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dlish, I have tried reading the Qur'an (in English, of course) a few times and found it impossible. The first time I started with al-Baqra and began to read the suras serially. It was impossible to follow. Then a friend of mine (lapsed Muslim) suggested that I start at the back and read from the last suras forward. That was slightly better, but still it was very difficult to follow. Much of it needs context and explanation so that you can tell which revelation came when and in which context, which you can't get just from reading the revelations themselves. Also, there is no linearity to the text. It jumps all over the place, repeats, diverts, etc etc etc. It's not a narrative of any kind that Western readers are used to.
That being said, from my very limited knowledge of semitic languages I can see that the poetic structure is fabulous, that the linguistic usages are innovative and vivid, and that there is a certain "music" to the text. I don't speak or read Arabic (though I'm considering getting Rosetta Stone to learn) so I can't really appreciate it. I wonder how the early Muslims were able to persuade so many people about how fabulous their new religion was if those people couldn't really appreciate the Arabic.
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