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The Koran (Qur'an) is divided into schools of very different thought. To understand why there is a clear dichotomy of the Islamic holy book, one must understand how it was written and the political climate surrounding the prophet (Muhammad).
While Muhammad lived in Mecca, his place of birth and home to his tribe (the Quraish), he was fairly docile and reliant upon family and later his wife for sustenance and support. He lived under the law of the land and spoke of understanding between Christians, Jews and the newly sprung religion of Islam. These are the verses that are used to support such ridiculous proclamations as "Islam is a religion of Peace" and are the only verses or surahs- that will grace pamphlets about Islam. They were written at a time of the emergence and minority of Muslims to other pagan and monotheistic religions.

In stark contrast, after 622 A.D., Muhammad left Mecca for Medina and had an intriguing change of heart. From then on he preached hatred for the Jews and Christians, saying that Muslims will never live under their control. In Muhammad's new interpretation of his God, he said that Christians and Jews will pay jizyah (second-class citizen tax)to live in Islamic states and will have their religious rights considerably curtailed. We can see this in many of the Islamic states today, where Jews and Christians live at the mercy of their Muslim government and temperamental country folk. The directions for marriage, cleansing, up-bringing of children, treatment of women and dress codes of Muslims were decreed during this Medina period. The laws are not just guidelines but strict, inalienable instructions on how to live and think. For instance, anyone that leaves Islam (crime of apostasy) will be executed, no Muslim will marry a non-Muslim and anyone who steals will have their arm cut off.
These laws come from the Koran and the Ahadith (or speeches of Muhammad).
The Koran, like most holy books, is an archaic scripture written for seventh century norms but, unlike other scripture, it is followed down to the last specifics. Some practices, while bearable for ancient civilizations, are now barbaric and inhumane. The marriage age, which is a resemblance of Muhammad's marriage to 6 year old Aisha, in Iran is 9 years old and it is not unusual for men to have four wives who are still in there teens.

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