Few Muslims realise that there are several Korans in circulation in the Islamic world, with textual variations whose significance, extent, and meaning have never been properly examined. This work contains articles that address the history, linguistics, and religious implications of these not-trifling variants in Islam's sacred book.
The sacred book of Islam, "The Koran", is the subject of voluminous commentary, yet it rarely receives the kind of objective critical scrutiny that has been applied to the texts of the Bible. This volume aims to correct this neglect of objective scholarship, and features commentaries on "The Koran" published from the beginning of the 20th century.
To Muslims the Hadith literature represents the Koran in action, stories of 'revelation made concrete in the life of the Prophet. Among the orthodox they are considered as sacred as the Koran itself. This work provides non-Muslims many insights into the mindset of the average Muslim who is raised on these traditions about Muhammad.
Emphasizes on the role and character of the Torah's transcendent God, as its central protagonist. This book provides a text that uses theistic means appropriate to its time to inspire people toward their worthiest human purposes. It offers insights into the wide-ranging legal code of "Genesis", "Exodus", "Numbers", "Deuteronomy", and "Leviticus".
Brings together critical essays which raise key issues surrounding Islam's holy book, Koran. This anthology begins with Theodor Noldeke's first truly scientific study of the Koran. It focuses on the difficulty of establishing a reliable Koranic text, examining the Jewish, Christian, and Zoroastrian sources of Muhammad's 'revelation'.
Was Jesus of Nazareth a real historical person or a fictional character in a religious legend? What do the Dead Sea Scrolls reveal about the origins of Christianity? Has there been a conspiracy to suppress information in the Scrolls that contradicts traditional church teaching? This book addresses these and many other questions.
The king decides to abdicate in favor of Rama; but just as the celebrations reach their climax, a court intrigue forces Rama and Sita into fourteen years banishment; they dutifully accept their fate, and go off to the jungle. The other brothers refuse to benefit from his misfortune, which leaves nobody to run the city.
The skies darken for the exiles, who have taken refuge in forest hermitages. First one demon, then another, attempts to harm or corrupt them. When these efforts fail, an army of demons is sent, and then a bigger one, but each time Rama again defeats them. Finally Ravana, the supreme lord of the demons, decides to cripple Rama by capturing Sita.