Understanding Surah al-Baqarah – A Modern Interpretation of the Qur’an in the Light of the Qur’an
Surah al-Baqarah is the longest chapter in the Quran. The 286 verses cover a vast range of topics: from legislative rulings, such as the laws of inheritance, divorce, gambling, wine and usury; to stories of the past prophets including Adam, Abraham, Jacob, Moses and Jesus. The surah grapples with theological issues such as the oneness of God, entry into Heaven, the process of guidance and the concept of Imamate.
Book Title | Understanding Surah al-Baqarah – A Modern Interpretation of the Qur’an in the Light of the Qur’an |
Publisher | Sun Behind the Clouds |
Type | Print Books |
ISBN | |
Date Published | Apr 30, 2022 |
Surah al-Baqarah is the longest chapter in the Quran. The 286 verses cover a vast range of topics: from legislative rulings, such as the laws of inheritance, divorce, gambling, wine and usury; to stories of the past prophets including Adam, Abraham, Jacob, Moses and Jesus. The surah grapples with theological issues such as the oneness of God, entry into Heaven, the process of guidance and the concept of Imamate.
By explaining the context of revelation, Understanding Surah al-Baqarah seeks to draw important lessons and explore a wide variety of subjects that are of significant relevance to contemporary Muslims.
The book discusses fascinating concepts such as male-dominated interpretations of the Quran, gender relations, the need to prefer the spirit of the law, religious pluralism, Muslim sectarianism, anthropomorphic interpretations of the Quran, and the role of free will and determinism in the way God guides his creation.
How did a cow solve a murder?
What happened when Iblis refused to prostrate to Adam?
Why and how did the direction of prayer change?
Can people still go to heaven after abandoning Islam?
How does a person lose their faith?
How can tyrants be topped by great faith?
Find out the answers and much more. This book promises to be a guide for all those seeking to understand Surah al-Baqarah!
Shaykh Bahmanpour is a cleric and a international speaker. His main fields of interest are theology, Islamic mysticism, and Qur’anic sciences and exegeses, including its history and compilation.
He is also interested in the history of Jesus and Mary from an Islamic perspective and has written a screenplay about the life of Mary based on the Islamic sources, which was made into a successful movie. Another of his works on Christian history was the screenplay about The Seven Sleepers of the Cave (Ashab al-Kahf).
Sheikh Bahmanpour has authored several books including Muslim Identity in the 21st Century, ed. (2001), The Idols Will Fall (2010), The Blessed Tree: The Life and Times of Fatima Daughter of Muhammad (2011), Towards Eternal Life (2015), and Understanding Sura Yasin (2018).
Dr Seyfeddin Kara
Dr Seyfeddin Kara is Marie Sklodowska-Curie Global Fellow at the University of Toronto. He is also a Board Member at the American Council for the Study of Islamic Societies. Dr Kara previously was a Teaching Fellow at the University of Durham, UK and Assistant Professor (Imam Ali Chair) at Hartford Seminary, US. He has published research articles in the Journal of Near Eastern Studies, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, the Muslim World and Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs. He is the author of In Search Ali ibn Abi Talib’s Codex: History and Traditions of the Earliest Copy of the Qur’an. He currently writes a monograph on the Textual integrity of the Qur’an.