The Holy Qur'an: Introduction

Its mode of revelation, its compilation in the early years of Islam, its structure and major themes Its authority and place in Islamic beliefs, its relationship with other sources of knowledge The bride of the Qur'an opens up her veil (secrets) at a place where the metropolis of faith (Imam) is free from pollution. (Persian poet)

The revelation and compilation of the Qur'an

The Holy Qur'an is to the Muslim the Book of Allah the very word of God revealed to Prophet Muhammad through archangel Gabriel (jibrail) like the earlier holy books sent for example to David, Moses, and Jesus. It is sent for the admonition of mankind: And We have indeed made the Quran easy(5143) to understand and remember: then is there any that will receive admonition? (54:17)
While the Qur'an sums up the highest philosophy of the inner life, its simple directions for conduct are plain and easy to understand and act upon. And what excuse is there for anyone to fail in receiving admonition?

The Qur'an is replete with historical discourses and allusions without being a book of history.

The Qur'an is the only authentic, contemporary document of Muhammad's lifetime. The first revelation of the Qur'an began on the 15th night of the month of Ramadan in the 41st year of the Prophet's life. Its first Surah was revealed in the cave Hira when the following verse was revealed: Recite in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created- Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood. The last verse of the Qur'an was revealed on the 9th Dhul Hajja in the year 10AH (63rd year of Prophet's life): This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you,and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. The period in which the Qur'an was revealed in its entirety was 22 years, 2 months and 22 days. At the death of Muhammad, there was not in existance any written collection of revelations of the Qur'an in final form. As long as the Prophet was alive , new revelations were continually being added to the earlier ones. The body of Divine revelation continued to grow throughout the life time of the Prophet. But even at that time, much of the later Qur'an must have already been written down. As soon as the need for securing Allah's revelations through His Prophet was realised, it became necessary not to rely solely on memory work, as a good deal of the "words" could get lost - human memory being what it is. The task therefore naturally presented itself of collecting this valuable legacy in as complete and accurate form as posssible and preserving it from destruction. The people soon felt obliged to secure the revelations from Allah by writing them down; and it is easy to understand that to begin with, materials readiest to hand, like shoulder-blades, palm leaves, stones etc., were used for writing purposes. Amongs the earliest recorders of these revelations were Zaid bin Thabit, Mu'awiyah bin Abi Sufiyan, Kahlid bin al-Walid and Zubair bin al-Awam all of whom were the companions of the Prophet. The Prophet himself was unlettered (Ummi) and the Qur'an was the greatest miracle revealed to him from Allah. Revelation, we are told in the Qur'an, is granted to man in three forms: "And it is not vouchsafed to any mortal that Allah should speak to him, except by revelation (wahy) or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger and revealing by His permission what He pleases. The first of these three modes is called wahy, which is generally translated as meaning revelation. Nature of the Prophet's revelation: "It comes to me sometimes as the ringing of a bell and this is hardest on me, then he (the angel) leaves me and I remember from him what he says; and sometimes the angel comes in the shape of a man and he talks to me and I remember what he says" . These are the only two forms in which the Quranic revelation came to the Prophet. In both cases, the angel came to him and was seen by him; in both cases a certain message was delivered in words which he at once committed to memory. It all started with the realisation of the unfortunate fact that many of the people who knew Qur'an by heart (Huffaz) had perished in the battle with the false prophet Musailima. This aroused in 'Umar the fear that some knowledge of the revelations might be lost. 'Umar then induced the Caliph, Abu Bkar, to begin the collection of the scattered discourses. The work was entrusted to the companion and the secretary of Muhammad, Zaid bin Thabit. The latter collected everything that was written on different, often primitive, materials and compared it with what people had retained in their memories, and wrote them on seperate leaves which he gave to Abu Bkar. The book was given to Hafsa, the widow of Prophet, for safe-keeping. It was this same first copy that later formed the basis of the work of compilation done by the thrid Caliph, 'Uthamn bin 'Affan. With the reign of 'Uthman the third Caliph, there were in existence 4 editions of the Qur'an (they gradually disappeared after the authorization of the final edition in 'Uthman's period) which found accpetance, each in particular region: Damsacus, Hums, Kufa and Basra. It was open to individuals to recite the collection of Qur'an in their own dialect, with the possibility of misunderstanding in detail, or to use ther collections . In a campaign of Muslim troops from Syria and Mesopotamia against Armenia the commander found such a difference in the recitation of the holy verses that he reported it to 'Uthman. The existance od several dvergenet versions in the matter of arrangement would produce uncertainty among the believers - it is too obvious and inevitable. To avoid this unfortunate situation, something had to be done. 'Uthman asked Hafsah to let him have the suhuf (the copy of the Qur'an in her posession) so that copies might be made of them. The people entrusted with this work (one of which was Zaid bin Thabit) had an important assignement of writing down the Holy Book in the dialect of the Quraish to whom Muhammad belonged and of arranging the chapters of the Qur'an as they exist today. The Qur'an was revealed in the dialect of the Quraish (Uthman's order was to write it in the manner of the Quraish; Zaid was a Madinite while his colleagues were Quraish.) if there was any difference between 4 Uthman's standard copy and the collection made by Abu Bakr, it was a difference only as to the mode
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if there was any difference between 4 Uthman's standard copy and the collection made by Abu Bakr, it was a difference only as to the mode of writing certain words
In short, there was no change of words, no change of verses and no change in the order of chapters. Of the second copies then made, one was kept in Mecca, while three were sent as standard texts to Kufa, Basra and Damscus. From these only must copies henceforth be made, and to prevent disobediance all other copies were ordered to be burned. The only difference which now affects the reader is a slight variety in the numbering of the verses. It was in this way that there came unto existance the authorized version of the Qur'an whic has generally remained authoritative to the present day and has formed with the Sunnah the solid foundations for Muslim's life and thought. It is true to say that there has not been any change even of a word in the Holy Qur'an from the time of the Prophet till to-day.

The Qur'an is itself clear on this point: "And those who disbelieve say: Why has not the Qur'an been revealed to him all at once? Thus (it is) that We may strengthen thy heart by it, and We have arranged it well in arranging" (25 : 32) The arrangement of the Qur'an was thus a part of the Divine scheme. Since no one could take the liberty of changing a word or the place of a word in a verse, no one could change a verse or the place of a verse in a chapter; and so the committing of the Qur'an to memory by so many of the Companions of the Prophet, and their constant recitation of it, would have been impossible unless a known order was followed. The Prophet could not teach the Qur'an to his companions nor the companions to each other, nor could he or anyone else lead the public prayers, in which long portions of the Book were recited, without following a known and accepted order.

The importance of the Qur'an

The Muslims regard the Qur'an as a "wonder" that is God's word from beginning to end; Muhammad was the bearer of God's message. In addition to the Qur'an there also exists the Hadith (the Traditions) in which Prophet Muhammad's own words and pronouncements adressed to his friends, supporters and co-religionists, were noted down. Only the Arabic text is considered authoritative. The Qur'an is written in rhythimc prose. Towards the middle period and in the Medina Surahs repetition and prolixity are on the increase, and finally the discourse becomes undiluted prose, though even to the last not without occasional loftier passages. Qur'an as the supreme proof of its own inspiration by reason of its unapproachable style: His prophet frequently insists on the fact that the heavenly oracles have now been sent down in "plain Arabic," the "vulgar tongue" which all its hearers could understand, and he challenges the poets and soothsayers who opposed him to produce the like. This, of course, they could not, for their verses and spells dealt with a lower level of things. The holy book became the pattern for the highest possibilities of human speech to those who knew Arabic only and accepted the Arabian prophet.

Previous revelations were limited in their scope. Each was designed to meet the needs of the people to whom it was sent during the stage of development. Each contained fundamental truths, valid through the ages in respect of the whole of mankind, but it also contained guidance, directions, commandments, and prohibitions which were of a local or temporary character. Moreover in course of time, portions of those revelations were lost or forgotten. That which was of universal and permanent application in these previous revelations, and other scriptures, has been affirmed in the Qur'an. Such portions as had been lost or were overlooked or forgotten but were still needed, have been revived. That which was of purely local or temporary application and was no longer needed has been omitted. That which was not contained in previous rvelations, the need for it not yet having arisen, but which would henceforth be needed by mankind, was added. The Qur'an reaffirms all that was fundamental in previous revelations and which is still needed by mankind. That is part of the guidance which the Prophet, and through him the Muslims, and indeed, all mankind are exhorted to follow. The guidance revealed by God through the prophets. No just estimate of Allah do they make when they say: "Nothing doth Allah send down to man (by way of revelation)" Say: "Who then sent down the Book which Moses brought?- a light and guidance to man: But ye make it into (separate) sheets for show, while ye conceal much (of its contents): therein were ye taught that which ye knew not- neither ye nor your fathers." Say: "(Allah) (sent it down)" (6:91) Thus the Qur'an, while reaffirming the truth of all previous revelations, itself comprises all truth for the whole of mankind for all time. It has been described as "pure scriptures, comprising lasting commandments". The Qur'an is thus a universal possession and inheritance; its message is directed to the whole of mankind. O men! I am sent unto you all, as the Messenger of Allah, to Whom belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth: there is no god but He...(7:158)
We are now asked to listen to the proclamation of Muhammad's universal mission. We contemplate no longer, after this, partial truths. It is not now a question of saving Israel from the bondage of Egypt, nor teaching Midian the ethics of business, nor reclaiming the people of Lut from sexual sin or Thamud from the sin of oppression in power, or 'Ad from arrogance and ancestor-worship. Now are set forth plainly the issues of Life and Death, the Message of Allah, the One Universal God to all mankind.

It expounds and explains all that is, or may be needed by mankind for the complete fulfillment of life: ...and We have sent down to thee the Book explaining all things, a Guide, a Mercy, and Glad Tidings to Muslims. Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, that ye may receive admonition. (16:89-90) It seeks to create faith in God through revelation of God's signs; it makes provision for mankind's welfare-material, moral, and spiritual; it teaches all that is needed for the beneficent regulation of human life through various legislations. It draws attention to the various Divine Attributes, their operation and the manner in which mankind may derive benefit from the knowledge thereof. In short, all that is basic for the promotion of human welfare in all spheres, is set forth and expounded. It is this comprehensiveness of the Qur'an, the need to make provision for guidance in every respect, for all peoples for all time, that made it necessary that the guidance should be conveyed in verbal revelation. The Qur'an is literally the Word of God and possesses the quality of being alive, as the universe is alive. It yields new truths and fresh guidance in every age and at every level. It is a standing and perpetual miracle. The Qur'an speaks at every level, it seeks to reach everytype of understanding. One of the many characteristics of the Qur'an which marks it the Word of God is that to arrive at the comprehension of its deeper meaning and significance, the seeker must, in addition to certain level od knowledge of the language and the principles of interpretation, cultivate purity of thought and action. Book well-guarded, which none shall touch but those who are clean...(56:78-79)
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Book well-guarded, which none shall touch but those who are clean...(56:78-79) The Qur'an is a perpetual message given to the Prophet for the purpose of setting forth the guidance that may be needed in the new age, and for illustrating the values demanded by the exigencies with which man may then be faced.

The contents of the Qur'an

The Qur'an in its finished form is a book of medium size. The book is divided into 114 chapters called Surahs and arranged roughly according to length, with the exception of the first Surah, from chapters containing 200 verses to chapters of 3 to 5 verses at the end. The first Chapter called "The Opening" (Al-Fatihah)is a brief invocation, widely used by Muslims in diverse circumstances and held by many Muslim divines to comprehend all the essentials of Muslim belief.

The arrangement of verses in the Qur'an does not follow any chronological order. Whenever a verse or group of verses were revealed the Prophet indicated its place in the order and sequence of the Qur'an. One reason why the present arrangement does not adhere to the chronological order is that the revelation came as it was needed in the contemporaneous state of the people to whom it was immediately addressed, the purpose being, first to create faith in the existence and unity of God, then to lay the foundations of a beneficent society in accordance with the principles of Islam; then to reconstruct society on these principles and to train it in their exercise so that the people could become the bearers of the Divine message and illustrate it in practice in daily living. In view of the lack of the mass printing facilities, the method adopted for safeguarding the revelation was to commit it to memory rather than to preserve it in the form of a book, though the text of each revelation comprising one or more verses, was also written down as it was received. The contents of the Qur'an were early divided into the obvious and the ambiguous: some of its signs are of themselves perspicuous these are the basis of the Bookand others are figurative. But they whose hearts are given to err, follow its figures, craving discord, craving a selfish interpretation; yet none knoweth its interpretation but God. It was recognized that some passages were capable of more than one interpretation; these were to be explained in the light of those whose meaning was beyond doubt. Also some verses had been cancelled by later revelations. Opinions among modern Muslim scholars tend to suggest that this cancellation is not a contradiction but only limitation. For liturgical purposes, the Qur'an is divided into thirty equal parts. Merit is to be got by reading the Qur'an and the thirty parts are usually recited during the thirty nights of Ramadan during Tarawih prayers. Its division is partly literary, partly liturgical; the former is original, the latter secondary. Division into verses is structural. They are named ayat or signs, and the ambiguity between this word and the same term for miracles (semeia) is played upon by Muhammad when he places those who reject his verses on a level with those who despised the signs of earlier prophets, or when he makes his ayat of utterance equal in value to their ayat of action. The verses of the Qur'an are built up into chapters called Surahs, a word which may mean a layer of stones in a wall. These chapters vary very greatly in length, ranging from 286 verses in S. 2 (the Cow) to 3 verses in S. 108 (Abundance). The manner of their arrangement, according to length (see p. 2), has resulted, generally speaking, in an inversion of the chronological order, as the longest Surahs, which are mainly the latest, come first, while the shortest and earliest are placed last. The verses in the Arabic text are divided by small circles, but the position of these is not quite uniform in all editions, so that the total number of verses in the book varies from 6239 to 6211. For liturgical and devotional purposes the Qur'an is further divided as foIIows : Ruku (= bow) is the name given to sections of about ten verses, after each of which the devout reader makes a bow of reverence. Juz' (portion), in Persian sipura (a thirtieth), signifies one of the portions for recitation on each day of the month of Ramazan. The juz' is divided into four sections : rub' = a quarter; nisf = a half; thulth = three quarters. Manzil (stage). Of these there are seven to guide the worshipper who desires to read the Qur'an through in a week. The Holy Qur'an is a mine of information of Islamic teachings. It discusses the principles of religious beliefs. These are the faith in the Unity of Allah without any association with Him; the eschatological beliefs like rewards for good actions in the next world, the punishment for evil doers, the Heaven and the Hell and the Angelic World. In the matter of devotion, it explains the Five Pillars of Islam, Prayers (Salat), Fasting (Saum) Alms giving (Zakat), and the Pilgrimage (Hajj), etc. On sociological matters, it deals with the institutions like marriage, divorce, care of the orphans and widows, prohibited degree of relations and inheritance after the death of a Muslim. At individual level, the Holy Qur'an teaches good conduct, discusses Islamic ethics and lays down rules guiding the exchange of visits to one another, treatment of guests, neighbours, orphans, wayfarers, poor and needy members of society. The Holy Qur'an teaches that justice should be done in every matter by a true believer. In order to give lessons as to what happened to the earlier people, many stories are told of the communities like 'Ad, Thamud and the individuals like Korah, Pharaoh and Shaddad. As against these evil characters, the good examples from the lives of the prophets and the messengers of Allah are cited so as to guide people of all times to come.

The theory of abrogation

The theory of abrogation has in fact arisen from a misunderstanding of the use of the word naskh (abrogation), by the Companions of the Prophet. When the significance of one verse was limited by another, the former was sometimes spoken of as having been "abrogated" (nusikhat) by the latter. In the ordinary sense of the word there could be no abrogation of a statement made in the Word of God, as that would suggest that God had made a wrong statement first and then recalled it.

The Meccan Surahs

In analyzing the contents of the Qur'an, Muslim as well as non- Muslim students have always distinguished between Meccan and Medinan passages. There are marked differences in both subject and the style of the earlier and later revelations. 1th. Surah, Al-Fatihah belongs to the Meccan period. Other names:Fatihul-kitab (The Opening of the Divine Writ) and Umul-Kitab (The Essence or the Mother of the Divine Writ; given by the Prophet himself). It contains, in its condensed form, all the fundamental principles laid down in the Quran. The themes which are stressed in the Meccan passages are: God's mercies to man Man's ingratitude for, and misuse of God's gifts

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 Man's ingratitude for, and misuse of God's gifts God's power in nature Judgment Hell and
Paradise. There is in the Meccan passages a discussion of former and earlier prophets who appeared before Muhammad in the Jewish Religion and in the Christian Religion. Short accounts of the rejections of the Prophet at Mecca and of the punishment that will descend upon the pagans who rejected him, arc also contained in the Meccan Surahs. One significant fact about these Meccan Surahs is that they begin with short passages in a rhyming prose. Of the entire number of the Qur'anic Surahs, 93 were revealed at Mecca. It is extremely difficult to work out the exact dates of their revelations. The scholars of the Qur'an have at least succeeded in making a broad division of the Meccan Surahs into three groupings:

Period Early Meccan period Middle Meccan period

Late Mecan period

Total Surahs Number of the Surah 59 1, 17-21, 50-56, 67-97, 99, 109, 111-14 17 29-32, 34-39, 40-46
14 6, 7, 10-16, 23, 25-28

*It should be noted that Surah 110 was revealed at Mecca although it belongs to the Medinan period.

The Medinan Surahs

The subject matter, broadly speaking, of the Medinan Surahs consists of laws, comments on public events, statements of policy, and warnings to those who were always busy in harassing the Prophet and his followers, especially the Jews and the Munafiqun (hypocrites). There are also some references to the Prophet's domestic affairs thus providing a guidance to the Muslims in general. Of the entire number of Chapters of the Qur'an (114), only 21 were revealed at Medina. These Medinan Surahs are generally longer and contain about a third of the entire volume of the Qur'an. Matters which influenced the change of thematics of Medinan Surahs: Change of condition and policy The domestic life of Muhammad, Personal authority. Ritual and social legislation. The spread of the Faith. Some of the topics covered: Adultery and its punishment Almsgiving and support for the poor and the unfortunate as well as relations Avarice Evil of back-biting Bribery Divorce and the legislation concerning it Legislation on strong drinking and its vices Guidance to believers Forbiddedn relationships in which marriage is forbidden Criminal legislation Stress on the necessity of God's conciousness Frequent allusions to the errors committed by the people who followed the earlier revelations, in particular the children of Israel; etc. ...such of our revelations as we abrogate or cause to be forgotten, we bring (in place) one better or the like thereof... Particular attention is drawn to Abraham the prophet patriarch whose intense preoccupation with the idea of God's Oneness has at its root the three great monotheistic religions; and the establishment of Abraham's temple, the Ka'bah, as the direction of prayer for "those who surrender themselve to God," sets a seal, as it were, on the conscious self-identification of all true believers with the faith of Abraham. It must never be forgotten that Muhammad was a preacher. In Medina, Islam became a state and a state brings in politics. God is the absolute Ruler and all the craft and force of politicians will fail before His ordinance. Believers must do their best to extend the sway of Islam to become a world religion. The dates of the Medinan Surahs are almost certain. The scholars of the Qur'an have approximately assigned the following period to the following groups of the Medinan Surahs: Period
1-2 AH

Total Surahs Number of the Surahs

6 2, 8, 47, 61, 62, 64

3-4 AH 5-8 AH 9-10 AH

3 3, 58, 59 9 4, 5, 24, 33, 48, 57, 60, 63, 65 6 9, 22, 49, 66, 98, 110

The comparison of Meccan and Medinan Surahs

Firstly, the Makkah revelation deals chiefly with faith in God and is particularly devoted to grounding the Muslims in that faith, while the Madinah revelation is mainly intended to translate that faith into action. The second feature distinguishing the two revelations is that while that of Makkah is generally prophetical, that of Madinah deals with the fulfilment of prophecy. Thirdly, while the former shows how true happiness of mind may be sought in communion with God, the latter points out how man's dealing with man may also be a source of bliss and comfort to him.

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a) Subject matter
When the Prophet disputes with his countrymen about the resurrection of the dead or the Oneness of God, when he refutes the assertion that he is a magician, a poet or one possessed; when he fights against the custom of burying newly born girls alive, we know that we are in Mecca. When we come to the Medinan period, on the other hand, we find the question relatively much easier to settle. Wherever we find warnings to the Jews on account of their evil deeds; summoning people to the holy war (on the path of Allah) or when the criminal or civil legislation are laid down, we are in Medina. References to contemporary events also help in determining what belongs to when. For instance, the references to events known to us from the Medinan period, the battles fought during Muhammad's wars, his discourses etc., afford us a particularly safe means of arranging the Surahs chronologically. In the Meccan Surahs, on the other hand, allusions to current events are few, as little is known about Muhammad's life at Mecca. Above all, there are no external means of dating the various pieces, the only grounds for deciding their order are stylistic.

b) Style
The Meccan Surahs show vigorous thoughts and considerable mastery of language and sound, while the moral and religious enthusiasm cannot be mistaken. The Surahs are written in short staccato sentences and phrases. On the other hand, the Surahs of the Medinan period are written in long and often unwieldy sentences with the result that the hearer has to listen carefully, or he will miss the meaning altogether. The language has become prose with rhyming words at intervals.

The Evolution of Islam

At Mecca, Islam was a personal religion not tied to any specific social structure and organization, and the Surahs of this period reflect this highly personal religion. Prior to the time of Muhammad, the Arabs in Mecca had not had the opportunity which the Jews and other tribes had, of being guided by any Prophet; whereas in the case of the Jews, many prophets had been sent to them, who delivered revelations such as the Torah and the New Testament, the Arabs on the other hand, had long been left in darkness, in a period of their history referred to as Jahiliyyah period. Hence the great emphasis is laid on the need for prophethood in the Meccan Surahs. The Meccan Surahs include verses showing the goodness, power, and wisdom of God. These Surahs were meant to urge the Meccan community to become believers. The Medinan Surahs, on the other hand, reflect a different social and religious background from that of the Meccan period. With the establishment the Islamic community (Ummah) and the state of Medina, Islam asserts itself as a religious system and a way of life; quite distinct from Judaism and Christianity both of which in its own view, it completes, purifies and supersedes. It is at this point that it builds around itself, a complex of divinely ordained social institutions. There was now a fuller and further explanation of the original Meccan Surahs and tehre was now a shift from the doctrines of death and judgement to the doctrine of the need of regulations and organisation of the new community. Meccan Surahs of the creation gave place to Surahs wherein the poeple are summoned to the holy war against the unbelievers. Emphasizing the fact that prophtes had been sent to all peoples before Muhammad, the Medinan Surahs especially admonished Jews who were probably great oponents of Muhammad and the new revelations. The following are the marked differences between the Meccan and Medinan Surahs: A large number of verses of the Meccan Surahs are shorter as exemplified in the 30th part of the Qur'an (Juz'Amm) while the Medinan verses are long just as in the Tabarak (Qur'an, Juz.' 'Amm). In the Meccan verses, there are not found details concerning theological matters like the principles guiding the prayers (Salat) and other modes of worships. These details are found mainly in the Medinan verses. In the Meccan verses, the teaching, concerning the Unity of Allah ( Tauhid) the Faith (Iman), the Prophets, the Angels the Last Day and the Rewards and Punishment are taught to the faithful.

Commentaries on the Qur'an (Tafsir)

The treasure of the prophetic Traditions (Ahadith) offer a valuable help in the explanations of some of the verses of the Qur'an. Besides this, the Qur'an itself helped in interpreting some of the verses, as there exists cross-references of some verses in different Surahs. As long as the Prophet was alive, the Muslims did not need any other guide. During the period of the 'Rashidun (rightly-guided) Caliphs the early Muslims still lived in the memory of their master, the Holy Prophet. This was the reason why the earliest generation after the Prophet was shy of, and even opposed any interpretation of the Qur'an. But very soon this attitude gave way to all books of interpretations which were more or less coloured by the faiths and old ideas of the new converts of Islam who still clung to their past. Such wild interpretations, which sometimes diverged very much from the obvious meaning of the text and had an arbitrary character were attacked as "interpretation of arbitrary opinion ( Tafsir bil ray)". This is the reason why a need was felt of developing a scientific instrument whereby to guide the progress of the Qur'anic Tafsir (commentary). The principles were laid down for the development of the science of commentary writing (Ilm al-Tafsir), since the word Tafsir is derived from its verbal form 'Fassar' meaning 'to explain'. As the need was felt, a number of commentators began to compile their works of continuous commentaries in which the text of the Holy Qur'an was explained in regular order, phrase by phrase and sometimes even word by word. These commentaries are numerous. The most famous among them are the following: The Commentary of Tabari The Commentary of Zamakhshari: The Commentary of Al-Razi: The Commentary of Al-Baidawi: This work of commentary writing which was begun by about 68 AD will continue for all time to come since the miraculous nature of the Qur'an is not based solely on its linguistic or rethoric excellence alone. It has tremendous capacity as its words impart their menaing as such to simple and uneductaed Bedouin in the Srabian desert, as to the learned and sophisticated philosophers, and the retired Sufis and mysitics
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to simple and uneductaed Bedouin in the Srabian desert, as to the learned and sophisticated philosophers, and the retired Sufis and mysitics alike. It is this quality of being understandable and comprehensible to all classes of people that gives birth to new translations and commentaries. This is in fact the miracle of the Qur'an. There are two kinds of verses in the Qur'an, namely, the decisive and the allegorical the latter being those which are capable of different interpretations. The principles of Islam are enunciated in decisive words in the Qur'an; and, therefore, no attempt should be made to establish a principle on the strength of an allegorical passage, or of words susceptible of different meanings. The explanation of the Book should in the first place be sought in the Qur'an itself; for, whatever it has stated briefly, or merely hinted at, in one place, will be found expanded and fully explained elsewhere in it. The Tradition also affords an explanation of the Qur'an but a tradition can only be accepted when it is reliable and not opposed to what is clearly stated in the Qur'an.

Major themes
The Doctrine of God
Muhammad was before all things a monotheist, and his teaching of God overshadows all else in the Qur'an, as it does in the daily life of the Prophet. Indeed it is this that gives its peculiar dignity and power to the Qur'an. The two names of God in the earliest Surah (96) are Rabb=Lord, and Allah. Later Allah becomes the predominant name and it remains so, though for a time Rahman is much used. Muslim theology has rightly determined that Allah is the name of essence as compared with all others which are names of attribute only. The name Allah was known to pagan Arabs, a sth given to a chief tribal deity among the Arab pagans by way of exalting him. Allah is the contraction of Al Ilah=The Deity, the article emphasizing His uniqueness. Allah as: Self-subsistent Unity. As such Allah is the Eternal and Enduring, the Living and Abiding. He is the First and the Last, the Outer and the Inner. Omnipotence. Allah is the source of all things, to whom all creatures return, the Powerful who fixes all; the King of the Kingdom who rules all; the Forceful; the All-Compelling; He is Creator, Maker and Fashioner; He sustains as Life Giver and Provider; He is the Dominator who subdues all things to His will. Omniscience. Allah is the Seer, all-seeing but unseen, the Hearer and the Knower and is Watchful over the men 's doings; He is the Reckoner who notes and writes all things. Justice. The title of 'Adl=Just is not found in the Qur'an, but He is spoken of as the Truth. He is the Avenger, the Judge and the Despot of the Day of Judgement. He will judge severely each man according to his works. He is the acknowledger of good-will and service on the part of men. Mercy. He is the Provider who feed all things living, the Bestower of mercy, the Protector of his servants, Loving to those who follow His Apostle. To sinners who believe and repent He is the Pardoner who blots out their sins, while to their weaknesses He is the Indulgent.

The Doctrine of Revelation

The Angels. Gabriel, the mightiest of archangels, is the special envoy from the court of heaven to bring the rescript. The angles bear ut the throne of Allah and worship him continually. They are messengers of Allah to guard and help believers, specially in fighting for the faith, the recorders of the deed of men, who receive their souls at death and will intercede for believers at the Judgement. They are guardians also of Hell, and will die and be raised again. The name Shaitan is generally used with the epithet rajim =stoned or accursed. He is one of the jnn, but he also appears as a n angel cast down from Paradise for his refusal to worship Adam. In revenge he tempts him and causes him also to fall, and he is the accuser and the enemy of man.The classes of the Jinns and demons merge into one another. Jinns are regarded as a class of beings midway between men and angles. They are bound to worship Allah, and are summoned to believe in His Prophet. There are among them both believers and infidels, and they will be judged at the last day. Jinns, as well as devils, were subject to the great magician-prophet Solomon. The Scriptures. The Scripture itself is the revelation, i.e. The unveiling of divine mysteries or teachings. For mankind it is an admonition to guide them. The guidance was accepted by Muhammad, as it is by other believers, but rejected by infidels. The Prophets. The first is Adam, the last is Muhammad the "Seal of the Prophets". To describe the recipients of revelation the Qur'an uses both the term Rasul (Messenger) and Nabi (The Prophet). In the Qur'an Muhammad remains a fallible and sinful creature The conception of him as the ideal man and prototype of humanity belongs to a later development.

The Doctrine of Judgement

Death. Death is the Certainty which will happen at the stated time: "and when their time comes, they cannot put it off an hour, nor can they bring it on." Souls are taken to Himself by Allah not only in death but also in sleep. They are taken in charge by the angel of death. Resurrection. The revival of the dead with their bodies was often derided by the pagans of Mecca, and as often defended by the Prophet. The resurrection is the analogue of the birth process. It will follow on two blasts of the trumpet and the shout which will summon all to come forth. The Judgement Day. "It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgement." The Resurrection is preceded and succeeded by the Judgement Day. This is known as the Day, the Hour, the Event. Terror will seize upon mankind and all the bonds of human fellowship will be dissolved. Paradise. It is the Garden of Eden or Pleasure. Entrance into it is "the great felicity". The inmates of Paradise are the prayerful and charitable, who have refrained from unlawful lust, righteous believers who were persecuted, fighters in the way of Allah. Paradise is a reward for Muslims and their wives who have repented , prayed for pardon and done good works. Hell. In place of repose and ease, the damned are tortured with burning chains and beaten with iron clubs. Its inmates are the people of the left hand who have been unbelieving, covetous and fraudulent, who have neglected prayers and alms and worshipped the servants and creatures of Allah and opposed His Prophet. The Decrees. The power of Predestination is in the hands of Allah.

The Doctrine of Salvation

The nature of man. Man was created of fine clay, for the service of Allah, to die and rise again; he is created in trouble, being mortal and inconstant when tested with good and evil. Man was created good, but brought very low; he fell through the temptation of Iblis but received guidance from Allah, who makes his burden light because he was created weak. Man is prone to sin, but not of sinful nature.
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guidance from Allah, who makes his burden light because he was created weak. Man is prone to sin, but not of sinful nature. Sin. Idea of sin is a missing of the mark or standard set by God. Shirk is unpardonable sin. Sin, in the main, is disobedience to the command of Allah. Believers are generally to confess their sins and they will find that Rabb is merciful to those who avoid great sins and commit only venial faults. The nature of salvation. Salvation includes not only pardon but also acceptance, both those being granted on the Day of Judgement. In effect it is deliverance from the results of sin by obedience to Allah (Islam). The condition of salvation. These are Repentance, Faith and Good Works, the last branching out into the five religious duties. Repentance is turning from sin to Allah, with the desire for pardon, of which it is a condition. The way of salvation. Summed up in two main conceptions. It is the practice of piety (piety is to believe in the truth, to be sincere in worship, to choose the next life rather than this).

The Law of Life

Law in the Qur'an. There is no passage in the Qur'an parallel to the Decalogue of Moses, but there are several sets of commands in which Muhammad may have had the Decalogue more or less clearly in mind. Some of the commands are: (1) Put not other Gods before Allah. (2) Be kind and respectful to parents. (3) Give what is due to kinsmen, the poor and parents. (4) Be not wasteful. (5) Slay not your children for fear of poverty. (6) Draw not near to fornication. (7)Slay not the soul which Allah hath forbidden you, except for just cause. (8) Draw not near to the wealth of the orphan. (9) Fulfil your compacts. (10) Give just measure and weight. (11) Follow not that of which thou hast no knowledge. (12) Walk not on the earth proudly. Warfare. On first entry into Medina the command is that there be no compulsion in religion, and warfare is limited to defence. Fight for the cause of God against those who fight you, but commit not the injustice of attacking them first. (2:186) Domestic and Social Laws. The word for marriage is nikah, which refers to its physical aspect. Its object is the begetting of children for the multiplication of the race. At the time of marriage the wife receives a dowry from her husband to which she has a right unless she of her own accord remits it.

Attitude to Other Faiths

Islam's clear claim is to confirm and perfect the teachings of the former Prophets and Scriptures, allowing for as much abrogation of previous ordinances as may be necessary for the new time. The Qur'an has three word for religion. Millah is used to signify the religion of former prophets (especially Abraham) whom Muslims should follow, subject to the new light brought by Muhammad. Din - religion as observance. Ummah - religious community.

Moral teachings of the Qur'an

The real goal of man, the best of all God's creation, is the assimilation of Divine attributes. These attributes include goodness, truthfulness, justice, forgiveness, virtuous personal conduct and social behaviour. In fact, the ethical code of Islam provides all-embracing rules of life establishing, and precisely formulating, the duties of man not only towards himself and towards fellow-beings. Islam does not teach that any one should renounce this world in order to get salvation nor does it prescribe any form of undue austerity for spiritual purification. On the contrary, there is complete co-ordination of the spiritual and material aspects of human life. Islam offers a practical ethical code and demands a righteousness well within the realm of practicability. All habits of life and thought which take people away from their rightful social, economic and political responsibilities are opposed in Islam. The great companions of the Holy Prophet, who followed the footsteps of their master, did not stop at fasts and prayers or sacrifices alone. They led an active life, they fought wars to defend their faith whenever necessary, they arranged their economic affairs, they made and carried out international policies, they were keenly interested in their fellow beings and watched the behaviour of their rulers carefully to see how they were conducting their political, social and economic affairs in their country. Goodness to parents. Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour. And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: "My Lord! bestow on them thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood."(17:23-4) We have enjoined on man kindness to parents: but if they (either of them) strive (to force) thee to join with Me (in worship) anything of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not. Ye have (all) to return to me, and I will tell you (the truth) of all that ye did. (29:8) There are a number of Traditions of the Holy Prophet in which he has laid emphasis on the service rendered to parents by their children: "Heaven lies under the feet of the mother." said the Prophet. "Allah will reward with high places in heaven him who serves his parents devotedly." Truthfulness. The breaking of pledges and being untruthful is considered a sin in Islam. In the matter of a man's treatment with his fellow beings, the Qur'an puts an emphasis on being truthful by fulfilling one's promises and by not saying something, which one does not intend to do. Justice. O ye who believe! stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well- acquainted with all that ye do. (4:135)
Justice is Allah's attribute, and to stand firm for justice is to be a witness to Allah, even if it is detrimental to our own interests (as we conceive them) or the interests of those who are near and dear to us. According to the Latin saying, "Let justice be done though heaven should fall." But Islamic justice is something higher than the formal justice of Roman Law or any other human law. It is even more penetrative than the subtler justice in the speculations of the Greek philosophers. It searches out the innermost motives, because we are to act as in the presence of Allah, to whom all things, acts, and motives are known. Some people may be inclined to favour the rich, because they expect something from them. Some people may be inclined to favour the poor because they are generally helpless. Partiality in either case is wrong. Be just, without fear or favour. Both the rich and the poor are under Allah's protection as far as their legitimate interests are concerned, but they cannot expect to be favoured at the expense of others. And He can protect their interests far better than any man.

Forgiveness. The teaching of refraining from punishing those whom they have right to punish was given in the first place to the Arabs of the Jahiliyyah period, the most revengeful of all peoples. They prided themselves on returning evil for evil, and looked down on anyone who acted otherwise as weak and hindering. Food and drink.
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 Food and drink. Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked The name of other than Allah; that which hath been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death; that which hath been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; unless ye are able to slaughter it (in due form); that which is sacrificed on stone (altars); (forbidden) also is the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows: that is impiety. This day have those who reject faith given up all hope of your religion: yet fear them not but fear Me. This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But if any is forced by hunger, with no inclination to transgression, Allah is indeed Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. (5:3) The Qur'anic prohibition of wine or any other intoxicating drink gives the Muslims a general stamp of sobriety unknown among the followers of any other religion. In Judaism, wine forms an integral part of their religious festivities and is considered to be a sacred drink. In Christianity only its abuse is condemned and it was never absent from the Church nor from its clergy, and that it attained enormous proportions among the latter. In the Holy Qur'an wine is condemned as a "handiwork of Satan" and a sin. Virtuous conduct in general. Virtuous conduct is not limited to the family and personal relations. Virtue is public as well as private. Public misconduct and wrong government policies are acts of much greater impiety and disobedience to Allah. A Muslim is asked to earn his bread lawfully. A Muslim is asked neither to lend nor to borrow money on interest, multiplying manifold, i.e. Making the rich richer and the poor poorer. Usury engenders callousness, it encourages greed, it breeds jealousy, it entails misery and inculcates abjectness. Besides the Holy Qur'an, there are a number of Traditions of the Prophet asking the true believers to refrain from making distinctions on the basis of caste or class or showing any kind of racial prejudice. The racial or national label matters nothing; the character matters everything: O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things). A Muslim is asked to abstain from suspecting the moves of others and not to envy one another. He should live peace fully with his fellow beings. Backbiting is compared to feasting upon the corpse of a dead brother. The Holy Qur'an teaches all lessons necessary for a believer to live as an ideal man in this life. The human life in this world is short and a believer has to set a good example by his deeds. By prescribing various rules in the Qur'an, Allah does not want to make a believer's life miserable. He, on the contrary wants to make it easier. A human being is unable, if left to himself and unaided by Divine guidance, to avoid pitfalls. Allah seeks not only to confer benefits on man but also to make light his burden. Muslims are asked to follow the example of the Prophet, the standard by which the rest of the mankind will be judged on the day of Judgement.

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