Understanding The Qur'an: A Contemporary Approach Paperback – September 1, 2004

I bought this book for a spiritual book group. I found the information interesting, but a little preachy at times. I wish the author had included information on the chapters of the Quran. All in all, a good first understanding of this holy book.

Really good book

As a young adult, I was familiar with Dr. Mahmoud and his early writings (the Mystery of death, the Mystery of life, Satan,...etc), since I read most of them and used to see him as a best seller, non religious writer that happened to publish his books through my family's publishing house (Dar el Nahda el Arabia- the Arabic Renaissance) in Cairo, Egypt. However, "Understanding the Quran, A contemporary approach" was originally published as weekly magazine articles, with many answers to reader's religious questions in a stage that marked a shift from atheism to belief in Dr. Mahmoud's life.This book, both in its original Arabic text and current English translation, is a great source of knowledge about the Quran for a reader in either language. When it was first published in Arabic the early eighties, it represented progressive thinking that stirred many discussions and raised many brows. Dr. Mahmoud is a physician and a scientist how fulfills the description of a renaissance man. Dr. Enani, the translator for this work, did a great job in communicating the spirit as well as the specifics of the text with an appropriate introduction of the author, and preface of the book.The book includes fourteen chapters. Each chapter independently addresses a sophisticated topic and attempts to answer eternal questions that may linger in the minds of any human being from an Islamic point of view and based on the Quran. The main criteria of Dr. Mahmoud's approach to these answers are methodical, logical and knowledgeable integration of the explanations and supporting them with relevant and clear quotations from the Quran. He contemplates many of the "signs" in the Quran with a scientific perception that has only been available to contemporary scientists. For instance, the shaping of the earth in an egg-shaped object, the mention of a constant cloud-like motion of the mountains and the role of the sperm in defining the sex of the fetus are examples of miracles revealed in a 15,000 old revealed text.He discusses the philosophy of right and wrong from an Islamic (religious) vs. civilized non-religious prospective. He explains the quranic linguistic structure, the nature of hell-fire/paradise, human responsibility vs predestination, the names of God, the Day of Judgment, the human sole and its nature in addition to the philosophy of monotheism as clearly explained in the Quran.It is curious to read his specific statements regarding "the ultimate sin" as he defines it as "fanaticism/extremism". He explained that as being selfish; believing in yourself, your desires, and the bigoted close-minded adherence to your tribe, family or ethnicity with arrogance and dismissal of the others. He adds that the association with God or idol- worshiping always mentioned in the Quran as the gravest sin, self-worshiping is the contemporary and worst form of idolatry.He emphasis that Quran focuses consistently commanding that knowledge should always be followed/associated with deeds. He explains away the mystery about mystics (Sufism) in Islam, and how the so-called Muslims today do not adhere to Islamic values. He provides a comprehensive explanation of many concepts from an Islamic prospective e.g., "the belief in the unseen-e.g., angles, Satan, Jin", the nature of sin/punishment in Islam, the attitude towards slavery, and he explains the highest miracle of the Quran.In conclusion, this book is a landmark in the Muslim and Arabic contemporary thinking. It provides the non-Muslim reader with a balanced and a representative approach to understand many of the concepts in the most important text for any Muslim. For the Muslim reader, this book provides snapshots and an enlightened opinion that address many important daily questions with a comprehensive support from the Quran. I give it five stars for foresight, leadership and enligthened approach.

Exceptional book for a revolutionary writer who understands the true values of Islam away from the Extrimism