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| Olde Tyme Religion |
| Scholars Scrutinize the Koran's Origin - A Promise of Moist Virgins or Dried Fruit? |
| 2006-06-10 |
| Posted by:3dc |
| #8 "This book is not to be doubted," the Koran declares unequivocally at its beginning." Unlike the Bible or the Torah, which were the work of human writers under the inspiration and hand of G*d, the Quran was "given" to Mohammed by an angel, and thus inviolate. Of course the same thing "happend" to Joseph Smith. I shall leave it to the reader as to what all that entails. |
| Posted by: Fordesque 2006-06-10 21:26 |
| #7 This is my favourite resource when dealing with Islamists, along with this of course |
| Posted by: tipper 2006-06-10 12:47 |
| #6 Die syro-aramaeische Lesart des Koran; Ein Beitrag zur Entschlüsselung der QurÂ’ānsprache by Christoph Luxenberg [1] Not in the history of commentary on the QurÂ’ān has a work like this been produced. Similar works can only be found in the body of text-critical scholarship on the Bible. From its method to its conclusions on the language and content of the QurÂ’ān, LuxenbergÂ’s study has freed scholars from the problematic tradition of the Islamic commentators. Whether or not Luxenberg is correct in every detail, with one book he has brought exegetical scholarship of the QurÂ’ān to the “critical turn” that biblical commentators took more than a century ago. This work demonstrates to all exegetes of the Qur'an the power of the scientific method of philology and its value in producing a clearer text of the Qur'an. Scholars of the first rank will now be forced to question the assumption that, from a philological perspective, the Islamic tradition is mostly reliable, as though it were immune to the human error that pervades the transmission of every written artifact. If biblical scholarship is any indication, the future of QurÂ’ānic studies is more or less decided by this work [25] In section twelve Luxenberg demonstrates that not only the origin and language of the QurÂ’ān are different from what the commentators who wrote two hundred years after its inception claim it to be, but that several key passages contain words or idioms that were borrowed from Syriac into Arabic. [26] Section thirteen uncovers evidence of Aramaic morphology in the grammar of the QurÂ’ān. Instances of ungrammatical gender agreement (feminine subject or noun with a masculine verb or modifier) arose because Syriac feminine forms were misread as an Arabic masculine singular accusative predicate adjective or participle where the governing noun is a feminine subject. In Syriac, predicate adjectives and participles are in the absolute form (predicate form). A feminine singular Syriac form transcribed into Arabic is identical to a genuine Arabic masculine singular accusative form. This phenomenon is quite pervasive in the QurÂ’ān [33] Of the several related examples in sections 15.2 – 15.9, Luxenberg follows the virgins of paradise through the QurÂ’ān. In section 15.2, Luxenberg observes that azwaj, “spouses,” also can mean “species, kinds” (suras 2:25, 3:15, and 4:57). The latter reading makes more sense “therein also are all kinds of pure (fruits).” Luxenberg links to the misunderstanding of sura 44:54 zawwaj, “join, marry.” The misinterpretation of one verse spills over into the related thematic content of another. The other sections are also well-argued. Of special interest are the discussions in sections 15.5 – 15.6 of suras 55:56 and 55:70, 72, 74, respectively, which state, referring to the virgins of paradise “whom deflowered before them has neither man nor jinn.” Instead, these are the grapes of paradise “that neither man nor jinn have defiled.” Luxenberg points out that sura 55:72 evidences another QurÂ’ānic parallel to Ephraem, who writes that the vines of paradise abound in “hanging grapes.”10 |
| Posted by: john 2006-06-10 12:43 |
| #5 Well, that vowel thing applies to Hebrew also. |
| Posted by: buwaya 2006-06-10 12:28 |
| #4 "This book is not to be doubted," the Koran declares unequivocally at its beginning. That alone would be enough to convince me! This whole virgins/raisins thing is a perfect example of what comes from writing books in a written language that has no vowels. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2006-06-10 11:56 |
| #3 I think it would be fun to set up a concession at the next demonstration/riot here. Sell boxes of raisins to be handed to every nutbar burning a flag or screaming "death to America" or ululating in the streets. "Here ya go, buddy. Enjoy!" |
| Posted by: Thinemp Whimble2412 2006-06-10 10:24 |
| #2 Face it, the Koran is a load of horseshit. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2006-06-10 09:26 |
| #1 The "White Raisin Riots". Coming soon. |
| Posted by: Thinemp Whimble2412 2006-06-10 09:10 |