Surah Guide
This assignment requires discussing one Meccan Surah. Please keep in mind that you will explore 1). A theme; and 2). Outline as much as possible this theme in relation to one Meccan surah.
The guide will 1) outline the surah thematically; 2) note shifts in rhyme, grammar, or rhetoric (if any and if possible) that reflect these themes; and 3) work on outlining and determining the main point of the surah. There is no strictly right or wrong surah guide here; students will be graded on close analysis and reflections.
Due January 30, 2020
Other Points to Consider:
The Meccan surahs are characterized as follows: brief, short, eloquent, poetic. Conceptually, the Meccan surahs discuss God, the revelation of the Qur’an, eschatology and the Day of Judgment, amongst other themes.
For this assignment, make sure that you state clearly what the theme is that you wish to explore in the following short list of early Meccan surahs, for convenience:
111, 109, 106, 105, 96, 94, 89, 88, 87, 86, 85, 84, 83, 81, 80, 78, 77, 75, 74, 73, 70, 69, 68, 65, 56, 55, 54, 53, 52, 51, 50, 37.
You have in fact a wide selection of possible choices to consider, so choose a theme that claims you attention and then follow it up with what Mattson (in Chapter Two) presents to see what pattern emerges. How would you define the one major theme of the Meccan surahs? This is your opportunity to make some original observations about the way the Qur’anic text works, within the space limitations of this assignment.
Guidelines:
The requirements regarding style, format, and method of citing the readings and/or the Qur’an are as follows: please make sure to cite any direct quote, direct discussion, or paraphrase from the readings; for example, (Author, page number). Citations from the Qur’an should include chapter number and verse number; for example, (Qur’an 15: 1). You may use footnotes if you prefer.
Format:
Double-spaced. Mimimum, 500 words.
Please make sure to proof read and double-check your written work.
