The Everything Koran Book: Understand the Origins and Influence of the Muslim Holy Book and the Teachings of Allah

by Duaa Anwar

Book Overview

"Recent events have caused tremendous interest in the Muslim religion, yet very few people understand its important tenets, as outlined in its holy book, the Koran. The Everything Koran Book , written by Duaa Anwar-an Egyptian Muslim raised in the United Arab Emirates-is your essential reference to understanding the principle teachings of Allah, as revealed in the 114 chapters of the Koran. Offering a wealth of information on the history and significance...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 159337139X
• ISBN13: 9781593371395
• Release Date: October 2004
• Publisher: Everything
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.9" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Good foundation knowledge of Islam and the Koran

I live in a country surrounded by predominantly Muslim countries. About 20 percent of my country's population is Muslim, so a good understanding of Islam is both important and useful, and what better way to understand Islam through knowing the Koran? This book covers most of the important topics in the Koran. Do not expect an in-depth coverage for a book less than 300 pages. It gives you the basic knowledge and hopefully stimulates your interest in the holy book of the Muslims. I already know quite a fair bit about Islam before reading this book, as I have some Muslim friends. But glad to say that the author still managed to add to my knowledge. The most important contribution of this book, in my opinion, is that it clarifies some common misconceptions of Islam and Muslims. Read it with an open mind and I am sure you will be captivated.

Captivating and excellent resource about the Koran

If you want to learn everything about Islam and the Koran, this is the book for you. Of course, it doesn't really discuss absolutely everything, as that would probably require a hundred volumes or so, but it summarizes all the basic points. This book talks about an interesting variety of subjects, including the origin of the Koran, Prophet Muhammad's life, basic Islamic beliefs, etc. It also includes fun topics such as the jinn, miracles, and science. It is written in a simple format in an unformal writing style, which adds to its appeal. I read it almost from cover to cover and quite enjoyed it.

Comprehensive Guide to Basic Understanding of the Koran

I have to disagree with the reviewer who states that this book is avoiding critical subjects and is mostly presenting a modern Muslim woman's point of views. When read from cover to cover, one understands the basic concepts in the Koran and learns to apply them to whatever else is contained in the Holy Book. The Everything Koran book is not designed to discuss absolutely everything in the Koran, as the author clearly mentions in the introduction: "Although this book is in no way exhaustive of the entire Koran, it has taken the essence of the Koran and put together a guide suited for a curious observer or an intermediate learner." I have also noticed that there aren't that many Hadiths (quotes of Muhammad) mentioned what would neccessitate citation. There are hundreds of supportive cited verses from the Koran that are more than enough to prove the author's points. This book is also NOT about the author's opinion, but states facts and interpretations of Koranic verses as globally and historically agreed upon by Islamic scholars. If I was looking for a personal view of Islam, I would have bought another book. There is an enormous wealth of information in this book! A reader not only learns basic concepts such as the origin of the Koran, Prophet Muhammad, and Islamic beliefs, but also faces astonishing revelations about women's rights (turns out women are doing quite well in Islam!), family values, polygamy, forbidden foods, criminal justice, politics and economics, marriage and sexuality, creation, heaven and hell, the last day, life after death, and presents a most-intruiging chapter about the Jinn and Satan! Violence and terrorism are not ignored either, with an entire chapter dedicated to discussing and explaning the Koran's verses about war, which once given a bit of thought, makes perfect sense. There are also a couple of fascinating chapters about scientific facts found in the Koran and discovered in the twentieth century. Finally, the book closes with a chapter comparing the Islamic, Christian, and Jewish beliefs. The Everything Koran Book is not in any way preachy, either. Common western conceptions are bravely faced and thoroughly discussed. It's an enjoyable and informative book that makes learning about Islam easy and entertaining. It discusses all the important subjects in the Koran, and also provides the reader with the tools to correctly understand the rest of the Holy Book.

Clear and concise

I didn't know much about Islam except what I used to hear from people and the media, but this book has given me a lot of knowledge, and also proves that a lot of things we hear are fabricated. If you want to find out the truth, I suggest you read this book. I totally disagree with one reviewer who said that this is an uncritical view of Islam because it is exactly the opposite. It presents ideas and concepts that westerners don't like about Islam, and totally discusses them using supportive verses from the Koran, and providing a new enlightenment to the reader. Some chapters are very serious, while others are very interesting, such as the one about the Jinn. I really like how the author simply offers facts and interpretations of different scholars rather than her own opinion. I think this is a credible work that can broaden the horizon of anyone, not just someone wanting to learn about Islam. I was also surprised how Islam now makes a lot of sense, even more than some other religions. Read it with an open mind, I guarantee that you will enjoy it.