Various Aspects of the Koran - Research Paper Example

The Koran Abstract This essay examines various aspects of the Koran and advances an evaluative perspective on these elements. In considering the Koran its presentation of the treatment and status of women, marriage, divorce, and polygamy; the justification of holy war (jihad); suicide; use of alcohol; justice and its administration; as well as principles of faith are all examined. The essay shows that there are many passages within the Koran that demonstrate a stark bias of men over women, including in aspects of marriage, divorce, and polygamy. Still there are many elements that call for the equitable treatment of women. Regarding jihad, while the Koran makes provisions for war, it is up to interpretation the extent that it actively encourages jihad. Suicide is prohibited in the Koran, however provisions and rewards are promise martyrs. The use of alcohol is never directly prohibited, but passages can be interpreted as such. Justice and retribution are to be administered in accord with balance, and women are to be treated equitably in this regard. Faith is understood as a highly interpretable concept. Finally, a personal evaluation is advanced that considers the confluence of these findings. Treatment and status of women In examining the Koran there are a number of instances where the treatment of women is addressed in both derogatory and positive ways. While the Islam and the Koran have received particular attention for their stilted treatment of women, there are many such elements in the Bible. Perhaps the most intriguing elements of the Koran are those that speak to the superiority of men over women. One will note the famous words in Genesis wherein God indicates man is to have agency over women. There are similar elements found in the Koran. In Sura 4:34 it is indicated that, “Men have authority over women because Allah has made the one superior to the other” (Dawood, 2004). Indeed, many scholars have noted the centrality of this quote to interpretations of the Koran as misogynistic and highly biased against women (Ahmed, 1993). While the Koran shows an apparent favoritism showed towards men, there are also a number of instances wherein it demonstrates equitable treatment of women. For instance, in Sura 33:35 the Koran indicates that, “Allah has got ready forgiveness and tremendous rewards for the Muslim men and women” (Dawood, 2004). In these regards, scholars note that the Koran indicates that women have an equal status to men in terms of religion (Barlas 2002). The Koran also instructs men to treat women equitably. Sura 4:19 states, “Ye are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should ye treat them with harshness...except where they have been guilty of open lewdness; on the contrary live with them on a footing of kindness and equity” (Dawood, 2004). Ultimately it seems that while there is equitable treatment of women advanced, it is generally within the framework of male control. Marriage and polygamy There also exist a number of instances where the Koran addresses marriage and polygamy as it relates to the treatment and status of women. For instance, Sura 4 addresses the question of polygamy, greatly placing men at an advantage to women. It states, If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry woman of your choice, two or three or four, but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or that which your right hands possess that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice (Ahmed, 1993). When examining those quote from a Western perspective one is drawn to what out of context appears highly sensational by contemporary standards. This quote from the Koran is essentially saying that it is permitted for men to marry up to four women as long as they are able to deal with them justly. Scholars note that this element has been justified in terms of adultery, with individuals indicating that some men may have such high sexual drives that in order for them not to commit adultery it is necessary for them to marry multiple women (Sookhdeo, 2008). Divorce When considering divorce the Koran is similarly biased in favor of men, however one may note that it has a more liberal take on the subject than one might expect. It’s generally understood that the Koran’s provisions for divorce are much easier for men than women, as men need to only indicate their intention for a divorce, whereas women need to go to extreme measures to achieve one. For men the Koran indicates in Sura 2:226, “Those who swear off from their women they must wait four months; but if they break their vow God is forgiving and merciful. And if they intend to divorce them, verily, God hears and knows” (Dawood, 2004). The Koran also indicates the actions, what one might call alimony, which a man must take as contingent on whether they touched (slept with) with woman before the divorce. In this instance ‘the wealthy according to his power’ is to provide for the woman according to reason. In these regards, it’s clear that while the Koran may in many regards appear biased against women this may partly be a reflection of the social climate in which it was written and not out-rightly a latent misogynism. Justification of a holy war (jihad) There are a number of statements within the Koran that can be interpreted as promoting a holy war (jihad). Consider, for instance, Sura 2:190 states, “Fight in the way of God those who fight you” and Sura 2:216 which states, “Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not” (Dawood, 2004). While it’s clear that these passages make provisions for war, scholars debate the extent to which these passages actually promote holy war (jihad) ("Jihad: the holy," 2010). It’s been argued that there are separate sorts of commands regarding holy war, both conditional and unconditional ("Jihad: the holy," 2010). It seems then that in some instances the Koran seems to indicate that it is necessary for its adherents to carry out religious war unprovoked, whereas in other instances it is a conditional proposition such that jihad is contingent on external circumstances. Consider a particularly striking passage from Sura 4:95 that states, “Not equal are those Believers who sit (at home) and receive no hurt, and those who [jihad] strive and fight in the cause of Allah with their goods and their persons” (Dawood, 2004). In this passage it seems to indicate that individuals who do engage in jihad, while not compelled, will be favored more than individuals who refrain. Ultimately the question of whether the Koran promotes jihad is open to interpretation. Suicide While the Koran strictly prohibits suicide, it does make room for individual martyrdom. Consider Sura 4:29, which has been interpreted as prohibiting suicide, “O you who believe...do not kill your people” (Dawood, 2004). While suicide is prohibited there are a number of instances where martyrdom is encouraged through promises in the afterlife. For instance, Sura 3:169 states, “And reckon not those who are killed in Allah's way as dead; nay, they are alive (and) are provided sustenance from their Lord” and 3:171 where “Allah will not waste the reward of the believers” (Dawood, 2004). While the promises of reward are not as sensationalistic as some might understand, it’s clear that there is nevertheless a reward promised for those that die as martyrs. Use of alcohol While the Koran doesn’t explicitly prohibit alcohol there are a number of passages that can easily be interpreted as frowning on its usage. For instance; Sura 5:90 states, “Strong drinks...are only an infamy of Satan's handiwork. Leave it aside in order that ye may succeed;" similarly Sura 2:219 states, “They question thee about strong drink...Say: In both is great harm and utility for men; but the harm of them is greater than their usefulness” (Dawood, 2004). In these regards, while the Koran doesn’t explicitly reject alcohol use it suggests individuals avoid it to live a better life. Justice and its administration As justice is one of the central concerns of the Koran it is difficult to encapsulate in examining a few passages. In the Koran, justice pervades every aspect of daily life, and the goal of the individual should be to achieve a balance among all these aspects (Ibrahim, 2007). For instance, consider Sura 17:35 which states, “Give full measure when you measure, and weigh with a balance that is straight” (Dawood, 2004). When this balance is broken the Koran makes provisions for retribution. In these regards, social laws are to be made that enact retribution but only in accord with guidelines that have been established by the Koran. Furthermore, while many instances in Koran arguably express a bias towards men, in terms of justice the Koran makes it explicitly clear that women are to be treated just as equitably as men. Principles of faith There are a number of varying interpretations by what is meant by faith in Islam. Schirrmacher (1997) indicates that in the Koran faith “means 'to consider something to be sure and reliable' without doubting.” In these regards, it has a similar meaning to the concept as presented in Christianity. It is also similar in that the individual’s faith will determine their judgment on the day of reckoning. As one might expect there are varying interpretations of faith in the Koran. These interpretations generally surround the extent that faith is an inner quality or must be professed outwardly; and the extent that faith is the essential factor in determining one’s place in the afterlife or if one must also combine it with adherence to their duties and responsibilities as outlined by the Koran. Conclusion In considering the confluence of this examination of the Koran, there are a number of notable points. In great part it seems that there is a bias towards men or women, even greater than that in the Christian Bible. Still, one must question that this is merely an aspect of the social climate it was written and the extent it truly represents an artifact of mysogynism. Some scholars note that the view is not biased, but equitable in its own way; that is, it is a society in which the woman is in charge inside of the house while the man has more power outside. Similarly, there is considerable evidence for the promotion of jihad. Even in view of these elements it’s clear that there are a multitude of positive elements that represent positive and strong values even in contemporary society. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the individual to use their own moral compass rather than blindly following a book. References Ahmed, L. (1993) Women and gender in Islam: historical roots of a modern debate. Yale University Press. Barlas, A. (2002) "Believing Women" in Islam: Unreading Patriarchal Interpretations of the Quran. Texas: University of Texas Press. Dawood, N.J. Edt (2004). The Koran. New York: Penguin Classics. Ibrahim, A. (2007). Balance & justice. Retrieved from http://www.clearvisionpk.com/Justice.html Jihad: the holy war of Islam and its legitamacy in the Quran. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.al-islam.org/short/jihad/ Schirrmacher, C. (1997). the meaning of faith in Islam . Retrieved from http://www.contra- mundum.org/schirrmacher/faith.html Sookhdeo, R. (2008) Secrets behind the Burqua. Ohio: Isaac Publishing. Read More