Chapter 2.2: The Cow - Allah is hard core, yet forgiving

The Koran leaves no wiggle room in its respect for itself. "This book is not to be doubted." This is not a postmodern document.

"The Cow" begins with strong statements about believers and unbelievers. There are true believers adn fake true believers (Allah knows the difference), and there are people who deceive only themselves.

There is a sense of divine determinism. Allah keeps unbelievers in their sin. I wonder, is there no chance for the unbeliever to become a believer? Must one be born Muslim to be Muslim? Once an infidel always an infidel?

As a nonbeliever, this strikes some fear intom my heart. I do not yet know from my reading of the Koran what Jihad means, but from popular coverage in the news, I am in trouble.

Now, on the upside, it appears that Allah merely exposes people to truth. good people will experience truth as enlightening while bad people will experience truth as a deception. It appears as a deception because it does not align with their worldview. This perspective is very similar to Judeo-Christian views of God in that your response to God reveals who you ahve chosen to be as much or more than who God is.

As we go a little further along, we get some insight into Adam and Satan. Allah gave Adam the names of things - that's familiar. However, this is pretty interesting: apparently Allah told the angels of Heaven to prostrate themselves before Adam - and they all did except for Satan. Satan became an unbeliever because of pride (very good lesson on the process of falling away from God).

There is a mention of the tree (presumably of the knowledge of good and evil) that Adam and his wife (let's call her Eve) ate from.

Oh, bt here is the place where Allah is forgiving. I like this part. Allah could have squashed Adam, but "relented toward him." However, the curse here appears to be that their offspring will be enemies to each other. I think we can see hat has played out.

There is still much more of "The Cow" to read as it is the longest chapter in the book. PLease continue with me.

Strangely enough, no mention of anything bovine as of yet.

Chapter 2.1: The Cow

The second chapter in the Koran is entitled The Cow. Now, before reading the chapter, I have some initial observations.

Why lead with The Cow? I mean after the initial praise and request for guidance in chapter 1, why the leap into the Bovine?

Well, for one, chapters in the Koran are not ordered chronoligically. According to N. J. Dawood, who translated the version of the Koran I am reading, no one knows the chronological order of the chapters. Traditionally, the chapters were ordered from longest to shortest. It's a sort of arbitrary way to go about it. So, The Cow being placed at the beginning does not mean it was written first.

But still, being placed at the beginning makes The Cow the longest chapter in The Koran. Length can denote importance.

It will be interesting to see what happens in this chapter.

Chapter 1: The Exordium

Chapter 1 text in 3 English versions.

Here we begin the Koran with praise and description of Allah. From the get go Allah is placed at the top. It's almost as if Mohammed is giving every ultimate descriptor for Allah he can think of: merciful, compassionate, master of the day of Judgment - Allah is everything.

Allah also seems to be a Deity of contrasts. Worthy of worship and also capable of great wrath. Apparently there are those worthy of this wrath.

Mohammed asks on behalf of some "we" for guidance from Allah. Guidance is good. Mohammed knows where to start and what to ask for.

There is also this sense that Allah is ready and willing at any time to unleash wrath. There is a fear-based obedience.

If not fear (big if), it is certainly respect. Allah owns all power, that much is clear. It is a respect for the great power of Allah. More will have to be known about this Allah in order to understand what causes wrath to be unleashed. More will have to be learned if Allah induces fear or respect - or both.

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