Name: On reading the Koran
Uploaded: 2011-01-04T15:33:00Z
Duration: 9 min 17 s
Description: Lesley Hazleton sat down one day to read the Koran. And what she found -- as a non-Muslim, a self-identified "tourist" in the Islamic holy book -- wasn't what she expected. With serious scholarship and warm humor, Hazleton shares the grace, flexibility and mystery she found, in this myth-debunking talk.

Lesley Hazleton sat down one day to read the Koran. And what she found -- as a non-Muslim, a self-identified "tourist" in the Islamic holy book -- wasn't what she expected. With serious scholarship and warm humor, Hazleton shares the grace, flexibility and mystery she found, in this myth-debunking talk.

Lesley Hazleton: On reading the Koran

On reading the Koran

Challenging common misconceptions, the Koran’s idea of paradise emphasizes 'gardens watered by running streams,' not virgins.

A deep dive into the Koran reveals a text of surprising flexibility, urging readers to seek the spirit beyond the letter of the word.

The myth of '72 virgins' in the Koran is debunked, highlighting misinterpretations that have obscured the text’s true messages.