THE QUR' AN (The Koran)

Here is a book with an extremely limited sale, a book you will not want to stock unless you have a customer you know wants it. It is nevertheless an important book--the Arabic language in which the Quran (Koran) was written is a branch of the Semitic and preserves much that would otherwise be lost, throws a good deal of light on obscure Old Testament words and is therefore valuable from both the language and content angles. Mohammed professed to have received the revelations direct from God. Later his secretary compiled them and Othman still later had them revised. It is composed of 114 surahs or chapters and it is the prophet's appeal to his people to return to God, to whom he attributes Mercy and Unity and denounces Idolatry. He then announces his divine inspiration and proceeds to the Mecca suras-the sword-and finally the Medina suras show us Islam triumphant. Even to students it has been obscure and extremely difficult but its beauty and high moral purpose have kept them working on it. Dr. Bell has done an astonishingly fine piece of work and if you bring this book to the attention of the clergy, Old Testament scholars, archaeologists, etc., you will be doing them a favor which will undoubtedly bring in a good many special orders. As this is Volume I try to take orders for the set--Volume II to be sent when published--a nice $12.00 sale.