According to Islamic tradition, the Qurʾan is not simply an Inspired Scripture. It is a Divine Book that the Angel Gabriel brought down from heaven to Prophet Muhammad, and its message is the key to paradise. As students progress through this course, they explore the Qurʾan, which is Divine Word to over a one and a half billion people around the globe. Through lectures, interactive learning activities, research, and discussions, students get to explore various aspects of the sacred scripture, including its messages, the historical context in which It originated, and the different ways in which Muslims have approached and interpreted It. Topics of learning and discussion include issues of the translatability and untranslatability of the Qurʾan, theories of abrogation, peculiarities of the Meccan and Medinan Chapters, occasions of revelation, and the links between the Scripture and the Prophetic tradition or Sunnah. Students also develop an in-depth understanding about the history of Qurʾanic compilation.
