Surat al-Baqara: An Introduction to the Qur'an

Located in the beginning of the Qur'an immediately following a short introductory prayer, Surat al-Baqara is the doorway to understanding this scripture and its distinctive style and organization of ideas. The largest chapter in the corpus, it covers the major themes and discourses and is uniquely suited to begin the study of the Qur'an and related scholarship. This course is an introduction to the Qur'an and will familiarize students with the hallmarks of both traditional and western scholarships. It will cover topics such as the collection of the Qur'an, abrogation, mysterious letters and the Quranic sciences. Students will become acquainted with some of the main classical and modern commentaries and will learn how to identify Surat al-Baqara's distinctive structure and unifying themes.