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The Ethical Worldview of the Qur'an

Published: April 25, 2019 • Updated: October 18, 2020

Author : Dr. Yasien Mohamed

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Introduction

Piety is not to turn your faces towards the East and the West; piety is he who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book and the Prophets; who gives of his money, in spite of loving it, to the near of kin, the orphans, the needy, the wayfarers and the beggars, and for the freeing of slaves. [And truly pious] are those who keep their word whenever they promise, and are patient in misfortune and hardship and in times of peril; it is they that have proved themselves true, and it is they who are conscious of God. 4

Man was created for three purposes. Man’s first purpose is in the cultivation of the earth, as is implied in the verse: He brought you out from the earth and made you inhabit it (Q. 11:61). So man must earn his livelihood, for his own sake and for the benefit of others. Man’s second purpose is to worship God. As He says: I have not created jinn and mankind except to worship Me (Q. 51.56). This means that man should obey God’s commandments and prohibitions. Man’s third purpose is his vicegerency, referred to in: He will make you successors in the land and then observe what you will do (Q. 7:129), and in other verses. Vicegerency is the imitation of God in accordance with one’s ability to rule by applying the noble virtues of the Law: wisdom, justice, forbearance, beneficence, and graciousness. These virtues draw Man to Paradise and close to God Most High . 6

Morality in the Qur’ān

When the unbelievers instilled in their hearts fierceness, the fierceness of paganism ( ḥamiyyat al-jāhiliyyah ), Allah then sent down His serenity upon His apostle and upon the believers, and imposed on them the word of piety, they being more deserving and worthier. Allah has knowledge of everything. 11

O my son, perform the prayer, command the honorable and forbid the dishonorable and bear patiently what has befallen you. …Do not turn your face away from people and do not walk in the land haughtily. Allah does not love any arrogant or boastful person. Be modest in your stride and lower your voice; for the most hideous voice is that of asses. 15

Responsibility

The truth is from your Lord. Whoever wishes, let him believe; and whoever wishes, let him disbelieve. 21 O Children of Adam, when apostles from your own people come to you reciting to you My revelations, then those who fear God and mend their ways have nothing to fear and they will not grieve. But those who deny Our revelations and reject them arrogantly—those are the people of the Fire; therein they shall abide forever. 22

It means that ‘Allah Ta’alla does not change the state of peace and security enjoyed by people into a state of distress and instability until such time that those people themselves change their deeds into evil and disorder. 30

When we act, we have no intentions of acting as instruments of God’s Holy will, since we know nothing of this divine will in advance. Leaving all other considerations aside, we accept it pure and simply as our own and thereby sign our agreement. So man becomes responsible in doing so, as if he becomes a debtor as soon as he surrenders his surety. We can now see why the Qur’ān insists on proclaiming our responsibility before God. The human will seems entirely [subject] to divine will, [as the Qur’an states: ‘And you shall surely be questioned about that which you used to do.’ (Qur’an 16:93) 31

Sin and repentance

And give his other hand to the seeking of forgiveness so that it may be short for evil deeds and will not reach the Zakkum tree of Hell, which is one fruit of that accursed tree. That is, just as supplication and reliance on God greatly strengthen the inclination to good, so too repentance and the seeking of forgiveness cut the inclination to evil and break its transgressions. 47

Intention and sincerity

Actions are but by intention and every man shall have but that which he intended. He who migrates for God and His messenger does so for God and His Messenger. But he who migrates for a worldly gain or a woman to wed migrates to whatever he migrates to. 52

Volition is the orientation of the ideal towards the real; and it is along this trajectory, from the inside to the outside, from conscience to experience, that the moral deed is found. It is not a static state, a solitary act of worship enclosed within the sanctuary of the heart; it is a living force, a movement of expansion which has its point of departure at the center, and its point of arrival at the outside. Thus, not only does intention call for action and wait to be followed by it, but it contains it in the form of a seed, if not in a nascent state. 53

So give their due to the near relative, the needy, and the wayfarer—that is best for those whose goal is God’s Face: these are the ones who will prosper. Whatever you lend out in usury to gain value through people’s wealth will not increase in God’s eyes, but whatever you give in charity, in your desire for God’s Face, will earn multiple rewards. 64 [God’s servants] give food to the poor, the orphan, and the captive, though they love it themselves, [saying] ‘We feed you for the sake of God’s Face alone. We seek neither recompense nor thanks from you.’ 65

All this enables one to draw close to God, since any means that preserve the body and free the heart of the body’s requirements are an aid to religion. He who intends by eating to protect his acts of worship and by physical union to fortify his religion to gratify his family’s hearts, and to beget a righteous child who worships God after him, and through him increases the community of Muhammad, is obedient in both food and marriage. 66

He may perform ablution to cool himself off; wash to give himself an agreeable scent; …live secluded in a mosque to avoid renting a dwelling, fast to spare himself from frequent cooking of food, …give alms to a beggar to end his wearisome begging; visit an ailing person, that he, in turn, be visited should he fall ill; attend a funeral that the funerals of his own family be attended. He may do any of these just to be known by his good works, remembered and regarded for his probity and dignity. 68

Although it is of an inferior degree in relation to the former [higher level of intention], it is acceptable all the same. Those people resemble bad merchants but their level is that of those who have simple understanding. 70

Justice and benevolence

He is God, other than Whom there is no god. He knows the unseen and the seen. He is the Merciful, The Compassionate. …To Him belong the most beautiful names. Whatever is in the heavens and on Earth glorifies Him and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. 77

1 Hodges, H. A. (1952) The Philosophy of Wilhelm Dilthey , Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, p. 92. Also see Dilthey, W. (1960) Gesammelte Schriften, Band VIII (Weltaushauunslehre), Stuttgart: Abhandlung zur Philosophie der Philosophie.

2 Fakhry, M. (1991) Ethical Theories in Islam , Leiden: E. J. Brill, pp. 6-7.

3 Qur’an 2:231.

4 Qur’an 2:177.

5 Qur’an 33:73.

6 Iṣfahānī, R. (1987) al-Dharī‘ah ilā Makārim al-Sharī‘ah , Cairo: Dār al-Wafā’, pp. 91-92.

7 Mohamed, Y. (2006) The Path to Virtue , Kuala Lumpur: ISTAC, p. 214.

8 Iṣfahānī, R. (1987) al-Dharī‘ah ilā Makārim al-Sharī‘ah , p. 59.

9 Mohamed, The Path to Virtue , p. 215.

10 Goldziher, I. (1967) Muslim Studie s , vol. 1, London: George Allen and Unwin, p. 202f.

11 Qur’an 48:26.

12 Izutsu, T. (1959) The structure of the ethical terms in the Koran , 23f.

13 Qur’an 13:89, 31:32.

14 Qur’an 18:105.

15 Qur’an 31:17-19.

16 Qur’an 2:211.

17 Qur’an 2:104.

18 Draz, M. A. (2011) Introduction to the Qur’an , London: I. B. Taurus, p. 63.

19 Qur’an 2:30.

20 Qur’an 2:31.

21 Qur’an 18:29.

22 Qur’an 7:35.

23 Qur’an 16:104.

24 Qur’an 2:24.

25 Qur’an 40:37.

26 Qur’an 53:39.

27 Qur’an 13:11.

28 Asad, M. (1980) The Message of the Qur’ān , Gibraltar: Darul Andalus, p. 360.

29 Idris, G. S. (1983) The Process of Islamization , USA: Muslim Students Association of America and Canada, pp. 3-5.

30 Shafi, M. Ma’arif al-Qur’an , trans Muhammad Shamim, Maktaba e Darul-Uloom, vol. 5, p. 200.

31 Draz, M. A. (2008) The Moral World of the Qur’an , trans. D. Robinson and R. Masterton, London: I. B. Tauris, p. 108.

32 Qur’an 45:22.

33 Qur’an 11:7.

34 Qur’an 17:14.

35 Qur’an 81:14.

36 Qur’an 31:32.

37 Qur’an 16:106.

38 Qur’an 24:33.

39 Draz, The Moral World of the Qur’an , p. 100.

40 Qur’an 16:93; 35:8.

41 Qur’an 2:36-37.

42 Qur’an 20:84.

43 Qur’an 95: 4-7.

44 Qur’an 17:62.

45 Qur’an 30:41.

46 Haleem, M. A. (2011) Understanding the Qur’an: Themes and Styles , London: I. B. Tauris, pp. 139-140.

47 Nursi, S. (1997) The Words , vol. 2, Izmir: Kaynak, p. 483.

48 Qur’an 75:1-4.

49 Qur’an 5:33-34.

50 Draz, The Moral World of the Qur’an , p. 112.

51 Ibid., p. 176.

52 Sahih Bukhari (1). Also see, Ibrahim, E. and D. J. Davies, trans. (1979) Al-Nawawi’s Forty Hadith , Lahore: S. H. Ashraf, p. 26.

53 Draz, The Moral World of the Qur’an , p. 187.

54 Shaker, Anthony F (2016) Al-Ghazālī: On Intention, Sincerity, and Truthfulness , Book XXXVII of the Revival of the Religious Sciences , Translated with an introduction and notes by A. F. Shaker, Cambridge: Islamic Texts Society, pp. 14-16.

55 Draz, The Moral World of the Qur’an , p. 20.

56 Ibid., p. 21.

57 Rahman, F. (1983) “Some key ethical concepts of the Qur’ān,” Journal of Religious Ethics , 11 (2): 170-185.

58 Qur’an 22:31.

59 Draz, The Moral World of the Qur’an , p. 200.

60 Qur’an 92:17-20.

61 Qur’an 6:52.

62 Nasr, S. H. (1981) Islamic Life and Thought , London: Allen and Unwin, p. 358 .

63 Haleem, M. A. (2011) Understanding the Qur’an: Themes and Style s , pp. 115-116.

64 Qur’an 30:38-39.

65 Qur’an 76:8-9.

66 Draz, The Moral World of the Qur’an , p. 33.

67 Ibid., p. 60.

68 Ibid., p. 59.

69 Qur’an 2:272.

70 Draz, The Moral World of the Qur’an , p. 224.

71 Wild, Stefan (2006) ‘Hell’ in The Qur’an: an Encyclopedia , ed. Oliver Leaman, London and New York: Routledge, p. 262.

72 Qur’an 5:8.

73 Qur’an 5:42.

74 Qur’an 4:58.

75 Qur’an 2:237.

76 Qur’an 10:26; Isfahani, 1987, p. 356.

77 Qur’an 59:23-24.

78 Qur’an 14:48.

79 Iṣfahānī, R. (1987) al-Dharī‘ah ilā Makārim al-Sharī‘ah , p. 355.

80 Knysh, A. (2007) “Multiple areas of influence,” in The Cambridge Companion to the Qur’an , ed. Jane Dammen McAuliffe, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 211-212.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in these papers and articles are strictly those of the authors. Furthermore, Yaqeen does not endorse any of the personal views of the authors on any platform. Our team is diverse on all fronts, allowing for constant, enriching dialogue that helps us produce high-quality research.

Additional resources

Islamic Ethics

Saving Truth and Beauty: The Destruction of Nature and the Islamic Solution

Prophetic Ethics: A Model for those Seeking God and Eternal Life

Cultivating Faithful Enthusiasm: How the Qur'an Creates Transformative Willpower

Being a "Good Person" is Not Enough: Why Ethics Need Islam

The American Response to COVID-19 and the Moral Dilemma

Divine Guidance – The Qur’anic Perspective

The concept of ‘divine guidance’ is fundamentally a theological one, presented by most religions and accepted by nearly all believers, regardless of creed. The philosophical dimension of this concept, however, is more likely to seduce the attention of non-believers. An agnostic who also claims to be a rationalist, being predisposed towards relying entirely on reason, would instinctively ask: Should not rationality alone be sufficient? Should not reason, without ‘guidance from on high’, be enough? Reason and logic should appear to any rational mind to be the best tools for conducting any intellectual exercise.

But the problem is that these tools are useful only when the information or data to which they are applied is itself reliable. And information can be assumed reliable only when its source is reliable. Herein lies the challenge. And this challenge leads us to a counter-question: Does information obtained from material sources, through average human physical cognitive faculties, and subjected to average human analysis, always lead to correct conclusions? Reason itself, would respond to this question with an apologetic no. Human dependence on a superior intelligence – let’s call it ‘divine guidance’ – is, therefore, a possibility that cannot be casually brushed aside. Thus, it behoves us to explore the true nature of divine guidance, the ways it is manifested, and what its mechanisms are.

The Qur’an and Divine Guidance

For an unbiased student of comparative religion, it would be of particular interest to examine the perspective of the Qur’an in this regard. Why the Qur’an? Because the Qur’an is unique in that it not only claims to have originated from a Superior Intelligence, but also to be the actual spoken word of God – the word of God verbatim – thus presenting the most classic case of divine guidance.

Indeed, the very first prayer that is taught in the Qur’an is the prayer for divine guidance: one is taught to seek it. When we examine the text of the Holy Qur’an from the beginning to the end, the very first words of supplication that we come across are in the opening chapter Surah al-Fatihah . The words are: ‘Guide us along the right path.’ [1] Upon uttering these words of prayer, not only does the believer confess his need for divine guidance in the presence of God, he also asks for this guidance. The prayer goes on to lead the believer even further. In the succeeding verse, the believer is taught to pray to be able to not only tread the right path but also to reach the final destination of divine favour. The next verse reads: ‘The path of those whom Thou blessed; those who neither earned Thy displeasure nor went astray.’ [2] Surah al-Fatihah contains a total of seven verses, all of which are recited compulsorily in every single unit or rak’ah , as it is known, of the formal Islamic prayer. Hence, two out of the seven most frequently-recited verses of the Qur’an dwell upon the subject of ‘divine guidance’.

The Qur’an addresses the theme of divine guidance from a variety of angles, touching every possible aspect. The Qur’an introduces God as ‘The Guide’. The Arabic for guide – Hadi – is an attributive name of Allah. Referring to this particular name of God – Hadi – the Qur’an states: ‘And sufficient is thy Lord as a Guide.’ [3] More interestingly, the very first verse of the Qur’an reads, ‘In the name of Allah, the Gracious, Ever-Merciful’, [4] and introduces Allah primarily as the God of compassion and mercy, thus, placing all other attributes of God, including His attribute of being the Guide, subservient to His supreme attribute of mercy. The Qur’an thus presents divine guidance as a manifestation of divine mercy. It logically follows that any human interpretation of the word of God that contravenes the fundamental principle of mercy, should be treated as an erroneous interpretation.

Guidance, whether divine or human, can be relied upon only if it is founded upon information that is both correct and complete. Even a compassionate guide can be misinformed, and so liable to lead others to disaster. God, as introduced to us by the Qur’an, is Aleem [5] and Khabir [6]. Aleem means the All-Knowing and Khabir refers to the One Who is All-Aware. Divine guidance, as the Qur’an presents it, is reliable because it emanates from a Guide Who is Gracious and Merciful on one hand and All-Knowing and All-Aware on the other. Moreover, as stated by the Qur’an, Allah is also Noor , or the Light. He is beyond being merely the Bestower of light. He is introduced as the Light itself. We read: ‘Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.’ [7] In other words, it is He Who illuminates the cosmos. It is He that lights up the human mind. It is He Who brightens the human heart and soul. Any guidance coming from a being who is compassionate, all-knowing, and ‘the Light’, can deservedly be called the true guidance. The Qur’an elaborates: ‘Indeed, the guidance of Allah alone is the True guidance.’ [8]

Divine Guidance in Nature

According to the Qur’an, divine guidance is an all-embracing phenomenon. Humans are not the only beneficiaries of divine guidance. God, according to the Qur’an, guides and ‘speaks’, as it were, to everything and everyone, living and inanimate. How He communicates with His creation and how His creation perceives His guidance may well be beyond the scope of material sciences or even, perhaps, human comprehension. According to the Qur’an, however, He metaphorically speaks to even the inanimate matter that fills the heavens, He speaks to the Earth, He speaks to animals, He speaks to the angels, and of course to humans. To humans, according to the Qur’an, it is through the medium of angels, that divine guidance is communicated. Be it divine revelation or inspiration, the Qur’an uses the same term – wahy .

We read in the Qur’an: ‘They (the angels) are in awe of their Lord above them. And they do what they are commanded to,’ [9] which simply means that God speaks to the angels and they obey Him. According to the Qur’an, God also communicates with creatures of lesser intelligence. An instance quoted by the Qur’an is that of the bee. It is stated in the Qur’an: ‘And thy Lord inspired the bee, saying, ‘make houses in the hills and in the trees.” [10] Thus, according to the Qur’an, God even speaks to and guides His inanimate creation. Again, it is stated in the Qur’an that God addressed the Heaven and the Earth collectively, and instructed the two: ‘Come ye twain, willingly or unwillingly.’ And the two replied, ‘We come willingly.’ [11] God also spoke to each heaven individually and guided each heaven separately. Hence, it is stated: ‘He completed them into seven heavens in two days, and He spoke to each heaven, revealing to it, its specifically assigned duty.’ [12] Thus, according to the Qur’an, both living and non-living entities operate under the influence of divine guidance. The cosmos moulds and adapts itself according to the will and guidance of its Creator, and life continues to originate, evolve, mutate, and terminate under the guidance of its Maker. Thus, all the processes and cycles of the natural world are actually the result of divine guidance.

What distinguishes man from the rest of creation is his freedom to disobey divine guidance. Disobedience is an option not known to the rest of God’s creation. The will of God’s creation, with the exception of humans, is invariably in harmony with the will of God. When God summons the heavens and earth, as the Qur’an puts it, they submit: ‘We come willingly.’ [13] When the bee, as a species, was instructed to make honey, it complied with divine guidance to which God testifies, saying, ‘a drink of varying hues, in which there is a cure for humans.’ [14] Neither the heavens, nor the earth, nor for that matter the bee, defy divine guidance. They all submitted and continued to submit. They obey their Creator because obedience to God is inherent to their nature. It is a default setting.

Man’s case, in contrast, is unique in that, out of all of God’s creation, man alone has been given the choice to obey God or not to obey. God says, in relation to the freedom of choice granted to man: ‘Whoever chooses to believe, may believe; and whoever chooses to disbelieve, may disbelieve.’ [15] That man’s freedom of choice may well be exercised by him, to his own detriment, was obviously not unknown to God. Yet, God holds the freedom of choice he gifted to man so sacred that even His apostles are not permitted to contravene it. Addressing His most beloved messenger, Muhammad (sa), God says in the Qur’an: ‘Thou art not to compel them. Therefore, merely admonish by means of the Qur’an.’ [16] He also says, ‘Admonish, therefore, for thou art but an admonisher. Thou hast no authority to compel them.’ [17] As a fundamental unchangeable principle, the Qur’an proclaims: ‘There is no coercion in matters of religion.’ [18] While God takes it upon Himself to guide man, He leaves man with the freedom to abide by this guidance or to disobey. It is this freedom of choice in relation to divine guidance that justifies man’s accountability before God. Without this freedom, the very concept of judgement would cease to make sense. Hence, it is only in the case of man that divine guidance is coupled with divine judgement.

The Supply Chain for Divine Guidance

To humans, divine guidance can come in diverse forms, ranging in spectrum from an illuminated thought to inspiration, from a dream to a vision, from a vision in complete wakefulness to a clearly-worded verbal revelation; and all these forms of guidance can come to prophets and non-prophets alike. For instance, God spoke to the mother of Moses (as) who was not a prophet. We read, ‘And we sent Our revelation to the mother of Moses.’ [19] An angel was also sent to another non-prophet, Mary (as) the mother of Jesus (as) as God says, ‘We sent Our angel to her (Mary), and he appeared before her in the form of a perfect human.’ [20] The disciples of Jesus (as), mentioned in the Qur’an as the hawariyyin , were otherwise righteous people, but not prophets according to the Qur’an. Yet, we are told that God sent His revelation to them. God says, ‘And when I sent revelation to the disciples of Jesus, to believe in Me and My messenger, they said, ‘We believe. And bear thou witness that we have submitted.” [21] Then, regarding all such pious people who affirm their faith in God and remain steadfast thereafter, God says: ‘Indeed, those who say ‘Our Lord is Allah’ and then remain steadfast, Angels descend on them saying ‘Fear not, nor grieve, and rejoice in the garden that was promised to you. We are your friends in this life and in the next.” [22] No doubt, prophets stand out in that the abundance of divine guidance which they receive, is not shared by non-prophets. In fact, it is precisely this abundance of divine revelation that defines ‘prophethood’.

The supply chain for divine guidance, according to the Qur’an, starts with God. Guidance travels from God to His angels, from the angels to the prophets, and from the prophets to the people. The angels, according to the Promised Messiah (as) play the role of the indispensable ‘medium’, through which God’s word and guidance must travel before it can be received and perceived by its recipient. In fact, in his books Taudih-e-Maram written in 1891, and A’inah-e-Kamalat-e-Islam of 1893, the Promised Messiah (as) has drawn clear parallels between the role of air as a medium for sound and the role of the angels as an imperative medium for divine guidance. The Promised Messiah (as) has written pages upon pages asserting that just as sound cannot reach the ear without the medium of air, similarly, divine guidance cannot reach its recipient without the medium of the angels. The angelic messengers carry God’s message, without any aberration, to the human messengers, who then, with similar trustworthiness and diligence, convey it to the people. Thus, both angels and prophets serve as messengers of God. We read: ‘Allah chooses His messengers from among the angels, as well as from among humans.’ The human messengers are distinct from the angels in that they have an additional responsibility of playing the roles of exemplars by acting upon the dispatched guidance themselves – a duty that angels do not have to carry out.

When God chooses to guide people collectively, He does so through prophets, and after them, through their successors. Through prophets, God’s guidance can come either in the form of a newly ‘revealed law’, or in the form of ‘inspired insight’, in order to illuminate the way within the premises of existing revealed laws. Correspondingly, there are also two categories of prophets, depending upon the kind of guidance assigned to them: the law-bearing ones and the non-law-bearing ones. A law-bearing prophet is one who is sent with a newly revealed law. A non-law-bearing prophet, on the other hand, is one who is sent to revive and interpret an already revealed law. We read in the Qur’an: ‘For each of you, We have prescribed a shariah (revealed law) and a minhaj (clear way).’ [24] Shariah means a divinely revealed law and minhaj refers to the clear way that is shown as an interpretation of the revealed law. The law-bearing prophet is sent with a shariah . But, when people cannot find the way in spite of the law, God sends a non-law-bearing prophet to show the minhaj , or the way, within the bounds of the revealed law.

God says in the Qur’an: ‘These messengers; We have exalted some above others. Among them, there are those to whom Allah has spoken, and some, has He exalted in rank.’ [25] Those who are ‘spoken to’ are the law-giving prophets and those who are ‘elevated’ are the non-law-giving ones. This does not mean to imply that the prophets who were exalted in rank were not spoken to by God; nor does it mean that those who were spoken to were not exalted. This merely suggests that while one set of prophets were honoured by means of being granted a new law, the other set of prophets were honoured by means of being inspired with new interpretations of an existing law. So, while all prophets were honoured, and all indeed, were also spoken to by God, only the law-bearing ones came with new sets of commandments. The most telling case, perhaps, of this classification of prophets is that of the Prophet Moses (as) and the Prophet Aaron (as). Both were prophets, brothers, and contemporaries. In the Qur’an, God clearly names Aaron (as) among the recipients of His wahy or revelation . [26] But Aaron (as) was sent only to interpret and preach the word of God spoken to Moses (as), which comprised the law. Regarding Moses (as), the Qur’an says, ‘And Allah did indeed speak to Moses.’ [27] To Moses (as), God spoke in the form of the Torah, and divine guidance came to him in the form of a ‘revealed law’. Aaron (as), in contrast, was spiritually exalted without a separate law being revealed to him. To Aaron (as), God spoke in order to enlighten him on the wisdom contained in the law revealed to Moses (as). Thus, was Aaron (as) able to show his people the ‘clear way’.

Hope and Despair

Where there is guidance, there is hope and where there is no guidance there is despair. The prophets of God, by virtue of their being the vessels of divine guidance, inspire hope. The very hope of being able to move towards God and of being able to find Him, itself, imparts a positive attitude to the human mind and gives contentment to the heart. According to the Qur’an, the first message of hope sent to mankind was through Adam (as), the first prophet. ‘Adam’, in the Qur’an, thus, symbolises hope and his antithesis Iblees, who rejected Adam, exemplifies despair. In fact, the word Iblees is derived from the Arabic expression ablasa , which means ‘he became hopeless’. Each time a prophet is sent by God to deliver divine guidance to humans, he assumes the role of the ‘Adam of the age’, and the forces that oppose and reject this guidance earn for themselves the role of Iblees. The advent of a prophet, thus, unveils two forms of leadership – one that inspires hope and the other that prompts despair. Regarding the hope-inspiring leaders, the prophets, we read in the Qur’an: ‘And We made them leaders who guided people by our command, and We sent revelation to them enjoining the doing of good.’ [28] These leaders guide under God’s instructions. On the other hand, regarding the despair-inducing leaders, we read: ‘And We made them leaders who invite people towards the Fire.’ [29] This does not mean to say that it was God Who made them invite people towards Hell, but only that they were judged by God as those who lead others to Hell. While the ‘Adam of the age’ acquaints people with divine guidance, the ‘Iblees of the age’, with matching resilience, preaches the idea of the deathly silence of God. We read: ‘they do not make a just estimate of Allah when they say: ‘Allah does not reveal anything to man.” [30] This despondent attitude is dealt with by the Qur’an in the following words: ‘And indeed they thought, as do you think, that Allah would never again raise any messenger.’ [31] Regarding the people of the Prophet Joseph as , too, we are told in the Qur’an: ‘When he (Joseph) died, you said: ‘Allah will never appoint a messenger after him.’ Thus, does Allah adjudge as lost, anyone who is an extremist or is a sceptic.’ [32] The author confesses that the terms ‘extremism’ and ‘scepticism’ were coined much after the revelation of the Qur’an. However, in essence, these latterly coined expressions are as close translations of the actual words of the Qur’an, as any other. This verse indicates that extremism and scepticism are negative social attitudes that eventually lead society to the pessimistic dogma that there is no longer divine guidance.

God says in the Qur’an, ‘We have made you a moderate community.’ [33] A moderate community will obviously avoid taking an extremist view on any issue. But alas, whenever divine guidance does come, people tend to take an extremist stance, behave sceptically and resort to mockery for want of rational arguments. God says, ‘Alas for My servants – there comes not to them a messenger but they mock at him.’ [34]

According to the Qur’an, divine guidance unites people. God kept sending his prophets to unite mankind. God says: ‘Humanity is but a single community.’ Therefore, Allah raised prophets. [35] Each prophet embodied divine mercy and brought divine guidance for his people, creating a platform on which his people could be brought together. For instance, regarding the prophet Jesus (as), God says, ‘mercy from Us’, [36] suggesting that God’s mercy appeared on Earth in the form of Jesus (as). Eventually, however, when in God’s wisdom, it was time to send a global messenger with a universal message for the entire human race, God sent the Prophet Muhammad (sa), saying: ‘And We have sent thee as mercy embodied for all the worlds.’ [37] In another verse, God addresses the Holy Prophet (sa) and says, ‘We have sent thee unto all humanity.’ [38]

The Revealed Books of God

All the revealed books of God, sent through the ages, were also sent as divine guidance for their respective times. Regarding the Torah, the last revealed book before the Qur’an, God says: ‘Surely, We sent down the Torah, containing guidance and light.’ [39] We also read, ‘The Book of Moses – a guide and mercy’, [40] suggesting as a matter of principle that each revealed scripture contained mercy, guidance, and light from God. Finally, however, through God’s universal Messenger Muhammad (sa), was revealed the final word of God for all humankind – the Qur’an. God says, ‘the Qur’an – guidance for all mankind.’ [41] Interestingly, the very first commandment that appears in the Qur’an, reads, ‘O humanity, worship your Lord Who created you,’ [42] and addresses the entire human race. Another equally interesting fact is that the very last word that appears in the text of the Qur’an is al-Nas , [43] which translates as ‘all humanity’. In other words, the text of the Qur’an ends on the final note of humanity.

God took it upon Himself to guard and protect the text as well as the meanings of His Book – the Qur’an. God Almighty says, ‘We have sent this Exhortation and We are its Protector.’ [44] The textual preservation of the Qur’an was brought about through the tradition of memorising the entire Qur’an, whereby Muslims commit the entire text of the Qur’an to memory. In order to preserve its wisdom, however, God continued to inspire His servants with the true meanings of the Qur’an, even after the Prophet Muhammad (sa).

Spiritual Deputies

Divine guidance continued to enlighten the spiritual deputies of the Prophet Muhammad (sa), who appeared after him, in the form of caliphs, or successors, reformers and saints. They not only preached the correct meanings of the Qur’an but also presented new interpretations of the Qur’an, to meet the changing needs of changing times. Hence, just as the light of Islam was kindled by means of divine guidance, so was it was kept alive by means of continued divine guidance.

When we study the ahadith [oral traditions of the Holy Prophet (sa)], we find conspicuously frequent mention of a deputy of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa), prophesied to appear in the latter days, known as the Mahdi . With reference to this discussion on divine guidance, it is interesting to note that the term Mahdi means ‘the guided one’. The Holy Prophet (sa) conferred upon this foretold lieutenant of his, two very unique titles – Mahdi and Messiah – where the title Mahdi emphasises the fact that he would be guided by God, and the title Messiah, indicates that he would come in the spirit of Jesus (as). Hence, there were dual roles destined for this foretold reformer – the role of the Mahdi and the role of the Messiah. The individual prophecies about the Mahdi and the Messiah, therefore, collectively converge on a single individual. In relation to the awaited Mahdi , the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) has said: ‘ Khalifatullah al-Mahdi ,’ [45] meaning ‘God’s vicegerent, the Mahdi.’ With reference to the Promised Messiah (as), on the other hand, the Holy Prophet (sa) said Nabiyyullah , [46] meaning ‘prophet of Allah.’ The Mahdi is thus, unique, in that among all the deputies of Prophet Muhammad (sa) he alone has been spoken of by the Prophet as Khalifatullah and Nabiyyullah , terms used exclusively for the prophets of God.

In 1889, this prophecy of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) was finally fulfilled when Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian, under divine guidance, proclaimed that he had been commissioned by God as the awaited Mahdi and Promised Messiah.

With the advent of the awaited Mahdi, the doors of heaven were once again flung open, and divine guidance was once again sent pouring down with all its splendour. This time, divine guidance had come, not to introduce any new teachings, but to revive and expound the original teachings of Islam. This time, the ‘Adam of the age’ appeared, not as a law-giving prophet, but as a subservient follower prophet, subordinate to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa). Ahmad the Mahdi declared that his relationship to his master and mentor, Muhammad (sa) was that of an image to the actual object. Just as a shadow cannot exist of its own accord and owes its existence to the ‘real’, so does the existence of the follower prophet depend on the master prophet. The Arabic for shadow is dhill and the Mahdi claimed that his prophethood was actually dhilli or reflectional in nature and that he thus, was a dhilli nabi or a reflective prophet, reflecting the light of his master – Muhammad (sa). The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) brought the religion of Islam to the world and the Mahdi revived it by showing the world the clear way – the minhaj – within Islam. By means of an elaborately penned will, titled Al-Wasiyyat , meaning ‘The Will’, he also laid the lasting foundations of a viable system that would ensure continuous religious and spiritual reform, even after him. He departed from this world in 1908.

Today, by the grace of God, the blessings of divine guidance continue to bless humankind through the Promised Messiah’s (as) caliphate or spiritual successorship, which continues to show the world the ‘clear way’ as did Ahmad (as) the Messiah himself. The institution of the Ahmadiyya caliphate is a spiritual, non-temporal, and apolitical one. It offers moral, religious, and spiritual guidance to all humans without distinction. It offers good counsel in the light of divine guidance to those who are willing to take it, and untiringly, keeps aloft the banner of peace, all over the world. May Allah always guard and protect the Ahmadiyya caliphate and may the blessings of divine guidance continue forever, ameen .

The Holy Qur’an, 1:6.
The Holy Qur’an, 1:7.
The Holy Qur’an, 25:32.
The Holy Qur’an, 1:1.
The Holy Qur’an, 2:30.
The Holy Qur’an, 2:235.
The Holy Qur’an, 24:36.
The Holy Qur’an 2:121.
The Holy Qur’an 16:51.
The Holy Qur’an 16:69.
The Holy Qur’an 41:12.
The Holy Qur’an 41:13.
The Holy Qur’an 16:70.
The Holy Qur’an 18:30.
The Holy Qur’an 50:46.
The Holy Qur’an 88:22, 23.
The Holy Qur’an 2:256.
The Holy Qur’an 28:8.
The Holy Qur’an 19:18.
The Holy Qur’an 5:112.
The Holy Qur’an 41:31.
The Holy Qur’an 22:76.
The Holy Qur’an 5:49.
The Holy Qur’an 2:254.
The Holy Qur’an 4:164.
The Holy Qur’an 4:165.
The Holy Qur’an 21:74.
The Holy Qur’an 28:42.
The Holy Qur’an 6:92.
The Holy Qur’an 11:18.
The Holy Qur’an 40:35.
The Holy Qur’an 2:144.
The Holy Qur’an 36:31.
The Holy Qur’an 2:214.
The Holy Qur’an 19:22.
The Holy Qur’an 21:108.
The Holy Qur’an 34:29.
The Holy Qur’an 5:45.
The Holy Qur’an 2:185.
The Holy Qur’an 2:22.
The Holy Qur’an 114:7.
The Holy Qur’an 15:10.
Sunan Ibn Majah , Kitab al-Fitan, Hadith No. 4084.
Sahih Muslim , Kitab al-Fitan wa Ashrat al-Sa’ah, Hadith No. 2937a.

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Book of the Creator of this World

Quran is the book of Almighty Allah; the Creator of the whole universe and every word of this book belong to Him. Allah beautifully created this world and as His blessings provide benefits to mankind likewise His book (Quran) is the perfect source of guidance for His creatures.

Allah says in Quran:

“Whatever difference human beings have, the decision is with Allah.” [42:10]

Have Solution of every Problem

No one is born with problems rather problems are actually created by human beings by their own and they caused because of the lack of true guidance. The best solution of every problem is to stop creating problems and we can achieve it by having a perfect advice which prevents us from harm, darkness and difficulties. Quran is the book in the form of guidance and the author of this book is the creator of this world.

It is mentioned in Quran that:

“The Quran itself is light.” [5:15]

Allah says:

“This light (i.e., the Quran) has been given so that human beings, using this light, can travel safely on the path of life.” [6:122]

Allah also says:

“A Book We have sent down to you so that you may bring forth mankind from the darkness into the light...” [14:1]

Instruct Mankind towards Success

Who knows better about this world and the secret of success than Allah? Creator always has vast knowledge about His creation that where the success or failure lies. That is why Allah’s words mentioned in Quran have greater impact on human’s life.

Quran stats that:

“Verily We have revealed the book to you in truth for instructing mankind. He that receives guidance benefits his own soul, but he that strays injures his own soul”. [39:41]

Quran clearly discriminate between right and wrong so that mankind can prevent themselves from harm or deficit.

“.. a guidance for mankind and clear evidence of guidance and discrimination (between wrong)”. [2:185]

Allah says again and again so that we can benefit us from the guidance of Quran:

“Lo! This Qur’an guides to that which is most upright”. [17:9]

Reliable source of Information about this World

This world is full of mysteries which we are not able to solve or understand by only using our brain so we need a book (Quran) whose writer is the owner of this world and this proves the reliability of Quran.

“And We have revealed the Book to you explaining clearly everything.” [16:89]

Highly Preserved Book

There are four books which Allah has revealed in this world for the guidance of mankind; Tawrat, Zabur, Injil, and the Quran. These four books belong to Allah and all are equally important but only at the time of its revelation and for the nation on which it has revealed because with the passage of time some adulterations take place by people. So, now these books are not present in that condition as they were at the time of their revelation except Quran because in case of Quran Allah takes the responsibility of its protection from the day of revelation till the last day of universe. Every word in Quran is preserved and it is still same as thousands of years ago.

“Allah says He has revealed the Quran and He will protect it.” [15:9]

“In the Quran, Allah has completed His message and no one can change anything in it.” [6:34, 6:115]

“They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice - those will have security, and they are [rightly] guided.” [6:82]

Complete Book without any Lacking

Quran is the complete book related to life without any lacking. This book (Quran) is one of the blessings of God because it explains everything.

Allah mentions that:

“Allah has called the Quran “Tibyaanan li Kulli Shaiyin.” [16:89]

It means Quran explains everything.

Allah says Quran contains information about every aspect of life for the guidance of mankind.

“[It is] He Who has sent down the Book (the Quran) to you (Muhammad (PBUH)) with truth, confirming what came before it. And he sent down the Torah and the Injeel. Aforetime, as a guidance to mankind, And He sent down the Furqaan (The Criterion) [of judgment between right and wrong (this Quran)].” [3:3-4]

Above mentioned all verses proves that Quran is the only source of guidance for mankind and human beings can get success in this world as well in the life hereafter by spending their lives according to Quran.

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Holy Quran Short English Essay + Quran in English (PDF)

The Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, is a profound testament to divine wisdom and guidance for mankind. Its verses echo through the corridors of time, offering comfort, enlightenment and a roadmap for a purposeful life. Encouraging readers to delve into the Quran is an invitation to explore the rich tapestry of Islamic teachings and to understand the essence of a faith that has shaped the lives of billions.

At the heart of the Quran is a message of peace, justice and compassion that reflects the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the final messenger of the God. Born in Mecca in the 6th century, the Prophet Muhammad received the revelations of the Qur’an over a period of 23 years, providing a comprehensive guide to personal conduct, social ethics and spiritual enlightenment.

The verses of the Qur’an, revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through the Archangel Gabriel, emphasise the importance of unity among diverse communities. The Prophet’s life is a living example of these principles, demonstrating tolerance, kindness and respect for all. His interactions with people of different backgrounds and beliefs underscore the Qur’anic message of understanding and coexistence.

Prophet Muhammad’s life, known as the Sunnah, complements the Qur’an by offering practical demonstrations of the divine teachings. His humility, honesty and compassion became guiding principles for Muslims, illustrating the Qur’an’s emphasis on moral conduct and virtuous living. The Prophet’s actions and sayings, recorded in the Hadith, provide valuable insights into the interpretation and application of Qur’anic teachings in daily life.

Reading the Qur’an is not just an exploration of a sacred text; it is an immersion in the legacy of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Qur’an and the Prophet’s teachings encourage believers to seek knowledge, pursue justice and make a positive contribution to society. Islam, as exemplified by the Prophet, promotes harmonious coexistence with fellow human beings and the environment.

The Qur’an and Sunnah also serve as a source of comfort in difficult times. The Prophet’s unwavering faith and resilience in the face of adversity become inspiring lessons for believers facing trials. By reading the Qur’an and studying the life of the Prophet Muhammad, individuals find a source of hope and strength that transcends worldly uncertainties.

In conclusion, the Qur’an and the legacy of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stand as beacons of divine guidance, inviting readers to explore their teachings and embark on a journey of spiritual awakening. Encouraging people to read the Qur’an is an invitation to understand Islam’s message of peace, compassion and justice as embodied by the Prophet. Through the Qur’an and Sunnah, individuals can discover a deep sense of purpose and a source of strength that transcends life’s challenges. Rooted in the Qur’an and the exemplary life of the Prophet Muhammad, Islam is not merely a religion; it is a comprehensive guide to living a purposeful and fulfilling life.

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Quran: The Book of Guidance

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Quran » Applying Quran in Daily Life

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Qur'an verses on guidance

In this article, we've gathered the Qur'anic verses on guidance (hidayah). The methodology was to compile all the Qur'an verses that shared the English word's Arabic triliteral root. For example, raḥmatan translates to mercy. But the triliteral root, rā ḥā mīm (ر ح م), leads us to the following variants: bil-marḥamati (بِالْمَرْحَمَةِ) meaning compassion, l-raḥmāni (الرَّحْمَٰنِ) "the Most Gracious," ruḥ'man (رُحْمًا) "(in) affection," but also arḥāmakum (أَرْحَامَكُمْ) "your ties of kinship." By doing things this way, we believe it will provide a better gateway for users to research and self-explore the verses in more detail. The downside is some verses may seem unrelated to the topic or incomplete in message. In this case, the verses should be studied in the context of the entire surah. We've also tried to provide commentary for each verse (if available) to allow users to gain further insight and understand the scholarly interpretation of each ayah. Lastly, we looked online to see if any other verses had been missed using this method of exploring the grammatical root of each word. For example, in the article about animals, you would have to search for elephants, ants, and bees. The grammatical approach wouldn't have delivered the best results. It was a lengthy process, but we wanted to share this with you so you could understand how we produced this list.

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There is no commentary by Abul Maududi available for this verse.

(2:2) This is the Book of Allah, there is no doubt in it; [2] it is a guidance for the pious, [3]

2. One obvious meaning of this verse is that this Book, the Qur’an, is undoubtedly from God. Another possible meaning is that nothing contained in it can be subject to doubt. Books which deal with supernatural questions, with matters that lie beyond the range of sense perception, are invariably based on conjecture and their authors, despite their brave show of competence, are therefore not immune from a degree of scepticism regarding their statements. This Book, which is based wholly on Truth, a Book which is the work of none other than the All-Knowing God Himself is distinguishable from all other books. Hence, there is no room for doubt about its contents despite the hesitation some people might express either through ignorance or folly.

3. This means that while the Book is potentially for all, only those who possess certain qualities can benefit from it. The first such quality is piety: those who want to benefit should be disposed to distinguish between good and evil, and to shun evil and do good. Those who lead an animal existence, who never to consider whether their actions are either good or bad, whose cynically follow the prevailing winds, who are helplessly tossed about by the animal desires that dominate their minds, such persons are all together incapable of deriving any benefit from the guidance embodied in the Qur’an.

(2:5) Such are on true guidance from their Lord; such are the truly successful.

(2:16) These are the ones who have purchased error in exchange for guidance. This bargain has brought them no profit and certainly they are not on the Right Way. [16]

16. This means that two opposite effects emerged when a true servant of God radiated the light which made it possible to distinguish true from false and right from wrong, and made the straight way distinct from the ways of error. To those endowed with true perception, all truths became evident. But those who were almost blinded by the worship of their animal desires perceived nothing.

The expression, ‘Allah took away the light of their perception’ should not create the impression that these people were not responsible for their stumbling into darkness. Only those who do not seek the Truth, who prefer error to guidance and who are adamantly disinclined to pursue the Truth despite its luminosity, are deprived, by God, of the light of their perception. God simply enables such people to do what they wish.

(2:38) We said: “Get you down from here, [53] all of you, and guidance shall come to you from Me: then, whoever will follow My guidance need have no fear, nor shall they grieve.

53. The reiteration of this statement is significant. We have been told above that Adam repented and that his repentance was accepted by God. This means that the stain of sin was washed away and therefore no stain remained

On the contrary, God not only accepted Adam’s repentance but also honoured him by endowing him with prophethood so that he might he able to direct his children correctly. The repetition of the order to leave Paradise and go down to earth is aimed at driving home the point that earth was not created as a place of punishment for man. On the contrary, man was put on earth to serve as God’s vicegerent there. It was only to test man and thereafter to equip him for the performance of God’s vicegerency that man was placed temporarily in Paradise. See also (Surah Al-Baqarah, ayat 35) note 48.

(2:97) Say: “Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel [100] (should know that) he revealed this (Qur’an) to your heart by Allah’s [101] leave: it confirms the Scriptures revealed before it, [102] and is a guidance and good tiding to the people of faith. [103]

100. The Jews not only reviled the Prophet (peace be on him) and his followers but also God’s chosen angel, Gabriel, denouncing him as their enemy, and branding him as the angel of curse rather than of blessing.

101. Since Gabriel communicated the revealed messages with God’s approval the abuses of the Jews which were apparently aimed at Gabriel should be considered as directed at God.

102. They abused Gabriel because he had brought the Qur’an from God, and since the Qur’an on the whole confirms the Torah this too became a co-sharer in those abuses.

103. Here there is a subtle suggestion that the wrath of the Jews was, in fact, directed against true guidance and righteousness even though acceptance of these would have brought them good tidings as to their own success.

(2:120) Never will the Jews be pleased with you, (O Prophet), nor the Christians until you follow their way. [121] Say: “Surely Allah’s guidance, is the true guidance.” Should you follow their desires disregarding the knowledge which has come to you, you shall have no protector or helper against Allah.

121. The cause of their disconcertment with the Prophet (peace be on him) was not that they were earnest seekers after the Truth which the Prophet had failed to make clear to them. The real cause of their unhappiness was that he had not resorted to hypocrisy and trickery, in regard to religious matters, that unlike them he did not pursue self-interest and self-indulgence under the facade of godliness and piety, that he did not twist religious principles and injunctions without scruple, as the Jews were wont to do in order to make them suit their desires and fancies, that he did not resort to the chicanery and duplicity which characterized the religious life of the Jews. As a result, it was no use trying to appease them. For unless the Muslims were prepared to assume the attitude and orientation of the Jews and to follow all their errors in belief and practice, there was no question of their being able to bring about any reconciliation with them.

(2:159) Those who conceal anything of the clear teachings and true guidance which We have sent down even though We have made them clear in Our Book, Allah curses such people and so do all the cursers, [160]

160. The biggest failure of the Jews was that they kept the teachings contained in the Book of God confined to a limited class of people, the rabbis and professional theologians, instead of spreading them. They did not allow this knowledge to filter through even to the Jewish masses let alone the non-Jewish peoples of the world. Later, when errors and corruptions spread among them owing to widespread ignorance the Jewish theologians made no serious effort to root them out. Moreover, in order to maintain their hold on the Jewish masses they lent their tacit approval to every corrupting deviation from the true faith that gained currency.

The Muslims are being admonished to refrain from this kind of behaviour. The nation which has been charged with the guidance of the entire world is duty-bound to do its utmost to radiate true guidance, rather than keep it under lock and key as a miser hoards his money.

(2:175) They are the ones who bought error in exchange for true guidance, and chastisement in exchange for forgiveness. How patient they are in enduring the Fire!

(2:185) During the month of Ramadan the Qur’an was sent down as a guidance to the people with Clear Signs of the true guidance and as the Criterion (between right and wrong). So those of you who live to see that month should fast it, and whoever is sick or on a journey should fast the same number of other days instead. Allah wants ease and not hardship for you so that you may complete the number of days required, [186] magnify Allah for what He has guided you to, and give thanks to Him. [187]

186. Whether a person should or should not fast while on a journey is left to individual discretion. We find that among the Companions who accompanied the Prophet on journeys some fasted whereas others did not; none objected to the conduct of another. The Prophet himself did not always fast when travelling. On one journey a person was so overwhelmed by hunger that he collapsed; the Prophet disapproved when he learned that the man had been fasting. During wars the Prophet used to prevent people from fasting so that they would not lack energy for the fight. It has been reported by ‘Umar that two military expeditions took place in the month of Ramadan. The first was the Battle of Badr and the second the conquest of Makka. On both occasions the Companions abstained from fasting, and, according to Ibn ‘Umar, on the occasion of the conquest of Makka the Prophet proclaimed that people should not fast since it was a day of fighting. In other Traditions the Prophet is reported to have said that people should not fast when they had drawn close to the enemy, since abstention from fasting would lead to greater strength. (See Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 3, p. 329, and vol. 5, pp. 205 and 209: Darimi, ‘ Sawm’, 41; Muslim, ‘Siyarn’, 92; Nasai, Siyam’, 47; Bukhari, ‘Maghazi’, 71; Muslim, ‘Siyam’, 102; Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 3, pp. 21, 35, 46; Tirmidhi, ‘Sawm’, 18, Nasa’i. ‘Siyam’, 52; Bukhari , ‘Jihad’, 29; Muslim, ‘Siyam’, 98; Abu Da’ud, ‘Sawm’ 42; Muslim, ‘Siyam’, 102, 103, 105; Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad vol. 2, 99; Tirmidhi, : ‘Sawm’, 19 – Ed.)

The duration of a journey for which it becomes permissible for a person to abstain from fasting is not absolutely clear from any statement of the Prophet, (cf. relevant Traditions Abu Da’ud, ‘Sawm’, 46, 47; Nasai , ‘Siyam’, 54, 55; Malik, Muaatta’, ‘Siyam’, 21, 27 – Ed.) In addition the practice of the Companions was not uniform. It would seem that any journey which is commonly regarded as such, and which is attended by the circumstances generally associated with travelling, should be deemed sufficient justification for not fasting.

Jurists agree that one does not have to fast on the day of commencing a journey; one may eat either at the point of departure or after the actual journey has commenced. Either course is sanctioned by the practice of the Companions. Jurists, however, are not agreed as to whether or not the residents of a city under attack may abstain from fasting even though they are not actually travelling. Ibn taymiyah favours the permissibility of abstention from fasting and supports his view with vcry forceful arguments.

187. This indicates that fasting need not be confined, exclusively, to Ramadan. For those who fail to fast during that month owing to some legitimate reason God has kept the door of compensation open during other months of the year so that they need not be deprived of the opportunity to express their gratitude to Him for His great bounty, in revealing the Qur’an.

It should he noted here that fasting in Ramadan has not only been declared an act of worship and devotion and a means to nourish piety but has also been characterized as an act of gratefulness to God for His great bounty of true guidance in the form of the Qur’an. In fact, the best way of expressing gratitude for someone’s bounty or benevolence is to prepare oneself, to the best of one’s ability, to achieve the purpose for which that bounty has been bestowed. The Qur’an has been revealed so that we may know the way that leads to God’s good pleasure, follow that way ourselves and direct the world along it. Fasting is an excellent means by which to prepare ourselves for shouldering this task. Hence fasting during the month of the revelation of the Qur’an is more than an act of worship and more than an excellent course of moral training; it is also an appropriate form for the expression of our thankfulness to God for the bounty of the Qur’an.

(2:272) You are not responsible for setting these people on the Right Way; Allah sets on the Right Way whomsoever He wills. Whatever wealth you spend in charity is to your own benefit for you spend merely to please Allah. So, whatever you spend in charity will be repaid to you in full and you shall not be wronged. [313]

313. In the beginning Muslims tended to hesitate in helping either their non-Muslim relatives or other non-Muslims who were in need. They thought that helping Muslims only constituted ‘spending in the way of Allah’. This verse rejects this attitude. The purpose of this verse is to point out that Muslims are not responsible for forcing true guidance down the throats of people; conveying the message of Truth to people absolves them of the obligation incumbent upon them. It is, then, for God either to favour the recipients of the message with true perception or not. In addition Muslims should not shrink from helping their relatives in the affairs of the world on the ground that they are not following the true guidance; they will he rewarded by God for whatever help they render to needy persons for the sake of God.

(3:4) for the guidance of mankind; [2] and He has also revealed the Criterion (to distinguish truth from falsehood). A severe chastisement lies in store for those who deny the signs of Allah. Allah is All-Mighty; He is the Lord of Retribution.

2. The Torah is generally taken to signify the first five books of the Old Testament, and the Injil (Gospel), to mean the four Gospels of the New Testament, even though those books form a part of it. This has sometimes caused people to wonder if these books were indeed revealed by God. If they are accepted as revealed, one may wonder if the Qur’an really verifies their contents as this verse says. The fact is, however, that the Torah is not identical with the first five books of the Old Testament even though those books form a part of the Torah. Likewise, the Injil is not identical with the four Gospels of the New Testament.

The fact is that the Torah, in the Qur’anic usage, signifies the revelations made to Moses (peace be on him), in about forty years, from the time he was appointed a Prophet until his death. These include the Ten Commandments’, which were handed over to him inscribed on stone tablets. Moses took down the rest of the revealed injunctions and handed over one copy to each of the twelve tribes of Israel, and one copy to the Levites for safe keeping. It is this book which was known as the Torah and it existed until the first destruction of Jerusalem. The copy entrusted to the Levites was put beside the Ark of the Covenant along with the Commandment tablets, and the Israelites knew it as the Torah. The Jews, however, neglected the Book: during the reign of Josiah the King of Judah the Temple of Solomon was under repair and the high priest, Hilkiah, chanced to find the Book lying in the construction area. He gave it to the King’s secretary, Shaphan, who in turn took it to the King as if it were a strange find (see 2 Kings 22: 8-13).

Hence, when the Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar, conquered Jerusalem and razed it and the Temple of Solomon to the ground, the Israelites lost for ever the few original copies of the Torah which they possessed, and which they had consigned to obscurity. At the time of Ezra the priest, some Israelites returned from captivity in Babylon, and when Jerusalem was rebuilt the entire history of Israel, which now comprises the first seventeen books of the Old Testament, was recorded by Ezra with the assistance of some other elders of the community. Four of these books, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, consist of a biographical narrative of Moses. In this biography those verses of the Torah available to Ezra and the other elders are also recorded and in the contexts in which they were revealed. The present Torah, therefore, comprises those fragments of the original book which are interspersed throughout the biography of Moses (composed in the manner described above).

In locating these fragments of the original Torah there are certain expressions which help us. These are interspersed between the different pieces of biographical narration and usually open with words such as: ‘Then the Lord said to Moses’, and ‘Moses said, the Lord your God commands you.’ These expressions, then, are fragments of the original Torah. When the biographical narration re-commences, however, we can be sure that the fragment of the true Torah has concluded. Wherever authors and editors of the Bible have added anything of their own accord, by way of either elaboration or elucidation, it has become very difficult for an ordinary reader to distinguish the original from the explanatory additions. Those with insight into Divine Scripture, however, do have the capacity to distinguish between the original revealed fragments and the later, human interpolations.

It is these scattered fragments of the original revealed Book which the Qur’an terms as the Torah, and it is these which it confirms. When these fragments are compared with the Qur’an, there is no difference between the two as regards the fundamental teachings. Whatever differences exist relate to legal matters and are of secondary importance. Even today a careful reader can appreciate that the Torah and the Qur’an have sprung from one and the same Divine source.

Likewise, Injil signifies the inspired orations and utterances of Jesus (peace be on him), which he delivered during the last two or three years of his life in his capacity as a Prophet. There are no certain means by which we can definitively establish whether or not his statements were recorded during his lifetime. It is possible that some people took notes of them and that some followers committed them to memory. After a period of time, however, several treatises on the life of Jesus were written. The authors of these treatises recorded, in connection with the biographical account, those sayings of his which they had received from the previous generation of co-religionists, in the form of either oral traditions or written notes about events in his life. As a result the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are not identical with the Injil. Rather, the Injil consists of those statements by Jesus which form part of these Gospels. Unfortunately we have no means of distinguishing the fragments of the original Injil from the pieces written by the authors themselves. All we can say is that only those sections explicitly attributed to Jesus, for example in statements such as: ‘And Jesus said’ and ‘And Jesus taught’, constitute the true Injil. It is the totality of such fragments which is designated as the Injil by the Qur’an, and it is the teachings contained in these fragments that the Qur’an confirms. If these fragments are put together and compared with the teachings of the Qur’an one notices very few discrepancies between the two, and any discrepancies that are found can be resolved easily by unbiased reflection.

(3:73) They also say among themselves: ‘Do not follow anyone except him who follows your faith.’ Say: ‘Surely true guidance is Allah’s. It is His favour that anyone should be given the like of what you have been given in the past, and that others should have been given firm evidence to proffer against you before your Lord.’ Say: ‘Surely bounty is in the Hand of Allah; He gives it to whom He wills. Allah is All-Embracing, [62] All-Knowing. [63]

62. The word wasi’ which is used here occurs in the Qur’an in three contexts. The first context is the narrow-mindedness and mean outlook of certain people, in contrast to which God is not ‘narrow’. The second context is the denunciation of miserliness, meanness and niggardliness, in contrast to which God is Generous and Munificent. The third context is the ascription of finite, limited concepts to God as a result of their limited imagination, whereas the truth is that God is infinite see (Surah Al-Baqarah, ayat 115) note 116

63. That is, God knows who deserves to be honoured and exalted.

(3:96) Behold, the first House (of Prayer) established for mankind is the one at Bakkah: it is full of blessing and a centre of guidance for the whole world. [79]

79. The second objection raised by the Jews was that the direction for Prayer had been changed from Jerusalem to the Ka’bah. This objection is answered in (Surah Al-Baqarah, ayat 142) note 142 and (Surah Al-Baqarah, ayat 145) note 147. The Bible, itself, testifies that Jerusalem was built by Solomon more than four and a half centuries after Moses (see 1 Kings 6: 1), and that it was during his time that the worshippers of the One God began to pray towards it (1 Kings 8: 29-30). It is established by traditions from numerous sources which are undisputed throughout Arabia, however, that the Ka’bah was constructed by Abraham who lived some eight or nine centuries before Moses. That the Ka’bah was older than the Temple of Jerusalem was beyond dispute.

(3:138) This is a plain exposition for men, and a guidance and admonition for the Godfearing.

(4:115) As for him who sets himself against the Messenger and follows a path other than that of the believers even after true guidance had become clear to him, We will let him go to the way he has turned to, [143] and We will cast him into Hell – an evil destination.

143. When, after revelation from God, the Prophet (peace be on him) delivered his verdict in favour of the innocent Jew rather than the dishonest Muslim, the latter was so seized by un-Islamic, egotistic and chauvinistic considerations that he left Madina, went straight to Makka to join the ranks of the enemies of Islam and of the Prophet (peace be on him), and undertook open opposition. The verse alludes to that incident.

(5:44) Surely We revealed the Torah, wherein there is guidance and light. Thereby did Prophets – who had submitted themselves (to Allah) – judge for the Judaized folk; [72] and so did the scholars and jurists. [73] They judged by the Book of Allah for they had been entrusted to keep it, and bear witness to it. So (O Jews!) do not fear men but fear Me, and do not barter away My signs for a trivial gain. Those who do not judge by what Allah has revealed are indeed the unbelievers.

72.Here the verse tells the Jews that all the Prophets were muslims (submitters to God) whereas the Jews had deviated from islam (submission to God), and true to their chauvinistic sectarianism, were content with remaining merely ‘Jews’.

73.Rabbani = religious scholars, theologians. Ahbar = religious jurists.

(5:46) And We sent Jesus, the son of Mary, after those Prophets, confirming the truth of whatever there still remained of the Torah. And We gave him the Gospel, wherein is guidance and light, and which confirms the truth of whatever there still remained of the Torah, [76] and a guidance and admonition for the God-fearing.

76.The Messiah did not expound a new religion. That very religion which had been the religion of all the Prophets was also his religion, and it is towards that religion that he called people. He believed in the true teachings of the Torah which were extant in his time, and the Gospels (Injil) confirm this (see, for example, Matthew 5: 17-18). The Qur’an repeatedly stresses the fundamental fact that none of the Prophets of God, no matter in which part of the world they appeared, denied the Prophets who had preceded them. On the contrary, each Prophet confirmed the message of his predecessors and sought to promote the mission which was the sacred legacy of them all. God did not reveal any of the Books in order to repudiate the previous ones; each confirmed and supported the preceding ones.

(6:35) Nevertheless, if their turning away grieves you, then seek – if you can – either a way down into the earth or a ladder to the heavens, and try to bring to them some sign. [23] Had Allah so willed, He would have gathered them all to the true guidance. Do not, then, be among the ignorant. [24]

23. The Prophet (peace be on him) saw that even though he had spent a long time admonishing his people, they did not seem inclined to heed his call. As a result he sometimes wished for the appearance of some extraordinary sign of God that would undermine the stubbornness of his people and lead them to accept his guidance. This verse embodies God’s response to the Prophet’s desire. He is told not to be impatient. He must persist in his striving and continue to work. in conformity with God’s directive. Had it been God’s purpose to work miracles, He would have done so. But God did not consider that to be either the appropriate method for bringing to a successful completion the required intellectual and moral revolution or for the evolution of a sound, healthy civilization. Well, then, if the Prophet (peace be on him) could not bear patiently with the attitude of stubbornness and rejection prevalent among his people, and if he thought it necessary to make them witness a tangible sign of God, let him muster all his strength and try to cleave the earth, or climb a ladder to the heaven and bring forth a miracle powerful enough to change the unbelief of the unbelievers into belief. He is told, however, that in this regard he should not expect God to fulfil his wish, for such things have no place in God’s scheme.

24. Had it been required that all people should be driven to the Truth, there would have been no need to send Prophets, to reveal heavenly Books, to direct believers to engage in struggles against unbelievers, and to make the message of Truth pass through the necessary stages until fulfilment is reached. The result could have been achieved by a single sign of God’s creative will. God, however, did not want things to happen that way. He preferred the Truth to be set before people with its supporting arguments so that by a proper exercise of their rational judgement, they should recognize it for what it was and thereafter freely choose to embrace it as their faith. By moulding their lives in conformity with this Truth such people should demonstrate their moral superiority over the devotees of falsehood. They should continually attract men of sound morals by the force of their arguments, by the loftiness of their ideals, by the excellence of their principles and by the purity of their lives. They should thus reach their goal – the establishment of the hegemony of the true faith – by the natural and gradual escalation of strife against falsehood. God will guide them in the performance of this task and will provide them with whatever help they merit during the various stages of their struggle. But if anyone wishes to evade this natural course and wants God to obliterate corrupt ideas and to spread healthy ones in their stead, to root out a corrupt civilization and put a healthy one in its place by exercising His omnipotent will, let him know that this will not come about. The reason is that such is contrary to the scheme according to which God has created man as a responsible being, bestowed upon him a degree of power which he may exercise, granted him the freedom to choose between obedience and disobedience to God, awarded him a certain term of life in order to demonstrate his worth, and determined that at an appointed hour He will judge him for either reward or punishment in the light of his deeds.

(6:71) Ask them (O Muhammad!): “Shall we invoke, apart from Allah, something that can neither benefit nor harm us, and thus be turned back on our heels after Allah has guided us? Like the one whom the evil ones have lured into bewilderment in the earth, even though he has friends who call him to true guidance saying: Come to us. Say: “Surely Allah’s guidance is the only true guidance, and we have been commanded to submit ourselves to the Lord of the entire universe,

(6:88) That is Allah’s guidance wherewith He guides those of His servants whom He wills. But if they ever associated others with Allah in His divinity, then all that they had done would have gone to waste. [56]

56. Had those people also ascribed partners to God like the people of Arabia, they would not have achieved the positions they had attained.Some might perhaps have earned places in the rogues’ gallery of history as either ruthless conquerors or monuments to greed. But had they not shunned polytheism and adhered to their exclusive and unadulterated devotion to God, they would certainly neither have had the honour of becoming the source of light and guidance to others nor of assuming the leadership of the pious and the God-fearing.

(6:90) (O Muhammad!) Those are the ones Allah guided to the right way. Follow, then, their way, and say: ‘I ask of you no reward (for carrying on this mission); it is merely an admonition to all mankind.’

(6:91) They did not form any proper estimate of Allah when they said: ‘Allah has not revealed anything to any man.’ [59] Ask them: ‘The Book which Moses brought as a light and guidance for men and which you keep in bits and scraps, some of which you disclose while the rest you conceal, even though through it you were taught that which neither you nor your forefathers knew -who was it who revealed it?’ [60] Say: ‘Allah!’- and then leave them to sport with their argumentation.

59. In the light of the foregoing discussion and commentary, it is quite evident that this statement comes from the Jews. Since the Prophet (peace be on him) had asserted that he was a Prophet and that a Book had been revealed to him, the unbelieving Quraysh and other polytheists of Arabia naturally used to approach the Jews and the Christians – who believed in the Prophets and in the Scriptures – and tried to solicit a candid answer from them as to whether God’s words had indeed been revealed to Muhammad (peace be on him). Whatever answer they gave was then disseminated on all sides by the active opponents of the Prophet (peace be on him) in order to create revulsion against Islam. This is the reason for mentioning, and then refuting, this statement by the Jews, which had been used by the opposition as an argument against Islam.

One might wonder how a Jew, who believes in the Torah as a revealed Book of God, could say that God had revealed nothing to anyone. At times blind obstinacy and bigotry cause people to resort to arguments which strike at the roots of their own belief. These people were bent upon denying the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be on him), and this fanaticism had come to dominate them so much that they went so far as to deny the very institution of prophethood.

To say that peopte have not formed any proper estimate of God means that they have erred grossly in assessing His wisdom and power. Whoever says that God did not reveal knowledge of Reality and the code for man’s guidance has fallen into one of two errors. Either he considers it impossible for man to become the recipient of God’s revelation, and this constitutes a gross misjudgement of God’s power, or he thinks that even though God has equipped man with intelligence and with the power to act as he chooses, He has nevertheless made no arrangement for his guidance, but has left him in this world altogether unguided and thus conferred upon him the right to behave in any way he likes. This is obviously a misjudgement of God’s wisdom.

60. The revelation of the Torah to Moses (peace be on him) is adduced by way of evidence since the Jews, to whom this response is addressed, believed that it had been revealed. It is obvious that their recognition of the Torah as the Book revealed to Moses negated their standpoint that God had never revealed anything to any human being. Their belief in the Torah at least proved that revelation to man is possible, and had actually taken place.

(6:154) Then We gave to Moses the Book, completing the benediction of Allah upon the one who acts righteously, spelling out everything clearly, a guidance and a mercy; so that they may believe in their meeting with their Lord. [136]

136. To believe in ‘meeting with the Lord’ signifies the conviction that one is answerable to God, and which leads one to adopt responsible behaviour in life. The statement made here could mean two things. It might mean that the teachings of the heavenly Book vouchsafed to Moses could itself create a sense of responsibility among the Israelites. Alternatively, it might mean that when ordinary people observe the wonderful way of life prescribed by God, and note the beneficial effects of its merciful dispensation in the lives of righteous people, they will come to realize that belief in the After-life is, in all respects, a better basis for human life than its denial. In this way, their observation and study might turn them from rejection to true faith.

(6:157) Nor may you claim that: ‘Had the Book been revealed to us, we would have been better guided than they.’ Surely clear evidence has come to you from your Lord, which is both a guidance and a mercy. Who, then, is more unjust than he who gave the lie to the signs of Allah and turned away from them? [138] And We shall soon requite those who turn away from Our signs with a severe chastisement for having turned away.

138. ‘Signs of Allah’ include the teachings embodied in the Qur’an. They are also manifest in the noble life of the Prophet (peace be on him), and the pure lives of those who believed in him. Tley also include the natural phenomena to which the Qur’an refers in support of its message.

(7:43) We shall strip away all rancour from their hearts, [32] and rivers shall flow beneath them, and they shall say: ‘All praise be to Allah Who has guided us on to this. Had it not been for Allah Who granted us guidance, we would not be on the Right Path. Surely the Messengers of our Lord did indeed come down with truth.’ Then a voice will cry out to them: ‘This is the Paradise which you are made to inherit as a reward for your deeds.’ [33]

32. If there develops any rancour or ill-will among good people during the course of their worldly lives, such rancour and will be removed in the Hereafter. Their hearts will be purged of all hostile feelings and they will enter Paradise as cordial friends. They will not feel envious towards those who had formerly been opposed or hostile to them that they share with them the bounties of Paradise. Significantly, ‘Ali once recited this very verse and remarked: ‘I wish that I and ‘Uthman and Talhah and al-Zubayr will be among those about whom God has said: “And We shall take away all rancour from their hearts”‘ (Surah Al-Aaraf, ayat 43) . (See Qurtubi’s comments on verse 43 – Ed.)

Reflection on the verse leads one to conclude that out of His mercy, God will first purge the righteous of their blemishes. This will be done before admitting them to Paradise. Thus they will enter Paradise in a state of untainted purity.

33. This refers to something of a fine and delicate character that will take place in Paradise. Instead of boasting about their virtuous deeds which led them to Paradise, the righteous will thank and praise God profusely and acknowledge His grace and mercy without which they could never have entered Paradise. On the other hand, God will not impress His bounty upon the righteous; He will rather emphasize that Paradise is granted to them by way of compensation for their righteous conduct, that it is the fruit of their hard labour; that it is not like the crumbs of charity but a fair recompense for their striving. The subtlety involved here is further brought into relief by the fact that the above response will not be made by God. It will rather be just announced to them.

What is said above about the Hereafter may be discerned in the attitude of the righteous in the world itself. The wicked and arrogant ones take great pride in their worldly attainments and ascribe them to their own efforts. They firmly, believe that what they have achieved is the fruit of their labour. Swaved by such notions, they continue to act even more haughtily. Conversely the righteous look upon all the bounties which they receive as favours from God. Accordingly, they thank and praise Him out of gratitude. The more they are lavished with worldly favours, the more humble and generous they become. Moreover, they do not suffer from the illusion that their righteousness will certainly earn them their salvation. On the contrary, they consistently repent over their lapses and earnestly turn to God in the hope that He will pardon them out of His grace and mercy. They are always fearful of God’s reckoning lest their evil deeds are found to outweigh their good deeds. According to a tradition the Prophet (peace he on him) said: ‘Know well that none will he able to enter Paradise by dint of his good deeds.’ When asked if that would apply to him as well, the Prophet (peace he on him) replied: ‘Yes, in my case as well; unless God covers me with His mercy and favour.’ (Bukhari, Kitab al-Riqaq, ‘Bab al-Qasd wa a Mudawamah ala al-Amal’ – Ed.)

(7:52) Surely We have brought them a Book which We expounded with knowledge; [36] a guidance and a mercy to those who believe ‘ [37]

36. The Qur’an has spelled out in some detail what constitutes the fundamental reality, explained the attitude that man ought to adopt, and laid down the fundarnentals of the way of life that he ought to follow. The tails laid down in the Book in this regard are based on sound knowledge rather than on conjecture and fancy.

37. The contents and teachings of the Book are perspicuous enough to show one the right way. Moreover, the life-style of those who believe in this Book also bears out, by the beneficial effects it produces on human life, how well it guides man. The blessings of the Qur’an become evident if man first notes the healthy changes that it brings about in his outlook, character and morals.

The above verse in fact alludes to the wonderful effect belief in the Qur’an had on the lives of the Companions of the Prophet (peace be on him).

(7:154) And when the anger of Moses was stilled, he took up the Tablets again, the text of which comprised guidance and mercy to those who fear their Lord.

(7:193) And if you call them to true guidance, they will not follow you. It is all the same for you whether you call them to true guidance or keep silent. [147]

147. As to the false gods set up by the polytheists, what is the extent of their power? Not only, do they not have the power to guide others, they do not even have the power to follow others or even to answer the call of their devotees.

(7:198) And if you were to call them to true guidance, they will not hear; and you observe them looking at you whereas they have no power to see.’

(7:203) [O Prophet!] When you do not produce before them any miracle, they say: ‘Why do you not choose for yourself a miracle?’ [151] Say to them: I follow only what is revealed to me by my Lord. This is nothing but a means of insight into the truth, and guidance and mercy from your Lord to the people who believe. [152]

151. This question is a taunt rather than a simple query. What the utterance implies is that if the claim to prophethood is genuine, it should have been supported by some miracle. The next verse contains a fitting rejoinder to the taunt.

152. The Prophet (peace be on him) is being made to tell his opponents in clear terms that he has no power to get whatever he wants. Being God’s Messenger, he is required to follow the directives of the One Who has sent him and has granted him the Qur’an which has the light of guidance. The major characteristic of this Book is that those who seek guidance from it do indeed find the right way. The moral excellence visible in the lives of those people who accept the Qur’an is testimony to the fact that they have been blessed with God’s mercy.

(9:33) He it is Who has sent His Messenger with the guidance and the True Religion that He may make it prevail over all religions, [32] howsoever those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity might detest it.

32. The Arabic word ad-din has been translated into ‘ways’. For the word deen, as has already been explained in E.N. 204, Al-Baqarah, is used for the ‘way of life’ or the ‘system of life’, which is followed in obedience to the supreme authority.

Now let us try to understand the significance of this verse. The object of the mission of the Messenger is to make the guidance and the right way he has brought from Allah dominant over all the other ways and systems of life. In other words, the Messenger is not sent to allow Allah’s Way to remain subordinate to other ways in order to enjoy concessions from them. He is sent by the Sovereign of the earth and the heavens to make His Way dominant over all other ways. And if a wrong way is at all allowed to remain on the earth, it should be tolerated only under its own protection by the payment of jizyah under the limits conferred by the divine system as in the cast of the system of life of the zimmis who pay jizyah.

(10:57) Men! Now there has come to you an exhortation from your Lord, a healing for the ailments of the hearts, and a guidance and mercy for those who believe.

(12:111) Certainly in the stories of the bygone people there is a lesson for people of understanding. What is being narrated in the Qur’an is no fabrication; it is rather confirmation of the Books that preceded it, and a detailed [80] exposition of everything, and a guidance and mercy for people of faith.

80. That is, it gives details of everything that is required for the guidance of man. Some people take details of everything to mean the details of everything in the world. So, when they do not find in it the details of mathematics, physics, medicine etc. etc. they become skeptical. Whereas the Quran claims to give the details of only one subject, “Guidance”, for which it has been sent down, and it does give the details of everything that is essential for it.

(16:37) (O Muhammad), howsoever eager you may be to show them the Right Way, Allah does not bestow His guidance on those whom He lets go astray; and in fact none will be able to help them.

(16:64) We have sent down the Book that you may explain to them the truth concerning what they are disputing and that the Book may serve as a guidance and mercy for those who believe in it. [53]

53. That is, this Book has afforded them an excellent opportunity to resolve their differences which have been caused by the superstitious creeds of their forefathers, and which have divided, them into warring factions. They can then unite on the permanent basis of the truth presented by the Quran, but those foolish people preferring their former condition even after the coming of this blessing, shall meet with disgrace and torment. On the other hand, only those, who believe in this Book, will find the right way and blessed with mercy and favors from Allah. 65. And Allah sends down from the sky water, then He revives therewith the earth after its death. Indeed, in this is a sure sign for a people who listen.

53a. That is, had you listened to the message of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and observed those signs carefully, you would have cried from the core of your heart. These signs support his message. Year after year you witness these signs. There is the land, all barren before you, without any sign of life, no blade of grass, no bud or flower, and no insect. Then comes rain. All of a sudden, the same land is covered with life. There crop upon numerous kinds of insects of which no vestige had been left. You witness this process of life and death, and death and life, repeated year after year. Yet you doubt this when the Prophet (peace be upon him) tells you that Allah will again bring to life all human beings after their death. This is because you see these signs as animals do, who do not see the wisdom of the Creator underlying this phenomenon; otherwise you would have discovered that these signs support the message of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

(16:89) (O Muhammad), warn them of the coming of a Day when We shall bring forth a witness against them from each community and We shall bring you forth as a witness against them all; (and it is for that purpose that) We sent down the Book to you which makes everything clear, [86] and serves as a guidance and mercy and glad tidings to those who have submitted to Allah. [87]

86. The Quran makes manifest everything on which depends guidance or deviation, success or failure. Whose knowledge is essential for following the right way. What clearly distinguishes truth from falsehood.

In this connection one should guard against that meaning of this sentence and the like in the Quran according to which some people interpret “everything” to mean the knowledge of all sciences, arts, etc. and in order to prove the correctness of their interpretation, they have to pervert the real meaning of the Quran.

87. This Book is a guidance for those who surrender to it as a divine Book and follow it in every aspect of life. Then it will bring Allah’s blessings upon them, and will give them the good news that they will come out successful in the court of Allah on the Day of Judgment. Or, the contrary, those people who reject it shall not only be deprived of guidance and blessing but will also find it as a testimony against themselves on the Day of Resurrection when Allah’s Messenger will stand up to testify against them. This Book will prove to be a strong argument against them. For Allah’s Messenger will say that he had conveyed its message which made manifest the distinction between truth and falsehood.

(16:102) Tell them: “It is the spirit of holiness that has brought it down, by stages, [103] from your Lord so that it might bring firmness to those who believe, [104] and guidance to the Right Way, [105] and give glad tidings of felicity and success to those who submit to Allah.” [106]

103. The Holy Spirit: Gibril. Instead of using the name of the angel who brought revelation, his title has been deliberately mentioned to warn the disbelievers that the Holy Spirit who brought revelation is free from human frailties. He is neither dishonest that he should add something to or take away something from the message he brought, nor is he a liar and forger that he should invent and state something in the name of Allah. Nor does he suffer from any human lust that he should practice a deceit. He is wholly pure and holy and conveys the Word of Allah intact.

104. That is, the fact that Allah sends down His message piecemeal does not mean that Allah’s knowledge and wisdom are defective as you consider because of your folly. Allah sends His revelations gradually because human intelligence and capacity to grasp are limited and defective which do not let him understand the whole theme at one and the same time and make it firm in his mind. Therefore, Allah in His wisdom conveyed His revelation piecemeal through the Holy Spirit. He sends a theme gradually and gives its details by and by and uses different methods and ways to make it plain to human beings so that they might grasp it according to their abilities and capabilities and become firm in their faith and knowledge.

105. The second practical wisdom of sending down the Quran piecemeal was that those believers who obediently followed it, should get necessary instructions for the propagation of Islam and the solution of other problems of life at the time when they were actually needed. It is obvious that if those instructions had been sent down before time and at one and the same time they would not have been useful.

106. The third practical wisdom of not sending down the Quran as a whole at one and the same time was to give good tidings and encouragement to the obedient servants who were suffering from persecution and encountering great obstacles because they needed it over and over again. That is why they were assured of ultimate success time and again to fill them with hope to carry on their mission.

(17:2) We gave Moses the Book, and made it a source of guidance for the Children of Israel, [2] commanding: “Take no other Guardian beside Me.” [3]

2. As this verse has no apparent connection with the event of Miraj, it may appear to a cursory reader that either of the two verses has been misplaced here. But if we try to understand the matter in the context of the theme of the whole Surah, we can easily understand the connection between the two. The main object of this Surah is to give a warning to the disbelievers of Makkah. That is why the mention of Miraj has been made in the very first verse, as if to say: The person whom you dub as an impostor and reject the Book sent down to him, has just now seen with his naked eyes great signs of Allah. So you should learn a lesson from the history of the Israelites who discarded the Book of Allah and therefore, were given painful punishment.

3. The Arabic word vakil (guardian) denotes a person who is trustworthy and can be depended upon in regard to his affairs and may be turned to for guidance and help.

(18:13) We narrate to you their true story. [9] They were a party of young men who had faith in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance [10]

9. The oldest evidence of this story is found in a homily written in Syriac by Jacob of Sarug, a Christian priest of Syria, who was born in A.D. 452, a few years after the death of the companions of the cave. The homily which describes the legend in great detail was composed by him in or about A.D. 474. On the one hand, this same Syriac version came into the hands of our early commentators, and Ibn Jarir Tabari cited it in his commentary with various authorities. And on the other hand, it reached Europe where its translations and abridged versions were published in Greek and Latin. The abridged story as told by Gibbon in Chapter 33 of his The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire under the heading, “The Seven Sleepers”, so closely resembles the story told by our commentators that both the versions seem to have been drawn from the same source. For instance, the name of the king, whose persecutions made the Seven Christian youths of Ephesus take refuge in the cave, was Emperor Decius according to Gibbon. He ruled the Roman Empire from A.D. 249 to 251 and whose reign is very notorious because of his persecution of the followers of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), while our commentators call him Decanus or Decaus, etc. The city, where this event happened was Aphesus or Aphesos according to our commentators, while according to Gibbon it was Ephesus, which was the biggest Roman city and seaport on the west coast of Asia Minor. The ruins of this city can still be seen 20 to 25 miles south of the modern Turkish city of Izmir. Again the name of the king, during whose reign the companions of the cave awoke, was Tezusius according to the Muslim commentators and Theodosius II according to Gibbon. He ruled over Rome from A.D. 408 to 450, after the Roman Empire had accepted Christianity.

The resemblance between the two versions is so close that even the name of the companion whom the sleepers sent to the city to buy food after waking up has been mentioned as Jamblicha by the Muslim scholars and Jamblichus by Gibbon. The details of the story in both the versions are also similar which are briefly as follows.

When during the reign of the Emperor Decius, the followers of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) were being mercilessly persecuted, the seven Christian youths hid themselves in a cave and fell into a sleep. Then in the 38th year of the reign of the Emperor Theodosius II (approximately in A.D. 445 or 446) they awoke when the entire Roman Empire had become Christian. Thus, they slept in the cave for nearly 196 years.

On this ground some orientalists have rejected that the above mentioned story is the same as that given in the Quran because the period of their stay in the cave according to the Quran (Surah Al-Kahf, Ayat 25) was 309 years. We have, however, answered this objection in (Surah Al-Kahf, ayat 25) note 25.

There are a few minor differences between the Quranic and Syriac versions, on the basis of which Gibbon has charged the Prophet (peace be upon him) with ignorance. However, the Syriac version, on the basis of whose authenticity he has committed this gross insolence, was even according to him written thirty to forty years after the event by a Syrian. He has not taken the trouble to consider the fact that verbal versions of events do change a bit during such a long time while they are communicated from one country to the other. Therefore it is wrong to take such a version of the story for granted and literally true and to charge the Quran with discrepancy for any main difference with it. Such an attitude is worthy only of those people who are so blinded by religious prejudices that they discard even the most ordinary demands of reason.

The city of Ephesus where the event of the sleepers of the cave took place, was built about 11th century B.C. and became a great center of idol worship, its chief deity being the moon goddess, Diana, whose temple was regarded as a wonder of the ancient world. Most of her devotees belonged to Asia Minor and the Roman Empire also had accepted her as one of its deities. After Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) when his message started reaching different parts of the Roman Empire, a few youths of Ephesus also gave up idol worship and accepted God as their only Lord. Gregory of Tours has collected details about these Christian youths in his Meraculorum Liber, which are briefly as follows.

They were seven youths. When the Emperor Decius heard of their change of faith, he summoned them and questioned them about their new religion. In spite of knowing that the Emperor was deadly against the followers of Christ, they frankly admitted before him that their Lord is the Lord of the earth and heavens, and that they recognized none else as Deity for if they did so, they would be committing a grave sin. The Emperor became furious to hear this, and warned that he would have them killed, but then considering their tender age, he granted them three days in which they were counseled to revert to their old faith, otherwise they would be put to death.

The seven youths took advantage of the situation and fled the city to conceal themselves in a cave in the mountains. On the way a dog also followed them. They did their best to scare it away, but it would not leave them. At last they found a spacious cave as a suitable refuge and hid in it and the dog sat at the entrance. Being tired they soon fell into a deep slumber. This happened in about 250 A.D. After about 197 years, in 447 A.D., during the reign of Emperor Theodosius II, they awoke suddenly when the whole Roman Empire had embraced Christianity and the Ephesians had given up idolatry.

At this time a fierce controversy was going on among the Romans regarding the reality of the life after death and Resurrection, and the Emperor himself was anxious to eradicate somehow the disbelief in the life after death from the minds of his people. So much so that one day he prayed that God in His mercy may show a sign which may help restore and correct the people’s belief. In precisely the same days the seven sleepers awoke in the cave.

After waking up, the youths started asking one another about how long they might have slept. Some said it might have been a day, others said it was a part of a day. When they reached no conclusion, they stopped arguing, leaving the knowledge of the exact period to God.

Then they sent Jean, a companion, to the city with a few silver coins to buy food, and warned him to be on his guard lest the people should recognize him, for they feared that if they were discovered the Ephesians would force them to bow before Diana. But when Jean came to the city he was astonished to see that the world had changed. The entire population had embraced Christianity, and there was nobody in the city to worship Diana. He came to a shop and wanted to buy a few loaves of bread. When he paid in a coin bearing the image of Emperor Decius, the shopkeeper could not believe his eyes and asked the stranger from where he had obtained that coin. When the young man said that it was his own, a dispute began between them and soon a crowd gathered around them, and the matter reached the chief officer of the city. The officer himself was puzzled and wanted to know the whereabouts of the treasure house from where the young man had taken the coin, but the latter insisted that it belonged to him. The officer did not believe him because he thought that a young man like him could not possibly possess a centuries old coin which had not even been seen by the elders in the city. When Jean came to know that the Emperor Decius had died, he was pleasantly surprised. He told the crowd that he and his six companions had fled the city only the other day and taken refuge in a cave to escape Decius’ persecution. The officer was greatly surprised and followed the young man to see the cave where his companions lay in hiding. And a great crowd followed behind them. When they came to the cave, it was fully established that the youths really belonged to the Emperor Decius’ period. Consequently, Emperor Theodosius was informed and he also visited the cave to receive grace. Then the seven youths went back into the cave and lay down and breathed their last. Seeing this clear sign the people’s belief in the life after death was restored, and a monument was ordered to be built over the cave by the Emperor.

The story of the sleepers of the cave as narrated above, corresponds so closely with that mentioned in the Quran that the seven youths can easily be regarded as Ashab-i- Kahf (the companions of the cave). Some people, however, have raised the objection that this story concerns a city of Asia Minor, and the Quran does not discuss or refer to any event that might have taken place outside Arabia, therefore it would be against the Quranic style and spirit to label this Christian story as the story of Ashab-i-Kahf. In our opinion this objection is not correct. The Quran means to impress and warn the Arabs by relating stories concerning the various ancient tribes who had transgressed from the right path and with whom they were familiar, whether they lived and flourished inside Arabia or outside it. It is for this very reason that a mention has been made of the ancient history of Egypt in the Quran, whereas Egypt has never been a part of Arabia. The question is that when the history of Egypt can be mentioned in the Quran, why cannot Rome and the Roman history with which the Arabs were as familiar as with the Egyptian history? The Roman frontiers adjoined the northern Hijaz and the Arab caravans traded with the Romans almost throughout the year. Then there were a number of Arab tribes who were directly under Roman domination and the Roman Empire was in no way unknown to the Arabs, a fact which is fully borne out by Surah Ar-Room. Another thing which should be borne in mind is that the story of the sleepers of the cave has been related in the Quran in response to a query raised by the disbelievers of Makkah, who had been prompted by the Jews and Christians to question the Prophet (peace be upon him) on such matters as were wholly unknown to the Arabs in order to test his Prophethood.

10. That is, when they had believed sincerely, Allah increased their faith in the guidance and enabled them to become firm and steadfast on the way of the truth even at the risk of their lives rather than surrender before falsehood.

(18:55) What is it that prevented mankind from believing when the guidance came to them, and from asking forgiveness of their Lord, except that they would like to be treated as the nations of yore, or that they would like to see the scourge come upon them face to face? [52]

52. This is to warn the people that the Quran has left no stone unturned in making the truth plain. It has employed all kinds of arguments, parables, similitude and used all the possible effective ways to appeal to the heart and the mind of man, and adopted the best possible style. If, in spite of this, they do not accept the truth, it is obvious that they are waiting for God’s scourge like the one that visited the former communities to make them realize their error.

(18:57) Who is more wicked than the man who, when he is reminded by the revelations of his Lord, turns away from them and forgets (the consequence of) the deeds wrought by his own hands? We have laid veils over their hearts lest they understand the message of the Qur’an, and We have caused heaviness in their ears. Call them as you may to the Right Path, they will not be ever guided aright. [54]

54. Allah puts a covering over the heart of a person and makes his ears hard of hearing the truth when he adopts the attitude of contention, dispute, wrangling and argumentation towards the admonition of a well wisher and tries to defeat the truth with the weapons of falsehood and cunning. Naturally this attitude produces in him obduracy and obstinacy so that he turns a deaf ear towards guidance, and is unwilling to realize his error before seeing his evil end. For such people pay no heed to admonition and warning and insist on falling into the abyss of perdition: then and then alone they are convinced that it was perdition towards which they were rushing headlong.

(18:66) Moses said to him: “May l follow you that you may teach me something of the wisdom which you have been taught?”

(19:76) (On the contrary), Allah increases in guidance those who follow the Right Way. [46] Lasting acts of righteousness are better in the sight of your Lord as reward and conducive to a better end.

46. That is, On every critical occasion, Allah guides them to make right decisions and helps them to adopt the right way, and protects them from evil and wrong things; thus they go on making more and more progress on the right way.

(20:10) When he saw a fire [5] and said to his family: “Hold on! I have just perceived a fire; perhaps I will bring a brand from it for you, or I will find some guidance at the fire about the way to follow.” [6]

5. This happened when Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) was returning to Egypt after passing several years in exile in Midian, along with his wife whom he had married there. According to the early part of his history, which has been related in Surah Al-Qasas, an Egyptian had been killed by Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), so he had to leave Egypt in order to escape arrest and had taken refuge in Midian.

6. It appears that this happened during a night of winter, when Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) was passing through the southern part of the Sinai Peninsula. When he saw a fire at a distance, he went towards it in the hope that he might get some of it to keep his wife and children warm during the night, or at least get some guidance concerning the direction of his journey. But instead of this it was his good fortune that he found the guidance to the right way.

(20:47) So, go to him, and say: ‘Behold, both of us are the Messengers of your Lord. Let the Children of Israel go with us, and do not chastise them. We have come to you with a sign from your Lord; and peace shall be for him who follows the true guidance.

(20:123) and said: [104] “Get down, both of you, (that is, man and Satan), and be out of it; each of you shall be an enemy to the other. Henceforth if there comes to you a guidance from Me, then whosoever follows My guidance shall neither go astray nor suffer misery.

104. That is, Allah not only pardoned him but also gave him guidance and taught him the way to follow it. 1

(21:51) Surely We had bestowed wisdom upon Abraham even earlier, and We knew him well. [53]

53. The Arabic word rushd is very comprehensive and means righteousness as well.

We had blessed Abraham with discretion: The discretion he showed in discriminating between the right and the wrong etc. was not of his own acquirement but had been bestowed on him by Us.

We knew him well: We knew that he was worthy of Prophethood, therefore We appointed him as such. According to (Surah Al-Anaam, Ayat 124) : Allah knows best whom to entrust with His Mission. It contains a subtle answer to the objection raised by the chiefs of the Quraish: Why has Allah appointed this man, the Prophet (peace be upon him) to the office of Prophethood, when he is in no way superior to us. This objection has been answered, as if to say: The same objection might even have been raised against Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) by his people, but We knew his capabilities. Therefore We selected him for Prophethood.

In this connection, please also see (Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayat 124-141) , (Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayat 258-260) : (Surah Al-Anaam, Ayat 74-84) : (Surah At-Taubah, Ayat 114) : (Surah Houd, Ayat 69-76) : (Surah Ibrahim, Ayat 35-41) : (Surah Al-Hijr, Ayat 51-58) and (Surah An-Nahl, Ayat 120-122) and the E.Ns thereof.

(22:8) And among people are those that wrangle [10] about Allah without knowledge, [11] without any true guidance, [12] and without any scripture to enlighten them. [13]

10. That is, they are so proud, arrogant, obdurate and obstinate that they do not pay any heed to admonition.

11. Knowledge: That personal information which is gained directly through observation and experience.

12. Guidance: That information which is gained by reasoning or through another person who has knowledge.

13. Book with light: Source of information gained from divine revelation.

(22:67) For every people [115] We have prescribed a way of worship [116] which they follow. So, (O Muhammad), let them not dispute with you concerning this, [117] and call them to Your Lord. You are certainly on the Straight Way. [118]

115. That is, the community of every Prophet.

116. Here the Arabic word mansak has been used in its most comprehensive sense which also includes sacrifice (Surah Al-Hajj, ayat 34) . It means service, worship, in short, the entire way of life. The same theme has been expressed in (Surah Al-Maidah, Ayat 48) : We prescribed a law and a way of life for each of you.

117. That is, now you have brought a way of life just as the former Prophets brought ways of life for their people. Therefore the people have no right to dispute with you concerning the law you have brought.

118. This confirms the explanation given in (Surah Al-Hajj, ayat 67) note 117 above.

(27:2) a guidance and good tidings [2] for the believers

2. That is, the verses themselves are a “guidance” and “good tidings”, because they give guidance and convey good news in a most excellent manner.

(27:77) and it is a guidance and mercy for the believers. [94]

94. That is, “It is mercy and guidance for those who accept the message of the Quran and believe in what it presents. Such people will be saved from the errors in which their own people are involved. They will find the right way of life by means of the Quran and they will be blessed with such favors by Allah, which the disbelievers among the Quraish cannot even imagine today.” This shower of Allah’s mercy was also witnessed by the world after a few years. The same people who were living unknown lives in a corner of the Arabian desert and could at the most become successful raiders in the state of unbelief, suddenly emerged after their belief in the Quran as the guides of the world, leaders of the nations, makers of human civilization and rulers over a vast part of the world.

(28:37) Moses replied: “My Lord knows best who comes with guidance from Him, and also whose end will be the best in the Hereafter. As for the wrongdoers, they shall not prosper.” [51]

51. That is, “You think I am a magician and a forger, but my Lord is well aware of me. He knows what sort of a man is the person whom He has appointed as a messenger; and the final judgment rests with Him. If I am a liar, I shall meet an evil end; and if you are a liar, you should know that your end will not be good. In any case, the inevitable fact is that the unjust will not attain true success. He, who is not Allah’s messenger but falsely presents himself as a messenger for selfish motives, is also unjust and will not attain success. And the one who rejects a true messenger by false accusations and suppresses the truth by deceit and fraud, is also unjust and will never attain success.”

(28:43) After We had destroyed the earlier generations We bestowed the Book on Moses – a source of enlightenment for people and a guidance and mercy – that they may take heed. [59]

59. That is, “When the former generations met with the evil consequences of turning away from the teachings of the Prophets, and they met the doom that was experienced by Pharaoh and his hosts, then Moses was granted the Book so as to usher in a new era for mankind.”

(28:50) But if they do not hearken to this, know well that they only follow their lusts and who is in greater error than he who follows his lusts without any guidance from Allah? Allah does not guide those given to wrong-doing.

(28:57) They say: “If we were to follow this guidance with you, we should be snatched away from our land.” [80] Have We not established for them a secure sanctuary to which fruits of all kinds are brought as a provision from Us? But most of them do not know. [81]

80. This was the most important excuse which the unbelieving Quraish made for not accepting Islam. To understand fully we shall have to see what was the position of the Quraish historically which they feared would be affected if they accepted Islam.

The importance that the Quraish gained initially in Arabia was due to them being genealogically the descendants of the Prophet Ishmael (peace be upon him), and therefore, the Arabs looked upon them as the children of the Prophets. Then, when they became the custodians of the Kaabah through Qusayy bin Kilab’s sagacity, and Makkah became their home, their importance grew, because they were the attendants of the most, sacred shrine of Arabia, and its priests too. Therefore, every Arab tribe had to have relations with them on account of the annual pilgrimage. Taking advantage of this central position the Quraish started gaining prominence as a commercial people, and to their great good fortune, the political conflict between the Eastern Roman Empire and Iran helped them to gain an important place in the international trade. Iran in those days had blocked entrance to all the trade routes between Rome, Greece, Egypt, and Syria in the north, and China, India, Indonesia and eastern Africa in the southeast. The only exception was the Red Sea route. This also was blocked when Yemen fell to Iran. After this, no way of the transit of trade goods remained except that the Arab merchants should transport merchandise of the Roman territories to the harbors of the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf, and then lift trade goods of the eastern countries from these harbors and transport them to the Roman territories. This sort of arrangement made Makkah an important center of the international trade, and the Quraish were its monopolists. But the chaotic conditions prevailing in Arabia did not allow smooth transit of the trade goods unless the Quraish had pleasant relations with the tribes through whose territories the trade caravans passed. For this the religious influence of the Quraish was not enough; they had to enter into treaties with the tribes concerned, pay them dividends from their profits, and make gifts to the tribal chiefs and other influential people. Besides, they also traded in money lending on a vast scale, which had ensnared the merchants and the chiefs of almost all the neighboring tribes.

Such were the conditions when the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave his message of Tauhid. More than the prejudice of ancestral religion what caused the Quraish the greatest provocation against it was that in it they saw their own interests in jeopardy. They thought that even if polytheism and idol worship were proved wrong and Tauhid right by rational arguments and reasoning, it was ruinous for them to accept Tauhid. For as soon as they did so the whole of Arabia would rise in revolt against them. Then, they would be ousted from the custodianship of the Kaabah, and all their bonds and pacts of friendship with the polytheistic tribes would be severed, which alone guaranteed the safe transit of their trade caravans through their territories. Thus, the new faith would not only put an end to their religious influence but also to their economic prosperity, and they might even be forced by the Arabs to quit Makkah.

This presents a strange phenomenon of the lack of insight on the part of the world worshipers. The Prophet (peace be upon him) tried his best to make them believe that if they accepted his Message, the whole world would yield and submit to them. But they saw their death in it. They thought that the change of the faith would not only deprive them of their wealth and prosperity and influence but would render them so completely helpless in the land. They could not foresee the time when a few years afterwards the whole of Arabia was going to be ruled by a central government under the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself. Then even during the lifetime of their own generation Iran and Iraq and Syria and Egypt were going to fall, one after the other, to the same central authority and within a century of this utterance by them Caliphs from the clan of the Quraish itself were to rule over vast territories, from Sind to Spain and from Caucasus to the coasts of Yemen.

81. This is the first reply to their excuse by Allah. It means this: It is all due to the sacredness and the central position of this Sanctuary that the merchandise of the entire world is being drawn and attracted to this barren and uncultivated valley, for your benefit and use. You should know that you are in no way responsible for giving it the central position it enjoys and for the state of security that prevails in the areas around it. 2,500 years ago a servant of Allah came to this barren valley in the bare mountains with his wife and suckling child. Here he built a small room with stone and mud, proclaimed that Allah had made it a Sanctuary, and that the people should come to visit it and go round it in worship and adoration. Now this is only due to Allah’s blessing that this Sanctuary has been the center of Arabia for the past 25 centuries. Peace reigns here even when there is chaos all around. It is held in the highest esteem by every Arab, and thousands of people are drawn to it every year for going round it in worship. It is only by virtue of this blessing that you are looked upon as the spiritual leaders of Arabia and a large part of the international trade is under your control. Now, do you think; that if you turned and revolted against that God Who has favored you with this blessing, you will prosper, but as soon as you followed His faith you would he ruined?

(28:85) (O Prophet), surely He Who has ordained the Qur’an on you [107] will bring you to the best end. [108] Say to them: “My Lord knows best who has brought true guidance and who is in clear error.”

107. That is, “He has placed on you the responsibility of conveying the Quran and teaching it to the people, and reforming the world according to the guidance contained in it.”

108. The word maad in the original means the place to which one has to return ultimately. Its use as a common noun implies that it is a place of eminence and glory. Some commentators think it refers to Paradise. But there is no reason why it should be restricted only to Paradise. Let it remain indefinite as Allah Himself has put it so that the promise become applicable both in this world and to the next world. The context also requires that it should be looked upon as a promise to bestow the highest glory and eminence on the Prophet (peace be upon him) not only in the Hereafter, but in this world also. In the saying of the disbelievers of Makkah, which has been the theme of the discourse from (Surah Al-Qasas, ayat 57) until now, they had said, “O Muhammad (peace be upon him), do you want us also to be doomed with you? If we join you and adopt this faith, it will become hard for us to live in Arabia.” In response to this, Allah tells His Prophet: “O Muhammad, that God Who has placed the burden of conveying the message of the Quran on you, will not destroy you: rather He will exalt you to the rank which these people cannot even imagine today.” And, in fact, in a few years after this, even in this world, Allah granted the Prophet (peace be upon him) complete authority over the whole of Arabia, and there was no power to resist him, and no religion to stand its ground. There had been no precedent in the history of Arabia that the whole peninsula might have come under the sway of one man so completely that no opponent might be there to challenge him and no soul to dare disobey his orders. Then it was not only a political domination but religious too, for the whole population had been won over to Islam.

Some commentators opine that this verse of Surah Al- Qasas was sent down on the way during the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) migration from Makkah to Madinah, and in this Allah had promised His Prophet that He would again bring him back to Makkah. But, firstly, the words of the verse do not allow that “maad” be taken to mean “Makkah”. Secondly, this Surah, both according to the traditions and the internal evidence of its theme, was revealed sometime during the time of the migration to Habash, and one cannot understand that if this verse was revealed after several years on the way during the migration to Madinah, why was it inserted in this context without any relevance? Thirdly, in this context, the mention of the Holy Prophet’s (peace be upon him) return to Makkah seems quite irrelevant. For if the verse is taken to mean this, Muhammad will be expelled from this city, but he will not remain an exile forever, but eventually We will bring him back to this very place. Though this tradition has been reported by Bukhari, Nasai, Ibn Jarir and other traditionalists on the authority of Ibn Abbas, it is, in fact, Ibn Abbas’s own opinion; it is not a tradition that might have been received direct from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that one may have to accept it.

(31:3) a guidance and mercy for the doers of good, [2]

2. That is, these verses give guidance to the right way and have been sent down as a mercy from God. But the people who can profit by this mercy and guidance are only those who adopt a righteous attitude, who wish to become good, who crave for their own well being, whose quality is that they avoid the evil when they are warned of it, and follow the good when they are shown the ways to it. As for the wicked and mischievous people, they will neither profit by this guidance nor receive any share from this mercy.

(31:5) It is they who are on true guidance from their Lord, and it is they who shall prosper. [4]

4. At the time when these verses were sent down, the disbelieves of Makkah thought, and said so openly, that Muhammad (peace be upon him) and those who accepted his message were wasting and ruining their lives. Therefore, it was stated with full force and emphasis: “Those are the ones who will be successful.” That is, they will not ruin themselves as you seem to think in your ignorance, but they in fact are the ones who alone will attain true success, and the utter failures will be those who have refused to adopt this way. Here the one who regards true success as confined to the world, in the sense of material prosperity, will be fully missing the Quranic concept of it. To understand the real concept of the true success one should study the following verses of the Quran along with the relevant E.Ns: (Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayat 2-5) , (Surah Aal-Imran, Ayat 102) , (Surah Aal-Imran, Ayat 130) , (Surah Aal-Imran, Ayat 200) , (Surah Al-Maidah, Ayat 35) , (Surah Al-Maidah, Ayat 90) , (Surah Al-Anaam, Ayat 21) , (Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayat 7-8) (Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayat 157) , (Surah At-Taubah, Ayat 88) , (Surah Yunus, Ayat 17) , (Surah An-Nahl, Ayat 116) , (Surah Al-Hajj, Ayat 77) , (Surah Al-Muminun, Ayat 117) , (Surah An-Nur, Ayat 51) , (Surah Ar-Rum, Ayat 38) .

(31:20) Have you not seen that Allah has subjected to your service all that is in the heavens [35] and on the earth and has abundantly bestowed upon you all His bounties, both visible and invisible? [36] Yet some persons dispute regarding Allah [37] without having any knowledge or guidance or any illuminating Book. [38]

35. “Apparent favors” imply those favors which are perceived by man in one way or the other, or are known to him. And the “hidden favors” are those which are neither perceived by him nor are known to him. There are countless things in man’s own body and in the world outside him, which are working in his interest, but man is utterly unaware of the means which his Creator has provided for his protection and safety, for his development and provision of sustenance to him, and for his well-being and happiness. Research of man in the different branches of science is revealing many such favors of God as were hidden from him before. And the favors and blessings which have so far been revealed are insignificant as against those which are still hidden from man.

36. “Who disputes about Allah”: Who wrangle and dispute about questions such as these: Does Allah exist or not? Is He One God alone, or are there other gods also? What are His attributes and what is their nature? What is the nature of His relationship with His creations etc.?

37. That is, they neither have any means of knowledge by which they might themselves have observed or experienced the reality directly, nor do they have the guidance of a guide available to them, who might have guided them after observing the reality, nor do they possess a divine Book, which might be the basis of their belief.

38. That is, it is not at all necessary that the forefathers of every person and every family and nation should have been on the right path. The mere argument that a particular way of life had been bequeathed by the elders cannot be a proof of its being right also. No sane person can commit the folly that he should blindly go on following the way of his forefathers even if they were not rightly guided, and should never bother to find out where the way is leading him.

(32:13) (They will be told): “If We had so willed, We could have bestowed guidance on every person. [23] But the Word from Me that I will fill Hell with men and jinn, [24] all together, has been fulfilled.

23. That is, “Had it been Our will to give guidance to the people after having made them observe and experience the reality, We would not have brought you here after making you undergo this hard test in the world. We could have given you such guidance even before. But We had a different scheme for you from the very beginning. We wanted to test you by keeping the reality hidden from your eyes and senses in order to see whether you could recognize it by your intellect after perceiving its signs in the universe and in your own selves or not, whether you could take advantage of the help that We provided to you through Our Prophets and Our Books to recognize the reality or not, and whether after knowing the reality, you could attain such control over your self or not that you should free yourselves from the service of your desires and lusts and believe in the reality and mend your ways and attitudes accordingly. You have failed in this test. Now setting the same test once again will be useless. If the second test is set in a condition when you remember everything that you have seen and heard here, it will be no test at all. And if, like before, you are given re-birth in the world, while you do not remember anything and the reality is kept hidden from you, and you are set the test once again as before the result will not be, any different.” For further explanation, see (Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayat 210) , (Surah Al-Anaam, Ayat 7-9) , (Surah Al-Anaam, Ayat 27-28) , (Surah Al-Anaam, Ayat 158) , (Surah Yunus, Ayat 19) , (Surah Al-Muminun, Ayat 99-100) .

24. The allusion is to what Allah had said, addressing Satan, at the creation of Adam: In (Surah Suad, ayat 69-88) the whole story of that time has been related. When Satan refused to prostrate himself before Adam and asked for respite till Resurrection in order to seduce mankind, Allah had replied: “The truth is this, and the truth only I speak, that I shall fill Hell with you and all those who follow you from among mankind.”

The word ajmain (all together) here does not mean that all jinns and all men will be cast into Hell, but it means that the satans and the men who follow them, will be cast into Hell all together.

(34:24) Ask them, (O Prophet): “Who provides you sustenance from the heavens and the earth?” Say: “Allah. [42] Now, inevitably only one of us is rightly guided, either we or you; and the other is in manifest error.” [43]

42. There is a subtle gap between the question and the answer. The addressees were the mushriks who not only did not disbelieve in the existence of Allah but also knew and believed that the keys of the provisions are in His hand. But in spite of this they also held others as Allah’s associates in His work. Now when they were confronted with the question: Who gives you sustenance from the heavens and the earth, they were put in a tight corner. If they mentioned another besides Allah, they would say a thing contrary to their own and their people’s creed. If they showed stubbornness and said such a thing, they feared that their own people would immediately refute them. And if they acknowledged that Allah alone is their Sustainer, they would immediately be confronted with the next question: Then, why and what for have you made these others as your gods? When Allah is the Sustainer, why should these others be served and worshipped? Thus they stand confused and bewildered. Neither can they say that Allah alone is the Sustainer nor that another god is the sustainer. When the questioner sees that they do not make any answer, he himself answers his question and says, Allah.

43. This sentence contains an important point of the wisdom of preaching. The logical conclusion of the question and answer cited above would be that the one who serves and worships Allah should be on right guidance and the one who worships others beside Him should be misguided. Therefore, apparently, the conclusion should have been: “Then, we are rightly guided and you are misguided.” But such a plain and straight reply, although correct and true, would not have been a wise thing from the point of view of preaching. For when a person is addressed and told plainly that he is misguided and the speaker claims to be rightlyguided himself, he will become obdurate and will never be inclined to accept and acknowledge the truth. As the Messengers of Allah are not sent only for the sake of speaking the plain truth, but are also entrusted with the duty of reforming the wrongdoers as tactfully as possible. Allah has not asked His Prophet (peace be upon him) to tell them plainly, after the question and answer, that they are all misguided and that he alone is rightly-guided. Instead of this, it was said: Tell them: it has become clear that we regard as our Deity only Him Who is the Sustainer, and you have taken as deities those who are not sustainers. Now, it is not possible that both you and we should be on right guidance simultaneously. Only one of us can be rightly-guided, and the other inevitably will be misguided. Now it is for you to consider and judge who is being proved by reason to be in the right and who in the wrong.

(34:32) The arrogant ones will retort to those who were suppressed: “What! Did we bar you from the guidance after it came to you? Not at all; rather you yourselves were evil-doers.” [52]

52. That is, they will say: We had no power by which a few of us could have compelled hundreds of thousands of the people like you to follow us. If you had the will to believe, you could have deposed us from leadership and power and authority and government. In fact, you were our army, you were the source of our wealth and power. But for your offerings and gifts and taxes we should have been paupers. Had you not sworn allegiance to us, we could not have flourished as saints even for a day. Had you not appreciated and applauded us as leaders, we would have remained unknown. Had you not become our army and fought against the whole world for our sake, we could not have ruled over a single individual. Now why don’t you admit that you yourselves did not want to follow the way that the Messengers had presented before you. You were the slaves of your own lusts and desires, and the demands of your selves could not be fulfilled by the righteous way of life presented by the Messengers but by what we presented before you. You were heedless of the lawful and the unlawful and craved for the luxuries of life, which we only could provide you. You were in search of such guides as could give you the license to commit any sin, any crime, and take on themselves the responsibility to have you forgiven by God, in exchange for gifts. You wanted to listen to such religious scholars only who could please you by proving every kind of shirk and every innovation in religion and every lust of your self to be the very truth. You needed such forgers who could invent a new religion by altering the religion of God after your desires. You wanted to follow such leaders who could help you become prosperous in this world, no matter how you fared in the Hereafter. You wished to have such rulers who were immoral and dishonest so that under their patronage you also could have the freedom to indulge in any sin, any immorality. Thus, you and we were equal partners in the bargain. Now you cannot delude anyone by saying that you were absolutely innocent and that we had spoiled and corrupted you against your will.

(39:23) Allah has revealed the best teaching, a self-consistent Book [43] which repeats its contents in manifold forms whereat shiver the skins of those that hold their Lord in awe, and then their skins and their hearts soften for Allah’s remembrance. That is Allah’s Guidance wherewith He guides whosoever He pleases. And he whom Allah does not guide to the Right Path has none to guide him.

43. That is, there is no contradiction and disagreement between them. The whole Book, from the beginning to the end, projects one and the same aim, one and the same belief, and one and the same system of thought and action. Each of its parts confirms and supports and explains the other themes; and there is perfect consistency in it both in meaning and in style.

(39:41) (O Prophet), We revealed to you the Book with the Truth for all mankind. So he who follows the Right Way does so to his own benefit, and he who goes astray, shall hurt only himself by straying. You are not accountable on their behalf. [59]

59. That is, it is not for you to bring them to the right path. Your only duty is to present the right path before them. If they prefer to remain astray after that, you are not responsible for it.

(40:53) We surely guided Moses [69] and made the Children of Israel the heirs of the Book

69. That is, We did not just leave Moses alone when We sent him against Pharaoh, but We gave him guidance at every step till success. This contains a subtle allusion to the effect: O Muhammad, We shall help you too in the same manner. We have neither left you alone after raising you as a Prophet in the city of Makkah and the tribe of Quraish so that these wicked people may treat you as they like, but We Ourselves are with you and are giving you guidance at every step.

(41:17) As for Thamud, We bestowed guidance upon them, but they preferred to remain blind rather than be guided. At last a humiliating scourge overtook them on account of their misdeeds.

(41:44) Had We revealed this as a non-Arabic Qur’an they would have said: “Why were its verses not clearly expounded? How strange, a non-Arabic scripture and an Arab audience!” [54] Tell them: “It is a guidance and a healing to the believers. But to those who do not believe, it serves as a plug in their ears and a covering over their eyes. It is as if they are being called from a place far away. [55]

54. This is the kind of the stubbornness that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was confronting. The disbelievers said: Muhammad (peace be upon him) is an Arab. Arabic is his mother tongue. How can one believe that the Arabic Quran that he presents has not been forged by himself but has been revealed to him by God? The Quran could be believed to be the revelation of God if he had started speaking fluently in a foreign language unknown to him, like Persian, Latin, or Greek. This argument of theirs has been refuted by Allah, saying: Now when the Quran has been sent down in their own tongue so that they may understand it, they raise the objection: Why has it been sent down to an Arab in Arabic? But if it had been sent down in a foreign tongue, these very people would have said: How strange! An Arab Messenger has been sent to the Arabs, but the revelations being sent to him are in a tongue which is neither understood by him nor by his people.

55. When a person is summoned from afar, he hears a voice but does not understand what is being said to him. This is a wonderful simile which fully depicts the psychology of the stubborn opponents. Naturally when you talk to a person who is free from prejudice, he will listen to you, will try to understand what you say, will accept it if it is reasonable, with an open mind. On the contrary, the person who is not only prejudiced against you but is also malicious and spiteful, will not at all listen to you however hard you may try to make him understand your viewpoint. In spite of hearing you all the time he will not understand at all what you had been saying.

(43:24) Each Prophet asked them: “Will you do so even if we were to show you a way better than the way of your forefathers?” They answered: “We disbelieve in the religion with which you have been sent.”

(45:11) This (Qur’an) is the true guidance. Those who deny the Signs of their Lord shall suffer the torment of a woeful scourge.

(47:17) As for those who were led to the Guidance, [27] Allah increases them in their guidance and causes them to grow in God-fearing. [28]

27. That is, the same revelations about which the disbelievers and hypocrites ask: What was the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying just now? become a cause of further guidance for the rightly guided people, and from the same assembly from which these unfortunate people rise without gaining anything, the fortunate ones return with a new treasure of knowledge and insight.

28. That is, Allah grants them the grace to develop in themselves the kind of piety taqwa that they have the capability to develop.

(47:25) Certainly those who have turned their backs on the True Guidance after it became manifest to them, Satan has embellished their ways for them and has buoyed them up with false hopes.

(47:32) Those who disbelieved and barred others from Allah’s Way and opposed the Messenger after the True Guidance had become manifest to them, they shall not be able to cause Allah the least harm; rather, Allah will reduce all their works to nought. [39]

39. This sentence has two meanings:

(1) That Allah will render vain and fruitless all those works which they had performed as good works, and they will get no reward whatever for them in the Hereafter.

(2) That all the devices that they are adopting to obstruct the way of Allah and His Messenger’s (peace be upon him) religion will prove ineffective and fruitless.

(48:28) He it is Who sent His Messenger with the True Guidance and the Religion of Truth that He may make it prevail over every religion. Sufficient is Allah as a witness (to this). [51]

51. The reason why this thing has been mentioned here is that when at Hudaibiyah the peace treaty was going to be written down, the disbelievers had objected to the use of the words Rasul-Allah (Messenger of Allah) with the name of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and on their insistence the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself had removed these words from the document. At this Allah says: Our Messenger’s being a Messenger is a reality which remains unaffected whether someone believes in it or not. If some people do not believe in it, they may not, for Allah is enough for a witness over it. Their denial will not change the reality, but the guidance and the true faith which this Messenger (peace be upon him) has brought from Us, shall prevail over all religion, no matter how hard the deniers try to obstruct its progress.

“All religions” implies all those ways of life which include the nature of deen (religion). We have explained it in details in (Surah Az-Zumar, ayat 2) note 3 and (Surah Ash-Shura, ayat 23) note 20. Here what Allah has stated in clear words is: The purpose of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) appointment as a Prophet was not merely to preach this religion but to make it prevail over all others. In other words, he did not bring this religion so that it might survive in a limited compartment of life, while the rest of the spheres of life, by and large, should remain under the relentless control of some false religion (way of life). But he had brought it so that it should be the dominant way of life and any other religion should survive, if at all it survives, only within the limits in which it allows it to survive. For further explanation, see (Surah Az-Zumar, ayat 29) note 48.

(53:23) These are nothing but names that you and your forefathers have invented, for which Allah has sent down no authority. [17] They are merely following their conjectures and their carnal desires [18] although guidance has come to them from their Lord. [19]

17. That is, those whom you call gods and goddesses are neither gods nor goddesses, nor do they possess any attribute of divinity, nor any share whatever in the powers of Godhead. You have of your own whim made them children of God and deities and associates in Godhead. Allah has sent down no authority which you may produce as a proof in support of your presumptions.

18. In other words, the basic causes of their deviation are two: First, that they do not feel any need for the knowledge of reality for the purpose of adopting a creed and religion, but make a supposition on the basis of a mere conjecture and then put belief in it as though it were the reality, Second, that they have, in fact, adopted this attitude in order to follow the desires of their souls: they desire that they should have such a deity as should help them attain their aims and objects in the world, and if at all there is to be a Hereafter, it should take the responsibility to have them granted forgiveness there too, But it should not impose any restriction of the lawful and the unlawful on them nor should bind them in any discipline of morality. That is why they do not feel inclined to worship One God as taught by the Prophets, and only like to worship these invented gods and goddesses.

19. That is, in every age the Prophets appointed by Allah have been guiding these wicked people to the truth, and now Muhammad (peace be upon him) has come to tell them as to whom belongs Godhead in reality in the universe.

(61:9) He it is Who has sent forth the Messenger with the Guidance and the True Religion that He may make it prevail over all religion, however those that associate aught with Allah in His Divinity might dislike this. [13]

13. The idolaters: The mushriks, those who combine the service of others with the service of Allah and mix other religions in the religion of Allah. Those who are not prepared to see that the entire system of lift is established on the obedience and guidance of One God. Those who insist that they will worship any deity they like and base their their beliefs and morals and civilization on any philosophy and doctrine they please. As against the ways of such people, it is being said that the Messenger of Allah has not been sent to make a compromise with than, but with the object that he should cause the guidance and religion of truth which he has brought from Allah to prevail over all religions, i.e. every aspect of the way of life. This mission he has to accomplish in any case whether the disbelievers and polytheists like it or not, and whoever they support it or resist it. This declaration has been made in the Quran at two other places. In (Surah At-Taubah, Ayat 33) and (Surah Al-Fath, Ayat 28) . Here it has been re-iterated for the third time. For further explanation, see (Surah At-Taubah, ayat 33) note 32, and (Surah Al-Fath, ayat 28) note 51.

(72:13) and that “when we heard the teaching of the Right Way we came to believe in it; he who believes in His Lord shall have no fear of suffering loss or being subjected to any injustice”; [13]

13. Fear of deprivation: Fear of being given a lesser reward than what one actually deserves for one’s good deeds. Injustice: That one may be deprived of the reward for the good deeds done but duly punished for the errors committed or punished innocent; no believer has any fear of such an injustice from Allah.

(92:12) Surely it is for Us to show the Right Way, [7]

7. That is, Allah as the Creator of man has on the basis of His wisdom, His justice and His mercy, taken on Himself the responsibility not to leave him uninformed in the world, but to tell him what is the right way and what are the wrong ways, what is good and what is evil, what is lawful and what is unlawful, what attitude and conduct will make him an obedient servant and what attitude and conduct will make him a disobedient servant. This same thing has been expressed in Surah An-Nahl, thus: Allah has taken upon Himself to show the right way, when there are also crooked ways. (Surah An-Nahl, ayat 9) .

(96:11) Did you consider: what if he is on the Right Way,

Back to Qur’an Verses

Qamar Islam Khan

Insights of the world.

Quran is a Guidance for the Whole of Humankind

Allah has created man and given him the reason, and He has sent down to him Revelation and sent to him Messengers to call him to the truth and warn him against falsehood. Then He has left him to make his own choice. If a person obeys, he benefits himself, and if he disobeys, he harms himself. Quran is undoubtedly a glorious, unparalleled book of guidance, mercy, healing, and spirituality. The Quran is a clear admonition to people of all ages and cultures. Allah says:

إِنَّ هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ يَهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ وَيُبَشِّرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا كَبِيرًا

“Indeed, this, the Quran, guides to that which (is) most straight and gives glad tidings to the believers – those who do the righteous deeds, that for them (is) a reward great.” (Surah Al-Isra` 17:9)

Allah has created us with the ability to choose, and He has sent down to us guidance and the Criterion. So whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will enter Paradise and whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger will enter Hell. The Muslims believe that the guidance in the Quran is for all time and all people. Allah has created man with the ability to choose, and He has created him able to do both, either believe or disbelieve. To read and comply with the Quran is one of a Muslim’s most important responsibilities. Allah says:

إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ

“Indeed, you (can) not guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He (is) most knowing (of) the guided ones.” (Surah Al-Qasas 28:56)

Allah guides whomsoever He wills and sends astray whomsoever He wills. He has told us that He guides those who obey Him and turn to Him. In the Quran itself, Allah has described how the Quran guides only those whose hearts are humble, submissive, and receptive to being guided. The Quran’s morality is the only way of life that befits human nature.

Guidance is based on certain principles and assumptions:

The guidance refers to the process of helping individuals to discover
Guidance build habits and values towards one’s profession
Guidance is an enormous need in every individual’s life
The guidance provides direction to help mankind judge
Guidance imparted in the development of personality
The guidance refers to advice to solve a problem
Guidance individual be able to shape his destiny
Guidance develop their potential in all activities
Guidance is quite democratic in nature
Guidance is greater than their need
Guidance is something that cannot be ignored
Guidance should observable evidence of its need
Guidance would contribute significantly to society
Guidance take all-round development of the person
Guidance is endless even if a person reaches the top
Guidance to an individual in different stages of his life
Guidance should be regarded as a continuous process
Guidance help to achieve an optimal level of happiness
Guidance is essential for the development of a positivity
Guidance ensures each individual take interest in society

The Quran places emphasis on the oneness of human beings. It introduces the idea of common human origin and ancestry at four different places and says that humans have their origin in a single cell or soul. Allah sent down the Quran as a guide to humanity and conveyed the simplest and the best way to lead one’s life. The verses give us the good news that Islam is easy to practice: According to the Quran, Allah has laid down the solution of every human problem in the Quran very clearly. Allah says:

‏إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لَذِكْرَىٰ لِمَن كَانَ لَهُۥ قَلْبٌ أَوْ أَلْقَى ٱلسَّمْعَ وَهُوَ شَهِيدٌۭ ‎

“There is a reminder in this for whoever has a heart or cared to listen and witness.” (Surah Qaf 50:37).

The Quran orders people to keep their vows, to act honestly in trade, to help the poor, to mediate between cross people, to act justly, to give jobs and tasks to those who are qualified and to work; it also advises people not to believe every piece of news they hear without searching whether it is true or not. Thus, the message of the Quran is universal and eternal. Allah knows the believers and the disbelievers, and what they will do, and He knows what their fate will be in the Hereafter.

Guidance must take into account the all-round development of the individual:

Quran is a guidance and a mercy for the righteous ones
Quran is like a wise learned man who, in his silence
Quran is counted as the source of guidance
Quran is a piece of knowledge and lessons
Quran explains the end of the righteous
Quran translated the book of the universe
Quran implies glad tidings for the believers
Quran is guidance, the evidence between right and wrong
Quran admonishes, encourages, warns, tells instructive stories
Quran speaks with thousand different tongues, instructs others

Islam is the religion of the natural state of man (fitrah), the religion of reason and thought. Allah has distinguished the truth from falsehood. He has enjoined all that is good and forbidden all that is evil. He has permitted good things and forbidden evil things. There is no compulsion in religion because the benefits or harms come back upon the created being, not upon the Creator. Allah says:

إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ إِذَا نَسِيتَ وَقُلْ عَسَىٰ أَن يَهْدِيَنِ رَبِّي لِأَقْرَبَ مِنْ هَٰذَا رَشَدًا

“Except, “If Allah wills.” And remember your Lord when you forget and say, “Perhaps [that] will guide me, my Lord, to a nearer (way) than this right way.” (Surah Al-Kahf 18:24)

The Quran teaches people all of the vital rules of the real system that contains all phases of the social and civilized life, from the family life and the mutual rights and duties of husband and wife to international relations, from greeting to entering houses by getting permission. He does not guide the person who does not strive to be guided, nor submits. Instead, He lets them go astray, as they have chosen so themselves. Allah says:

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَنْ أَسَاءَ فَعَلَيْهَا ۗ وَمَا رَبُّكَ بِظَلَّامٍ لِلْعَبِيدِ

“Whoever does righteousness – it is for his [own] soul, and whoever does evil [does so] against it. And your Lord is not ever unjust to [His] servants.” (Surah Fussilat 41:46)

The Quran advises people to keep their eyes and hearts open, not to act blindly, to contemplate, to study the earth, the skies and those between them, to have the knowledge, to study the states of the previous nations and countries and to draw lessons from them. Allah does not impose on any self any more than it can stand. For it is what it has earned; against it, what it has merited. Allah does not take us to a task if we forget or make a mistake.

Seeking Guidance From The Quran, Allah Almighty says:

“And guides whom He wills to a straight path.” (Quran 10:25)
“The One Who created me, and He guides me.” (Qamar 26:78)
“These are the verses of the book that make things clear.” (Quran 26:2)
“Truly, Allah guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever.” (Quran 39:3)
“They are invited to the book of Allah to settle their dispute.” (Quran 3:23)
“The Quran introduces itself as the guidance for the worlds.” (Quran 3:96)
“Allah desires ease for you; He does not desire difficulty for you.” (Al-Baqara 2: 185)
“And We have revealed the Book to you explaining clearly everything.” (Quran 16:89)
“While as for those who accept guidance, He increases their guidance and bestows on them their piety.” (Quran 47:17)
“This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, for those who are conscious of Allah.” (Quran 02:02)
“And the duty of the Messenger is only to convey (the Message) plainly.” ( al-Ankaboot 29:18)

The Quran describes its other function as the presentation of the Prophetic mission, which is aimed at the guidance of humanity, by delivering it from darkness and leading it towards the light. Quran emancipates humanity and leads it towards the light of knowledge and wisdom. It is clear that faith or disbelief, obedience or disobedience, is a matter of personal choice. Allah has made reward and punishment dependent upon this choice. Allah says:

الر كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ لِتُخْرِجَ النَّاسَ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ

“Alif Laam Ra. A Book which We have revealed to you, so that you may bring out the mankind from the darkness[es] to the light by the permission (of) their Lord, to the Path (of) the All-Mighty, the Praiseworthy.” (Surah Ibrahim 14:1)

Quran is the absolute necessity of steering completely clear of any misinterpretations of its verses and distorted meanings derived from its text. One must acknowledge and be wary of Satan who is working day and night to mislead humankind from the Right Path. It is easy for Satan to mislead those humans who are still far away from the Quran. Allah is Omniscient and knows what has happened and is happening and what is yet to come. Allah says:

إِن تَحْرِصْ عَلَىٰ هُدَاهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي مَن يُضِلُّ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّاصِرِينَ

“If you desire [for] their guidance, then indeed, Allah (will) not guide whom He lets go astray, and not (are) for them any helpers.” (Surah An-Nahl 16:37)

Many people come back towards Allah after they encounter and endure extremely distressful and difficult situations. The Quran becomes a source of peace, guidance and mercy for anyone who seeks to become closer to Allah, but it is all the more so for those with a broken soul and a shattered will who want to turn back towards Allah in repentance and submission after they have endured hardship, loss, grief or calamity in life.

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THE QURANIC CONCEPT OF GUIDANCE AND IGNORANCE, A CRITICAL STUDY

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Journal of the Islamic Medical Association of North America

Omar Kasule

Vijay Davidson

Islam is considered as the youngest and the largest religion, among other major religions of the world. According to the census of 2021, there are more than 1.9 billion adherents of Islam in the world, which makes up-to 26% of the world’s population. It is also the dominant religion of third world nations in Middle East, such as Africa, and Asia. These factors make Islam as one of the most interesting and important religion which calls for our attention as theological students to study and know about this religion, and its sacred scriptures known as Quran. Therefore, in this paper, we will make an attempt to survey about the introduction of Quran, by asking few questions to find answers about the origin and background of Islam. When did this religion came into existence? How was it formed? And what are the contents of Quran? How, and to whom it was revealed and how was it complied in a book form? And what are the beliefs, observances, traditions and festivals they celebrate and the law they observe? Are there any divisions in Islam and what are schools of thoughts exists in Islam?

David Drennan

This brief article aims to give a thorough overview of Islamic beliefs and practices for those unfamiliar with the religious tradition. It also aims to allow the opportunity for further reading on the subject, citing a wide variety of scholarly texts written for non-specialist audiences. The article is divided into sections giving a brief overview of early Islamic history and Muhammad's lifetime, the primary Islamic religious sources, namely, the Qur'an and Sunna, the Five Pillars of Islamic practice, foundational Islamic creedal beliefs, the Shari'a, and finally, Sufism. The pre-edited version of the paper is included here.

Malik Khalfan

This short paper is a basic resource to teach fundamental understanding of the concept of Imamat in Shia Islam in the light of Quran because it discusses the need of a guide after the Prophet Mohammed in a rational manner with the help of Quranic Verses. A must read for all religious centre teachers and older students.

adegbayi kareemat

oscar blanchet

Rahimah Embong

The Qur’an: the Book of Timeless Guidance

Not only a spiritual rest from daily life, a shelter from worry, pain, and grief, the Qur’an also is your personal counselor who would direct and advise you about whatever you want to know. And it’s not an abstract theology. Rather, it is the fact; the Book of God, the Qur’an is the counsel from God (Exalted be He).

We all have problems. We need advice. We need somebody to talk with. At that critical time we think of all the people we know, but not of God!

In fact Allah is the counselor of the believer. After hours of engaging in life activities and having problems and difficulties, a believer is called back to seek counsel from his Lord. They ask Him for guidance and recite something from His book.

With brother Nouman Ali Khan, Learn more about this power of the Qur’an and how to productively utilize it in your daily life; how to go back for Allah getting guidance directly from Him.

abstract theology
ask God for help
effect of reading the Qur’an
go back to the book of God
guidance from God
Nouman Ali Khan
power of the Qur’an
rest from life
seek God’s guidance
stick to the Qur’an
talk with God
the believer’s inclination to the Qur’an
your counselor

Guidance is in the Hand of Allah

Publication : 09-02-2022

How can we reconcile between the aayahs/verses (interpretation of the meanings): “Verily, you (O Muhammad) guide not whom you like” [al-Qasas 28:56] and “And verily, you (O Muhammad) are indeed guiding (mankind) to the Straight Path” [al-Shooraa 42:52]?

Praise be to Allah.

Allah has created man and given him reason, and He has sent down to him Revelation and sent to him Messengers to call him to the truth and warn him against falsehood. Then He has left him to make his own choice.

“And say: ‘The truth is from your Lord.’ Then whosoever wills, let him believe; and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve.” [al-Kahf 18:29 – interpretation of the meaning]

Allah commanded His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to convey the truth to all of mankind. Then they have the choice to do as they wish. If a person obeys, he benefits himself, and if he disobeys, he harms himself, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say: ‘O you mankind! Now truth (i.e. the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad), has come to you from your Lord. So whosoever receives guidance, he does so for the good of his own self; and whosoever goes astray, he does so to his own loss; and I am not (set) over you as a Wakeel (disposer of affairs to oblige you for guidance).’” [Yoonus 10:108]

“There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in taghoot (false gods) and believes in Allah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break.” [al-Baqarah 2:256]

And Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Whosoever does righteous good deeds, it is for (the benefit of) his ownself; and whosoever does evil, it is against his ownself. And your Lord is not at all unjust to (His) slaves.” [Fussilat 41:46]

Guidance is in the hand of Allah. If Allah willed, He could guide all of mankind, for there is nothing that He cannot do on this earth or in the heavens. Nothing happens in His Dominion except that which He wills.

“Say: ‘With Allah is the perfect proof and argument, (i.e. the Oneness of Allah, the sending of His Messengers and His Holy Books, to mankind); had He so willed, He would indeed have guided you all.’” [al-An’am 6:149 – interpretation of the meaning]

But in His Wisdom, Allah has created us with the ability to choose, and He has sent down to us guidance and the Criterion. So whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will enter Paradise and whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger will enter Hell, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, proofs have come to you from your Lord, so whosoever sees, will do so for (the good of) his ownself, and whosoever blinds himself, will do so to his own harm, and I (Muhammad) am not a watcher over you.” [al-An’am 6:104]

The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has no part in guidance; all that he and the Muslims have to do is to explain and convey the message, and show them guidance but they cannot force people to follow it, as Allah said to His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning):

“And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed, all of them together. So, will you (O Muhammad) then compel mankind, until they become believers?” [Yoonus 10:99]

“And the duty of the Messenger is only to convey (the Message) plainly.” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:18]

Guidance to the truth is in the hand of Allah alone and no human being has any share in that, as Allah said to His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, you (O Muhammad) guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He knows best those who are the guided.” [al-Qasas 28:56]

Allah guides whomsoever He wills and sends astray whomsoever He wills. He has told us that He guides those who obey Him and turn to Him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“While as for those who accept guidance, He increases their guidance and bestows on them their piety.” [Muhammad 47:17]

But whoever disobeys Allah and turns away from Him, Allah will not guide him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Truly, Allah guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever.” [al-Zumar 39:3]

Allah is Omniscient and knows what has happened and is happening and what is yet to come. Allah knows the believers and the disbelievers, and what they will do, and He knows what their fate will be in the Hereafter. He has written all this in al-Lawh al-Mahfooz (the Preserved Tablet), as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And all things We have recorded in a Book.” [al-Naba 78:29]

Allah has created man with the ability to choose, and He has created him able to do both, either believe or disbelieve, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful.” [al-Insan 76:3]

Man has the choice in terms of his reason only; if he loses his reason by which he is able to distinguish between the alternatives of good and evil, truth and falsehood, then he is not accountable. Hence according to Islamic sharee’ah (law), the pen is lifted from the insane person (i.e., he is not accountable) until he recovers his senses, and from the child until he reaches the age of understanding, and from the sleeper until he wakes up. None of these people are accountable until they gain or recover the reason by which they may distinguish between the alternatives of faith and disbelief, truth and falsehood, and so on.

Whatever direction a person takes, there will be reward and punishment. If he obeys, there will be Paradise:

“Indeed he succeeds who purifies his ownself (i.e. obeys and performs all that Allah ordered, by following the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism and by doing righteous good deeds.” [al-Shams 91:9 – interpretation of the meaning]

And if he disobeys, there will be Hell:

“And indeed he fails who corrupts his ownself (i.e. disobeys what Allah has ordered by rejecting the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism or by following polytheism, or by doing every kind of evil wicked deed.” [al-Shams 91:10 – interpretation of the meaning]

The choice of one of these two ways is something about which a person will be questioned by the Lord of the Worlds. Hence it is clear that faith or disbelief, obedience or disobedience, is a matter of personal choice. Allah has made reward and punishment dependent upon this choice:

Whoever loves Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and desires good in this world and in the Hereafter, let him enter Islam, and whoever turns away from that and is content with this world and has no interest in the Hereafter and does not submit, then his abode will be Hell. The individual is the one who will benefit or harm himself. There is no compulsion to choose either. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, this (Verses of the Quran) is an admonition, so whosoever wills, let him take a Path to his Lord (Allah).” [al-Insan 76:29]

And Allah knows best.

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Source: From Usool al-Deen al-Islami by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri

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The Quraan Shareef – A book of guidance

Q: I heard a translation of the Quran in which it was being said ‘nothing but guidance’. Does it mean all the various things mentioned in the Quran are the aspects of guidance?

A: The Qur’aan Shareef explains the principles and fundamental aspects. The details of this is found in the hadeeth and these two combined are understood by those who are experts, like the Sahaabah, Taabieen and so forth and so on.

And Allah Ta’ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

Answered by:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

This answer was collected from MuftiOnline.co.za, where the questions have been answered by Mufti Zakaria Makada (Hafizahullah), who is currently a senior lecturer in the science of Hadith and Fiqh at Madrasah Ta’leemuddeen, Isipingo Beach, South Africa.

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Guidance in Islam

Description: god guides whom he wills, however, this blessing is not given arbitrarily, rather imbued with a free will there are factors that make one worthy or unworthy of it..

By IslamReligion.com
Published on 03 Sep 2018
Last modified on 03 Sep 2018
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God Has Not Left Humankind Without Guidance

God has not abandoned humankind after creating them, rather He has always shown the path that leads to Him. It is then up to the people if they want to seek and benefit from that guidance or not. " Then if there comes to you (Adam and your offspring) guidance from Me (in the form of a Prophet or Holy Book) , then whoever follows My guidance he shall neither go astray, nor shall be distressed." (Quran 20:123)

"We (God) will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it (Islamic Monotheism) is the truth." (Quran 41:53)

Acts That Make One Worthy of Guidance

There are certain acts that when performed are reasons for God to guide one to Him.

1. Repentance

"Verily, God sends astray whom He wills and guides unto Himself those who turn to Him in repentance." (Quran 13:27) Everyone makes mistakes and the best of those who make mistakes are those who turn to God in admittance of their mistakes and seek His forgiveness.

2. Being thankful

" Do you not see that the ships sail through the sea by God's grace so that He may show you some of His signs? Surely in this are signs for whoever is patient, grateful ." (Quran 31:31)

"This is by the grace of my Lord - to test me whether I am grateful or un grateful !" (Quran 27:40)

"If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe." (Quran 14:7)

God’s blessings cannot be counted. He created us after we were nothing and blessed us with life, sight, hearing, speech and intellect so that we may reflect and show gratitude to Him.

3. Truthfulness

God appreciates truthfulness, not only with others but with one’s self too. When the Straight Path becomes apparent, one should be truthful with oneself and embrace it.

"God will say, ‘This is the Day (the Day of Judgement) when the truthful will benefit from their truthful ness.’ " (Quran 5:119)

" That God may reward the truthful for their truth and punish the hypocrites if He wills or accept their repentance. Indeed, God is ever Forgiving and Merciful." (Quran 33:24)

4. Seeking God’s Pleasure

"Wherewith God guides all those who seek His pleasure to the ways of peace, and He brings them out from darkness into the light by His Will and guides them to the Straight Way (Islamic Monotheism)." (Quran 5:16) Meaning God will guide to Him whoever truly seeks Him and His acceptance.

Acts That Make One Unworthy of Guidance

Likewise, there are characteristics and acts that do not please God and which are reasons for one not to be guided.

1. Not Believing in Him and His signs

Being obstinate in accepting the Straight Path. "Indeed, God does not guide the disbelieving people." (Quran 5:67)

2. Transgression

Those who knowingly and willfully commit transgression and injustice. "And God does not guide the wrongdoing people." (Quran 2:258)

"And God does not guide the defiantly disobedient people." (Quran 5:108)

"God certainly does not guide whoever persists in lying and disbelief." (Quran 39:3)

4. Excessive wastefulness

"Indeed, God does not guide one who is a ‘Musrif’ (someone who is wasteful, transgresses and exceeds in the rights of others), a liar." (Quran 40:28)

5. Arrogance

" I (God) will turn away from My signs those who are arrogant upon the earth without right; and even if they were to see every sign, they still will not believe in them. If they see the Right Path, they will not take it. But if they see a crooked path, they will follow it. This is because they denied Our signs and were heedless of them." (Quran 7:146)

"Indeed, He (God) does not like the arrogant ." (Quran 16:23)

"And the Day those who disbelieved are exposed to the Fire [it will be said], ‘You exhausted your pleasures during your worldly life and enjoyed them, so this Day you will be awarded the punishment of [extreme] humiliation and pain because you were arrogant upon the earth without right and because you were defiantly disobedient.’" (Quran 46:20)

Man was once nothing but a tiny embryo and has no right to be arrogant. It was arrogance and envy that lead to Satan’s downfall.

Repentance Is Open for Everybody

All people commit faults, sins and mistakes, and as long as one is still alive, it is never too late to repent sincerely to God and turn to Him. The Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said, "God is more pleased with the repentance of His slave than anyone of you is pleased with finding his camel which he had lost in the desert." [1]

"Say, [O Prophet, that God says,] ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning]! Do not lose hope in God’s mercy, for God certainly forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’" (Quran 39:53)

[1] Saheeh Bukhari, Book #75, Hadeeth #321.

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'A Quran by the city of Birmingham': Muslims and non-Muslims invited to create new Quran manuscript

Qu'ran
Wednesday 29 May 2024 at 1:19pm

People in Birmingham are being invited to create a new Quran manuscript as part of a project exploring the city's connection to the Islamic holy book.

Muslims and non-Muslims will have the chance to copy and transcribe some of the 6,000 verses onto special calligraphy paper.

Birmingham is home to the famous Birmingham Quran manuscript, one of the earliest manuscripts of the book which can be found at the Cadbury Research Library at the University of Birmingham.

As part of the project, which has been created by Museum of Islamic Arts & Heritage (MIAH) Foundation and Culture Forward, workshops will take place at MIAH Foundation's Islamic Arts Gallery in Balsall Heath.

Attendees will be able to learn about the many different types of Arabic calligraphy featured in Quran manuscripts over the centuries through an exhibition on the history of the book and the art of calligraphy.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to transcribe Quran verses onto traditional multicoloured hand-finished calligraphy paper from Pakistan, to form the new Birmingham Quran manuscript.

Some of the inks and pigments used will be sourced from the Winterbourne House & Gardens and the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

After transcription the book will be hand-bound and stitched using traditional techniques and local materials.

Dr Neelam Hussain, Director of the MIAH Foundation and Curator of Middle Eastern Manuscripts at the Cadbury Research Library, said: "It will be a Quran by the city of Birmingham and from the people of Birmingham.

"The tradition of copying the Quran has been there since revelation. There have been Quran manuscripts across China and Sub-Saharan Africa for example over 7-20th century, so we are keeping the handwritten tradition alive.

"Now it is Birmingham in the 21st century, so we are asking everyone from Muslims to non-Muslims to participate and continue this tradition copying with the rest of Birmingham."

'Something one of a kind'

Professor Sara Jones, Interim Academic Director of Culture Forward, said: "Culture Forward aims to increase engagement with our rare and precious cultural collections, such as the Birmingham Quran.

"This project is a big part of our Quran in the City programme, and provides people across Birmingham an opportunity to create something one of a kind for the city to treasure."

The project began during Ramadan and comes to an end on 1 June. The MIAH Islamic Arts Gallery is holding regular workshops every Saturday 12-2pm in Balsall Heath, for those aged 11+.

The exhibition is open on Thursdays and Fridays 12pm-6pm and Saturdays 2pm-6pm.

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The Holy Quran Essay
The Holy Quran Essay. The Holy Quran is the sacred book of the Muslims. This is my favourite book. The word "Quran" means the "Reading". It is a book not written by human being. It was sent for Man's guidance by Allah Almighty through our Last Prophet (ﷺ). Hazrat Gabriel was used to carrying the message of God.
Section 1: Qur'an, a Guidance and Mercy for the Righteous
"These are the verses of the Book of Wisdom." 3. "A guidance and a mercy for the righteous ones," ... It is noteworthy that here the Holy Qur'an is counted as the source of guidance and mercy for the righteous and at the beginning of Surah An-Naml, No. 27, verse 2, the Qur'an implies it is the source of guidance and glad tidings for ...
The Ethical Worldview of the Qur'an
The aim of this and subsequent essays is to demonstrate how these various orientations have shaped the ethical theories of the classical Islamic ethicists such as Miskawayh, al-Iṣfahānī, and al-Ghazālī. ... The Qur'an is a book of guidance that appeals to both the mind and heart and lays down a unified ethical system anchored in ...
Divine Guidance
Any guidance coming from a being who is compassionate, all-knowing, and 'the Light', can deservedly be called the true guidance. The Qur'an elaborates: 'Indeed, the guidance of Allah alone is the True guidance.' [8] Divine Guidance in Nature. According to the Qur'an, divine guidance is an all-embracing phenomenon.
The Guidance of the Quran
Al Baqarah (2) 120: Say, "Indeed, the guidance of Allah is the [only] guidance.". If you were to follow their desires after what has come to you of knowledge, you would have against Allah no protector or helper. Indeed the ailments of the heart have prevented Muslims from being moved and guided by the Quran.
Perfect Source of Guidance
Quran is the book in the form of guidance and the author of this book is the creator of this world. It is mentioned in Quran that: "The Quran itself is light." [5:15] Allah says: "This light (i.e., the Quran) has been given so that human beings, using this light, can travel safely on the path of life." [6:122] Allah also says:
Holy Quran Short English Essay + Quran in English (PDF)
Holy Quran Short English Essay + Quran in English (PDF) The Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, is a profound testament to divine wisdom and guidance for mankind. Its verses echo through the corridors of time, offering comfort, enlightenment and a roadmap for a purposeful life. Encouraging readers to delve into the Quran is an invitation to ...
MuslimSG
The Quran is a timeless source of inspiration. It contains sacred verses revealed to Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. through the angel Jibril a.s. Serving as a primary guide for Muslims, the Quran is in fact one of the greatest miracles of this religion. When the verses of the Quran are read and pondered upon, readers can truly experience its beauty.
Qur'an Describes Itself
In other places, the Qur'an describes itself as under: "This is the book, in it is guidance for sure without doubt, to those who fear Allah". ( 2:2) "They are invited to the book of Allah to settle their dispute". ( 3:23) "We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) in truth so that you might judge between men as guided by Allah". ( 4: ...
Quran: The Book of Guidance
With God's Book, the Qur'an available in its preserved state in every corner of the globe and also the sunnah (traditions) of the Prophet enshrined in authentic collections, man has now no excuse for wrongdoing. For it must be remembered that God has not left man alone after sending His guidance.
The Holy Quran
Allah says: "The Quran introduces itself as guidance for the worlds." (Quran 3:96) According to Qur'an, Allah has laid down the solution of every human problem in the Qur'an very clearly. Qur'an says: "And We have revealed the Book to you explaining clearly everything." (Quran 16:89) Also, He has described the Qur'an in these ...
Qur'an Verses on Guidance (84 Ayat)
And He revealed the Qur'an. Indeed, those who disbelieve in the verses of Allah will have a severe punishment, and Allah is exalted in Might, the Owner of Retribution. And do not trust except those who follow your religion." Say, "Indeed, the [true] guidance is the guidance of Allah.
Quran is a Guidance for the Whole of Humankind
Guidance must take into account the all-round development of the individual: Quran is a guidance and a mercy for the righteous ones. Quran is like a wise learned man who, in his silence. Quran is counted as the source of guidance. Quran is a piece of knowledge and lessons. Quran explains the end of the righteous.
PDF Guidance From The Holy Qur'an
Qur'iinic passages. His elucidation brings into sharper light the eternal guidance of the Qur'an on a vvide range of issues relating to both individual and collective life - articles of faith, acts of worship and service to Allah, social relations, morals and manners, !a\•:s, religious duties, Sirali, materialisn1 and lessons fro1n the Qur'iin.
The Quranic Concept of Guidance and Ignorance, a Critical Study
At this point, cruel people are meant by those people 15 Jalal ad-Din al-Maḥalli and as-Suyuti, 1:42. 16 "Al-Quran," in Al-Baqarah, v. 258. 36 f The Quranic Concept of Guidance and Ignorance, a Critical Study who do not demand guidance and do not leave stubbornness even if things are clear to them. The rule of God is that the gates of ...
The Miracles of Al-Quran: Al-Quran as a Grace and Guidance of Muslims
The Quran is a light that rises in the. hearts of Muslims, which breaks the. flower of faith, rises in life so that it. becomes bright, rises in the heavens of. mankind so that it diffuses peace ...
The Qur'an: the Timeless Book of Guidance
The Qur'an: the Book of Timeless Guidance. Not only a spiritual rest from daily life, a shelter from worry, pain, and grief, the Qur'an also is your personal counselor who would direct and advise you about whatever you want to know. And it's not an abstract theology. Rather, it is the fact; the Book of God, the Qur'an is the counsel ...
This is the Book
"That is the book, in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who are muttaqi (truly conscious, pious)" ... In many places the qur'an speaks of a book or books. For example, the Jews and the Christians are "people of the book", the revelation sent down is called a clarifying book, then there is reference to the mother of the book which is ...
Guidance is in the Hand of Allah
"Say: 'O you mankind! Now truth (i.e. the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad), has come to you from your Lord. So whosoever receives guidance, he does so for the good of his own self; and whosoever goes astray, he does so to his own loss; and I am not (set) over you as a Wakeel (disposer of affairs to oblige you for guidance).'" [Yoonus 10:108]
The Quraan Shareef
A: The Qur'aan Shareef explains the principles and fundamental aspects. The details of this is found in the hadeeth and these two combined are understood by those who are experts, like the Sahaabah, Taabieen and so forth and so on. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. Answered by: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach) This ...
Guidance in Islam
Acts That Make One Worthy of Guidance. There are certain acts that when performed are reasons for God to guide one to Him. 1. Repentance. "Verily, God sends astray whom He wills and guides unto Himself those who turn to Him in repentance." (Quran 13:27) Everyone makes mistakes and the best of those who make mistakes are those who turn to God in ...
Essay About The Quran
Essay About The Quran. 1214 Words5 Pages. Describe how the Quran was written and compiled into one book and discuss Quran as manual of Guidance and as the book of Allah (SWT) through logical, scientific and linguistics proofs with at least one example for each. INTRODUCTION The revelations Before Quran was compiled and made into one single book ...
Christian Prince: Is The Quran The Book Of Guidance?
Muslims will be deceived by the Quran. The Quran will mislead the Muslims. The Quran has mistakes and the Arabs will fix it with their tongue.
'A Quran by the city of Birmingham': Muslims and non-Muslims ...
People in Birmingham are being invited to create a new Quran manuscript as part of a project exploring the city's connection to the Islamic holy book.. Muslims and non-Muslims will have the chance ...