Bible; however, the Qur’an contains the messages about the prophets of the Arab tradition and Muhammad is major figure among them. As the content of the Qur’an touches upon all essential aspects of life, the political, economical, social and legal issues provided in the Qur’an are still appropriate and highly important for every Muslim country. Sells underlines the point that the messages of the Qur’an are the direct transmission from God.
Explanation
The most important point of the book Approaching the Qur’an: The Early Revelations by Michael Sells is that the Qur’an is the main book of the Islamic countries which has a significant meaning for every Muslim.From early childhood, Muslim boys and girls learn and memorize verses from the Qur’an and then the whole Suras. Children get to know about vital existential themes, reading them on Arabic no matter of the nationality of a child. Besides, the author describes the content of the Qur’an, indicating that its messages begin from the creation of Adam, the stories of Noah, Abraham, and Isaac. Then, there are messages about Moses, John the Baptist and Jesus. Thus, the Qur’an contains the same stories as Torah and Bible, but extends them with the prophets of the Arab tradition and especially Muhammad.
The following citation expresses the most important point: “As the students learn these Suras, they are not simply learning something by rote, but rather interiorizing the inner rhythms, sound patterns, and textual dynamics – taking it to heart in the deepest manner” (Sells 11). This sentence emphasizes that the students not just learn the messages of the Qur’an; they have to feel it, comprehend and take as the essential statements of life. Such method is different than one which presents in Christianity. For Muslim people, the religious studying is inseparable part of their education and life in general. Thus, another citation confirms this statement: The Qur’anic experience is not the experience of reading a written text from beginning to end. Rather, the themes, stories, hymns, and laws of the Qur’an are woven through the life stages of the individual, the key moments of the community, and the sensual world of the town and village.
Life is punctuated by the recitation of the Qur’an by trained reciters who speak from the minarets of mosques, on the radio, and from cassettes played by bus drivers, taxi drivers, and individuals. (Sells 12). This citation makes a critical point in relation to the topic because it indicates an absolute influence of messages of the Qur’an on the whole aspects of life. Therefore, it is possible to comprehend why every Muslim appreciates the book and protects its ideas and statements. The author provides the citations from the book, analyzing it. Sells wants to underline the meaning of Qur’an and brings the respect of the essential resonance of the messages which were given by the prophet Muhammad.
