WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT THE QUR'AN

Humanity has received the Divine guidance through two channels: firstly the word of Allah,
secondly the Prophets who were chosen by Allah to communicate His will to human beings.
These two things have always been going together and attempts to know the will of Allah by
neglecting either of these two have always been misleading. The Hindus neglected their prophets
and paid all attention to their books that proved only word puzzles which they ultimately lost.
Similarly, the Christians, in total disregard to the Book of Allah, attached all importance to Christ
and thus not only elevated him to Divinity, but also lost the very essence of TAWHEED
(monotheism) contained in the Bible.

As a matter of fact the main scriptures revealed before the Qur'an, i.e., the Old Testament and the
Gospel, came into book-form long after the days of the Prophets and that too in translation. This
was because the followers of Moses and Jesus made no considerable effort to preserve these
Revelations during the life of their Prophets. Rather they were written long after their death. Thus
what we now have in the form of the Bible (The Old as well as the New Testament) is
translations of individuals' accounts of the original revelations which contain additions and
deletions made by the followers of the said Prophets. On the contrary, the last revealed Book, the
Qur'an, is extant in its original form. Allah Himself guaranteed its preservation and that is why
the whole of the Qur'an was written during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
himself though on separate pieces of palm leaves, parchments, bones, etc... Moreover, there were
tens of thousands of companions of the Prophet who memorized the whole Qur'an and the
Prophet himself used to recite to the Angel Gabriel once a year and twice in the year he died. The
first Caliph Abu Bakr entrusted the collection of the whole Qur'an in one volume to the Prophet's
scribe, Zaid Ibn Thabit. This volume was with Abu Bakr till his death. Then it was with the
second Caliph Umar and after him it came to Hafsa, the Prophet's wife. It was from this original
copy that the third Caliph Uthman prepared several other copies and sent them to different
Muslim territories.

The Qur'an was so meticulously preserved because it was to be the Book of guidance for
humanity for all times to come. That is why it does not address the Arabs alone in whose
language it was revealed. It speaks to man as a human being:

"O Man! What has seduced you from your Lord."

The practicability of the Qur'anic teachings is established by the examples of Muhammad

(PBUH) and the good Muslims throughout the ages. The distinctive approach of the Qur'an is that
its instructions are aimed at the general welfare of man and are based on the possibilities within
his reach. In all its dimensions the Qur'anic wisdom is conclusive. It neither condemns nor
tortures the flesh nor does it neglect the soul. It does not humanize God nor does it deify man.
Everything is carefully placed where it belongs in the total scheme of creation.

Actually the scholars who allege that Muhammad (PBUH) was the author of the Qur'an claim
something which is humanly impossible. Could any person of the sixth century C.E. utter such
scientific truths as the Qur'an contains? Could he describe the evolution of the embryo inside the
uterus so accurately as we find it in modern science?

Secondly, is it logical to believe that Muhammad (PBUH), who up to the age of forty was marked
only for his honesty and integrity, began all of a sudden the authorship of a book matchless in
literary merit and the equivalent of which the whole legion of the Arab poets and orators of
highest calibre could not produce? And lastly, is it justified to say that Muhammad (PBUH) who
was known as AL-AMEEN (The Trustworthy) in his society and who is still admired by the non-
Muslim scholars for his honesty and integrity, came forth with a false claim and on that falsehood
could train thousands of men of character, integrity and honesty, who were able to establish the
best human society on the surface of the earth?

Surely, any sincere and unbiased searcher of truth will come to believe that the Qur'an is the
revealed Book of Allah.

Without necessarily agreeing with all that they said, we furnish here some opinions of important
non-Muslim scholars about the Qur'an. Readers can easily see how the modern world is coming
closer to reality regarding the Qur'an. We appeal to all open-minded scholars to study the Qur'an
in the light of the aforementioned points. We are sure that any such attempt will convince the
reader that the Qur'an could never be written by any human being.

"However often we turn to it [the Qur'an] at first disgusting us each time afresh, it soon attracts,
astounds, and in the end enforces our reverence... Its style, in accordance with its contents and
aim is stern, grand, terrible - ever and anon truly sublime -- Thus this book will go on exercising
through all ages a most potent influence." --Goethe, quoted in T.P. Hughes' DICTIONARY OF
ISLAM, p. 526.

"The Koran admittedly occupies an important position among the great religious books of the
world. Though the youngest of the epoch-making works belonging to this class of literature, it
yields to hardly any in the wonderful effect which it has produced on large masses of men. It has
created an all but new phase of human thought and a fresh type of character. It first transformed a
number of heterogeneous desert tribes of the Arabian peninsula into a nation of heroes, and then
proceeded to create the vast politico-religious organizations of the Muhammadan world which are
one of the great forces with which Europe and the East have to reckon today." --G. Margoliouth,
Introduction to J.M. Rodwell's, THE KORAN, New York: Everyman's Library, 1977, p. vii.

"A work, then, which calls forth so powerful and seemingly incompatible emotions even in the
distant reader - distant as to time, and still more so as a mental development - a work which not
only conquers the repugnance which he may begin its perusal, but changes this adverse feeling
into astonishment and admiration, such a work must be a wonderful production of the human
mind indeed and a problem of the highest interest to every thoughtful observer of the destinies of
mankind." --Dr. Steingass, quoted in T.P. Hughes' DICTIONARY OF ISLAM, pp. 526-527.

"The above observation makes the hypothesis advanced by those who see Muhammad as the
author of the Qur'an untenable. How could a man, from being illiterate, become the most
important author, in terms of literary merits, in the whole of Arabic literature? How could he then
pronounce truths of a scientific nature that no other human being could possibly have developed
at that time, and all this without once making the slightest error in his pronouncement on the
subject?" --Maurice Bucaille, THE BIBLE, THE QUR'AN AND SCIENCE, 1978, p. 125.

"Here, therefore, its merits as a literary production should perhaps not be measured by some
preconceived maxims of subjective and aesthetic taste, but by the effects which it produced in
Muhammad's contemporaries and fellow countrymen. If it spoke so powerfully and convincingly
to the hearts of his hearers as to weld hitherto centrifugal and antagonistic elements into one
compact and well-organized body, animated by ideas far beyond those which had until now ruled
the Arabian mind, then its eloquence was perfect, simply because it created a civilized nation out
of savage tribes, and shot a fresh woof into the old warp of history." --Dr. Steingass, quoted in
T.P. Hughes' DICTIONARY OF ISLAM, p. 528.

"In making the present attempt to improve on the performance of my predecessors, and to
produce something which might be accepted as echoing however faintly the sublime rhetoric of
the Arabic Koran, I have been at pains to study the intricate and richly varied rhythms which -
apart from the message itself - constitute the Koran's undeniable claim to rank amongst the
greatest literary masterpieces of mankind... This very characteristic feature - 'that inimitable
symphony,' as the believing Pickthall described his Holy Book, 'the very sounds of which move
men to tears and ecstasy' - has been almost totally ignored by previous translators; it is therefore
not surprising that what they have wrought sounds dull and flat indeed in comparison with the
splendidly decorated original." --Arthur J. Arberry, THE KORAN INTERPRETED, London:
Oxford University Press, 1964, p. x.

"A totally objective examination of it [the Qur'an] in the light of modern knowledge, leads us to
recognize the agreement between the two, as has been already noted on repeated occasions. It
makes us deem it quite unthinkable for a man of Muhammad's time to have been the author of
such statements on account of the state of knowledge in his day. Such considerations are part of
what gives the Qur'anic Revelation its unique place, and forces the impartial scientist to admit his
inability to provide an explanation which calls solely upon materialistic reasoning." --Maurice
Bucaille, THE QUR'AN AND MODERN SCIENCE, 1981, p. 18.

QUR'AN ON QUR'AN

"Hence, indeed, We made this Qur'an easy to bear in mind: who, then is willing to take it to
heart?" --Chapter 54: Verses 17, 22, 32, 40 (self-repeating)

"Will they then not meditate on the Qur'an, or are there locks on their hearts?" --Chapter 47:
Verse 24

"Surely this Qur'an guides to that which is most upright and gives good news to the believers who
do good works that they shall have a great reward." --Chapter 17: Verse 9

"Surely We have revealed the reminder (Qur'an) and We will most certainly guard it (from
corruption)." --Chapter 15: Verse 9

"Praise be to Allah Who has revealed the Book (Qur'an) to His slave (Muhammad) and has not
placed therein any crookedness." --Chapter 18: Verse 1

"Will they not then ponder on the Qur'an? If it had been from other than Allah they would have
found therein much discrepancy." Chapter 4: Verse 82

"And certainly We have explained in this Qur'an every kind of example; and man is most of all
given to contention. And nothing prevents men from believing when the guidance comes to them,
and asking forgiveness of their Lord, except that what happened to the ancients should overtake
them, or that the chastisement should come face to face with them." --Chapter 18: Verses 54-55

"And We reveal (stage by stage) of the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy for believers,
and to the unjust it causes nothing but loss after loss." --Chapter 17: Verse 82

"And if you are in doubt concerning that which We reveal unto Our slave (Muhammad) then
produce a surah (chapter) of the like thereof, and call your witnesses besides Allah if you are
truthful." --Chapter 2: Verse 23

"And this Qur'an is not such as could be forged by those besides Allah, but it is a verification (of
revelations) that went before it and a fuller explanation of the Book - there is no doubt - from the
Lord of the Worlds." --Chapter 10: Verse 37

"So when you recite the Qur'an, seek refuge in Allah from Satan the outcast." --Chapter 16: Verse
98.

World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), P.O. Box 10845, Riyadh 11443, Saudi Arabia

THE QUR'AN AND MODERN SCIENCE

Taken from "The Origin of Man", by Dr. Maurice Bucaille.

Dr. Maurice Bucaille is an eminent French surgeon, scientist, scholar and author of "THE
BIBLE, THE QUR'AN AND SCIENCE" which contains the result of his research into
the Judeo-Christian Revelation and the Qur'an. It is a unique contribution in the field of
religion and science.

Being an outstanding Scientist, he was selected to treat the mummy of Merneptah

(Pharaoh) which he did. During his visit to Saudi Arabia he was shown the verses of the
Holy Qur'an in which Allah says that the dead body of the Pharaoh will be preserved as a
"Sign" for posterity. An impartial scientist like Dr. Bucaille, who (being also a Christian)
was conversant with the Biblical version of Pharaoh's story as being drowned in pursuit
of Prophet Moses. He was pleasantly surprised to learn that unknown to the world till
only of late, the Holy Qur'an made definite prediction about the preservation of the body
of that same Pharaoh of Moses' time. This led Dr. Bucaille to study the Holy Qur'an
thoroughly after learning the Arabic language. The final conclusion of his comparative
study of Qur'an and the Bible is that the statements about scientific phenomena in the
Holy Qur'an are perfectly in conformity with the modern sciences whereas the Biblical
narration's on the same subjects are scientifically entirely unacceptable.

FROM THE ORIGIN OF MAN

As most people in the West have been brought up on misconceptions concerning Islam
and the Qur'an; for a large part of my life, I myself was one such person. Let me cite one
or two specific examples to indicate the kind of inaccurate ideas generally current.

MISCONCEPTIONS
As I grew up, I was always taught that 'Mahomet' was the author of the Qur'an; I
remember seeing French translations bearing this information. I was invariably told that
the 'author' of the Qur'an simply compiled, in a slightly different form, stories of sacred
history taken from the Bible; the 'author' was said to have added or removed certain
passages, while setting forth the principles and rules of the religion he himself had
founded. There are moreover Islamic scholars today in France whose duties include
teaching and who express exactly these views, although perhaps in a more subtle form.

This description of the origins of the Qur'anic text, which is so out of touch with reality,
might lead one immediately to assume that if there are scientific errors in the Bible, there
must also be errors of this kind in the Qur'an! This is the natural conclusion to be drawn
in such circumstances, but it is based on a misconception. We are well aware that at the
time of Muhammad - the Qur'anic Revelation took place between 610 and 632 A.D -
scientific obscurantism prevailed, both in the Orient as well as in the West.

In France, for example, this period corresponded roughly to the reign of King Dagobert,
the last of the Mrovingians. This approach to what was supposedly the Qur'anic text may
on first sight seem logical, but when one examines the text with an informed and
impartial eye, it becomes clear that this approach is not at all in keeping with reality. We
shall see in a moment the truth of this statement, which is obvious from the texts.

Whenever there is textual proof of the existence in the Qur'an of statements that are in
agreement with modern knowledge, but which in the Bible are related in a manner that is
scientifically unacceptable, the stock response is that, during the period separating the
two Scriptures, Arab scientists made discoveries in various disciplines which enabled
them to arrive at these supposed adaptations. This approach takes no account whatsoever
of the history of the sciences. The latter indicates that the great period of Islamic
civilisations, during which, as we know, science made considerable progress, came
several centuries after the communication of the Qur'an to the communication of the
Qur'an to man.

Furthermore, scientific history informs us that, as far as the subjects dealt with in this
present book are concerned, no discoveries were made during, the period separating the
Bible from the Qur'an.

When this aspect of the Qur'an is mentioned in the West, however, we are likely to hear it
said that while this may indeed be so, nowhere is this fact referred to in the translations of
the Qur'an which we possess today, or in the prefaces and commentaries that accompany
them.
This is a very judicious remark. Muslim - and indeed non-Muslim -

translators who have produced a French version of the Qur'an are basically men of letters.
More often than not, they mistranslate a passage because they do not possess the
scientific knowledge required to understand its true meaning. The fact is, however, that in
order to translate correctly, one must first understand what one is reading. A further point
is that translators - especially those mentioned above - - may have been influenced by
notes provided by ancient commentators often came to be regarded as highly
authoritative, even though they had no scientific knowledge - nor indeed had anybody
else at that time. They were incapable of imagining that the texts might contain allusions
to secular knowledge, and thus they could not devote attention to a specific passage by
comparing it to other verses in the Qur'an dealing with the same subject - a process that
often provides the key to the meaning of a word or expression. From this results the fact
that any passage in the Qur'an that gives rise to a comparison with modern secular
knowledge is likely to be unreliably translated.

Very often, the translations are peppered with inaccurate - if not totally nonsensical -
statements. The only way to avoid such errors is to possess a scientific background and to
study the Qur'anic text in the original language.

SCIENTIFIC ERRORS
On the subject of man, as well as the other topics mentioned earlier, it is not possible to
find any corresponding data in the Bible. Furthermore the scientific errors contained in
the Bible - such as those describing man's first appearance on earth, which, as we have
seen, may be deduced from the Genealogies that figure in Genesis are not to be found in
the Qur'an. It is crucial to understand that such errors could not have been 'edited out' of
the Qur'an since the time they first became apparent: well over a thousand years have
elapsed since the most ancient manuscripts and today's texts of the Qur'an, but these texts
are still absolutely identical. Thus, if Muhammad were the author of the Qur'an (a theory
upheld by some people), it is difficult to see how he could have spotted the scientific
errors in the Bible dealing with such a wide variety of subjects and have proceeded to
eliminate every single one of them when he came to compose his own text on the same
themes. Let us state once again, that no new scientific facts had been discovered since the
time the Bible was written that might have helped eliminate such errors.

In view of the above, it is imperative to know the history of the texts, just as it is essential
to our understanding of certain aspects of the Bible for us to be aware, of the conditions
in which it was written.

As we have noted earlier, experts in Biblical exegesis consider the books of Old and New
Testaments to be divinely inspired works. Let us now examine, however, the teachings of
Muslim exegetes, who present the Qur'an in quite a different fashion.

When Muhammad was roughly forty years old, it was his custom to retire to a retreat just
outside Mecca in order to meditate. It was here that he received a first message from God
via the Angel Gabriel, at a date that corresponds to 610 A.D. After a long period of
silence, this first message was followed by successive revelations spread over some
twenty years. During the Prophet's lifetime, they were both written down and recited by
heart among his first followers. Similarly, the revelations were divided into
suras(chapters) and collected together after the Prophet' death (in 632 A.D.) in a book:
the Qur'an. The Book contains the Word of God, to the exclusion of any human
additions. Manuscripts dating from the first century of Islam authenticate today's text, the
other form of authentication being the recitation by heart of the Qur'an, a practice that has
continued unbroken from the time of the Prophet down to the present day.

UNCORRUPTED NATURE OF THE QUR'AN

In contrast to the Bible, therefore, we are presented with a text that is none other than the
transcript of the Revelation itself; the only way it can be received and interpreted is
literally. The purity of the revealed text has been greatly emphasized, and the uncorrupted
nature of the Qur'an stems from the following factors:

First, as stated above, fragments of the text were written down during the Prophet's
lifetime; inscribed on tablets, parchments and other materials current at the time. The
Qur'an itself refers to the fact that the text was set down in writing. We find this in
several suras dating from before and after the Hejira (Muhammad's departure from Mecca
to Medina in 622 A.D.) In addition to the transcription of the text, however, there was
also the fact that it was learned by heart. The text of the Qur'an is much shorter than the
Old Testament and slightly longer than the New Testament. Since it took twenty years for
the Qur'an to be revealed, however, it was easy for the Prophet's followers to recite it by
heart, sura by sura. This process of recitation afforded a considerable advantage as far as
an uncorrupted text was concerned, for it provided a system of double-checking at the
time the definitive text was written down. This took place several years after the
Prophet's death; first under the caliphate of Abu Bakr, his first successor, and later under
the caliphate of Omar and in particular that of Uthman (644 to 655 A.D.) The latter
ordered an extremely strict recension of the text, which involved checking it against the
recited versions.

TEXT OF QUR'AN UNCORRUPTED

After Muhammad's death, Islam rapidly expanded far beyond the limits of the area in
which it was born. Soon, it included many peoples whose native language was not
Arabic. Very strict steps were taken to ensure that the text of the Qur'an did not suffer
from this expansion of Islam: Uthman sent copies of his entire recension to the principal
centers of the vast Islamic empire. Some copies still exist today, in more or less complete
form, in such places as Tashkent (U.S.S.R) and Istanbul. Copies have also been
discovered that date from the very first centuries after the Hejira; they are all identical,
and all of them correspond to the earliest manuscripts.

Today's editions of the Qur'an are all faithful reproductions of the original copies. In the
case of the Qur'an, there are no instances of rewriting or corruption of the text over the
course of time.

If the origin of the Qur'an had been similar to those of the Bible, it would not be
unreasonable to suppose that the subjects it raised would be presented in the light of the
ideas influenced by certain

opinions of the time, often derived from myth and superstition. If this were the case, one
might argue that there were untold opportunities for inaccurate assertions, based on such
sources, to find their way into the many and varied subjects briefly summarised above. In
actual fact, however, we find nothing of the kind in the Qur'an.

But having said this, we should note that the Qur'an is a religious book par excellence.
We should not use statements that have a bearing on secular knowledge as a pretext to go
hunting after any expression of scientific laws. As stated earlier, all we should seek are
reflections on natural phenomena, phrases occasioned by references to divine
omnipotence and designed to emphasise that omnipotence in the eyes of mankind
throughout the ages. The presence of such reflections in the Qur'an has become
particularly significant in modern times, for their meaning is clearly explained by the data
of contemporary knowledge. This characteristic is specific to the Qur'an.

UNEXPECTED DISCOVERIES
It was not until I had learnt Arabic and read the Qur'an in the original that I realised the
precise meaning of certain verses. Only then did I make certain discoveries that were
astounding. With my basic ideas on the Qur'an - which to begin with were inaccurate, just
as those of most people in the West - I certainly did not expect to find in the text the
statements that I in fact uncovered. With each new discovery, I was beset with doubt lest
I might be mistaken in my translation or perhaps have provided an interpretation rather
than a true rendering of the Arabic text.

Only after consultations with several specialists in linguistics and exegesis, both Muslim
and non-Muslim, was I convinced that a new concept might be formed from such a study:
the compatibility between the statements in the Qur'an and firmly established data of
modern science with regard to subjects on which nobody at the time of Muhammad - not
even the Prophet himself - could have had access to the knowledge we possess today.
Since then, I have not found in the Qur'an any support given to the myths or superstitions
present at the time the text was communicated to man. This is not the case for the Bible,
whose authors expressed themselves in the language of their period.

In 'La Bible le Coran et la Science' (The Bible, the Qur'an and Science), which first
appeared in the original French in 1976 and which subsequently appeared in English in
1978, I set forth the main points of these findings. On November 9, 1976, I gave a lecture
to the Academia de Medecine (French academy of Medicine) in which I explored the
statements of the origins of man contained in the Qur'an; the title of the lecture was
'Donnees physiologiques et embryologiques de Coran'(Physiological and Embryological
Data in the Qur'an). I emphasised the fact that these data - which I shall summarise below
- formed part of a much wider study. The following are some of the points which arise
from a reading of the Qur'an:

* a concept of the creation of the world which, while different from the ideas contained in
the Bible, is fully in keeping with today's general theories on the formations of the
universe;

* statements that are in perfect agreement with today's ideas concerning the movements
and evolution of the heavenly bodies;

* a prediction of the conquest of space;

* notions concerning the water cycle in nature and the earth's relief, which were not
proven correct until many centuries later.

All of these data are bound to amaze anyone who approaches them in

an objective spirit. They add a much wider dimension to the problem studied in the
present work. The basic point remains the same , however: we must surely be in the
presence of facts which place a heavy strain on our natural propensity for explaining
everything in materialistic terms, for the existence in the Qur'an of these scientific
statements appears as a challenge to human explanations.

That does not mean to say, however, that the statements in the Qur'an - especially those
concerning man - may all of them be examined in the light of the findings of modern
science. The creation of man as described in both the Bible and the Qu'ran totally eludes
scientific investigation of the event per se.

Similarly, when the New Testament or the Qur'an informs us that Jesus was not born of a
father, in the biological sense of the term, we cannot counter this Scriptural statement by
saying that there is no example in the human species of an individual having been formed
without receiving the paternal chromosomes that make up one half of its genetic
inheritance. Science does not explain miracles, for by definition miracles are
inexplicable, thus, when we read in both the Qur'an and the Bible that man was moulded
from the ground, we are in fact learning a fundamental religious principle: Man returns
from where he came, for from the place he is buried, he will rise again on the judgment.

Side by side with the main religious aspect of such reflections on man, we find in the
Qur'an statements on man that refer to strictly material facts. They are quite amazing
when one approaches them for the first time. For example, the Qur'an describes the
origins of life in general and devotes a great deal of space to the morphological
transformation undergone by man, repeatedly emphasizing the fact that God fashioned
him as He willed. We likewise discover statements on human reproduction that are
expressed in precise terms that lend themselves to comparison with the secular
knowledge we today possess on the subject.

INTEREST TO MEN OF SCIENCE

The many statements in the Qur'an that may thus be compared with modern knowledge
are by no means easy to find. In preparing the study published in 1976, I was unable to
draw on any previous works known in the West, for there were none. All I could refer to
were a few works in Arabic dealing with themes treated in the Qur'an that were of interest
to men of science - there was, however, no overall study. Over and above this, research of
this kind requires scientific knowledge covering many different disciplines. It is not easy,
however, for Islamologists to acquire such knowledge, for they possess a mainly literary
background. Indeed, such questions hardly seem to occupy a place in their field of classic
Islamology, at least as far as the West is concerned. Only a scientist, thoroughly
acquainted with Arabic literature, can draw comparisons between the Qur'anic text - for
which he must be able to read Arabic - and the data supplied by modern knowledge.

There is another reason why such statements are not immediately apparent: Verses
bearing on a single theme are scattered throughout the Qur'an. The book is indeed a
juxtaposition of reflections on a wide variety of subjects referred to one after the other
and taken up again later on, often several times over. The data on a precise theme must
therefore be collected from all over the Book and brought together under a single
heading. This requires many hours' work tracking down verses, in spite of the existence
of thematic indexes provided by various translators, for such lists may perhaps be
incomplete and indeed, in many cases, they often are.

WAY TO THE QURAN

by Khurram Murad

The New World that Awaits You

As you come to the Qur'an, you come to a new world. No other venture in your life can
be so momentous and crucial, so blissful and rewarding, as your journey to and through
the Qur'an. It is a journey that will take you through the endless joys and riches of the
words that your Creator and Lord has sent to you and all mankind. Here you will find a
world of untold treasures of knowledge and wisdom to guide you on the pathways of life,
to mould your thoughts and actions. In it you will find deep insights to enrich you and
steer you along the right course. From it you will receive a radiant light to illumine the
deeper reaches of your soul. Here you will encounter profound emotions, a warmth to
melt your heart and bring tears running down your cheeks. It is crucial for you because,
as you travel through the Qur'an, at every step you will summoned to choose, and to
commit to Allah. To read the Qur'an is nothing less than to live the Qur'an willingly,
sincerely, devotedly, and totally. The outcome of your entire life depends on how you
heed the call given by Allah. The journey is therefore decisive for your existence, for
mankind, for the future of human civilization. A hundred new worlds lie in its verses.
Whole centuries are involved in its moments. Know, then, that it is the Qur'an, and only
the Qur'an, which can lead you on and on to success and glory in this world and in the
world to come.

What is the Qur'an?

It is beyond man's power to comprehend, or to describe, the greatness and importance of
what the Qur'an holds for him. Yet, to begin with, you must have some idea of what it is
and what it means to you , and such that you are inspired to immerse the whole of
yourself in the Qur'an, in total commitment, complete dedication and ceaseless pursuit, as
it demands. The Qur'an is Allah's greatest blessing or you . It is the fulfillment of His
promise to Adam and his descendants: 'there shall come to you guidance from Me, and
whatsoever follows My Guidance no fear shall e on them, neither shall they sorrow'(al
Baqarah 2:38). It is the only weapon your frail existence as you struggle against the
forces of evil and temptation in this world. It is the only means to overpower your fear
and anxiety. It is the only 'light' (nur) , as you grope in the darkness, with which to find
your way to success and salvation. It is the only healing (shifa) for your inner sickness, as
well as the social ills that may surround you. It is the constant reminder (dhikr) of your
true nature and destiny, of your station, your duties, your rew. It was brought down by
one who is powerful and trustworthy in the heavens the heart of the Prophet Muhammad,
blessings and peace be on him. to your Creator. It tells you of Him, of His attributes, of
how He rules o to you, and how you should relate to Him, to yourself, to your fellow
meny other existence. The rewards that await you here are surely many, incrng manifold
and the hereafter, but what awaits you at the end of the road promises allah in the Hadith
qudsi, the eye has seen not, nor the ear heard, nor the heart of man ever conceived and,
adds Abu Hurayra'no human being can imagine what joys are being kept hidden for them
in d or all that they did'(Bukhari, Muslim)

Qur'an As Living Constitution

Can the Qur'an again, be living, relevant force, as powerful for us now 1400 years away,
as it was then? This is the most crucial question that we must answer if we wish to shape
our destiny afresh under the guidance of the Qur'an.

There appear, however, to be some difficulties. Not least of which has to do with the fact
that Qur'an was revealed at a certain point in time. Since then we have traveled a long
way, made gigantic leaps in technological know-how, and seen considerable social
changes take place in human society. Moreover, most of the followers of the Qur'an
today do not know Arabic, and many who do have little idea of the 'living' language of
the Qur'an.

They cannot be expected to absorbs its idioms and metaphor, so essential to exploring
and absorbing the depths of the Qur'anic meaning. Yet its guidance, by its own claim, has
an eternal relevance for all people, being the word of the Eternal God. For the truth of its
claim, it seems to me, it must be possible for us to receive, experience, and understand
the Qur'an as it's first recipients did, at least in some measure and to some degree. We
seem to almost have a right to this possibility of receiving God's guidance in its fullness
and with all its riches and joys. In other words despite historical incidence of the
revelation in a particular language at that particular time and place, we should be capable
of receiving the Qur'an now (because its message is eternal), capable of making its
message as much a real part of our lives as it was for the first believers and with the same
urgent and profound relevance for all our present concerns and experiences.

But how do we do this? To put it very forthrightly, only by entering the world of the
Qur'an as if Allah were speaking to us through it now and today, and by fulfilling the
necessary conditions for such an encounter. Firstly, then, we must realize what Qur'an as
the word of God is and means to us, and bring all the reverence, love, longing and will to
act that this realization demands. Secondly, we must read it as it asks to be read, as
Allah's Messenger instructed us, as his Companions read it. Thirdly, we must bring each
word of the Qur'an to bear upon our own realities and concerns by transcending the
barriers of time, culture and change.

For the first addressees, the Qur'an was a contemporary event. Its language and style, its
eloquence and a rationale, its idiom and metaphor, its symbols and parables, its moments
and events were all rooted in their own setting. These people were both witnesses to and
in a sense, participants in the whole act of revelation as it unfolded over a period of their
own time. We do not have the same privilege; yet, in some measures, the same ought to
be true for us. By understanding and obeying the Qur'an in our own setting, we will find
it, as far as possible, as much a contemporary event for ourselves as it was then. For the
essence of man has not changed; it is immutable. Only man's externalities- the forms, the
modes, the technologies - have changed. The pagans of Makka may be no more, nor the
Jews of Yathrib, nor the Christians of Najran, nor even the 'faithful' and the 'unfaithful' of
the community of Madina; but the same characters exist all around us. We are humans
being exactly as the first recipients were, even though may find it extremely difficult to
grapple with the deep implications of this very simple truth. Once you realize the truths
and follow them, once you come to the Qur'an as first believers did, it may reveal to you
as it did to them, make partners of you as it did of them. And only then, instead of being a
mere revered book, a sacred fossil, or a source of magic-like blessing, it will change into
a mighty force, impinging, stirring, moving and guiding us deeper and higher
achievements, just as it did before.

Key Aspects of the Holy Quran

Quran has been revealed for the guidance of mankind and invites the people of wisdom to
read into its pages to enhance human knowledge about the universe and Creator, and to
create environments where man could live in peace and harmony with the fellow human
beings and with the Nature.

Quran is a part of the Knowledge - which is limitless, and therefore it encapsules the
stages of human development. It also contains the solutions of issues and problems which
mankind faces and specifies a complete Islamic system ie the system which facilitates
living in peace - where there is no oppression, insecurity, fear and inequality. Quran
commands authority and leadership and thus declares that if anyone has any doubts about
the truth of the Book which has been revealed to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w), then they
should try to make even one passage which could match the Book, and poses the
challenge that despite the knowledge and resources that man has , he will not be able to
do so (re: Al-Baqra 2:23-24). This challenge has not been met to-date.

I think perhaps it would help to outline a few basic but key aspects of the Quran:

Literary aspect:
The language, the poetic element and the continuity of the Quran can only be
fully appreciated by those who have the knowledge and command of Arabic
language, though people of RAemanS who have no or little knowledge of the
language get a wealth of satisfaction by reciting Quran or listening to its
recitation. Translation of Quran in other languages can not reproduce the true
meanings or the appropriate sense, therefore those who know no or little Arabic
and would really like to understand Quran, should learn the language first.
Perhaps it would be interesting to point out that enemies of Islam attack Quran
mostly by using its translation or analysing its passages which are taken out of
context.
Al-Zikir:
Where the reader can easily extract the lessons from what he reads. In this respect
the Quran is very easy to understand for those who have some language skills.
Allah says that the Quran was made easy in order to benefit and guide human (re:
Murryam 19:97; Qamar 17:54; Dukhan 44:58).
Al-Taddabur:
Where the reader has to think through, analyse the concepts and deduce
conclusions. It is this aspect of Quran which is most difficult since it goes right
into the philosophy, knowledge and higher level of understanding. To highlight
this point let me give a few examples. Abdulllah ibni Omar (son of Omar ibni
Khattab) was a sahabi (companion of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w) and therefore
was in the era in which the Quran was revealed, he was a thinker and researcher
who had a total command of the Arabic language, and yet it took him
approximately 8 years to interpret and document one surah ie Al-Baqra (this work
was done well after the Prophet).

Imam Razi was a philosopher and researcher, had a command of Islamic thoughts and
interpreted Quran in 36 volumes. But when it came to interpret and explain Aya 2 and 3
of Al-Huded (57) which says that He is the first and He is the last and that He is most
overt and most covert, Imam Razi wrote R this is very deep, very difficult. It is
impossible to explain in words.

I hope the serious readers, believers or otherwise, would find this article helpful and
would be able to appreciate that the Quran represents social, economic and political code
for improving the quality of life. If people, Muslim or non-Muslim, do not practice the
code, it is they who are the losers and not the Islam or the Quran.

Note : Husain Akhtar, the writer of this article, can be contacted on

100543.1407@compuserve.com

Translating the Qur'an

Warning!

Please keep in mind all ANY translation (interpretation) of the Qur'an will most
definitely contain errors In its natural language (Arabic), the Qur'an is the direct Word of
Allah (God) to mankind through the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Any
translation of the Qur'an no longer retains that 'official' and perfect status, however it can
be tremendously helpful to beginning students wanting to learn more about Islam.

We would strongly encourage those want to learn about Islam to purchase a hardcopy of
the Qur'an but with the following conditions:

• get one with commentary (tafseer)

• make sure the tafseer is scholarly (e.g. references to reasons behind a verse,
references to hadith and sunnah, etc.)

Unfortunately, this interpretation presented here does NOT meet this simple conditions.
To the best of our knowledge, an excellent English translation and commentary of the
Qur'an is Maududi's recently published work "The Meaning of the Qur'an". This work
took more than forty years to complete, and was published beginning in the mid to late
1980's. Maududi's introduction to each chapter of the Qur'an is included at the moment,
but the complete commentary is not online (yet!).

This article was taken from :

USC Muslim Students Association Islamic Server http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/