Teach Me the Koran

So this begins my journey reading the Koran. I really don’t know anything about it. I know a whole lot more about Christianity and what the Bible says. But the Koran… almost nothing. I have never even read these words before. So here goes.

Okay. So I haven’t even finished the first line, and already my preconceived notions are being called into question. I always heard that Muslims believe in salvation by works—namely, that they had to do enough good works in order to be saved. And more than that, I was told that they never knew if they had done enough good works, and so they could never enjoy the peace of “knowing” they were saved, the way Christians feel.

But this blows that right out of the water. The Koran starts off telling me that Allah is Gracious and Merciful!! Grace is getting what you do not deserve. So the Koran teaches right from the start that Allah gives to us what we do not deserve! Wow!! I am blown away. This isn’t a faith of works; this is a faith in God!

And mercy is not getting what we deserve. Wow, again! I know that I am a sinner. Even when I force myself to try not to sin, my heart inside me wants to sin. Sin looks good to me and pulls me toward it, whether it be pride, anger, lust, or whatever. I know it and feel it in me. I sin, and I live with sin constantly trying to “get me.” I am a sinner. I should go to hell, shouldn’t I? But this is telling me that Allah will not give me what I deserve. No. He is merciful.

Wow. Praise be to God, to Allah. He is Gracious and Merciful!!!!!