Combining literary, theological, and historical approaches, these 12 episodes are a rich introduction to the Qur'an that clarifies and adds nuance to our understanding of it, and that offer a rare opportunity to hear this influential text recited aloud by an award-winning reciter who brings the ancient book's beautiful language to life for believers and the curious alike.
Introduction to the Qur’an
Explore the myth and mystery of the Qur'an and consider how the reality of this extraordinary religious and cultural tradition has shaped the lives of its followers for more than 1400 years.
Rated 5 out of
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Chiara from
Awesome!
Everything one could hope for from a short course on the Quran!
Date published: 2024-10-12
Rated 5 out of
5
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LennyG from
Excellent examples of the Qur’an
A great listen to video book. A gift for everyone to listen
Date published: 2023-04-23
Rated 5 out of
5
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Cat613 from
Beautiful
This program showed the Qur'an in a bery beautiful and informative way. Has me wanting to learn more about secred texts and explore similar subjects
Date published: 2023-03-15
Rated 5 out of
5
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kim kemal from
Just the right content, very fleshed out
I've been interested in world religions for a long time. When I was director of a certificate program in network tech in the 90s, I created an in-service for my instructors to learn about Islam (from me) and other faiths that our students practiced. However, I wanted to learn more about the scripture and not just the beliefs and practices, hence this class. The instructor here picked just the right topics for a general audience to truly 'get' the faith. His calm-voiced delivery was just right for a subject that tends to agitate Americans (because of misunderstanding). The lecture on the different schools, the vigorous debates through the centuries, the fact that 'The Sharia' is a phrase that has no meaning (there are as many interpretations - wildly divergent - as there are scholars, and no one is categorically wrong) - platinum.
BTW, I decided to get this advanced ed right now because my science fiction universe has a protagonist who is a 26th century Muslim. Evolution of beliefs and practice, and how this sacred text is interpreted, but I wanted to do my best as I get inside my character's mind. Reviews of my books tell me that this instructor did a great job for me!
I recommend his scholarly approach and respectful demeanor.
Date published: 2023-01-17
Rated 5 out of
5
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DrG1 from
Great introduction into Islam.
Introduction to the Qu'ran is an enlightening, thought provoking well presented course that gave me a new understanding of the Qur'an. It made me reflect upon what I thought I knew about the Muslim religion as well as Judaism and Christianity. I highly recommend it for those interested in the Muslim religion and its place in world history.
Congratulations to Dr. Oliver for a truly Great Course.
Date published: 2022-09-19
Rated 5 out of
5
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gander from
Worth every minute...
This is a good summary course. Every American high school student should know at least this much about this key faith in today's world.
Date published: 2022-08-08
Rated 5 out of
5
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Rondo from
Extremely valuable information especially for those with little exposure to the Quran.
Lectures were engaging and easy to listen to.
Date published: 2022-06-06
Rated 5 out of
5
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coastdownhills from
One of the best Great Courses
This was viewed by a group of mostly retired professionals as part of a long running weekly life long learning series. One had taken an introduction to Islam course at the local Islamic Center but the rest had no prior knowledge. All had Christian backgrounds, some are atheists. We are unanimous in our rating this as one of the dozens of Great Courses we've viewed. We invited the local Islamic Center to join us but got no reply so can't say what a practicing Muslim might think. The content was presented with no preaching or disparagement. I gained considerable insight to the Muslim community. Enough history, theology, and social commentary were given. No time was wasted.
Date published: 2022-02-18
Overview
About
Martyn Oliver is a Senior Professorial Lecturer at American University, where he also serves as the director of the Undergraduate Religious Studies and Arab World Studies programs. He received his B.A. in Religion from the University of Puget Sound and his Ph.D. in Religion and Literature from Boston University. In 2015, he was the recipient of a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
As a scholar of religion and Islam, Dr. Oliver has published widely in both academic and popular publications. He is recognized for his expertise on Islam in American culture, and he has had speaking engagements with the U.S. Department of State and the Defense Intelligence Agency. Dr. Oliver has also made media appearance on CBS and NPR. From 2009 to 2013, he served as the president of the American Religion and Literature Society.
Trailer
01: Finding a Path into the Qur’an
Why study the Qur’an? Dr. Martyn Oliver explores the myth and mystery of the Qur’an, including the origins of this most central of Islamic texts, God’s perfect word as revealed by Muhammad. For believers, the Qur’an and its divinity are certain, but for the scholar, the text is not so neatly defined.
30 min
02: 7th-Century Mecca: Religion and Oral Tradition
Ancient Mecca and its surroundings, into which the Qur’an was born, was a place founded economically and socially upon a diverse range of customs, traditions, and peoples. Examine the religious history of the region and the ways in which this cosmopolitan city undoubtedly influenced the messages of the Qur’an.
23 min
03: The Qur’an Becomes a “Book”
Muhammad, like most of the people in 7th-century Mecca, was illiterate. What challenges of interpretation for modern scholars are presented by translation from oral tradition to written text, and again from that text into other languages? Was anything lost (or added) in translation between the death of Muhammad and the first canonized text of the Qur’an two hundred years later? Perhaps.
36 min
04: From Mecca to Medina: The Revelation Transforms
Learn how the Meccan verses are both radical and evangelical—an economic and cultural threat to Mecca, but also statements of a powerful ideology defining Allah as sole creator and ultimate judge. Later verses of Medina focus, as did Muhammad, on the development of an enduring and cohesive community of diverse peoples, eventually uniting much of the Arabian Peninsula. In these origins of the revelation is where the history of Islam is born.
25 min
05: God and Tawhid: Divine Nature in the Qur’an
What does the Qur’an tell us about God? Cultures throughout human history have speculated about the essence of the divine. As we move into the content of the Qur’an itself, we explore the nature of an experiential God, who is both the narrator and central focus of this revelation to Muhammad.
36 min
06: The Qur’anic Creation Story
Origin myths provide insight into the values of a people. While the Qur’an lacks a traditional “in the beginning” narrative, it reveals a number of stories about the first humans and divine creation. Learn here about Satan’s fall from grace, his arrogant disobedience of God’s command, and his promise to lure humans into the selfsame fall.
27 min
07: Judgment Day and the End Times: Yawm ad-Din
Did Dante Alighieri model his Divine Comedy after the Qur’anic descriptions of heaven and hell? In this lecture, we will delve into the regional history; the co-existing theologies; and finally, the actual Qur’anic depictions of both a beautiful garden of endless, sensual bliss and, for the less deserving, a fiery pit of eternal torment.
25 min
08: Abraham, Moses, and Qur’anic Faith
In both Christian and Jewish traditions, Moses and Abraham are held as prophets and ideal examples of faith. In this lecture, discover how these Biblical characters appear in the Qur’an in ways that cement Muhammad’s role as prophet, and Mecca’s place as the geographic center of Islam.
28 min
09: Prophethood in the Qur’an: Jesus and Others
We will learn that numerous other Biblical figures also appear in the Qur’an, including Jesus, Mary, Noah, and Joseph (of Genesis). Each account has parallels to the stories presented in the Christian and Jewish traditions, but the Qur’anic versions emphasize the oneness and exclusive divinity of God.
27 min
10: From the Qur’an to Islam: Creating a Practice
How did the Five Pillars of Islam grow from deep roots in the Qur’an? How might the words and deeds of the Prophet provide insight for believers? Finally, what role does this struggle to understand, from the Arabic word ijtihad, play in the ritual practices that define Islam? Delve into each pillar and its Qur’anic origins, as well as the substantial interpretive history of Islam.
29 min
11: Sharia and Jihad: The Qur’an as Legal Text
The untranslated words sharia and jihad might best be understood as “searching for God’s will” and the “universal struggle for justice,” rather than the simplistic, and thus fundamentally inaccurate, concepts of judicial law and holy war. Consider the complex meaning of each term, and how it is further explicated through a rich history of fatwa, or legal opinion.
26 min
12: Qur’anic Philosophy, Theology, and Mysticism
The final lecture in this outstanding series reflects on the extensive philosophical, theological, and mystical underpinnings of Qur’anic study. Dr. Oliver speaks powerfully about the role of personal struggle to live according to God’s will—a struggle that shapes the religious life of individual Muslims and Islamic communities alike around the world.
40 min
