The Qur'an

What Everyone Needs to Know

By: Jane McAuliffe

Narrated by: Rosemary Benson

Millions of non-Muslims know the name of the Muslim scripture, whether it is written as "Qur'an" or "Quran" or "Koran." But for most, that is all they know. Many have fallen victim to the mass of misinformation that circulates about the Qur'an. Others may have tried to read the Qur'an, but the text itself is tough to decipher. With no sense of context, chronology, or interpretive history, many would-be readers of the Qur'an quickly give up the effort. As for those trying to find out what the Qur'an says about any particular subject or issue, they, too, soon discover that this is not a simple or straightforward undertaking.

A clear, concise introduction to the holy book that guides the lives of 1.6 billion people on our planet, this brief volume opens the world of the Qur'an to interested listeners who want to know where this scripture came from and how it has achieved a profound influence in today's world. Writing in an accessible question-and-answer format, Jane McAuliffe, one of the world's foremost scholars of the Qur'an, introduces listeners to this important text by discussing its origins, structure, themes, interpretations, and what it has to say about a host of critical contemporary issues.

©2020 Oxford University Press (P)2020 Tantor

If you’re looking for an unvarnished review of the Koran, this isn’t it.

I came to this to try and discover why there is so much violence associated with Islamic countries and apparent hatred of non-Muslims. To hear this author tell it, the world is peace and light. For instance, for the section about the Koran’s recognition of other religions, the author only says - and I’m paraphrasing here - yeah, they knew about other religions, they just think theirs is better…hummm ok,