studying the Qur’an
Surah 1, “The Opening,” is one of the most important and well-know passages in the Qur’an. It is the first surah that a Muslim learns when she or he begins studying the Qur’an and it is recited several times throughout the day as part of the required daily prayers. This surah is thought to contain the message and meaning of the entire Qur’an, hence one of its other titles is “The Mother of the Qur’an.” For this homework, I’d like you to carefully read Surah 1 (it’s in the left-hand column below) and think about what it teaches about God. Additionally, I’d like you to think carefully about what we can learn about Islam as a religious tradition based on this surah. In thinking about what this surah can teach us about Islam, it’s helpful to keep in mind that Islam can be described as “the straight path” (though the word “Islam” means “submission”).
