The Genius of Qur’an
Rationale, Message and what it Commands

It is the law of nature that when darkness prevails beyond limits, the light pierces through, obscurity ends and the cosmos fills with bliss. Ramadhan 27, 13 BH – the day when Qur’an was first revealed – was one such unique day when humanity witnessed the supreme epoch-making revolution ushering in.

When obscurity had seized the entire expanse of land, water and air; tyranny, mischief and vice ruled the roost; mankind after renunciating the real Master was busy worshiping false gods; when the God-sent guidance revealed to humanity through His chosen prophets (AS) was lost and thus depravity and humiliation perpetuated; when people vehemently worshipped fire, trees, stone, water and even animals; when in collective civic and social affairs, the society was captive as a whole to the whims and caprice of a few men who had ominously declared themselves gods; when virtue was hard to find and vice omnipresent; when the cults of nation, tribe and race were being erected, adorned and worshipped; and when mankind yearned for truth, justice, liberty, equity, and subservience to One True God; it was then that Muhammad (peace be upon him); the most virtuous redeemer of humanity appeared on horizon.

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) dissented against falsehood and sought to worship the One True God. The motherly cosmos nurtured Muhammad (pbuh) for 40 years, when one night the Almighty Allah – Lord of the universe – chose him (pbuh) as the last Messenger to guide his fellow beings to glory. While the Prophet (pbuh) was busy in meditating in Hira cave, Gabriel – the Archangel, God’s trustee and His Messenger – appeared before him. He embraced Muhammad (pbuh) and while pressing him hard against himself conveyed the first revelation from the Lord of heavens:

This was the death knell for the age of ignorance, darkness and obscurity and a culmination point for sophistry. The era of Almighty Allah’s last Divine Message to human kind had thus begun. The series of revelations to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) continued for consecutive 23 years after which the Guidance was completed and humanity received the treasure trove of al-Noor that was to guide it for all times to come:

"…This day, have I perfected your religion for you, completed my Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion."

Today, more than 1400 years have passed since the first revelation and the advent of the Prophet (pbuh). The believers and followers of Islam the world over celebrate and remember it as an event that differentiates between the past and the present ages; the present marks the beginning of the era of Qur’anic revelation and prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh).

The basic human needs in this world are of two kinds; one that relates to man’s corporal and material life and the other that concerns his spiritual, moral and social life. Allah warranted fulfillment of both these needs so that while being complacent in life on the one hand, man may also exploit these judiciously to accomplish the desired goals in life.

Allah Almighty fulfilled the two basic needs with absolute perfection and splendor. To satiate man’s material needs, myriad of material resource has been stored in earth and heavens that man needs only to discover and put to precise use. In the same way, Almighty Allah catered to the spiritual, moral and social needs of man by unveiling the Hadayah (Guidance) through revelations.

To understand the prophets’ role more precisely, it won’t be inappropriate to say that while being the vehicles to communicate Guidance to humankind, the prophets’ had all along been the embodiment and personification of the message itself. This way, we can safely say that humanity always emanated from light since Allah’s clear message for salvation was always there for guidance in the form of prophets that came and went all through the human history. Adam (AS) – the father of human kind – was himself the first prophet of Allah. In its eternal and perfect form, the Divine Guidance revealed to Muhammad (pbuh) has been personified in the form of Qur’an that has been destined to remain the Guiding source to destination for humanity till the Day of Judgement.

The Qur’anic concept in this context is that:

• Universe is not without a God; it has a Creator, Who is its Owner, Master, Lord and the Ruler. He is the Supreme Commander and everything is subjected to Him. All bounties of life are God-sent who is All Pervasive and All Powerful. As He is the Creator and Owner of Universe and everything that it cradles, so is He the Creator, Master and the Ruler of human beings. Of His own sweet will, the Lord after granting the human being a limited authority and freedom, had made him His vicegerent on Earth making all other creatures subservient to man.
• To enable man perform responsibilities of vicegerency properly, the Master bestowed him with His Guidance and showed him the True Path. Man has been told that while the Universe is subservient to him, he is to serve only Allah and follow His Guidance all through his life. That the life here (on Earth) is a probation and that the precise course of action is that man subjects his ambitions and actions to the will of God, and sacrifice whatever he has in a manner to avail himself pleasure and approval of the Master. One who follows this course, shall be successful and will enjoy eternal pleasure, comfort and peace after this temporary life. But one who deviates from this chosen Path, is doomed to meet disaster in the life hereafter.
• Man was taught all this while still in Eternity. The knowledge and comprehension of the Divine message was imparted to the very conception of human nature. The advent of prophets of Allah – from Adam to Muhammad (pbuh) – was a reminder, construction and reinterpretation of that engraved message. While man was conferred the faculty of wisdom and understanding to identify truth and act accordingly, the holy prophets of God set their lives on stake and made remarkable sacrifices to keep humanity on the right path. Every land and nation received prophets and Muhammad (pbuh) makes the last ring of this golden chain. His prophethood is universal and for all times to come. Muhammad (pbuh) offered the same religion (ad-Deen) of God that all prophets before him had preached. Those who accept and follow Islam as a way of life, transform into one Ummah. This Ummah is now responsible for integrating dictates of Allah in Qur’an, and the teachings and moral life presented by Prophet (pbuh) while shaping the system of its life. Qur’an is perfect code of life and represents a complete course of Guidance that God kept on revealing in parts to other nations before Muhammad (pbuh). This final Guidance from Allah is eternal blessing and source of perpetual glory for man.

The Qur’an itself explains its veracity and purpose in the following manner:

"This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear (Allah)."

"Verity this Qur’an does guide one who is most right (and stable)."

That this guidance is for all humanity:

"… the Qur’an (which) Guide to mankind…"

That Qur’an is a virtuous collection in totality that brings together all the commandments ever received by the humanity:

That this guidance is fully secure and will remain safe and untapped till doomsday:

"We have, without doubt, sent down the Message and We will assuredly guard it"

That it is the only cure for all ailments of humanity:

"O mankind! There has come to you a direction from your Lord and a leading for the (disease) in your hearts – and for those who believe, a Guidance and a Mercy."

This same Divine Guidance makes distinction between right (haqq) and wrong (baatil) and is the true criterion for righteousness. That is why it is called Muhaimin (one that guards) and Furqaan (distinguishing truth from falsehood).

Once this specific nature of the Qur’an is understood, it becomes easier to explain its reality and purpose. We can briefly state it as follows:

• Man is the subject of Qur’an, it discreetly differentiates between what was good and fair and what was injurious;
• The central theme of Qur’an is that man essentially employing either his observation, deduction or induction, inference, or his wishful thinking formulates some very false and misleading concepts about God, universe, his own being and worldly life. Obviously the course of action he thus adopts based on these false notions is wrong and hence most destructive for him. The truth, however is what God Himself revealed when He decided to appoint man His vicegerent on Earth. Accordingly, the proper conduct that can and shall bring good tidings, is to accept God as the sole sovereign and object of worship, and to spend the whole life according to his dictates.
• The objective of Qur’an is to present Guidance and call man to that proper behaviour, which he either lost due to his ideal position or had mutilated because of his highheadedness and mischief. The same has been stated by Shah Waliullah Dehlavi (RA) in words that the real purpose of the revelation of Qur’an is to civilize and discipline, to reform and amend false beliefs and abandoned conduct of human beings.

The Qur’an commands man to eternal felicity and shapes his inner and outer conduct in a manner that he could secure God’s volition so that he may enjoy peace and comfort here and in the Hereafter. This is the path of servitude to Allah:

"I have only created Jinns and men that they may serve Me."

This subjugation before Allah is spread over the entire human activity; man’s each breath and every act should reflect him serving the Master.

It is here that one witnesses revolutionary concept of life that the Qur’an presents. Life in this concept is not divided into sections or spheres of activity. Qur’an commands submission of the entire human life in service of the Lord; be it his perceptions, his thought, faith, inclinations or the collective human behavior. The believers (Muslims) at one place in Qur’an are commanded:

"Enter into Islam completely"

Entering into Islam implies one cannot claim dissociation of any of his acts from Divine injunctions after accepting Islam. Both, the individual and collective human life, have to strictly follow God’s rule, and to seek His good approval. Once this is done, Allah’s Supreme authority can thus extend not only over the socio-politico-economic concerns of human society but also over the legal, judicial, administrative and governance affairs of the state as well. The mission will not simply be confined to Muslim society only, but the entire humanity shall be invoked to act upon that path, both through speech and conduct. Man has to be guided towards "Haqq" (truth), and effort has to be made to remove every obstacle hindering development of link between the servant and his Lord. This is the true call of Qur’an, which is one sphere of activity of Jihad in Islam.

The Qur’anic teachings do not support the disposition that an individual should focus merely his personal reform or acquire affinity to Allah for personal spiritual satisfaction. Undoubtedly, Qur’an seeks rectification of an individual’s inner and outer selves and motivates strengthening his bonds with Allah, but not by disregarding his practical social responsibilities. Instead, man is advised to mold his societal obligations and the countless human relations in such a way that everything falls in the purview of Divine Guidance and subject to the Will of Allah.

Allama Iqbal has explained this specific Qur’anic strain as follows:

"Muhammad (pbuh) went to the pinnacle of Heavens (during Miraj) and came back. By God, if I had gone there, I would never have returned".

The famous saint Sheikh Abdul Quddus Gangohi has hardly a parallel in the whole mystic literature. The following single sentence by him shall sufficiently differentiate between mystic intuition and the prophetic wisdom. The words uttered by Sheikh Abdul Quddus are: "Sufi does not want to return from the trance and charm that he experiences while in moments of identification. And if he comes back – as he has to – his return has no impact on human race. Contrary to this, the coming back of the prophet is creative. He returns after such experiences to enter the mainstream life so as to create a new world of objectives dominating the forces that shape the history of world. He creates a complete new world of objectives. Sufi’s ultimate satisfaction is identification and pleasure of merger, but the case is different with the prophets. For them, it means revitalizing intellectual energies with focus on making a difference in the world; a difference for betterment. That is why the prophets wish their experience to take a living form and transform into a universal force. The significance of a prophet’s pious observations and experiences can be gauged by studying order and genus of his followers."

Sheikh Abdul Quddus’s this statement indicates a limited view of life in which egotism outweighs everything else; where the highest seat is identification of one’s self while a place where even Angels fear to tread is not perceived or aspired for. In such a condition, Sufi’s coming back does not matter. But, Muhammad (pbuh) holds the banner of a religion that demands his journey back to this world after having reached the Supreme Height. He enters the midst of history and tries to light the dark world with bliss that he received. Moreover, he did not keep that light to himself, but tried to illuminate the whole world around him. He gets engaged in the struggle to carve a new man, chalk out a new social order, establish a new state, and initiate a new era of history.

This is the revolutionary call that Qur’an presents. It attempts to change the conduct of the age by establishing a new order. Its purpose is to bring about revolution – a change of hearts and a reconstruction of human society; a pious revolution to end rebellion against God so that the men turn to His service; vices are defeated and virtues made to prevail; disbelievers unseated from authority and reins handed over to Allah’s obedient men. This is why the Qur’an has been revealed, and that is what ensures salvation to humanity.

The call to which we invite all Muslims is that each one of them should seriously make an effort at this critical juncture of time to comprehend the true meaning of Qur’an, understand the real spirit of its purpose of its message and then make all out efforts to fulfill its mission.

The Qur’an showed a new avenue to humanity that shattered the myths and idols of tribalism, race, color and territory. It declared that the whole humanity is a family where distinction or designing of the social system, has to be based upon one principle, i.e. belief and religion. Qur’an shaped a new community on this principle and assigned it the grand task of accomplishing human reformation and reconstruction:

"You are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong."

The Qur’an shaped both the individual and collective life of Ummah and bestowed upon it the status of torch-bearer of virtue and reform. That was what guided the 6^th century, oppressed and obscure society to a new era of the history where it transformed the Arab cattle farmers into the custodians of humanity; the desert Bedouins into architects of civilization. It was the new system that raised the ill-fed and poverty-struck people in such a way that they were to be recognized as leaders to other nations challenging the vice and ultimately making it surrender.

The Qur’an is a treasure-house of dynamism. It can save the contemporary world of deceit and evil from a catastrophe the way it did the loathsome societal setup 1500 years before. Qur’an promises its believers to be the leaders of humanity and makers of history provided they prove true to the word. Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal (RA) puts the same in this way:

"The later generation of Ummah shall be reformed through the same thing i.e. the Qur’an that brought about change in the first place."

A question may be asked: If Qur’an has succeeded in creating a new world out of the barren and bitter [Arab] land in the past, why is it not performing the same deed today? If it was a source of blessing and Divine approval in the past, why is it not invoking the same spirit now? If Muslims were dominant because of Qur’an yesterday, why are they subdued today whereas the Qur’an is still with them?

If we examine the situation, only two reasons shall crop up: One, that we [Muslims] may have practically abandoned the Book as a true guide, our concern for Qur’an might have been one of oblivion, disservice, neglect and indifference. Second, though we maybe respecting and sanctifying the Qur’an apparently, in actual practice we maybe disregarding the way it prescribes and might have been acting contrarily. Unfortunately, both of these reasons are correct in our case.

In ever-lessening life that is melting like snow, it is a golden chance that we pause and think about what should be our link with the Holy Book? We should search our souls what kind of relation we should have with this Divine Book, and for all that is needed to once again aglow the dimmed light of Qur’an and bid for spreading this light reach all corners of the world. In this context, following are a few steps that need to be applied with all earnest:

• The first thing to do is to activate our dormant faith, which though accepts Qur’an, yet lacks in the will and volition needed to fulfil its commands. Faith in fact implies that the Qur’an is the Revealed Book of God, that it is perfectly secure and safe, that each and every word in it is simply true, that following it is just, fair and prolific and, that its prescription is the only sure remedy to all ailments.

"Truly you can not cause the dead to listen, nor can you cause the deaf to hear the call when they turn back in retreat. Nor can you be a guide to the Blind (to prevent them) from straying; only those will you get to listen who believe in our signs and they will low in Islam."

"…Those who reject faith therein, - the loss is their own."

• It is also necessary that a man’s heart is full of the feeling that the Qur’an is sublime, majestic and a noble word; if it had been revealed to the mountains, they would have shattered to pieces. The grand Holy verses of Allah deserve to be approached with utmost humility and unmitigated affection:

"And when they listen to the revelation received by the Prophet you will see their eyes overflowing with tears for they recognize the truth."

• We also need to turn to Qur’an for guidance and abandon the behavior of indifference, make an effort to understand it and to see how it suggests steps to reshape our lives. Muslims must stick to Qur’anic teachings firmly and seek its guidance in every matter. That is the way the Book will reveal its real meaning and intent:

" So hold you fast to the revelation sent down to you: verily, you are on straight way. The (Qur’an) is indeed the message (and reminder) for you and for your people, and soon you shall be brought to account."

Imam Shatabi correctly states:

"One who wants to know the Religion should, of necessity, take Qur’an his companion and consoler. Has to have relationship with it around the clock. This contact and relation should be both scholastic as well as practical, and duly balanced. One who follows this approach will sure hit his target."

• The Qur’an should be recited the way it deserves:

"Those to whom We have sent the Book study it as it should be studied."

What it means is that apparently all rules, etiquette and décor must be taken full care of while reading the Qur’an; one should properly wash himself before touching it, read it with dexterity, respect and due courtesy, read with correct pronunciation applying melodious voice, etc.etc. Further, Qur’an needs to be properly understood and given good thought to; one should not just jump over its words, rather he should explore its depths and try to fully grasp and comprehend what it actually means. The Qur’an itself commands:

"…Thus do We explain the signs in detail for those who reflect."

" We have revealed for you (O men!) a Book in which is a message for you: Will you not then understand?

"(Here is) a Book which We have sent down to you, full of blessings, that they may meditate on its signs , and that mean of understanding may receive admonition (and reminder)."

This is what the Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) used to do. They made every attempt to understand each verse and used to meditate and reflect upon it.

• The Qur’an has to be acted upon. Thoughts and perceptions need to be changed as it directs. Nothing is more unjust to Qur’an than to alter its meaning or intent to create false arguments for one’s misdeeds, whereas one is required to change himself according to the Qur’anic injunctions. Similarly, reading it but disregarding in practice what it has commanded also amounts to negating the rights of Qur’an. Qur’an was revealed only to mold human lives, individually and collectively. There is need to struggle for that to be achieved. Ibn Mas’ood (R.A.) is reported to have said: "When a person (among the companions) would learn ten verses, he would not proceed further unless he understood them, and acted upon them."
• The living model and criterion to understand and act upon the holy Qur’an is to believe in and accept the Prophet (pbuh), on whom the Book was revealed:

"He who obeys the prophet, obeys Allah."

Deviating ever a bit from the holy Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) will only take one further away from the Qur’an.

Finally, practical struggle to propagate and to make into a working system, the message that the Qur’an has brought is required. True is Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi, when he writes:

"Even having employed all these means to understand the Qur’an, one will never get to its essence unless he works physically for what the Qur’an is sent down. This Book does not make simple theories and concepts, that you can sit in easy chair, read, and then grasp all what it says. It is not a religious book in the commonly understood sense of the word that a school or monastery could help to teach its secrets. As said in the beginning of this Introduction, it is a Book of Dawah (call) and movement (Tahrik). The moment it was revealed, it took out that quiet, pious, kind-hearted man, and made him stand against the whole rebellious world. He was made to challenge the falsehood (Baatil) and pitted him fight against the standard-bearers of disbelief, disobedience to God, and the waywardness and error. The message attracted noble souls from every nook and corner, and mustered them together under the banner of the Prophet (Da’i-e-haqq). Every wicked trouble-shooter was also infuriated to rise and give a fight to the bearers of the Truth. This is the Book, which inspired and directed that great movement, which began with preaching of a message by an individual, and continued for more than 23 years until the kingdom of God (Khilafat-e-Ilahiyya) was truly established on earth. In this long and heart-rending struggle between Truth and falsehood, this Book unfailingly guided its followers to the eradication of the latter and consolidation and enthronement of the former.

How then could one expect to get to the heart of the Qur’anic truths merely by reciting its verses, without so much as stepping upon the field of battle between faith and disbelief, and between Islam and Ignorance (Jahiliyyah). To appreciate the Qur’an fully one must take it up and launch into the task of calling people to God, making it one’s guide at every stage. Then, and only then, does one meet the various experiences encountered at the time of its revelation. One experiences the initial rejection of the message of Islam by the city of Makkah, the persistent hostility leading to the guest for a haven of refuge in Abyssinia, and see what happened in the journey to Ta’if. One would also witness the campaigns of Badr, Uhud, Hunayh and of Tabak. One comes face to face with Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab, with hypocrites and with Jews, with those who instantly respond to this call as well as those (who, lacking clarity of perception and moral strength) are drawn to Islam only at a later stage. This will be an experience different from the so-called "mystic experience." I (Maududi) designate it "Qur’anic experience". One of the characteristics of this "experience" is that at each stage one almost automatically finds certain Qur’anic verses to guide one according to the situation. A person engaged in this struggle may not grasp all the linguistic and grammatical subtleties, and may also miss some finer points in its semantics, yet it is impossible for the Qur’an to fail to reveal its true spirit to him.

Again, in keeping with the same rule a man can neither understand the laws, the moral teachings, and the economic and political principles which the Qur’an embodies, nor appreciate the full import of the Qur’anic laws and regulations, unless he ties to implement them in his own life. An individual who fails to translate the Qur’anic precepts into personal practice will fail to understand the Book. The same hold true of any nation that allows the institutions of its collective life to run contrary to the teachings of the Qur’an."

The above noted are the real foundations on which to build one’s relations with the Qur’an. If these Qur’anic teachings are followed in letter and spirit, then both the individual and collective life styles are changed. The individual life becomes auspicious, enjoying good fortune. The social life witnesses virtues and happiness in all spheres.

Having faith in the Qur’an can be useful and meaningful only if its message is understood and its call is welcome. There is need to follow the way the Qur’an suggests and settle our matters in the light of its directives. The problems and troubles currently faced by the Muslim are due to deviation from the path that Qur’an gives; path that lead to progress and honour. That was what the Prophet of Allah (pbuh) had advised in the following Tradition:

Rasool-Allah (S.A.S): Beware! A great tribulation will surface soon.

Ali (R.A.): What will save us from it, O, the Prophet of Allah!

Rasool-Allah (S.A.S.): The Book of God: It contains the histories of past peoples. It informs what is ahead to come. It settles your disputes. It makes clear and decisive statement and makes no jokes. The one who rebels against it, Allah will break his back-bone. One who leaves it and seeks guidance from someone else, Allah will let him go wrong and astray. This is the unbreakable handhold leading to Allah. A reminder full of wise counsel, and the only straight path. Qur’an taken guide, never lets whims and caprice to mislead, or speech to falter – Scholars never get fed up with it, no matter how much and frequently recited. There is no end to what it tells and states. One who spoke on the authority of the Book, spoke the truth. One who acted upon its commands, will be rewarded. Justice was done, if decision was based on it. If a call was given to it, it was the call (dawah) to the right path.

Yes, this was the True Path, to which the Qur’an is calling all of us.

                          Index Isharat               Top

Translation and adaptation of the editorial of Tarjuman Ul Quran May 2001.