'THE QURAN IN CONVERSATION' IS A BOOK FOR CURIOUS LEARNERS

IINA Quran — Over half of the Americans (54%) know that the Qur’an is Islam’s holy book.

Hoston, 19 Rabiul Awwal 1436/10 January 2015 (MINA) – Over half of the Americans (54%) know that the Qur’an is Islam’s holy book. Based on that number, it is likely that much less have much knowledge of its contents or if they do, they only know what is given to them by popular pundits, mainstream media, and polemical parties ranging from the liberal to the strictly conservative, Houston Chronicle online news reported quoting writer Ken Chitwood.

The writer made these comments while reviewing a book on Qur’an namely ‘The Quran in Conversation,’ International Islamic News Agency (IINA) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The Qur’an is the foundation and form of Muslim belief and ritual, providing an outline of their doctrine and a playbook for their piety, it is a complex collection of revelation that, for Muslims deserves the utmost respect, attention, repetition, and faithful interpretation, Ken Chitwood pointed out.

Increasingly, it also demands our attention, respect, and faithful engagement and in order to befriend and dialogue with our Muslim neighbors, coworkers, and community members in a compassionate, and informed manner we need to approach the Qur’an with charity and a zeal for apperception from a Muslim perspective, not with our own lenses.

The Qur’an is quick becoming an American scripture, and the book ‘The Quran in Conversation’ provides a rich opportunity to understand it as such. As the editor Dr. Michael Berkel wrote in his introduction, “

This book is written for readers of goodwill who are curious to learn more, who are rightly suspicious of rancorous distortions of Islam, and who would like to hear thoughtful Muslims themselves talk about their Scripture in ways that outsiders can comprehend.”

Relying on the first-hand accounts of more than twenty Muslims scholars and leaders, Berkel has assembled a collection of fresh American Muslim voices that speak to relevant issues of Islamic theology, women and Islam, global Islam, relationships with “the religious other,” and others.

Dr. Berkel said in an interview about his book, “One theme that emerged again and again during my conversation with Muslim community, one not portrayed in the wider media, was that of mercy and compassion.” This idea of rahma (mercy) is at the center of the Islamic experience. The fundamental nature of Allah is mercy.

He added, the sense of divine mercy overcoming all else came up again and again as a quality of God, therefore, I learned that whatever they say and you think Islam is, it is bigger and wider than that. (T/P011/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)