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Quran Talk BlogLessons from Zachariah 3:38Zachariah's prayer for a child in 3:38 to 3:41 yields lessons on humility, learning from the young Mary, and praying big prayers that God answers beyond expectation. Comparing Luke 1, the article asks whether Zachariah could not speak or chose silence, contrasting it with Mary's vow of silence and Jesus speaking from the crib.March 9, 2015

Quran Talk BlogMary and Jesus (3:43 – 3:48)Verses 3:43 to 3:48 on Mary and the announcement of Jesus, with background on the raffle for Mary's guardian from the Proto Gospel of James. Discusses the blasphemy of claiming God has begotten a son, why Jesus is called son of Mary, making no distinction among God's messengers, the purity of Mary, Jesus, and John, and Mary's hardship at the birth.March 9, 2015

Quran Talk BlogThe Birth of Mary (3:33 – 3:37)Verses 3:33 to 3:37 on the birth of Mary are studied alongside the Proto Gospel of James: her mother's dedication of her to God, her guardianship under Zachariah, and the provisions she received from God. The article weighs whether the male is not the same as the female was negative, citing 3:195 and 49:13 on equality, and asks whether souls remain male or female in Heaven.March 9, 2015

Quran Talk BlogA.L.M (3:1)The Quranic initials A.L.M. that open sura 3, whose meaning God revealed through His messenger after 1400 years. A, L, and M are the most frequent letters in Arabic, in that order, and their occurrences in each of the six suras they prefix (2, 3, 29, 30, 31, 32) are multiples of 19, totaling 19874, shown in a table of letter counts.March 2, 2015

Quran Talk BlogDifferent Priorities (3:14 – 3:17)Quran verses 3:14 through 3:17 contrast the adorned pleasures of this world, such as spouses, children, gold, horses, and crops, with the far better abode reserved at God for the righteous. The verses describe believers who ask forgiveness and are steadfast, truthful, submitting, charitable, and meditators at dawn. A linked TEDx talk by Michael Norton asks whether money can buy happiness.March 2, 2015

Quran Talk BlogGod Controls Vision and Believers are the Ultimate Victors (3:10 – 3:13)Verses 3:10 to 3:13 on the battle where God made the believing army appear twice as many, read alongside 10:31 as a lesson that God controls what people see, with perception illusions such as the disputed dress color. Victory for the believers is guaranteed in this life and the Hereafter, but it calls for patience during testing, even for the messenger of the covenant, and does not depend on witnessing the disbelievers' downfall.March 2, 2015

Quran Talk BlogGod Shapes Us In The Womb (3:5 – 3:6)God's knowledge of all things and His shaping of every human in the womb, drawn from verses 3:5 and 3:6, alongside 16:4 on the human who begins as a tiny drop and turns into an ardent opponent. A walnut illustrates how humans, for all their machines, cannot create even one self-replicating seed, while God coordinates every atom and cell in forming a human being.March 2, 2015

Quran Talk BlogGod’s Books to Mankind (3:2 – 3:4)God's scriptures to mankind, read through verses 3:2 to 3:4: the Quran confirming the Torah and the Gospel, and the statute book sent down with them. The article points to the missing gospels left out of the Bible, cites 2:53 on Moses receiving scripture and the statute book, and notes that Sura 25 shares that title, marking the Quran as a book of law.March 2, 2015

Quran Talk BlogHell is Forever (3:23 – 3:25)The eternity of Hell, against the common Sunni and Shia belief that Hell is temporary, drawing on 3:23 to 3:25 and 2:80. It answers why God would allow eternal punishment: we chose this experiment after questioning God's authority, each person has until age 40 to decide, and Hell is the absence of God that its dwellers choose. Freedom of choice, responsibility, and justice between Submitters and criminals follow.March 2, 2015

Quran Talk BlogKilling of the Prophets and Those Who Advocated Justice (3:21 – 3:22)Quran 3:21 and 3:22 promise painful retribution to those who kill the prophets and those who advocate justice among the people. The verses are read alongside Luke 11:47 to 51 on the blood of the prophets from Abel to Zechariah, with John, Jesus and Rashad named as messengers who were killed. Advocates of justice who were not messengers, such as Martin Luther King, may also be meant.March 2, 2015

Quran Talk BlogStraight Forward and Multiple Meaning or Allegorical Verses (3:7 – 3:9)Quran 3:7 to 3:9 and the difference between straightforward verses, the essence of the scripture, and multiple-meaning or allegorical verses. Exploring the Quran is welcome when straightforward verses support the understanding, since all knowledge comes from God's revelation. The article asks why God permits verses that doubters misuse, pointing to the ego and to Christians elevating Jesus, and reads verse 8 as a prayer against wavering hearts.March 2, 2015

Quran Talk BlogSubmission: The Only Religion (3:19 – 3:20)Submission as the only religion approved by God, drawn from Quran 3:19 and 3:20, where those who received the scripture dispute it out of jealousy and the messenger's sole mission is to deliver the message. James 4:6 to 8 is set beside these verses, calling believers to submit to God, resist the devil, and purify their hearts.March 2, 2015

Quran Talk BlogThe Most Important Commandment (3:18 – 3:19)The proclamation of faith decreed by God in 3:18, that there is no god except God, is presented as the most important commandment. The footnote explains why adding a second proclamation about Muhammad is idolatry and makes a distinction among God's messengers, and notes how punctuation choices can alter the verse's meaning. Parallel passages from Isaiah, Exodus, and Matthew affirm the same commandment.March 2, 2015

Quran Talk BlogAnonymous Charity is Better For Our Souls (2:270 – 2:271)Anonymous charity, drawn from verses 2:270 and 2:271, which teach that declared charity is still good but secret giving to the poor is better and remits more sins. Giving secretly shows it is done purely to please God, while public giving encourages others through social influence. Matthew chapter 6 on giving in secret is compared.February 23, 2015

Quran Talk BlogCharity For Greater Social Good (2:272 – 2:274)Quran verses 2:272 through 2:274 teach that God alone guides, that charity given for the sake of God benefits the giver, and that it should reach the dignified poor who never beg. The verses are paired with a news report on rising American charitable giving in 2013, mostly from individuals, and a video on Heifer International's work against poverty.February 23, 2015

Quran Talk BlogFinancial Transactions (2:282 – 2:284)Verses 2:282 to 2:284 command believers to write down loans with an impartial scribe and witnesses, post a bond when traveling, and never withhold testimony. Discussion covers choosing between a loan and charity based on the borrower's ability to repay, and why two women may substitute for one man as witnesses in financial transactions. It also notes that the longest verse in the Quran concerns recording debts.February 23, 2015

Quran Talk BlogGod Protect Us From Sin (2:285 – 2:286)Verses 2:285 and 2:286 of the Quran set out the commandment not to make any distinction among God's messengers and contrast the believers' response, we hear and we obey, with those who mention Muhammad beside God in the Shahaadah and the Contact Prayers. The closing prayer asks God for forgiveness and protection from blasphemy and from sinning until repentance is too late.February 23, 2015

Quran Talk BlogKind Words Are Better Than a Charity Followed By Insult (2:262 – 2:264)Charity given in the cause of God, drawing on verses 2:262 through 2:264 of the Quran. Kind words and compassion are better than a charity followed by insult, and reproach or showing off nullifies a good deed, like soil washed from a rock. Two linked videos ask whether one would help a homeless person in need and illustrate kind words.February 23, 2015

Quran Talk BlogParable of Charity and Soil (2:264 – 2:265)Charity given to show off or with reproach is compared to thin soil on a rock that heavy rain washes away, while charity given sincerely to please God is a garden on fertile soil, as in verses 2:264 to 2:266. Shallow and deep belief are linked to the good and bad tree of 14:24 to 14:27 and to the parable of the sower in Matthew 13.February 23, 2015

Quran Talk BlogThe Best Investment (2:261)Spending in the cause of God, as described in verse 2:261, is compared to financial investing. The article sets the sevenfold spikes of a hundred grains each, a 700x return that God multiplies further, against the roughly 20 percent yearly growth of investor Warren Buffett, and concludes that no other investment matches the return on righteous works.February 23, 2015

Quran Talk BlogThe Devil’s Promise (2:268)The devil's promise of poverty in 2:268 is read alongside 4:120 and 17:64, which call everything the devil promises an illusion. Poverty is framed as the false belief that God failed to provide what we need, while God promises forgiveness and grace. David defeating Goliath with a sling and Moses freeing the Children of Israel with his staff illustrate that God supplies everything required.February 23, 2015

Quran Talk BlogUsury (2:275 – 2:281)Usury as prohibited in Quran 2:275 to 2:281, with Dr. Khalifa's note that normal interest where no one is victimized is not usury. The article asks whether bank interest counts as usury, who bears fault for high credit card debt, and how a loan's purpose shapes the motive for profit. It also gathers Biblical verses on lending at interest and the Jubilee year of forgiven debts.February 23, 2015

Quran Talk BlogWeekly Activity – Charity & SocietyCharity and its effects on society, explored through five small group topics: community, activism and social change, equality, humility, and socioeconomic class. Drawing on the Quran, Appendix 36, and Deuteronomy, the discussion covers circulation of wealth, obligatory charity (Zakat), giving time and expertise, and the example of Charity Water, and closes by urging readers to get involved in their communities and give directly.February 23, 2015

Quran Talk BlogWhat to Give to Charity (2:267)Charity in the Quran, read through verse 2:267, which commands believers to give from the good things they earn and from what God produces from the earth, never the bad they would not accept themselves. A video about how a homeless man spends $100 accompanies the verse.February 23, 2015

Quran Talk BlogWisdom: A Great Treasure (2:269)Wisdom, which God bestows on whomever He chooses as a great bounty (2:269), and the key to it found in the first three revelations of the Quran: read (96:1 to 5), write (68:1), and think and read the Quran from cover to cover (73:2 to 4). Reading and writing let people learn from others' experience and build on the knowledge of those before them.February 23, 2015

Quran Talk BlogAbraham’s Courageous Debate (2:258)Abraham's debate with a king over who grants life and death (2:258) as an act of courage that could have cost him his life. Parallels include the Dwellers of the Cave, Moses before Pharaoh, and the magicians who believed despite threats of crucifixion. Modern examples of standing alone include Ron Paul invoking the Golden Rule and Barbara Lee's lone vote against the 2001 war authorization.February 16, 2015

Quran Talk BlogEvery Believer Needs Assurances For Our Hearts (2:260)Abraham's request to see how God revives the dead (2:260) frames a study of assurance versus doubt, and of why submission needs both logic and love. The article contrasts his curiosity with the Children of Israel demanding to see God and the disciples' feast that brought greater responsibility. It distinguishes having doubt from harboring it, citing the number 19 in 74:31 as a means of removing doubt.February 16, 2015

Quran Talk BlogGive to Charity From the Provisions God Gave Us (2:254)Verse 2:254 commands believers to give to charity from the provisions God has given them, before a day comes with no trade, no nepotism, and no intercession. The accompanying footnote calls the attribution of intercession to powerless human idols such as Jesus and Muhammad one of Satan's clever tricks. The article also notes that God rewards those who give to charity.February 16, 2015

Quran Talk BlogGod and Time & The Example of 100 years (2:259)Verse 2:259, where God puts a man to death for a hundred years and resurrects him, as a lesson that the period of death passes like one day. The article notes that 2 plus 259 equals 19 x 19, reflects on how God held time still for the food while the donkey turned to bones, compares the account to the Dwellers of the Cave, and considers the technological change of the last 100 years.February 16, 2015

Quran Talk BlogGod is the one who leads us out of darkness (2:257)Verse 2:257 frames a reflection on God leading believers out of darkness into the light, while idols lead disbelievers the other way. The article notes that a believer can still be in darkness, and that out of mercy God sends a messenger who recites His revelations clearly to bring those who believe and work righteousness into the light, citing 65:11.February 16, 2015

Quran Talk BlogGod Never Needs to Rest (2:255)Verse 2:255 teaches that God never tires, sleeps, or needs rest, and that ruling the heavens and the earth never burdens Him. The belief that God rested on the seventh day of creation is called a blasphemy that assigns human attributes to Him. Praying to God never bothers Him, since moving mountains and finding someone a parking spot are equally easy for Him.February 16, 2015

Quran Talk BlogHow Does God Communicate to His Messengers? (2:253)God speaks directly only to Moses, according to 2:253 and 4:164, yet the Quran shows Him addressing Noah and Abraham as well. Drawing on 42:51, the article sets out three ways God communicates: inspiration, from behind a barrier, or through a messenger. It concludes that Moses heard God's voice, while the other messengers presumably received inspiration or an angel such as Gabriel.February 16, 2015

Quran Talk BlogHow should we handle conflict resolution at a Quran Study? (2:256)Disagreements at a Quran study, framed by the reminder that God alone guides and tests people through one another. Respectful listening, freedom of understanding without forcing views on others (2:256), and the value of questions and opposing views all come up, along with the moderator's responsibility to keep discussion productive and fair.February 16, 2015

Quran Talk BlogNo Compulsion in Religion (2:256)Verse 2:256 and the Quran's command that there be no compulsion in religion, set against the persecution of differing beliefs in so called Islamic countries. Drawing on Appendix 36, it lists the freedoms and rights of a nation that upholds God's laws, then asks how believers can live with people whose views contradict the Quran without compromising, answering with tolerance, good example, and agreeing to disagree.February 16, 2015

Quran Talk BlogStudying the Quran makes us Smarter (2:253 – 2:260)Studying the Quran's seemingly unrelated verses forces the mind to work harder, drawing out parallels such as Abraham's debate with the king and his request to see the dead revived (2:258 to 2:259) and the Sleepers of Ephesus who stood against the trinity. The article holds that this design allows endless new discoveries, and it cites a Freakonomics podcast suggesting Quran study as a remedy for terrorism.February 16, 2015

Quran Talk Blog2:232 – 2:252Study notes on Quran 2:232 through 2:252 cover dowry and the engagement process, praying under unusual circumstances, and alimony for widows. They also discuss lending God a loan of righteousness, questioning God's wisdom and chosen leadership, the Ark of the Covenant, and lessons from David and Goliath, along with the principle that being permitted to do something does not mean one should.February 9, 2015

Quran Talk BlogAlimony For Widows and Divorcees (2:240 -2:242)Verses 2:240 to 2:242 of the Quran set a will providing widows a year of support and require equitable provision for divorcees. The article reads them as a safety net for women and as freedom for widows and divorcees to remarry and move on without scrutiny, so long as righteousness is maintained. It contrasts this with cultures that shun remarrying widows, citing India's Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act of 1856.February 9, 2015

Quran Talk BlogArk of the Covenant (2:248)The Ark of the Covenant, read through Quran 2:248, where its restoration carrying assurances from God and relics of the people of Moses and Aaron is the sign of a king's authority. Exodus 25:10 to 22 follows, giving God's instructions for building the ark of acacia wood and gold with its mercy seat and two cherubim, along with links to a video and a documentary.February 9, 2015

Quran Talk BlogDowry & Engagement Process (2:234 – 2:237)Verses 2:234 to 2:237 frame the engagement as part of marriage, since breaking it is called divorce in the Quran. The dowry is something of value a husband gives his wife as a financial safety net, unlike cultures where the bride's family pays, as in dowry deaths in India. Also covered are the widow's interim, compensation when an engagement ends, and mutually agreed dowries under 4:25.February 9, 2015

Quran Talk BlogJust because you can doesn’t mean you should (2:237)Verse 2:237, on forfeiting the dowry after a divorce before consummation, becomes a lesson for all contracts: having the right to take advantage of the other party does not make it ethical. Submitters should first ask what pleases God rather than how to get the greatest share. Costco protecting its suppliers' margins is set against Apple's dealings with GTAT, which went bankrupt.February 9, 2015

Quran Talk BlogLending God A Loan of Righteousness (2:243 – 2:245)A study of Quran 2:243 to 2:245 on striving in the cause of God, beginning with those who fled their homes fearing death, though God alone controls life and death. It explains a loan of righteousness as setting aside one's own interest for righteous works, which God repays manifold, and draws on verses about charity and the best deal of 61:10 to 61:14.February 9, 2015

Quran Talk BlogLessons from David and Goliath (2:249 – 2:252)David and Goliath in Quran 2:249 to 2:252, with the footnote linking verse 252 to the gematrical values of Rashad and Khalifa and the messenger of the covenant. David's devotion to God, who alone grants victory, is set beside the account in 1 Samuel 17. Underdogs such as Saul, David, and Moses lead into modern examples for discussion.February 9, 2015

Quran Talk BlogPraying Under Unusual Circumstances (2:238 – 2:239)The contact prayers and the allowance in 2:238 and 2:239 to pray while walking or riding under unusual circumstances. The allowance is meant for exceptional situations, not daily life, and believers should strive to pray in the manner God specified and at the specific times decreed in 4:103. It also notes the mathematical confirmation of the five prayers' units, 24434, a multiple of 19.February 9, 2015

Quran Talk BlogQuestioning God’s Wisdom and Leadership (2:246 – 2:247)Verses 2:246 and 2:247 recount the leaders of Israel asking for a king and then disputing God's choice of Saul for lacking wealth. The article draws on I Samuel to explain why neither the aged Samuel nor the young David led them, and links this to Israel's earlier ingratitude toward Moses. Its lesson is that God knows who is best qualified to lead, just as He knows who should deliver His message.February 9, 2015

Quran Talk Blog2:216 – 2:231Weekly study notes on verses 2:216 through 2:231 of the Quran, opening with lessons from Mr. Miyagi on 2:216 and the condemnation of oppression in all its forms. Topics continue with the prohibition of intoxicants and gambling, what to give to charity, not marrying idol worshipers, and divorce, marriage and women's rights, closing with a group activity on power, gender and responsibility.February 2, 2015

Quran Talk BlogDivorce, Marriage and Women’s Rights (2:226 – 231)Quranic divorce law from 2:226 to 231 and Sura 65: the four month cooling off period, the interim, arbitration, witnesses, and the rule against evicting divorcees or taking back their gifts. Marriage as a lifelong, open pledge with mutual attraction and dowry, and the wife's protections against oppression. Answers whether a woman can initiate divorce and who keeps the children, through mutually acceptable agreement.February 2, 2015

Quran Talk BlogDon’t Marry Idol Worshipers (2:221)Marriage to idol worshipers, forbidden in 2:221, turns on who counts as a believer and who as an idolater. Belief in God and the Hereafter is defined through 2:62, while idol worship includes believing in intercession or any power independent of God, and following sources beside the Quran such as Hadith and Sunna. Choosing a believing spouse is urged, citing 18:28.February 2, 2015

Quran Talk BlogGroup activity – Power, Gender and ResponsibilityA study group activity hands out M&Ms only to male heads of household and then watches how they are shared among spouses and children. The candy stands for power, which the Quran's divorce verses address mainly to men as decision makers, giving them greater responsibility to protect others and never become oppressors. Links on centralized power and a Pakistani microlending program for women follow.February 2, 2015

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