The Koran

1. The Koran A. D. 610-632 from Mack, et. al. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. New York: W.W. Norton, 1997.

2. Islamic Metaphysics: The Koran Earthly duplicate, or avatar of divine Koran in Paradise. It is divind, immortal and infinite. It is untranslateable. It is God’s final revelation of his Providence. It is a guide to moral conduct on earth.

3. Muhammad: Prophet of God Revealed to him from 610-632 by Angel Gabriel. Recorded by his disciples.

4. Structure of The Koran Revealed as a “recitation” of an oral tradition. Dialogic format. Organized into verses (aya) and chapters (Suras) Received in either Mecca or Medina, Muhammad’s two homes. Charms, incantations to glory of God. Sermons to the pious.

5. Style and Content: Admonition and Guidance Exhortations to fear and obedience to God Promise of Paradise Warning to doubters Appeals to social justice for widows and orphans Legal codes

6. Structure of Devotion Exordium is spoken at the beginning of every formal address. Inscribed at the head of every written document. Begins every prayer.

7. Links to Judaism and Christianity • Joseph is a prophet, and his story is the central thread of the Koran. • References Genesis 36-38. • A divinely guided man who is tested. • No doctrine of Original Sin. • Core doctrine: trust God. • Jesus is a prophet, but not the Son. • Jesus is not martyred by the Romans. • Noah warns people to avoid evil and brings down God’s wrath.

8. Basic Moral Precepts Divinely mandated (Metaphysically good) No original sin, but man is weak (moral evil) Women are to be respected, cared for, and modest. Incest, adultery, and suicide are forbidden. Providence is given to believers.

9. Core Problems and Solutions • Human sin (moral evil), driven by pride, is the great destructive power. • Total devotion creates eternal reward. • Materialism is always a threat to Faith. • Renunciation reinforces the will to believe.

10. On the Concept of Jinn I Jinn is a word of the collective number in Arabic, derived from the Arabic root j-n-n meaning 'to hide' or 'be hidden'. Other words derived from this root are majnūn 'mad' (literally, 'one whose intellect is hidden'), junūn 'madness', and janīn 'embryo, fetus' ('hidden inside the womb') The Arabic root j-n-n means 'to hide, conceal'.

11. Jinn II Jinn (Arabic: جنjinn, singular جنيjinnī; variant spelling djinn) or genies are supernatural creatures in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings which occupy a parallel world to that of mankind.

12. On the Concept of Genii The word genie in English is derived from Latin genius, which meant a sort of tutelary or guardian spirit thought to be assigned to each person at their birth. Any individual wielding such power was termed in Latin a genius; in Greek, a daimon (Latinized to daemon). A divinity was known by its manifestation of power. Lacking a concept of material energy, the ancients attributed all ability to produce an effect to divinity.

13. On the Concept of Genius In ancient Roman religion, the genius was the individual instance of a general divine nature that is present in every individual person, place or thing. "Eudaimonia" is a central concept in ancient Greek ethics, along with the term "arete", most often translated as "virtue", and phronesis, often translated as "practical or moral wisdom."[4]