Reflections

Saeed discusses many teachings of the Qur'an that a majority of Muslims believe in. However, I would like to add that before reading about an exegesis piece or any other excerpt from a religious book, it is important to understand that there are many interpretations of the text within the religious community. Thus, in some sects certain obligatory teachings or other teachings mentioned might differ. Saeed beautifully explores the various interpretations such as textual or traditional based exegesis. By outlining all of the interpretations of the text and the ways to approach the holy text, Saeed emphasized that there is no one correct way to read the Qur'an. There are simply diverse lenses through which one can analyze the Qur'an. Because of these various interpretations, there are many sects of Islam that have differing beliefs on many subjects. During this past decade, Islam has been the center of attention in the media. What people do not realize is that certain fundamentalists who have interpreted the Qur'an to fit their political agenda are the ones that the media holds as the only Muslims. The West must realize that there are many sects and diverse areas of Islam that stem from the diversity in the Qur'an itself. Thus, by acknowledging the diversity of exegesis, one can truly make an attempt to study the religion with an open mind and objectivity.