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THE HOLY QUR'AN
The Holy Qur'an presents the human world with a series of practical and scientific matters, through the application of which, man attains prosperity in this world and the world Hereafter. The Holy Qur'an gradually descended to the Holy Prophet (SA) during the twenty-three years of his call and invitation to Islam and responded to the needs of the human society. In its statements, the Holy Qur'an only aims at leading the people to prosperity. It teaches rightful beliefs, praiseworthy ethics, and decent deeds, all of which are the pillars of the prosperity of man and human society, with an expressive statement: "...And We have revealed the Book to you explaining clearly everything...(16:89)." The Holy Qur'an has described Islamic sciences in brief. For further details, specifically for the explanation of jurisprudential matters, the Holy Qur'an directs the people to Nubuwwah, as the Holy Qur'an states: "...And We have revealed to you the Reminder that you may make clear to men what has been revealed to them... (16:44)." "And We have not revealed to you the Book except that you may make clear to them that about which they differ...(16:64)." Without inviting the people to follow blindly, the Holy Qur'an talks to them in their own ordinary language and Allah-given logic. It reminds them of a series of known facts which man perceives willy-nilly through his nature. It mentions that man can never avoid accepting and admitting them. The Almighty Allah states: "Most surely it is a decisive word, and it is no joke (86:13-14)." As far as the scope of its logic is concerned, the matters stated by the Holy Qur'an are valid and everlasting for all the times and for all the people. They are not like people's ordinary remarks which are judged from only a few points of view within the limited capacity of knowledge and thinking and which can be neglected and disregarded due to other factors of negligence and lack of care. The Holy Qur'an is the "Word of the Almighty Allah" which encompasses every apparent and hidden aspect and is aware of every good intention and mischief. Therefore, it is incumbent upon every Muslim to use his realistic views, to remember this holy Ayah and consider the "Word of Allah" as enduring and everlasting. He must not be convinced with what others have perceived and said. He must not keep himself dependent on free thinking, which is man's only special virtue and whose use is emphasized by the Holy Qur'an. This is because the Holy Book of Allah is a decisive document and an enduring reason for all times and for all the people. Thus, such a Holy Book will not be limited to the perception of a particular group of people. The Almighty Allah states: "...And (that) they should not be like those who were given the Book before, but the time became prolonged to them, so their hearts hardened...(57:16)." The Holy Qur'an asks people to refer to their natures and to accept the truth. That is to say, to prepare themselves primarily for the unconditional acceptance of truth and to admit whatever is true. Their welfare in this world and in the world Hereafter depends on their acceptance of truth without responding to Satanic temptations and the call of carnal desires. Then the Holy Qur'an asks people to present the intuitive knowledge of Islam to their own commonsense and resign themselves to it if they find it true and if they discover that its acceptance and implementation provides their true welfare and comfort. Surely in this way, the policy of human life and the religion practised in human society will consist of a series of rules and regulations which man demands through his instinctive desire and natural drives. Finally, this will be a unified policy whose components and inputs will have complete compatibility with particular human characteristics and will completely refrain from contradiction and inconsistency. It will not be an inconsistent policy that at times originates from spiritualism and at others from materialism and that; in some instances, complies with commonsense, whereas in other cases, it is subordinate to carnal desires. The Almighty Allah states the following Ayah in
description of the Holy Qur'an: Allah also states: "Surely this Qur'an guides to that which is most upright... (17:9)." In another verse, the Almighty Allah introduces the reason for this power and rightfulness of Islam to be the conformity of Islam with man's creation, for it is self-evident that a policy and cause meeting the natural demands and true needs of man will make him happy and prosperous in the best possible manner. "Then set your face upright for religion in the right state the nature made by Allah in which He has made men; there is no altering of Allah's creation; that is the right religion...(30:30)." Again, the Almighty Allah states: "...(This is) a Book which We have revealed to you that you may bring forth men from utter darkness into light... (14:1)." The Holy Qur'an invites the people to follow the path of light which leads them to their ideal goals. It will inevitably be a path which properly responds to man's natural demands that are his very actual requirements. It will also conform with the views of commonsense. This path is the very natural religion called "Islam". But a policy, which is established on the basis of carnal desires .and the satisfaction of human instincts, namely, lust and wrath of the influential men of the society, which is blindly adopted from the ancestors, and which undeveloped nations adopt from powerful and strong nations unquestionably and without conformity to logic and commonsense, is nothing but plunging into darkness. In fact, it is like travelling in a path which by no means guarantees man the achievement of his goal. The Almighty Allah states: "Is he who was dead then We raised him to life and made for him a light by which he walks among the people, like him whose likeness is that of one in utter darkness whence he cannot come forth?..(6:122)." Finally, from all this, one can discover the importance and magnificence of this Holy Book from the viewpoint of Islam and Muslims. Besides, since its revelation fourteen centuries ago until the present time, the Holy Qur'an has always held an elevated position in various respects in different human societies. It has always drawn the attention of the people of the world. Indeed, the Holy Qur'an is a Divine Book which supports the universal and everlasting religion of Islam. The generalities of the sublime teachings of Islam have been described in the Qur'an in an eloquent manner. In this regard, its worth equals the value of the religion of Allah. Furthermore, the Holy Qur'an is nothing but the words of Allah and is the everlasting miracle of the Holy Prophet (SA). |