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Background notes

The Qur'an (also spelled Quran, Koran) is considered by Muslims to be the holy word of God (Allah), as revealed to his prophet Mohammed (c. 570-632 C.E.).  The 114 suras (chapters) it contains were not revealed to Mohammed all at once, but over a period of many years from about 610 until 632 C.E.  They were then memorized by Mohammed and his followers and later written down in various forms and formats.  About two decades after the prophet’s death, the works were assembled into their current form and written down in classical Arabic prose.  The suras are topical rather than chronological in organization, as events and writings are often arranged in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, and are arranged from longest to shortest.  The titles assigned to the suras (e.g., "The Cow"; "The Table") are derived from prominent catchwords in the text.  As you read, bear in mind that the speaker throughout (except for a few verses here and there) is God, speaking through Mohammed in the first person (using "I" and "we").

"The Table" is the fifth sura, and was composed during the period of Mohammed's life when he lived in Medina, in western Arabia.  The Medinan period of Mohammed's life began in 622 C.E., after he and his followers had made their trek (hijra) to that city following a period of persecution in Mohammed's hometown of Mecca.  In Medina, the prophet and his followers set about laying down the ground rules of belief, worship, religious practice, and engagement with non-Muslims (including, crucially for this sura, Jews and Christians, communities of which existed in western Arabian).  Other ethno-religious groups, such as the Sabaeans of southern Arabia, are also addressed here.  The Medinan period, while freeing Mohammed and his followers from persecution in Mecca, was by no means an easy time in Mohammed's life.  Medina and Mecca were frequently in a state of war, and Mohammed struggled to maintain his authority within the Medinan community.

Questions

(1)  How does the sura address readers?  Who is speaking?  What effect does God's voice have on the contents of the text?

(2)  What subjects does this sura address?  Do you detect an organizational scheme present?

(3)  Who, or what, are believers/unbelievers?

(4)  What is the relationship expressed in the sura between the religion of Mohammed and the followers of Judaism/Christianity?

(5)  How does the sura talk about faith?  fear?