THE HOLY QURAN & ITS IMPORTANCE - PART 2

HOLY QURAN: DYNAMIC SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE:

The extent to which Quran has glorified Knowledge and has encouraged people to pursue it is something which cannot be found in other heavenly books. There are numerous verses speaking of Knowledge, and praising and elevating the status of those who acquire it. For example:

"Allah will exalt those of you who believe and those who have been granted knowledge, to high ranks.." (58:11)

S V Mir Ahmad Ali explains this by stating:

Allah exalts some over others on account of merit. It is neither an arbitrary action nor it is due to worldly possessions or position. In Hujurat: 13 it is said that all human beings are equal in birth, came into existence from a male and a female, so those who have more intergrity (taqwa)-and according to this verse have belief and knowledge which are the inseperable essentials of taqwa-are exalted by Allah.

Furtheron, he states: In the light of Ankabut:49, Muhammad:16 and this verse those who have been given knowledge are exalted to the highest degree. All other created beings are inferior to them.

The Quran itself contains dynamic source of knowledge. Allah (SWT) says:

"And with Him are the keys (treasures) of the unseen. None but He knows them; and He alone knows what is in the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but He knows it, and there is not a grain in the darkess (recess)of the earth, nor anything wet or dry but is in a clear Book"  (6:59)

"We have not neglected anything in the Book" (6:38)

Imam Ali bin Hussayn (as) has said, "The Quranic verses are treasures of knowledge. Whenever a treasure is opened, you have to see what lies in it". ('Uddah al-Da'ee)

Allama Sayyid Mohammed Hussein Tabatabai in his book Quran in Islam writes:

The Quran, in many of its verses, invites reflection about heavenly signs, the brilliant stars and the extra-ordinary differences in their conditions and the systematic order which governs them. It encourages meditation concerning the creation of earth, seas, mountains, deserts, wonderful things in the interior of the earth, the changes of day and night and seasons. It recommends thinking about the wonderful creation of plants, the order governing them, the creation of animals and the conditions of their environment. It calls for reflection concerning the creation of human being and the mysteries and secrets inherent in its structure, and, above all, in its self, internal world and its relationship with the exalted heaven. It insists upon a journey to all parts of the earth, on the observation of the vestiges of those gone by and the inquiry about the nations, human societies and their history.

Thus it invites to a study of natural and mathematical sciences, philosophy, literature and all the branches of knowledge accessible to humanity, the learning of which is in the interest of humanity and brings happiness to humanity. The Quran invites to these branches of knowledge on condition that people are guided by this knowledge to truth and know the real world which is headed by Godliness. Otherwise a knowledge that serves as an amusement and hinders one from knowing God and truth is the equivalent of ignorance in the vocabulary of the Quran. God, the Almighty says,

"They know the outward of this world's life but of the hereafter they are absolutely heedless" (30:7)

"Have you then considered him who takes his low desire for his god and God has made him err having knowledge and has set a seal upon his ear and his heart and put a covering upon his eye. Who can then guide him after God?" (45:23)

With the recommendations that the Quran has made for learning various kinds of knowledge, it has made itself the teacher of a perfect course of Divine teachings, general moral principles and Islamic jurisprudence.

Excerpts from "The Bible, the Quran and Science" of Maurice Bucaille about Quran:

"The relationship between the Quran and science is a priori a surprise, especially when it turns out to be one of harmony and not a discord. A confrontation between a religious book and the secular ideas proclaimed by science is perhaps, in eyes of many people today, something of a paradox. The mojority of today's scientists, with a small number of exceptions of course, are indeed bound up in materialist theories, have only indifference or contempt for religious questions which they often consider to be founded on legend".

"These scientific considerations, which are very specific to the Quran, greatly surprised me at first. Up until then, I had not thought it possible for one to find so many statements in a text compiled more than thirteen centuries ago referring to extremely diverse subjects and all of them totally in keeping with modern scientific knowledge".

"The Quran does does not aim at explaining certain laws governing the universe, however; it has an absolutely basic religious objective. The descriptions of Divine Omnipotence are what principally incite man to reflect on the Works of Creation. They are accompanied with references to facts accessible to human observation or to laws defined by God who presides over the organization of the universe both in the sciences of nature and as regards man. One part of these assertions is easily understood, but the meaning of the other can only be grasped if one has the essential scientific knowledge it requires".

To be continued.....................

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Mulla Mujaheedali Sheriff

mulla@almahdi.org.uk