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Koran, Quran, Qu'ran

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 9:00 am
by William Hupy
I do not understand how it is that a Persian word, meaning "recitation" is used to designate the holy book of an Arab prophet.

Re: Koran, Quran, Qu'ran

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 8:53 pm
by gailr
It's a word with more than one nuance, including proclaim and read; this is part of the opening command of Muhammad's revelation. Muslims believe the book was revealed over the course of 23 years; he recited his revelations to others to be transcribed. The book is to be continually read or recited throughout life by the faithful, not so different from lifelong Bible study for Christians.

Re: Koran, Quran, Qu'ran

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 10:31 pm
by Perry Lassiter
In addition, we live in societies where virtually everyone reads. Over most of the lifetime of the Koran, most Mohammedans could not read, and many still cannot. Thus they memorize by rote, some apparently able to recite all of it. Consider too there was no printing press in the seventh century.

The Bible faced the same situation. Many scholars claim that an oral tradition came first, sung or told as ballad-type poems/sagas. Picture the letters of Paul being read aloud to a dozen or more, meeting in a house.

Re: Koran, Quran, Qu'ran

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 4:17 pm
by Slava
While the two first responses cover the recitation part well, I need to ask a question of William Hupy.

Why do you say this is a Persian word? Koran:
1615, from Arabic qur'an

Re: Koran, Quran, Qu'ran

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 10:18 pm
by Philip Hudson
The source of Koran is definitely Semitic, hence Arabic. Persian (Farsi) is a PIE language. There are some Arabic words that have come from Farsi and vice versa. Arabs and Persians still maintain their separate cultures and languages. Of course the word Koran (or an alternate spelling) is a modern Farsi word as it is an English word.

Re: Koran, Quran, Qu'ran

Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:31 am
by William Hupy
While the two first responses cover the recitation part well, I need to ask a question of William Hupy.

Why do you say this is a Persian word? Koran:
1615, from Arabic qur'an
Oops, because I read a passage wrong. It appears to be Arabic in origin.