Street Prophets

Ramadan Day 30: Verses from the Quran (last diary in series)

by lauramp

Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 07:58:19 PM PDT

Each day during Ramadan, I have been presenting a verse from the Quran with a few thoughts or comments. An introduction to this series is here. Inshallah (God willing), I hope that this may be of benefit to any who are interested in learning a bit more about Islam and Muslim belief.

As it turns out, Ramadan had 29 days this year (the new crescent moon was sighted in North America this evening) so I'm posting the last day's passage today. I hope nobody minds the two diaries in one day!

Quran 112:1, 112:2, 112:3, 112:4:

Say: He is God, One, God the Eternal. He does not beget and was not begotten. And there is nothing that is like Him
This simple and succint statement sums up monotheism in the Islamic belief. It is the whole of the 112th surah (chapter) and was described by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as "one third of the Quran".

Eid mubarak! Have a blessed festival of Eid al-Fitr to end Ramadan!


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  • Tip Jar (0 / 0)

    This brings the Ramadan Quran series to an end. I hope that everybody enjoyed it and perhaps learned something from it, God willing.

    The month of fasting is over, but I can hardly wait until next year. Ramadan is one of my favorite times of the year.

    Eid mubarak!

    "Riches does not mean having a great amount of property, but riches is self-contentment." (Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him)

    by lauramp on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 07:47:38 PM PDT

    • Thank you! (0 / 0)

      I really appreciated this series.

      Eid mubarak!

      by kailash on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 09:39:01 PM PDT

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    • yes thank you so much Laura (0 / 0)

      for your dedication and the education and enjoyment this series has provided.

      by Elizabeth D on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 09:52:36 PM PDT

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    • Laura, (0 / 0)

      I want to thank you for your regular and concerted effort to do this all month. I missed about a week of blogging due to out of town visitors but I checked back in with your diaries. This was a devoted effort on your part and I want you to know how deeply appreciative I, and many others I'm sure, have been throughout.

      A couple of thoughts. In the beginning you spoke a bit more personally about the struggle and fatigue you felt while adjusting to fasting. It appeared that this waned over the month which perhaps is demonstrative of the settling in that this must require. For a person such as I, this was an interesting nugget to ponder as I wonder how well I would do?

      Sprinkled throughout your diary comments and from my own son, with whom I shared some of the diaries, I saw an interesting phenomonen. People would personalize your quotes and comments into scripture, sayings, quotes or standard daily living cliches (cliche is not a bad word). What I was able to discuss with my son David was the Universiality of Wisdom and the respect that is due to each component. Funny, though, he already knew that. He's an old soul, that one.

      Finally and perhaps most provocatively, is your religion. If I were to say in passing to my sister, whom I love dearly but also whom I would label a "fundy", that I shared your posts with my son she just would not get it. And perhaps with the current political atmosphere my son would pick up, even unknowingly, the prejudice and hatred born out of misunderstanding of your beliefs. Your diaries brought a simple and comprehensive jumping point for discussion for us. For that I am deeply grateful.

      Best of thoughts, prayers and happiness for you as you close this very important month, Laura.

      Regards-Judie

      by one bite at a time on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 09:54:36 PM PDT

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      • reflections (0 / 0)

        This has actually been one of the easier Ramadans for me, although I haven't ever had real trouble with it, thank God. What's odd is that this has been probably one of the most exhausting months at work for me. I've put in a lot of extra hours and been dealing with some pretty stressful situations. One would think this would make the fast harder or even impossible, but the opposite seems to be the case.

        I do think that my earlier diaries or comments may have been more personal. I had more time to devote to them. More recently, I just didn't feel creative enough to add a lot more commentary. I would write a certain amount and then just stare at it for awhile before deciding to go ahead and post it just to make sure it was up, lol.

        It was a bit of an endurance contest in a way to do this series, some days I had to give myself a pep talk to do it or make sure it got done before I retired for the evening.

        But it was worth it! So many people have shared wonderful thoughts and experiences in response to the diaries and everybody made me feel so welcome that I felt comfortable about posting a 30-diary series.

        I'm probably going to take a few days off from doing diaries, and hopefully will have more time for posting comments and being more active in the community here. But I do intend to post more diaries about Islam in the future, God willing. Hopefully at least one a week and maybe more often depending on how things go.

        "Riches does not mean having a great amount of property, but riches is self-contentment." (Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him)

        by lauramp on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 11:40:15 PM PDT

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    • Many thanks (0 / 0)

      I've found myself looking forward to these daily verses, and now that Ramadan is ending I'm sure I'll miss them.  Thank you for giving us this bit of a window into Islam.

      by Liberal Protestant on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 10:39:05 PM PDT

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    • Eid mubarak! (0 / 0)

      Thank you very much for the series lauramp. I found myself as well coming here just to read your thoughts for the day.

      Congratulations and look forward to next year!

      by dss on Thu Nov 03, 2005 at 06:06:02 AM PDT

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  • I have enjoyed your series very much. (0 / 0)

    Thank you for sharing these wonderful passages.

    by Rain on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 10:58:28 PM PDT

  • some thoughts about the series (0 / 0)

    The series had a specific format. Muslims traditionally recite the Quran through in mosques during Ramadan and so the text can be divided into thirty parts, one for each day.

    Several years ago, I was able to read the Quran through during Ramadan, one part each day. While I was doing this, I made a note of the verse in each section that meant the most to me or that I thought was the most important to highlight.

    Some of these verses I simply find very beautiful or moving for what they teach me about faith. Others convey important concepts or teachings that are good reminder for me. Some clear up common misconceptions about Islam (misconceptions that may be held by some Muslims as well). And a few, I just liked for the turn of phrase or the imagery they invoke.

    The Quran contains a wide variety of verses, of different styles and for different needs. Overall, I hope that the series gave a taste of some of these.

    At the same time, the format also means that there are many important or special passages that I didn't highlight because I had already chosen a different verse from that section.

    I'm thinking about the best way to share more of these verses on a regular basis.

    The Quran can sometimes be a bit difficult to approach. Its structure can seem alien for someone familiar with the Bible. It doesn't have a linear narrative - one analogy that I like compares its structure to that of a piece of music like a symphony, in which certain themes are introduced and developed through repetition and variation throughout the piece.

    Because of this, just picking up the Quran and starting to read it may not always be the best way to approach it for everybody. Reading an introductory or overview book may work better, or to have someone serve as a guide may help more.

    In whatever small way, I hope that this series has served as a bit of a guide for people and perhaps helped people to understand some of what we Muslims find beautiful and meaningful in our religion.

    "Riches does not mean having a great amount of property, but riches is self-contentment." (Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him)

    by lauramp on Wed Nov 02, 2005 at 11:54:49 PM PDT

  • Thank you! (0 / 0)

    I will miss these daily diaries. Thank you very much :)

    by A Missionarys Kid on Thu Nov 03, 2005 at 05:25:03 AM PDT

  • We just sighted the new moon (0 / 0)

    At 5:20 Pm local time. It's about a 3 degree crescent, barely visible. Eid Mubarak!

    To God belong the east and the west: Whereso ever you turn, there is the face of God. For God is all-Embracing, all-Knowing.

    by dervish on Thu Nov 03, 2005 at 06:28:44 AM PDT

  • Eid mubarak! (0 / 0)

    Thanks, lauramp, for this series of diaries, we are all richer for it!

    by under the bodhi tree on Thu Nov 03, 2005 at 06:33:50 AM PDT

  • Lauramp, (0 / 0)

    Thank you for the Qur'an verses. They have helped keep me on the right path. I have followed along in my copy of the Qur'an over these weeks, reading verses before and after your selections. I enjoyed it. After reading along, I have a much better understanding. I appreciate this. My copy has a prayer to be used after reading the Holy Qur'an:
    O Allah! Change my fear in my grave into love. O Allah! Have mercy on me in the name of the great Qur'an, and make it for me a guide and light and guidance and mercy. O Allah! Make me remember what of it I have forgotten; make me know of it that which I have become ignorant of; and make me recite it in the hours of the night and the day; and make it an argument for me O Thou Sustainer of the worlds. Ameen.
    Kul 'am wa enta bi-khair!
    Eid Saeed!

    May every year find you in good health!
    Happy Eid!

    God has many names

    by leftofcenter on Thu Nov 03, 2005 at 06:54:09 AM PDT

    • prayer for the Quran (0 / 0)

      Here's a prayer that's at the end of my copy of the Quran:

      O Allah! Confer They grace on me through the Magnificent Qur'an, make it for me a Book of instruction and evidence, light, guidance, and mercy. Grant me the honor of reciting it day and night and make it an argument and proof for me, O Lord and sustainer of all the worlds, through the gracious instrumentality of Muhammad, Thy Prophet, may Allah shower blessings and peace on him

      I'm so glad that you found this series useful and beneficial and learned form it!

      Eid mubarak!

      "Riches does not mean having a great amount of property, but riches is self-contentment." (Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him)

      by lauramp on Thu Nov 03, 2005 at 02:20:52 PM PDT

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