Qur'an and Sayings of Prophet Muhammad : Selections Explained

The timeless insight of Islam's sacred writings can enrich your own spiritual journey.

For many in the West, the teachings of the Qur’an often are enshrouded in mystery and fear. Yet Islam’s holy book gave birth to one of the most powerful and enlightened civilizations the world has ever seen. By the sixteenth century, Muslim culture stretched from India to Africa to Europe, preserving with it the ancient learning that helped spawn the Renaissance. With its interwoven ideas of faith and reason, justice and mercy, the path of Islam―which literally means "surrendering to God’s will"―offers a uniquely focused and balanced approach to living life with a profound awareness of God.

With gentleness and insight, Sohaib N. Sultan leads you through the central themes of both the Qur’an and the collected sayings of Prophet Muhammad, known as hadith. These teachings dispel common misconceptions about Muslim beliefs and offer practical guidance for your own spiritual journey, from understanding the merciful nature of God; to cultivating peace and justice in the self, family, and society; to answering questions about the afterlife and how to attain it.

Now you can experience the wisdom of Qur’anic teachings even if you have no previous knowledge of Islam or Muslim writings. Insightful yet unobtrusive facing-page commentary explains the texts for you, allowing you to enter into the path of surrender to God.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali (1872–1953) was a highly respected scholar of Islam from India who also studied in England. As a child, he memorized the entire Qur'an and was an ardent student of early Qur’anic commentaries. He had the distinct honor of serving as vice chancellor of Islamia College in Lahore, Pakistan.

Sohaib N. Sultan is the author of The Koran for Dummies. In 2005, he was appointed as the first-ever Muslim chaplain at Yale University and now serves as a Muslim chaplain at Trinity College and Wesleyan University. He is a freelance journalist and public speaker.

Sohaib N. Sultan is available to speak on the following topics:

• The Qur'an and Its Place in Muslim Life
• The Message of the Qur'an
• The Prophet Muhammad: A Spiritual Biography
• The Ethical Way of the Prophet Muhammad
• The Qur’an, the Prophet Muhammad and Contemporary Issues

Jane I. Smith is professor of Islamic studies and co-director of the Macdonald Center for Christian-Muslim Relations at Hartford Seminary in Connecticut. She is co-editor of The Muslim World, a journal dedicated to the study of Islam, and editor of the Islam section of The Encyclopedia of Women in World Religions.