Cross Referencing the Holy Qur'an

Cross-Referencing the Holy Qur'an

1. THE HOLY QUR’AN - HOW TO USE AN INDEX AND CROSS REFERENCE

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE QUR'AN IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE?

3. Have you ever come across or used a translation of the Holy Qur'an? Did you know that, according to Google, verses of the Holy Qur'an have been translated into 114 languages and the whole book has been translated into 47 languages.

4. Now, you may have seen translations of the Holy Qur'an but have you ever noticed small footnotes at the bottom of the page. Footnotes look like this..

5. What are footnotes? What do they mean? Definition of footnote: The Oxford Dictionary describes a footnote as ‘ an additional piece of information printed at the bottom of a page’ A footnote is written by the authors – in the case of the Holy Qur'an, this would be the person who is writing the translation of the Holy Qur'an. The footnote would explain a topic mentioned in more detail.

6. You may have been reading the translation of the Holy Qur’an and seen different numbers in the translation. Then, if you look at the bottom of the page you would find the same numbers! Next to each number would be an explanation. For example, the picture shows the first verse of the Holy Qur'an. The first footnote is given the number 1 and at the bottom of the page, more detail is given about the word ‘in’, which is what first footnote was written next to!

7. This En glish translation version of the Holy Qur'an (written by the fourth K halifa , Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmed ( ra )) has a total of 3474 footnotes. That is 3474 points that were explained in more detail to give more information to the reader and to make things easier to understand.

8. CROSS-REFERNCING Now that you all know what footnotes are, we can learn about cross-references which are often given with the footnote. You may have not come across this term before. The Oxford dictionary defines it as “A reference to another text or another part of a text, typically given in order to elaborate on a point.”

9. Here is an example so you can understand exactly what it means... This shows a page of the Holy Qur'an. Read the translation which talks about an event of Hazrat Musa (as) and the Pharaoh.

10. lets focus on a particular verse – verse 70 Verse 70 has a footnote (1835) which explains the verse further – lets read it!

11. Lets look at the footnote and reference The footnote has an example of a cross-reference. When explaining the verse, the author mentions that somewhere else in the book, the same event has been talked about. This helps us, to get more information about the event. We have been told that in (7:118), more has been mentioned. This means Chapter 7, Verse 118 of the Holy Qur'an. Let’s find it!

12. THE REFERENCE Finding chapter 7, verse 118 gives us more information about the event that occurred between Hazrat Musa (as) and the sorcerers. We can now look at the footnotes for these verses and find out more information!

13. TO SUMMARISE.. The above footnote had an example of a cross-reference. When explaining the verse, the author mentioned that somewhere else within the book, the same event has been talked about. This helped us as the readers, to get more information about this particular event.

14. The Holy Qur'an contains information and knowledge on a vast number of subjects. Suppose we want to look up what the Qur'an says on one topic of interest. For example: Hazrat ADAM (AS) How do we go about looking that up? WE USE AN INDEX ! FINDING INFORMATION QUICKLY

15. WHAT IS AN INDEX? Have you ever seen one in your school textbooks or in a book you have come across at the library? It may have looked a little like this  The Oxford dictionary gives the following definition of an index: “ (In a book or set of books) An alphabetical list of names, subjects, etc. With reference to the pages on which they are mentioned”

16. Even though you may not have come across an index before or used one, you have probably used a contents page before and in some ways an index is similar. But some differences are: An index is found at the end of the book. It is an alphabetically ordered list of topics that were mentioned for the book. Why does it exist? To help the reader quickly find information about a particular topic.

17. THE HOLY QUR'AN ALSO HAS AN INDEX. THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.. The page number Chapter 10 Verse 76

18. Now, lets have a go at practicing how to use an index. Task: Lets suppose you were writing a speech on the topic of Fasting and you needed to find out information about fasting from the Holy Qur'an. So can everyone find the index in their Holy Qur'an and see if they can find the topic of Fasting. Remember, it is in alphabetical order! How many pages has fasting been mentioned on? How do you know?

19. Now lets do a group exercise using all the skills we have learnt about footnotes, cross-referencing and an index! Looking up in the index and finding cross references different prophets (dependant on time and if there are different groups or interactive sessions) Look up four verses for each Prophet and build a story on that basis Hazrat Adam (as) Hazrat Nuh (as) Hazrat Musa (as) Hazrat Isa (as)