Islam: Chapter One: The Qur’ān: The Word of God: 4. He Commands

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This is a collection of excerpts from the Quran — Islam's primary scripture — drawn from multiple chapters (primarily Surah 2, with passages from chapters 4, 5, 17, and 24), presented in a formal English verse translation that preserves the rhythmic, elevated style of the original Arabic, consistent with A.J. Arberry's influential rendering. The passages set out core Islamic legal and devotional obligations: the definition of true piety as encompassing belief, charity, prayer, and covenant-keeping; prescriptions for fasting (Ramadan), prayer, and pilgrimage; and rules governing retaliation, marriage, sexual conduct, oaths, and the treatment of orphans. A recurring structural feature is the "they will question thee" formula, in which God instructs the Prophet to answer community questions on wine, spending, and menstruation, establishing divine law through dialogue. The text takes a notably legalistic tone — specifying conditions, exceptions, and punishments (flogging for fornication and false accusation, crucifixion or amputation for those who "fight against God") while consistently pairing severity with reminders of divine mercy and forgiveness for those who repent. Brief editorial footnotes indicate that certain verses were later extended by jurists to cover heretics and social revolutionaries, signaling the text's downstream role in Islamic jurisprudence. A reader interested in Islamic law's scriptural foundations, Quranic literary style, or comparative religious ethics would find this selection directly relevant.

Islam: Chapter One: The Qur’ān: The Word of God: 4. He Commands

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