The soft chants of prayers toward Mecca marked the start and end of “Quran 101” at the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom Monday night.
About 100 people attended the event, which was sponsored by Islam on Campus to educate people about the Quran and give them a chance to ask questions about the holy text of Islam, said Nora Zaki, vice president of external affairs for Islam on Campus.
Three University Police Department officers were present as a precaution after last week’s uproar about the proposed burning of Qurans at the Dove World Outreach Center, but the speech by assistant professor Sarra Tlili and the questions that followed included no mention of Dove or Pastor Terry Jones.
Tlili, an expert in Arabic language and literature who teaches in the department of languages, literatures and cultures within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, filled in for Sheik Faraz Rabbani, the original keynote speaker.
Rabbani was held up by U.S. Customs and unable to fly down from Canada for the event, said Khaled Abdelghany, the treasurer of Islam on Campus.
In her speech, Tlili explained the history of the Quran and described the themes and style of the text, which the angel Gabriel revealed to the prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years.
Tlili said the word “Quran” literally means “recitation.” She also said that the Quran is meant to be spoken, not read silently.
Like Judaism and Christianity, Islam emphasizes the unity of God.
“There is tremendous emphasis on God’s justice and on equality,” Tlili said. “All people are created equal. In fact, all creation is created equal, and if you want to become better, it is something that you need to earn.”
This message of unity was especially relevant after a weekend in which residents of Gainesville gathered together to remember the victims of Sept. 11 and show their support for Gainesville’s Muslim community.
Jordan Belser, a senior English major, said she feels Christians and Muslims have a hard time understanding each other, but she wants that to change.
“While I may not agree with everything they believe, it’s not my job to condemn them,” Belser said.
“It’s my job to love them.”
