Quranic Stories: A Contemporary Reading

Author's name: Dr. Muhammad Shahrour

"Qur'anic Stories" is a new and scientific analysis of the stories of the prophets. In the second part, the author continues the path of prophecy, examining how the sciences and knowledge of prophecy accumulated, how humans discovered fire and burying the dead, how they learned, at the hands of Noah, how to cross water barriers, at the hands of Shu'aib how to fulfill the obligation of measuring and weighing, and at the hands of Joseph how to save the harvest of good seasons for days of famine.

He continues on the path of the messages to see how the laws diversified and evolved from strict laws to strict laws, with a clear tendency toward facilitation and alleviation; and how the rituals differed, in terms of form and devotion. Fasting was abstaining from speech altogether, then became abstaining from food, drink, and touching women, and avoiding obscene and vulgar speech. Prayer was supplication and remembrance, then took on a ritual form of standing, sitting, bowing, and prostration, requiring humility.

Dr. Muhammad Shahrour (1938–2019) was a Syrian researcher and thinker. He is a key authority on Quranic sciences, having pioneered a new, scientific approach to understanding them. His publications from Dar Al Saqi include: "The Book and the Quran," "Religion and Authority," "Drying Up the Sources of Terrorism," "A Guide to Contemporary Reading of the Wise Revelation," and "Islam and Humanity" (Sheikh Zayed Award 2017).