I decided to start with Surah 2, Al-Baqarah.
The Cow? Strange name.
Let's read!
P.S. I'll retain the Arabic words, since they lose meaning in translation. I'll include very simple English meanings in brackets for you, the reader.
This written, compiled manuscript (كتاب) is Hidaya (guidance) for the Muttaqeen (those concerned about their protection against harm).
Interesting. Who are these people? This is clearly a group, not one person. And what harm are they afraid of?
The next verse came as a response:
يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ
Yu'minoona, from āmana (آمَنَ). Simply, “believers”.
Automatically, you'll think: it's a religious book, so “believers” means believers in Allah Subhanahu wa Taala. But it says Ghayb (غيب), things you cannot perceive with your five senses.
It sounds as though we are talking about their philosophical views and their definition of reality.
So, these are people who fear harm and want to protect themselves from it. Their definition of reality extends beyond the five senses.
I was studying philosophy in those days, as you already know, so this struck me differently. I was already learning that your philosophy (I'll explain later what that encompasses) shapes your psychology: how you interact with the world around you and what you take from it. Philosophy dictates your perception, thinking and all other cognitive functions.
Here, in just two verses, I had read about the book: what it is and whom it is for. My first understanding had nothing to do with “religion” or some magical land or realm of souls and spirits. Put simply, it will guide people grouped by their fear and their desire to protect themselves. They share a common philosophy and definition of reality.
And this grouping took me back to Chapter 1, which we recite at least seventeen times daily. Again, I think I had rushed to reach the substance of the book and skipped its first page, assuming there was nothing new there. That went completely against my own plan of going in with a blank slate.
Sorry, we're distracted again. :) The grouping had reminded me of Fatiha, where there is a request to be part of a group by following in their footsteps.
So, now we start from the very beginning!