Tales from the Quran and Hadith by Rana Safvi

I have grown up listening to the stories of the Prophets, their tribes, their enemies, the extraordinary powers bestowed upon them, the angels, jinns, and Shaitan, and how Islam came into existence. For me, these were mostly the bedtime tales which were told out by my mother or narrated to me by my teacher who taught me to read the Quran in Arabic. There are multiple versions as well as interpretations of all of these stories. Years later, when I read a translated copy of the Quran by Maulana Wahiddudin Khan, I found it interesting to read most of them in several chapters of the Holy Book, however what is more surprising is how the understanding of each of these stories changes for me every time I read them.

I was looking to read something spiritual but light. And that’s how I happened to pick Rana Safvi’s ‘Tales from the Quran and Hadith’. This book is a collection of twenty short and interesting stories from many that appear in the Quran and Prophet Mohammad’s Hadith. Through this book, I could recall some of the stories I forgot long back, and it also become a means to reflect upon the idea of Islam and its principles. The book begins with the story of Prophet Adam, and chronologically continues with the stories from the life of Prophet Musa (Moses), Prophet Yusuf, Prophet Ibrahim, Prophet Yunus, Prophet Sulaiman (Soloman), Hazrat Ali, Prophet Muhammad, Yajuj and Majuj (Gog/Magog), and many more.

I have always been in awe of Prophet Yusuf and Zulaikha’s story, and how he went on to become a dream-interpreter, and of course Prophet Ibrahim’s relation with his two wives (Sarah and Hajira), and sons (Issac and Ismail), his founding of monotheism and the coming of the three major Abrahamic religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The stories draw such evocative pictures that I could see them unfold before my eyes. But nothing can be further fascinating than the stories of the Angels and the role of Shaitaan (devil) in all of this. Importantly, I learned a little more about the household of Prophet Muhammad, his parents and grandfather, his wives, their internal relationships with each other, and with the Prophet, his love for his first wife Khadija, and her enterprise across the Arab world at that time. Besides, the book also records stories about the role of women in the quest, their rule, and participation in the wars.

The book is one of the best ways for the readers to learn about Islam through stories. And even if that’s not the purpose, reading these stories will only add a new dimension to the reader's thoughts. I could compare this book with Mrs. Sudha Murthy’s ‘Upside down King' that consists of many stories from the Mahabharat/Ramayana texts. I believe ‘Tales from the Quran and Hadith’ was much required, and it'll be wonderful if there's a second part written soon, as many more stories are yet waiting to be told in this style.

Review by: Nazneen Siraj Kachwala