THE QUR' AN AND PEOPLE

The Qur' an is the final Scripture revealed from the heaven to the final Prophet Mu1)ammad (s.a.a.s). The

Qur' an is the complete guidance constituting every-thing essential to humanity. It describes heavenly things guaranteeing good life on this earth and in the hereafter. It organizes the matters of worldly life, reli-gious life and the life hereafter with the most superior laws and legislations and the most precious morality and character. Numerous characteristics are men-tioned in it numbering approximately more than fifty such as wise, generosity, remedy, light and guide etc are some of the examples. Allah (s.w.t) made His attributes clear to humanity with evidence from the message as says in the Qur'an. "0 Mankind! there hath come to you a direction from your Lord and heal-ing for the (diseases) in your hearts - and for those who believe, a guidance and a mercy". (10:57)

The Qur' an was revealed with the truth in order for the Apostle and his followers among human beings to judge between the people. It became necessary for peo-ple to confess their belief (lmiin) in the Book completely which is nothing but the majestic Qur' an. It is not appro-priate for someone to say that he would not believe in the Book revealed to the final messenger Mul)ammad (s.a.a.s), but he would claim to have belief in Allah (s.w.t) through the way of Nul) or Idris or before through the way of millah of Ibrahim or through Ya'qub, Musa and Dawud and does not believe Muhammad (s.a.a.s).

Verily, among the pre-requisites and conditions for [man

which Allah (s.w.t) had obligated upon the people com-pletely is the belief in the Qur' an, because it is a compre-hensive book for everything which has been scattered in

SOME THEMES IN THE QUR'AN 175 the previous scriptures. It emerged as a testimony for the humanity. As stated by Allah (s.w.t): "To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety so judge between them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the truth that hath come to thee ...". (5.48)

The Qur'an is the scripture that calls towards the belief in the first ~ul:zuf and also with the previous scriptures, and the belief in all the previous prophets who have been mentioned by Allah (s.w.t) as well as whose names are not mentioned. The belief in the prophets whose stories are cited in the Qur' an as well as whose stories are not cited is also absolutely neces-sary. For these reasons, that the Qur' an is regarded as al-Jiimi' (the Comprehensive Collected Scripture).

The Qur' an is the Scripture in which there is no alteration, distortion, interpolation and pollution over the last one thousand and four hundred years. The fol-lowers of this scripture did not receive it with the objective other than the objective presented by Allah (s.w.t), and all the verses comprised in it were revealed by Allah (s.w.t). With regard to it the Qur'an states.

"It is for us to collect it and to promulgate it. But when We have promulgated it, follow thou its recital (as promulgated). Nay, more,it is for us to explain it (and make it clear)". (75:17-19)

Therefore, no work of the creation or humanity

can harm it. Allah (s.w.t) himself has promised to safeguard it from distortion. None who is impure or unclean can touch it except those who are virtuously pure: Allah (s.w.t) cites "That this is indeed a Qur'an most honourable. In a Book well guarded, which none shall touch but those who are clean". (56:77-79)

Truly, humanity knows that the Scriptures revealed earlier than Qur' an, whose protection, defense, care, concern and the observance of the legal injunctions were all entrusted to the people and to the

'ulamii) of the respective communities. The people were absolutely responsible to safeguard them.

Among them, some were disloyal and treacherous and subsequently deviated from them and digressed what has been preserved from the Book of Allah (s.w.t). Of course, Allah (s.w.t) was witness to it. Therefore the Qur'an said: " .... .If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) unbelievers". (5:44)

Hence, the relationship of the people with the Qur'an which is the word of Allah (s.w.t) and an attribute among the attributes does not enter into the sphere of the place or the time and neither the begin-ning of it and nor the end. Therefore, it is obligated that the link with the Qur' an shall be a permanent fea-ture as long as one lives on this earth, because it is a miracle. It is necessary to recite it, hear it, understand it and preserve it in the heart by committing it to mem-ory so that human being becomes a challenge at every

SOME THEMES IN THE QUR'AN 177 time to others and establish the Qur' an with its inim-itable challenge to the entire humanity.

It is strange that we see the Muslims preserving the Qur' an while we do not see the same spirit among the people following other than Islam preserving their Book textually inspite of their adherence to it. In Islam the matter of taw/:tld is important. It is the only demarcation line between kufr and lman. Whoever believes, it is necessary for him to believe in the Qur' an and whosoever did not believe in the Qur' an he would be undoubtedly a kafir. The Qur' an is explicit on the admonitions of the unbelievers. If people come up with better understanding of the Qur'an, yet not confessed their belief, it is not permissible for them to call themselves as Muslims and Mu'mins, such as freemasons, Bahais and those who deny the prophet-hood are not Muslims. Absolutely, they are not mu minun (believers) but equal to nonbelievers.

The Qur'an is the Book of compassion and mercy.

It challenges those who encounter it by itself, and answers to Satans who attempted to fabricate the Qur' an. Verily, this challenge is still unshakable and clear. The antagonists tried to accumulate the talents and powers to counter challenge the Qur' an but failed miserably. Even if they were to gather the whole world power in order to encounter the Qur' an, they would face massive defeat. Those struggling to pro-duce similar to the Qur' an , they would end up with great catastrope.

The Qur' an states: "But if ye cannot and of a sure-ty ye cannot then fear the Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones which is prepared for those who reject faith".

(2:24)

Humanity will never see a book as miraculous as the Qur' an in such mangnificent organisation, glorious appearance, great substance, respectfully well kept, its uniqueness for miraculous and inimitable music in terms of its structure and constitution etc. The Book contains perfection in its meaning and truthfulness in its projec-tion in order to penetrate the souls of humanity through their senses and feelings. The detailed formation of the styles and the rhetoric in it and taqdlm and ta^Jkhlr demonstrate that neither addition nor deletion of even a single alphabet is possible.

The Qur' an carries distinguishing marks to the people. Allah (s.w.t) wants that there should be certain etiquettes as well as certain characteristics observed by the people. If a Man shapes himself with the Qur' an, then the Qur'an is a righteous deed, absolute truth and a perfect and clear evidence. Tn it, there is guidance and light. It moves and touches the emotional life. If a man listens to its reading, one can see the eyes full of tears as a sign of testifying the truth that it has come down from the Lord. In it there is love, friendship and kinship. The Qur' an makes its followers to maintain universal kinship, for they are all the same and descended from the same father and mother.

Therefore, we see those who said we believed, they are

SOME THEMES IN THE QUR'AN 179 absolutely contended with this in comparision with others participating in the hope and the message saying we don't have anything except to believe in Allah (s.w.t) and what came down to us is from the Truth. Is it not an insight and mental vision from the Lord? Is it not the most excellent expression. "Allah has revealed (from time to time) the most beautiful message in the form of a Book, Consistent with itself, (yet) repeating (its) teaching (in various aspects); the skins of those who fear their Lord tremble thereat: then their skins and their hearts do soften to the celebration of Allah's praises. Such is the guidance of Allah. He guides there with whom He pleases, but such as Allah leaves to astray, can have none to guide" (39:23)

Truly, the Qur'an constitutes charm, sweetness and gracefulness. Verily, it manifests beauty and ele-gance. It is certainly lucrative. Neither it is the speech of a Man nor Jinn. Therefore, we are astounded as the Qur' an sets out to astound us. Those whose hearts are hardened and whose feelings and senses are becoming idiotic and those who do not take it when they hear it will not submit to the rulings of the Qur' an and their hearts will not melt and their skins will not soften upon its explanation. Therefore Allah (s.w.t) said upon this question "What then is the matter with them, that they believe not? And when the Qur' an is read to them, they fall not prostrate". (84: 20-21)

Absolutely there is nothing after this Qur'an which could be cited as an evidence explaining to

peo-pIe and as an authority expounding the world of Unseen and the witness (al-ghayb and al-shahadah).

Allah (s.w.t) is the most compassionate and the most merciful who has nothing similar or in resemblance to him, who is praised by whatever is in the Heavens and the Earth. He is the might-wise.