ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with observations on the structure (the building blocks or units) and the message of the Qur’an. It looks at the general phenomenon in which human beings seek to understand themselves, the meaning of their existence and their relationship to the world they live in. The chapter is mainly concerned with the worldviews which developed in the Eastern Mediterranean region, the so-called Ancient Near East, including the Hellenic and Roman civilisations. It focuses on the development of the theistic elements in those pictures which give the perceived world its meaning, purpose and value. The development of the concept of God as well as the main characteristic of the Hebrew Bible – the ideal of ‘Israel’ – which was developed by the later prophets, are discussed and the probable origins of the terms ‘Israel’ and of its counterpart, ‘Canaan’, are suggested. The most important features that emerge from this fresh look at the Qur’an are highlighted.
