Thank you for your answer, Quadraxas. I do appreciate it. However, from my understanding (and I have talked to some Arabs in the Middle East about this in the past) the Arabic of the Qur'an is more of a "high" Arabic or a "classical" Arabic which is different from modern Arabic that is commonly spoken and read today. If, for example, I were to find the average Arabic speaker (someone that may not be very religious, for example) I understand that he could most likely read the words (the sounds they make), but not always understand the meaning of all that he reads. I have also heard that because of this, mainly only the priests really have a grasp of the language. If this is the case, then much of what the followers of Qur'an understand from the Qur'an comes from what they are told more so than what they read for themselves.

This is often the case in Christianity as well. The Old Testament was written primarily in two languages: Hebrew and Aramaic. The New Testament, as we have it today, was written in Greek (some believe sections were originally in Hebrew, like the book of Matthew). However, the vast majority of Christians do not read a single bit of any of those languages. As a result, they rely on their pastors and priests to tell them what a passage means (especially if it is confusing). Like the Arabic of the Qur'an, many ancient words have multiple meanings and, as a result, have to be interpreted.

A classic example is the Hebrew word "yom" for "day" (as in the book of Genesis). Like our modern English word "day" it can mean a 24-hour period, the hours of daylight or even an undetermined period of time. I believe the Arabic version in the Qur'an uses a similar word (is it "youm"?) and that this word also has similar meanings. Therefore, the reader of the passage on the creation has to determine which sense fits best. Did god make everything in six 24-hour periods or six "ages" (undetermined periods of time)? Often this puzzle is solved by the context (in the Christian Bible there are quantifiers that led to the 24-hour day conclusion, but not all agree on that). In many cases, the puzzle is solved by what the one reading thinks is best. For example, if someone believes in evolution, then they would see "ages" there for the word "yom" or "youm". If someone believes in a young earth then they would read the word "yom" (Hebrew) or "youm" (Arabic) as being a literal 24-hour period.

By the above example it is easy to see that the understanding of any passage can be interpreted by someone's already preconceived belief. If someone is raised to be a Christian (or trained in that way) or a Muslim, then they will read their holy book with the understanding already given or taught to them.