What the Qur'an Says

2. Introduction

Allah has created the whole universe and all creatures including human race and He has also formulated laws of nature and provided guidance for mankind.

When Allah banished Adam and Eve from the paradise and sent them down to the earth, He promised guidance as stated in the Qur’an. We said : Descend all of you from here and when guidance comes from Me, whoever follows My guidance on them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve.(2:38)

Allah’s guidance comes through His revelation to the Prophets. His final guidance came through last Prophet Muhammad(sm) via Angel Jibril(Gabriel), which has been compiled in the name of Al Qur’an.

The Qur’an gives guidance in personal, moral, matrimonial, familial, social, political, financial, commercial, legal, penal, religious and for that matter in every aspect of life. The following chapters on different themes will state what the Qur’an says.

3. Allah

The Supreme Being, the Almighty Creator may be called in any name in different faiths and languages. However, I like to use the name Allah in Arabic as this term is unique. It has no plural and gender terms. There is no appropriate personal pronoun for the term Allah. So, I will use He for Allah. Muslims all over the world get comfort uttering the word ‘Allah’ in adverse situation and also gain courage and confidence during any strife.

Recently in 2004 Prof. Vander Hoven, a Non-Muslim psychologist in the Netherlands, announced his findings after research and application for 3 years that the pronouncement of the word ‘Allah’ by the both Muslim and Non-Muslim patients has calming effect on themselves, especially in the case of dejection and tension. He explained how the letters in the word ‘Allah’, that is, Alif (A), Lam(L) and Ha(H), if pronounced properly in the Arabic way, control breathing, relax the aspiration (the act of breathing) and control the heartbeat respectively. Consequently, the word ‘Allah’ affects healing of psychological diseases.

The Qur’an says that Allah is self-created (Soyambhu in Sanskrit). He has neither parents nor does He have any spouse or children. He is omnipotent(all powerful), omniscient(all knowing), omnipresent (present everywhere), Self-Subsisting and the Eternal Being.

Allah has created the whole universe and all creatures including human race. He just says Be and it is.

The Qur’an says :

1."Say, He is Allah, the One and Only, Allah the universally besought of all. He begets none nor was He begotten. And there is none comparable to Him."(112:1-4)

2.Allah, there is no god but Him, the Ever-living, the Eternal. Neither slumber can seize Him nor does sleep. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth. Who can intercede in His presence except by His permission? He knows their future and their past and they attain any of His knowledge only as He wills. His throne transcends over the heavens and the earth and He feels no fatigue in preserving them and He is the Most High, the Limitless.(2:255)

3.The Creator of the heavens and the earth, He created your wives from yourselves and mates for the cattle, thus multiplying you. There is none like Him. He is All-hearing, the All-seeing.(42:11)

4.…….Surely Allah is Gentle, All-Aware.(33:34)

5.We know what his soul tempts him, and We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.(50:16)

6.And if My servants ask you about Me, I am indeed near by.(2:85)

7.And We are nearer to him than you are, but you do not see.(56:85)

8."…….And do not say ‘Trinity’, refrain! It is better for you. Most surely Allah is One God. High Exalted is He to have a son"(4:171)

9."And they set the jinns as partners to Allah, although He created them and out of their ignorance they fabricate sons and daughters for Him. …… . The Originator of the heavens and the earth, how can He have a son, when He has no consort….."(6:100-1)

10.The Forgiver of sins, the Accepter of penitence, severe in retribution, the Bountiful: there is no god but He, to Him is the final return.(40:3)

11.And it is not for any mortal that Allah should speak to him, except by revelation or behind a veil, or by sending of a Messenger to reveal what He pleases by His command. Surely He is the Most High, the All-Wise. (42:51)

12. And they will not remember unless Allah wishes, He is the Lord of Piety, and the Lord of Forgiveness.(74:56)

13. Do you know that to Allah belongs the Dominion of the heavens and the earth?(2:107)

14. " Allah is the primal originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees a matter, He just says to it: be and it is." (2:117)

15. Allah does not impose a burden on any soul more than it can bear……..(2:286)

16. Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.(24:35

17. "Allah is Him, there is no god except Him. He is the Knower of all seen and unseen.

He is the Compassionate and Most Merciful.(59:22) He is Allah and there is no Allah except Him. He is Sovereign, the Holy, Source of Security, the Guardian of Faith, the Mighty One, the All-Powerful, the All-Sublime, Sacrosanct above all the partners they ascribe to.(59:23) He is Allah, the Creator, the Originator, the Giver of shape and form. He has the most beautiful names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Him, and He is the Almighty, the All-Wise."(59:24)

4. Allah’s Direct Help

All creatures get Allah’s help, generally and indirectly. Sometimes we may get His help personally and directly. Prophet Muhammad also got direct help in dire time. But one should not expect direct and individual help any time.

1.Whoever will lend to Allah a beautiful loan, He will multiply it to him manifold, and Allah limits and enlarges, and to Him is your return.(2:245)

2. And do not kill your children for fear of poverty, We provide for you and for them.(17:31)

5. "And if Lord were to enlarge His provision to His servants, they would become insolent in the earth, but He sends down in due measure whatever He pleases. Surely He is the All-Aware, All-Seeing over His servants."(42:27)

6. And remember when you(Muhammad) were a few and were regarded weak in the land, and were fearful that the people would seize you, but He gave you refuge and strengthened you with help.(8:26)

7. When you(Muhammad) prayed to Allah for His help, He answered, ‘I will assist you with one thousand angels coming one after another.’(8:9)

8. It may be that Allah will ordain love between you and those of them with whom you are at enmity.(60:7)

5. The Qur’an

The Qur’an is the final revelation from Allah to Prophet Muhammad(sm). The word Qur’an is derived from the root qara’a which means to read, to recite etc. So, Qur’an means reading or recitation.

Allah’s final revelation has been referred to some other terms as follows:

1. Furqan meaning a rule or canon in ecclesiastical matters(25:1)

2. Tanzil meaning sent down(26:192)

3. Jikr meaning reminder(15:9)

4. Kitab meaning book or scripture(21:10)

The Qur’an was also mentioned by some other terms such as nur(light), majid(glorious), huda(guidance), najir(warner) etc.

The Qur’an has 114 Surahs(chapters) containing about 6236 ayats/verses (as I counted) and those were revealed in stages in Makka and Madina over the period of approximately 22 years, 2 months and 22 days.

The revealed verses were written down during the life time of Prophet Muhammad(sm). After each revelation the Prophet would recite the verses and several scribes used to write down on different materials. After the death of Prophet Muhammad(sm) Hazrat Abu Bakar(the First Khalifa/Caliph), Hazrat Omar(the Second Khalifa) preserved the written form of the Qur’an. The final shape took place during the Caliphet of Hazrat Usman(the Third Khalifa) who strenuously collated the most accepted version of the chapters of the Qur’an.

It is said that the Qur’an was revealed in seven modes. It might have happened that when several scribes wrote down the revealed verses, they used the words or terms which they were familiar with. It is also believed that Prophet himself requested Angel Jibril to reveal in different modes so that all sections of people in Makka could understand. It is quite natural and logical that this happened as there existed different dialects during the time of revelation. However, the extent of difference is very minute and different meanings and expressions have the same result or effect. Throughout the whole Qur’an there is no inconsistency and confusion, especially in the fundamentals.

The absence of vowelling marks for speech-sound and diacritical marks (dots over or under the letters) to indicate modified sound or value such as accents during the early writings and recitation of the Qur’an also caused some confusion. As for example, arjulakum means wash(your feet); whereas "arjulikum means wipe(your feet). However, both instructions regarding wadu(ablution) are appropriate in view of circumstances such as during travelling or in the absence of water.

Some Arabic words may have two or more meanings. Sometimes both meanings are right. For example, the word alaq means clot of congealed blood or something which clings. Both meanings are right about the conception of a baby. A particular meaning is sometimes understood with the further advancement of knowledge.

Sometimes a particular meaning may have been chosen according to personal interest, views or whims.

Some revelations were made to clarify a point or in response to questions raised by the Prophet and his followers. In this case we are to be familiar with the context to have clear understanding.

For example, the Qur’anic verse says that It is unlawful to you that which is sacrificed to idols and divided by raffling with arrows; this is non-piety.(5:3)

The terms ‘raffling with arrows’ is not clear if we are not aware of the context. During the pagan days the Arabs would divide the flesh of the slaughtered animal into various unequal parts and then they would target the parts with an arrow in the name of idol gods and goddesses. Whether one would get a big part or a small part or nothing depended on luck. So, this practice was like gambling as well as idolatry which is forbidden in Islam.

Another example is the verse number 2:115 which says, ‘To Allah belong the east and the west; in whatever direction you turn you will face Allah. Surely Allah is All-Reaching, All-Knowing."

This verse, it is reported, was revealed when a group of travellers said their prayer in a dark night and later on they realised that they faced wrong direction, not towards the Ka’ba, while praying. They were worried and mentioned this to Prophet Muhammad(sm). Hence, the above verse was revealed to clarify the special circumstances, but this aught not be construed as a sanction that one can face any direction at all times, while establishing compulsory prayer.

The Qur’an Should not be quoted out of context and also a part of it to advance one’s own viewpoint and argument.

The Qur’an was revealed in stages. Perhaps this was gradually done to strengthen the heart of the followers and also in response to the occasion from time to time. The prohibition of drinking in stages is one