History has recorded the appearance and deeds of many religious
leaders: Moses, Jesus Christ, Zoroaster, and Abraham, to name just a
few. There have also been many self-proclaimed prophets and
messengers, each of whom has claimed to bring a divine revelation
for mankind. Some have proven to be false, and others have been
forgotten. But there is one religious leader who stands alone, an
unlettered man who transmitted a revelation from God that literally
changed the course of history and the destinies of a major portion of
mankind: Muhammad, the Prophet and Messenger of God.

ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA confirms:
“…a mass of detail in the early sources shows that he was an honest
and upright man who had gained the respect and loyalty of others
who were likewise honest and upright men.” (Vol. 12)

BERNARD SHAW said about him:
“He must be called the Savior of humanity I believe that if a man like
him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would
succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it muchneeded
peace and happiness.” (The Genuine Islam, Singapore, Vol. 1,No. X 1936)

He was by far the most remarkable man that ever set foot on this
earth. He preached a religion, founded a state, built a nation, laid
down a moral code, initiated numerous social and political reforms,
established a powerful and dynamic society to practice and represent
his teachings, and completely revolutionized the worlds of human
thought and behavior for all time to come.

“HIS NAME IS MOHAMMED”
May the Peace of God Be upon Him (PBUH)

Born in Arabia in the year 570 CE, Muhammad started his mission of
preaching Islam, the religion of truth and the submission of man to
one God, at the age of forty and died at the age of sixty-three.
During the short twenty-three year period of his prophet hood,

Muhammad changed the entire Arabian peninsula forever. Within
the space of one generation, the vast majority of people went from
paganism and idolatry to devout and strict monotheism, from tribal
quarrels and wars to national solidarity and cohesion, from
drunkenness and debauchery to sobriety and piety, from lawlessness
and anarchy to a lifestyle characterized by discipline, from moral
bankruptcy to the highest standards of moral excellence. Human
history has never seen such a complete transformation of a people or
a place before or since—and just IMAGINE that all of these
unbelievable wonders took place in JUST OVER TWO DECADES and
because of the efforts of one man.

The renowned historian Lamartine, when speaking on the essentials
of human greatness, wonders:
“If greatness of purpose, smallness of means and astounding results
are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare
any great man in modern history with Muhammad? The most
famous men created arms, laws and empires only They founded, if
anything at all, no more than material powers which often crumbled
away before their eyes. This man moved not only armies, legislation,
empires, peoples and dynasties but millions of men in one-third of
the then-inhabited world; and more than that, he moved the altars,
the gods, the religions, the ideas, the beliefs and souls…. his
forbearance in victory, his ambition, which was entirely devoted to
one idea and in no manner striving for an empire; his endless
prayers; his mystic conversations with God; his death and his
triumph after death; all these attest not to an imposture but to a firm
conviction which gave him the power to restore a dogma. This dogma
was two-fold: the unity of God and the immateriality of God-the
former telling what God is, the latter telling what God is not; the one
overthrowing false gods with the sword, the other starting an idea
with the words.

Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas,
restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images, the founder of
twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire: that is
MUHAMMAD.

As regards all the standards by which human greatness may be
measured, we may well ask IS THERE ANY MAN GREATER THAN HE?”
(Lamartine: Histoire de la Turquie, Paris, 1854Vol.11, pp 276-
277).

The world has had its share of great personalities. But these were
one-sided figures who distinguished themselves in only one or two
fields, such as religious thought or military leadership. The lives and
teachings of these great personalities are shrouded in the mists of
time. There is so much speculation about the time and place of their
birth, the mode and style of their life, the nature and detail of their
teachings, and the degree and measure of their success or failure that
it is impossible for humanity to reconstruct accurately the lives and
teachings of these men.

Not so this man The Prophet Muhammad accomplished so much in so
many fields of human thought and behavior in the fullest blaze of
human history. Every detail of his private life and public utterances
has been accurately documented and faithfully preserved to our day
The authenticity of the records so preserved are vouched for not
only by the faithful followers but even by his prejudiced critics.

Muhammad was a religious teacher, a social reformer, a moral guide,
an administrative colossus, a faithful friend, a wonderful companion,
a devoted husband, a loving father—all in one. No other man in
history ever excelled or equaled him in any of these different aspects
of life— but it was only for the selfless personality of Muhammad to
achieve such incredible perfection.

Mahatma Gandhi, speaking on the character of Muhammad, says in
Young India:
“I wanted to know the best of one who holds today undisputed sway
over the hearts of millions of mankind….I became more than
convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in
those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter
self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges,
his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidness, his
fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These
and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted
every obstacle.

When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet’s biography) I was
sorry there was not more for me t read of the great life.”

Thomas Carlyle, in his Heroes and Heroworship, was simply amazed
as to “how one man single-handedly could weld warrin tribes and
wandering bedouins into a most powerful and civilized nation in less
than two decades.”

Diwan Chand Sharma wrote: “Muhammad was the soul of kindness
and his influence was felt and never forgotten by those around him. ”
(D. C. Sharma, The Prophets of the East, Calcutta 1935, pp. 12)
Edward Gibbon and Simon Ockley, speaking on the profession of
Islam write: “I believe in one God, and Mahomet, a Apostle of God” is
the simple and invariable profession of Islam. The intellectual image
of the Diety has never been degraded by any visible idol; the honor
of the Prophet has never transgressed the measure of human virtues;
and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples
within the bounds or reason and religion.” (History of the Saracen
Empires, London, 1870, p. 54).

Muhammad was nothing more or less than a human being But he
was a man with a noble mission, one which was to unite all human
beings on the worship of the one and only God and to teach them the
way to honest and upright living based on the commands of God. He
always described himself as “a servant and messenger of God,” and
every single one of his actions proclaimed loudly the truth of this
phrase.

Speaking on the aspect of equality before God in Islam, the famous
Indian poetess Sarojini Naidu says: “It was the first religion that
preached and practiced democracy for, in the mosque when the call
for prayer is sounded and worshippers are gathered together, the
democracy of Islam is embodied five times a day when the peasant
and king kneel side by side and proclaim: “God Alone is Great.” I
have been struck over and over again by this indivisible unity of
Islam that makes man instinctively a brother. (S. Naidu, “Ideals of
Islam,” vide Speaches ~ Writings, Madras, 1918, p. 169).

In the words of Prof. Hurgronje: “The League of Nations founded by
the prophet of Islam put the principle of international unity and
human brotherhood on such universal foundations as to show candle
to other nations … the fact is that no nation of the world can show a
parallel to what Islam has done towards the realization of the idea of
the League of Nations.”

The world has not hesitated to raise to divinity individuals whose
lives and missions have been lost in legend. Historically speaking,
none of these legends achieved even a fraction of what Muhammad
accomplished. And all of his striving was for the sole purpose of
uniting mankind for the worship of the one God on the codes of
moral excellence. Muhammad or his followers never at any time
claimed that he was a son of God, a God-incarnate, or a man having a
divine nature-he always was and is even today considered as only a
human messenger chosen by God.

Michael H. Hart, in his recently published book on the rating of
individuals who have contributed towards the benefit and upliftment
of mankind writes: “My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the
world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and may
be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who
was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels. (M
H. Hart, The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in
History, New York, 1978, pp. 33)

Today even after a lapse of fourteen century, the life and teachings
of Muhammad have survived without the slightest loss, alteration, or
interpolation. They offer the same undying hope for treating
mankind’s many ills that they did when he was alive. This is not a
claim of Muhammad’s followers but also the inescapable conclusion
reached by a critical and unbiased study of human history.
Maybe it is time for you to get to know this outstanding person who
has influenced the life of billions of people over the last fourteen
hundred years. He could also change your life.

Hajj is a commemoration of love and celebration of faith. We commemorate Abraham’s Supreme Sacrifice in love of his Beloved in Minna. We celebrate his wife Hagar’s display of unprecedented love for the infant Ishmael and her unflinching trust in the Providence in the lonely desert around the Twin Peaks. We venerate God’s Greatest Gift, the Quran by spending a day in Arafat where the final revelation was sent. We celebrate faith by coming face-to-face to the Qiblah of our prayers.

Hajj is also an act of renunciation. Muslims from every corner of the globe don their coffins–two cotton sheets–to represent their deaths to this life and head to their Primordial Home. They pay their debts, ask forgiveness of everyone, bid farewell to one and all and prepare to die to this world to live in Him. We are now ready for Hajj to the Ka’aba-a very special place.

Ka’aba is a special place. It was the first house of worship built by the first man. God commanded Adam to make a journey. He walked umpteen months until he arrived guided by God to Mecca. Here, he was instructed to build Him a House. This was mankind’s first House of Worship. This is where we first learned to mourn our separation from our Beloved. This is where Adam shed countless tears to lament loss of paradisiacal glory. This is where we sought to seek His nearness. This is where we sought to experience His intimacy. This House is the Archetype which basks under another House situated far beyond the realm of the Visible Universe and the prison of space and serial time. This is the first act of reconciliation with our Paradisiacal Destiny in the Home of our Beloved inspite of our terrestrial sojourn.

Ka’aba is a special place. It was once lost to us but our Beloved led His Friend Abraham (God’s Peace be upon him) to this Sanctuary and gave him the task of restoring this House. Our father Abraham (GPBUH) recruited his son Ishmael for the Holy Task. For months at end, father and son toiled under the searing desert sun sustained only by their burning love for the Eternal God. This choice was no random choice. Abraham was *the* man for the job. Every year, when men and women were to come to this blessed House, they were to come on 10th of the month of Zilhijj. This auspicious day God asked Abraham to make the Supreme Sacrifice and Abraham delivered. Allah asked His Friend to sacrifice his son Ishmael and he obliged.

Ka’aba is a special place. Its foundations have been fortified by love and faith of Abraham’s family. We go there to commemorate love. We go there to celebrate faith. Abraham lived the true meaning of Surrender. He loved God, his Friend, above all. God gave him a dream where he saw himself sacrificing his son. Persistence of the dream convinced him that it wasn’t just a dream but an allusion from the Infinite. He intimated the dream to his son who readily concurred. Once it was known to be God’s Will, the son didn’t offer any excuses. It was a foregone conclusion that His Will be done. Father and son set off to the designated place. When they reached their destination, son suggested that the father cover his eyes so his love does not overwhelm him into disobeying His master. At the very moment that Abraham let loose his knife, the son was substituted with a lamb. This time and this day was made sacred. Every year, millions come this very day. Millions retrace the steps of these two in the valley of Mina, they stop where they stopped, walk where they walked and finally arrive where the Supreme Sacrifice was offered. Here, everyone offers a sacrifice in His Love and then gives it to the impoverished people of the land all the while marveling at Abraham’s burning love and faith in God that he was willing to sacrifice his most precious love. Those who can’t be here, celebrate this wonderful sacrifice wherever they may be in any part of the world. For indeed, love of God must be celebrated.

Ka’aba is a special place. We commemorate Abraham and his son’s faith and surrender. We also celebrate Mother Hagar’s love. Mother’s love is the highest form of selfless human love. Hagar typified this love so well. She combined this love with her unshakable trust in God. Abraham was instructed to bring her and her infant son Ishmael near the mound that was once the Ka’aba. In this desolate place with nary a single soul and nary a water source, he left them with a leather bag containing some dates, and a small water-skin containing some water, and set out homeward. Ishmael’s mother followed him saying, “O Abraham! Where are you going, leaving us in this valley where there is no person whose company we may enjoy, nor is there anything (to enjoy)?” She repeated that to him many times, but he did not look back at her. Then she asked him, “Has Allah ordered you to do so?” He said, “Yes.” She said, “Then He will not neglect us.” What an exemplary Trust in their Beloved God! They knew that the Causer of all Causes will provide. He is Eminently Resourceful. Ishmael’s mother went on suckling Ishmael and drinking from the water (she had). When all water ran out, she became thirsty and her child also became thirsty. She started looking at Ishmael tossing in agony; she left him, for she could not endure looking at him, and found that the mountain of Safa was the nearest mountain to her on that land. She stood on it and started looking at the valley keenly so that she might see somebody, but she could not see anybody. Then she descended from Safa and when she reached the valley, she tucked up her robe and ran in the valley like a person in distress and trouble, till she crossed the valley and reached the Marwa mountain where she stood and started looking, expecting to see somebody, but she could not see anybody. She repeated that (running between Safa and Marwa) seven times. God loved this selfless display of motherly love so much that every pilgrim to His Holy House must run 7 times between the Twin Peaks of Safa and Marwa. When she reached the Marwa (for the last time) she heard a voice and she asked herself to be quiet and listened attentively. She heard the voice again and said, ‘O, (whoever you may be)! You have made me hear your voice; have you got something to help me?” And behold! She saw an angel at the place of Zam-Zam, digging the earth with his heel till water flowed from that place. She started to make something like a basin around it, using her hand in this way, and started filling her water-skin with water with her hands, and the water was flowing out after she had scooped some of it. This wonderful gift of God hasn’t stopped yet. Hundreds of Millions come every year and take gallons and gallons of the Holy Water with them and still the small well never goes dry. Mecca is a special place.

In celebration of the two momentous events in Abraham’s family, we are reminded that Allah’s Will always work for our highest good. In the end, it all worked out for Abraham’s family and in the end if we trust Him everything will work out for us too. From Him have we come and to Him shall we return!

Ka’aba is a special place. It is overwhelming to be in company of 3 million brothers and sisters in faith, all enshrouded in humble whites. The highest king to the humble laborer are both dressed alike. They stand shoulder to shoulder, they run side by side and they greet each other the greeting of peace. People of all races intermingle as co-equals. Black, white, yellow and brown all come together in harmony before their Beloved. Men and women all stand together. Veils are lifted off women’s faces. In this searing passion for the Loved One, there is no distraction. He Alone Matters! It is wonderful to lift one’s face and see one’s Qiblah face-to-face. All their lives 5 times a day they turned their faces to their Qiblah–the Holy Ka’aba and now they see it right in front of them in all its majesty and glory. They savor the sweetness of coming Home all the while exclaiming “Labbaik Allahuma labbaik, la sharika laka labbaik, Labbaik Allahuma labbaik: I have come, my Lord, I have come. No one participates in Your Divinity (so I have nowhere to come but You). I have come.” I have come, my Beloved. I have come.

We circulate around the Holy Ka’aba proclaiming all the while our Arrival. Circling around the earthly shadow of the Pole, we are reminded to keep our Beloved at the Center of our lives. We are reminded to keep Him in front of our lives and in center of our existence. Whenever we pray, this circulation is affixed and imprinted in our consciousness. We stand in awe of His Presence as if we are circling non-stop in ecstasy round and round our Beloved.

Accept the Hajj of all our lucky Muslim brothers and sisters who are given the grace of your Presence in Your Exalted House. Give us the Grace to one day be able to come visit You. O Allah, there is no one worthy of Love, Worship and Surrender but You. Allow us to love you, worship You and submit to Your Presence and to Your Wish and Will. Ameen!

Hajj Mubarak and Eid Mubarak!!

“Invite to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.” [al-Qur'aan, an-Nisaa'(16):125]

“Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining al-ma`roof [i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do] and forbidding al-Munkar [polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden]. And it is they who are successful.” [al-Qur'aan, Aal `Imraan (3):104]

The second verse may seem to be restricting the general obligation given in the first verse, but a close look at the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) reveals that calling to Allah is an individual obligation, rather than a collective one. The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) has said: “Convey from me, even one verse.” [al-Bukhaaree] Conveying the message therefore does not require a high level of scholarship, it is in fact a responsibility of each and every Muslim, according to his or her ability.

The obligation is further emphasized by the following verse which explains that not conveying the message - hiding knowledge - is disobedience to Allah that causes Allah’s curse to descend upon such people, which shows that such a sin leads to the Hellfire.

“Verily, those who conceal the clear proofs, evidences and the guidance, which We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the people in the book, they are the ones cursed by Allah and cursed by the cursers.” [al-Qur'aan, al-Baqara(2):159]

In the same connection, the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) has stated, “Whoever hides knowledge, Allah will brand him with the branding iron from the hellfire.” [Ahmad]

Calling people to Allah also means completing our own worship, the reason for which we are created. It is one of the noblest acts that entails a high reward.

“And who is better in speech than he who invites to Allah and does righteous deeds, and says: ‘I am one of the Muslims.’” [al-Qur'aan, Fussilat(41):33]

With regards to the reward, the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) has said: “Whoever guides [another] to a good deed will get a reward similar to the one who performs it.” [Saheeh Muslim] Also, “By Allah, if Allah were to guide one man through you it would be better for you than the best type of camels.” [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]

“In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Say (O Mohammad) He is God the One God, the Everlasting Refuge, who has not begotten, nor has been begotten, and equal to Him is not anyone.”

Some non-Muslims allege that God in Islam is a stern and cruel God who demands to be obeyed fully. He is not loving and kind. Nothing can be farther from truth than this allegation. It’s enough to know that, with the exception of one, each of the 114 chapters of the Quran begins with the verse: “In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.” In one of the sayings of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) we are told that “God is more loving and kinder than a mother to her dear child.”
But God is also Just. Hence evildoers and sinners must have their share of punishment and the virtues, His bounties and favors. Actually God’s attribute of Mercy has full manifestation in His attribute of Justice. People suffering throughout their lives for His sake and people oppressing and exploiting other people all their life should not receive similar treatment from their Lord. Expecting similar treatment for them will amount to negating the very belief in the accountability of man in the Hereafter and thereby negating all the incentives for a moral and virtues life in this world. The following Quraniac verses are very clear and straight forward in this respect.

“Verily, for the Righteous are gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord. Shall We then treat the people of Faith like the people of Sin ? What is the matter with you ? How judge ye ?” (68:34-36)

Islam rejects characterizing God in any human form or depicting Him as favoring certain individual or nations on the basis of wealth, power or race. He created the human-beings as equals. They may distinguish themselves and get His favor through virtue and piety only.

The concept that God rested in the seventh day of creation, that God rested with one of His soldiers, that God is an envious plotter against mankind, or that God is incarnate in any human being are considered blasphemy from the Islamic point of view.

The unique usage of Allah as a personal name of God is a reflection of Islam’s emphasis on the purity of the belief in God which is the essence of the message of all God’s messengers. Because of this, Islam considers associating any deity or personality with God as a deadly sin which God will never forgive, despite the fact He may forgive all other sins. The Creator must be of a different nature from the things created because if he is of the same nature as they are, he will be temporal and will therefore need a maker. It follows that nothing is like Him. If the maker is not temporal, then he must be eternal. But if he is eternal, he cannot be caused, and if nothing caused to come into existence, nothing outside him causes him to continue to exist, which means that he must be self-sufficient. And if he does not depend on anything for the continuous of his own existence, then this existence can have no end. The Creator is therefore eternal and everlasting:

“He is the First and the Last”

He is Self-sufficient or Self-subsistent or, to use a Quranic term, Al-Qayyum. The Creator does not create only in the sense of bringing things into being, He also preserves them and takes them out of existence and is the ultimate cause of whatever happens to them.

“God is the Creator of everything. He is the guardian over everything. Unto Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth.”(39:62,63)
“No creature is there crawling on the earth, but its provision rests on God. He knows its lodgingplace and its repository.” (11:6)

God’s Attributes

If the Creator is Eternal and Everlasting, then His attributes must also be eternal and everlasting. He should not lose any of His attributes nor acquire new ones. If this is so, than His attributes are absolute. Can there be more than one creator with such absolute attributes ? Can there be for example, two absolutely powerful Creators ? A moment’s thought shows that this is not feasible.

The Quran summarizes this argument in the following verses:

“God has not taken to Himself any son, nor is there any god with Him: For then each god would have taken of that which he created and some of them would have risen up over others.” (23:91) And Why, where there gods in earth and heaven other than God, they (heaven and earth) would surely go to ruin. (21:22)

The Oneness of God

The Quran reminds of the falsity of all alleged gods. To the worshippers of man-made objects it asks:

“Do you worship what you have carved yourself.”(37:95)
“or have you taken unto you others beside Him to be your protectors, even such as have no power either for good or for harm to themselves ?”(13:16)

To the worshippers of heavenly bodies it cites the story of Abraham:

“When night out spread over him he saw a star and said ‘This is my Lord.’ But when it set he said, ‘I love not the setters.’ When he saw moon rising he said, ‘This is my Lord.’ But when it set he said: ‘If my Lord does not guide me I shall surely be of the people gone astray.’ When he saw the sun rising, he said, ‘This is my Lord; this is greater.’ But when it set he said, ‘O my people, surely I quit that which you associate, I have turned my face to Him who originated the heavens and the earth; a man of pure faith, I am not of the idolaters.”(6:76-79)

The Believer’s Attitude

In order to be a Muslim i.e., to surrender oneself to God, it’s necessary to believe in the oneness of God, in the sense of His being the only Creator, Preserver, Nourisher, etc.. But this belief - later on called Tawhid Ar-Rububiyyah is not enough. Many of the idolaters knew and believed that only the Supreme God could do all this. But that was not enough to make them Muslims. To tawhid ar-rububiyyah one must add tawhid al’uluhiyyah i.e., one acknowledges the fact that it is God alone who deserves to be worshipped, and thus abstains from worshipping any other thing or being.

Having achieved this knowledge of the one true God, man should constantly have faith in Him, and should allow nothing to induce him to deny truth.

When faith enters a person’s heart, it causes certain mental states which result in certain actions. Taken together these mental states and actions are the proof for the true faith. The Prophet said, “Faith is that which resides firmly in the heart and which is proved by deeds”.

Foremost among those mental states is the feeling of gratitude towards God, which could be said to be the essence of ‘ibada’ (worship).

The feeling of gratitude is so important that a non-believer is called ‘kafir’, which means ‘one who denies a truth’ and also ‘one who is ungrateful’.

A believer loves, and is grateful to God for the bounties He bestowed upon him, but being aware of the fact that his good deeds, whether mental or physical, are far from being commensurate with Divine favors, he is always anxious lest God should punish him, here or in the Hereafter. He, therefore, fears Him, surrenders himself to Him and serves Him with great humility. One cannot be in such a mental state without being almost all the time mindful of God. Remembering God is thus the life force of faith, without which it fades and withers away.

The Quran tries to promote this feeling of gratitude by repeating the attributes of God very frequently. We find most of these attributes mentioned together in the following verses of Quran:

“He is God; there is no god but He. He is the Knower of the unseen and the visible; He is the All-merciful, the All-Compassionate. He is God; there is no god but He. He is the King, the All-holy, the All-peace, the Guardian of Faith, the All-preserver, the All-mighty, the All-compeller, the All-sublime. Glory be to God, above that they associate! He is God the Creator, the Maker, the Shaper. To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifies Him; He is the All-mighty, the All-wise.” (59:22-24)

“There is no god but He, the Living the Everlasting. Slumber seizes Him not, neither sleep; to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Who is there that shall intercede with Him save by His leave ? He knows what lays before them and what is after them, and they comprehend not anything of His knowledge save such as He wills. His thrown comprises the heavens and earth; the preserving of them oppresses Him not; He is the All-high, the All-glorious.”(2:255)

“People of the Book, go not beyond the bounds in your religion; and say not as to God but the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only the Messenger of God, and His Word that He committed to Mary, and a Spirit from Him. So believe in God and His Messengers, and say not, ‘Three.’ Refrain; better is it for you. God is only one God. Glory be to Him - (He is) above having a son.”(4:171)

Muhammad, peace be upon him, was sent to invite people to God and to teach them how to perform the task for which they were created, namely to worship Him. Many of the people whom he addressed had a hazy idea of God. Some did believe in Him, though they associated other lesser gods with Him, but a few of them were downright atheists, or materialists, whose creed was, ‘we live and we die and nothing causes our death except Time.’ [Jathiya XLV: 24]

Before inviting such atheists to God one must first convince them that there is such being. “What reason do you have for believing that there is a God?” This, logically, is the first question which a theistic view of life should address itself to. The Qur’anic answer to it is given in the following words:

” . . were they created out of nothing? Or were they the creations (of themselves) or did they create the heavens and earth.”[Tur, Lll: 36]

The Qur’an is here saying that for everything like man that has a beginning in time, there are only three ways of explaining how it came to be.

a.Either it is created, or made, or caused by nothing at all i.e. it came out of nothing. b.Or it is the creator of itself. c.c. Or it has a creator, cause, or maker, outside itself.

The third possibility is not mentioned in the quoted verse but it is understood because the verse is addressed to people who deny the existence of a creator and it is telling them that if there is no creator then only two possibilities remain. But the Qur’an does not go into the details of showing why the first two positions are untenable. Clarity of expression often convinces people of the truth or untruth of a statement. Mental seeing here, more than physical seeing, is believing (or rejecting). This is borne out in the case of these Qur’anic words by a historical event. Jubayr Ibn Mut`im, until then, a non-Muslim was sent by Quraysh on a mission to the Muslims at Madina. He says that when he arrived he heard the Prophet, who was leading the evening prayer, reading Surat al-Tur and when he reached the foregoing verses “my heart was almost rent asunder.”] Shortly after that Jubayr embraced Islam.

Why did this happen to him? Probably because the verse made things clear to him for the first time. It is inconceivable for something to come out of or be made by nothing at all, he realized, and it is even more inconceivable that it should bring itself into being. Hence the only conclusion is that it must have a creator outside itself.

A thesis is therefore untenable if it means the denial of any maker or cause whatsoever. But admitting that this is indeed so, one might still wonder why should that cause or maker or creator be the God to whom Muhammad was inviting people? Why shouldn’t it be one of the many other gods in whom people believe or why shouldn’t it even be the “matter” of the materialists? Almost the entire Qur’an deals with this question but we shall do our best to give a brief answer which would provide the reader with the basics of the Qur’anic position. In a nutshell the answer is as follows: to explain the coming into being of temporal things, the creator (or cause or maker) for which we are looking, must (logically must) have the attribute of the God to whom Muhammad invites us. How so?

The creator must be of a different nature from the things created because, if he is of the same nature as they are, he will have to be temporal and therefore need a maker. It follows that “nothing is like Him.” [Shura, XLII: 11] If the maker is not temporal then he must be eternal. But if he is eternal, he cannot be caused, and if nothing causes him to come into existence, nothing causes him to continue to exist, which means that he must be self sufficient. And if he does not depend on anything for the continuance of his existence, then that existence can have no end. The creator is therefore eternal and everlasting: “He is the first and the last.” [Hadid, LVII: 3] “All that dwells upon the earth is perishing, yet still abides the Face of thy Lord, majestic, splendid.” [Rahman, LV: 26-27]

There are two ways in which causes produce their effects. Either they produce them naturally or intentionally. The maker that has the attributes we have enumerated cannot be a natural cause. Because if things of this world flow from Him naturally and spontaneously, they cannot be but of the same nature as He is. And if like all natural causes He causes only under certain conditions, then His power is limited. It follows that He must be a willful agent. But intention implies knowledge and both imply life. So, that maker must be a living all-knowing agent with a will that is absolutely free. Thus God according to the Qur’an does everything with intention and for a purpose.

“Surely We have created everything in (due) measure.” [Qamar, LXIV: 49]

“What, did you think that We created you only for sport?” [Mu'minun, XXIII: 115]

He is absolutely free to do whatever he wills [Hud, Xl: 107] and is aware of every movement of His creation.

“He knows what is in land and sea; not a leaf falls, but He knows it. Not a grain in the earth’s shadow, not a thing fresh or withered, but it is in a Book Manifest. It is He who recalls you by night, and He knows what you work by day.”[An'am, Vl: 59-60]

God is living:

“There is no God but He, the living, the everlasting. Slumber seizes Him not, neither sleep; to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Who is there that shall intercede with Him save by His leave? He knows what lies before them and what is after them, and they comprehend not anything of His knowledge save such as He wills. His throne comprises the heavens and earth; the preserving of them oppresses Him not; He is the All-high, the All-Glorious.[Baqara, II: 255]

God is not only willing and powerful, He is also Just in that He does not punish a sinner for more than his crime. He is merciful and His mercy, in the words of the Prophet “overcame his punishment.” So He does not punish us for whatever we do, but forgives and erases our sins, and magnifies and multiplies our good deeds.

“The likeness of those who expend their wealth in the way of God is as the likeness of a grain of corn that sprouts seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains, so God multiplies unto whom He will; God is All-embracing, All-knowing.”[Baqara, Il: 261]

These, and many others which can be arrived at in a similar way, are the attributes which the true creator must possess. Any other being or object which is alleged to be a god or an ultimate cause and which necessarily lacks some of them cannot in actual fact be what it is believed to be. Thus, having shown clearly what the true God should be like, the Qur’an goes on to show why there cannot be any god but He, and reveals the falsity of all alleged gods.

To the worshipers of man-made objects it says:

“Do you worship what you have carved out and God created you and what you make?”[Saffat, XXXVIl: 95]

and

“… have they taken unto themselves others beside Him who create nothing, who are themselves created, who cannot protect them, nor can they protect themselves.”

[A`raf, Vll: 191-192]

To the worshipers of heavenly bodies it relates as a reminder the story of Abraham:

When night outspread over him he saw a star and said, ‘This is my Lord.’ But when it set he said, ‘l love not the setters.’ When he saw the moon rising, he said, ‘This is my Lord.’ But when it set he said, ‘If my Lord does not guide me I shall surely be of the people gone astray.’ when he saw the sun rising, he said, ‘This is my Lord; this is greater!’ But when it set he said, ‘O my people, surely I am quit of what you associate with God. I have turned my face to Him who originated the heavens and the earth, a man of pure faith; I am not of the idolaters.’[An`am, Vl: 76-79]

And when, later on, the Prophet comes i nto contact with the Jews and Christians, the Qur’an condemns their belief in the divine nature of human-beings.

“The Jews say, ‘Ezra is the son of God.’ The Christians say, ‘The Messiah is the son of God.’ That is the utterance of their mouths, conforming with the unbelievers before them. God assail them! How they are perverted.”[Tawba, IX: 30]

It tells them that if everything is created by God then it must be His servant and cannot, therefore be his son, [Maryam, XIX: 88-95].

It then goes on to explain to the Christians the real nature of Jesus.

“Truly, the likeness of Jesus in God’s sight is as Adam’s likeness; He created him of dust, then said He unto him ‘Be!’ and he was.” [Aal `Imran, Ill: 59]

For someone to take something as a god, it is not necessary that he should acknowledge it as such or worship it in a ritualistic way; it is enough for him to follow its dictates obediently, or devote to it acts or have towards it feelings which should be devoted to or felt towards God only. There are many such unacknowledged gods.

“Hast thou seen him who has taken his caprice to be his God? Wilt thou be a guardian over him?” [Furqan,] XXV: 43]

“They have taken their rabbis and their monks as lords apart from God, and the Messiah, Mary’s son, and they were commanded to serve but one God.”[Tawba, IX: 31]

Thus to be a Muslim - i.e.. to surrender oneself to God— it is necessary to believe in the unity of God in the sense of His being the only creator, preserver and nourisher. But this belief - later on called tawhid ar-rububiyya - is not enough. In fact many of the idolaters did know and believe that it is the supreme God alone who can do all this. But that was not enough to make them Muslims. To tawhid ar-rububiyya one must add tawhid al uluhiyya i.e. one must acknowledge the fact that it is this God alone who deserves to be worshiped, and therefore abstain from directing any of one’s acts of worship to someone or someth ing else. In the Qur’an the argument for tawhid al-uluhiyya is based on tawhid ar-rububiyya i.e. if it is God alone who creates and controls everything why then and to what end do you worship others beside Him?

“O you men, serve your Lord who created you, and those that were before you; haply so you will be god-fearing; who assigned to you the earth for a couch, and heaven for an edifice, and sent down out of heaven water, wherewith He brought forth fruits for your provision; so set not up rivals to God wittingly.”[al-Baqara, Il: 21-22]

Having known the true God, man is called upon to affirm what he knows i.e. to believe and have faith in God, and not allow any ulterior motives to induce him to deny a fact which he knows to be true.

“… that they who have been given knowledge may know it is the truth from thy Lord and so believe in it, and thus their hearts become humble unto him.”[Hajj, XXII: 54]

“But when our signs came to them visibly, they said, “This is a manifest sorcery;’ end they denied them, though their souls acknowledged them, wrongfully and out of pride.” [Naml, XXVII: 14]

When faith enters a person’s heart, it causes therein certain mental states, which result in certain apparent actions, both of which are the proof of true faith.

Foremost among those mental states is the feeling of gratitude towards God, which could be said to be the essence of ibada (worshiping or serving God).

This feeling of gratitude is so important that a nonbeliever is called kafir which means, ‘one who denies a truth’ and also ‘one who is ungrateful.’ One can understand why this is so when one reads in the Qur’an that the main motive for denying the existence of God is that of unjustified pride. Such a proud person feels that it does not become him to be created or governed by a being whom he must thus acknowledge to be greater than himself and to whom he must be grateful.

“Those who dispute concerning the signs of God without any authority come to them, in their hearts is only pride that they shall never attain.”[Ghafir, XL: 56]

With the feeling of gratitude goes that of love.

“There are some people who take to themselves (for worship) others apart from God loving them as they should love God: But those who believe, love God more ardently than they love anything else.”[Baqara, Il: 165]

A believer loves and is grateful to God for His bounties, but being aware of the fact that his good deeds, whether mental or physical, are far from being commensurate with Divine favors, he is always anxious lest because of his sins God should withhold from him some of these favors or punish him in the hereafter. He therefore fears Him, surrenders himself to Him, and serves Him with great humility.

“Your God is one God, so to Him surrender. And give thou good tidings unto the humble who, when God is mentioned, their hearts quake.”[Anfal, Vll: 2]

One cannot be in such a mental state, without being almost all the time mindful of God. Remembering God is thus the life-force of faith, without which it fades and might even wither away. So,

“The faithful are those who remember God, standing and sitting, and on their sides.”[Aal `Imran, Ill: 191]

The Qur’an therefore prescribes and describes, in great detail ways and means of helping man to remember God and keep his faith alive. All Qur’anic and Prophetic injunctions and prohibitions which extend to all aspects of human life acts of worship and personal matters, social relations, political order, etc., etc. - are designed to put man in a state which is conducive to God’s remembrance. The details of this Islamic way of life were expounded in the Madina period, and we shall not therefore be concerned with them now. But the main principles of this new order were already laid down in the Makkan period, and will be summarized at the end of this chapter.

We shall now go on to deal with the other pillars of faith. These are belief in life after death, in God’s angels, His books, His messengers and His qadar, the arguments for all of which are almost entirely based on the assumption that the audience believes in God.

2. Prayers: Daily prayers are offered five times a day as a duty
toward Allah. They strengthen and enliven ones belief in Allah and
inspire individuals to develop a higher morality They purify the
heart and help one to resist giving into temptation.

3. Fasting the Month of Ramadan: During Ramadan, Muslims abstain
from food, drink, and all sexual activity from dawn to sunset. In
addition, they must strive to abstain from evil intentions and desires.
This communal fast seeks to instill within the individual feelings of
love, sincerity, devotion, patience, unselfishness, and will-power as
well as to develop a sound social conscience.

4. Zakat: An annual payment of 2.5% of ones net savings that has
been in ones possession for one year. This is a religious duty and
purifies ones money It must be given to those who are poor and in
need.

5. Pilgrimage to Makkah: This must be performed once during one’s
lifetime, provided that one can afford it financially and withstand it
physically.

Besides these pillars, every action done with the awareness that it
fulfills the will of Allah is also considered an act of worship.

What do Muslims believe about Allah?
• He is the one God, Who has no partner.
• Nothing is like Him. He is the Creator, not created, nor a part of His creation.
• He is All-Powerful, absolutely Just.
• There is no other entity in the entire universe worthy of worship besides Him.
• He is First, Last, and Everlasting; He was when nothing was, and will be when nothing else remains.
• He is the All-Knowing, and All-Merciful, the Supreme, the Sovereign.
• It is only He Who is capable of granting life to anything.
• He sent His Messengers (peace be upon them) to guide all of mankind.
• He sent Muhammad (pbuh) as the last Prophet and Messenger for all mankind.
• His book is the Holy Qur’an, the only authentic revealed book in the world that has been kept without change.
• Allah knows what is in our hearts. These are some of the basic guidelines Muslims follow in their knowledge of God:
• Eliminate any anthropomorphism (human qualities) from their conception of Allah. His attributes are not like human attributes, despite similar labels or appellations.
• Have unwavering faith in exactly what Allah and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) described Allah to be, no more, no less.
• Eradicate any hope or desire of learning or knowing the modality of His names and attributes.
• Belief totally in all the names and attributes of Allah; one cannot believe in some and disbelieve the others.
• One cannot accept the names of Allah without their associated attributes, i.e. one cannot say He is Al-Hayy - ‘The Living’ and then say that He is without life.
• Similarity in names (or meanings) does not imply similarity in what is being described (referents). As a robotics arm differs from a human arm, so the “hand” of Allah is nothing like a human hand, His speech is nothing like human speech, etc.
• Certain words are ambiguous or vague in their meanings, and thus may be susceptible to misinterpretation. Only those meanings that are in accordance with what is specified by Allah and His Prophet (pbuh) are acceptable.

For the proper development of human life, man needs two elements:
(a) The resources to maintain life and to fulfill the material needs of the individual
and society, and
(b) Knowledge of the principles of individual and social behavior to enable man to fulfill himself and to maintain justice and tranquillity in human life. The Lord of the universe has provided for both of these in full measure. To cater to the material needs of man, He has put all of nature’s resources at his disposal. To provide for his spiritual, social, and cultural needs, He has raised His prophets from among men and has revealed to them the code of life that can guide man’s steps to the right path. This code of life is known as Islam, the religion preached by all of the prophets of God.

God said:
Say, “[0 Muhammad] we believe in God and in the Revelation given to us,
and to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac Jacob and the Tribes. We believe in the
Revelation that was sent to Moses, Jesus and all other Prophets from their
Lord. We make no distinction between them, and to Him we surrender.”
(3:83; 2:136)

He has revealed to you (O Muhammad) the scripture with truth,
confirming that which was revealed before it even as He revealed the
Torah and the Gospel before as a guide to mankind and has revealed the
Criterion (for judging between right and wrong). (3:3-4)

All of them called humanity to the way of the Lord, the way of submission
to God. All of them gave the same message, and all of them stood for the
same cause: Islam.

The Meaning of Islam
Islam is an Arabic word that denotes submission, surrender, and
obedience. As a religion, Islam stands for complete submission and
obedience to Allah—that is why it is called Islam. The other literal
meaning of the word “Islam” is “peace.” This signifies that one can achieve
real peace of body and of mind only through submission and obedience to
Allah. Such a life of obedience brings peace of the heart and establishes
real peace in society at large.

Those who believe and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Godindeed
it is in the remembrance of God alone that the heart of man finds
rest-those who believe and act righteously, joy is for them, and a blissful
home to return to. (13: 28-29)

The word “Islam” is from the root SLM (pronounced silm), which means
“to surrender, to submit, to yield, to give one’s self up. Thus aslama
amrahu ila Allah means “he committed his cause to God” or “he resigned
himself to the will of God.” Aslama alone would mean “he committed
himself to the will of God” or “he became a Muslim.”

The other majorshade of meaning in the root is “to become reconciled with one another” or”to make peace.” Salm means “peace.” So does silm, which also means “the religion of Islam.”
See Hans Wehr, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic (Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz, 1971), pp. 424-25.

Imam Raghib says in alMuiradat fi Gharib al Qur’an: “Islam, in law, is of two kinds: one is a simple confession with the tongue … the other (is) that along with
confession, there is belief in the heart and a fulfillment in practice, and
resignation to God in whatever He brings to pass or decrees.” Raghib
further says: “Islam means entering into salary, and salary and silm both
signify peace.”

This message was preached by all the Prophets of God, who guided man to
the right path. But man not only veered away from the right path again and
again, but also lost or distorted the code of guidance that the prophets had
bequeathed. That was why other prophets were sent to restate the original
message and guide man back to the right path. The last of these prophets
was Muhammad, who Presented God’s guidance in its final form and
arranged to preserve it for all time. It is this guidance that is now known as
Islam and is enshrined in the Qur’an and the life-example (Sunnah) of the
Prophet.

The basic Islamic concept is that the whole universe was created by God,
whom Islam calls Allah, and who is the Lord and the Sovereign of the
universe, which He Alone sustains. He created man and appointed for each
human being a fixed period of life that he is to spend upon the earth. Allah
has prescribed a certain code of life as the correct one for mankind, but
has, at the same time, conferred upon man the freedom of choice as to
whether or not he adopts this code as the actual basis of his life. One who
chooses to follow the code revealed by God becomes a Muslim (believer)
and one who refuses to follow it becomes a kafir (disbeliever).

A man joins the fold of Islam by honestly believing in and professing faith
in the oneness of God and the prophet hood of Muhammad. Both of these
beliefs are epitomized in the kalimah (the article of faith):

La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad Rasul Allah.
(There is no god except Allah; Muhammad is His Prophet.)

The first part of the kalimah presents the concept of tawhid (the oneness of
God) and its second part affirms the prophet hood of Muhammad.

Each narration is composed of two parts: the isnad and the matn. The isnad
refers to a chain of people who narrated a particular narration. The matn is
the actual text of the narration. The isnad must comprise upright and
sincere individuals whose integrity is unquestionable.

The Speech of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
The speech of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) refers to his sayings. For
example, he said:

“Actions are judged by their intentions; everyone will be rewarded
according to his/her intention. So whoever migrates for the sake
of Allah and His Prophet then his migration will be noted as a
migration for the sake of Allah and His Prophet. Conversely, one
who migrates only to obtain something worldly or to marry a
woman, then his migration will be worth what he had intended.”
[Bukhari].

The Prophet (pbuh) also said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the
Last Day, should say something good or keep quiet.
The above two accounts clearly show that the Prophet (pbuh) spoke these
words. Consequently, these are known as his speech.

The Actions of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
His actions pertain to anything he did, as authentically reported by the
Sahabah (Companions). For instance, Hudhayfah reported that whenever
the Prophet (pbuh) got up at night, he would clean his teeth with a toothstick.
Also A’ishah reported that the Prophet (pbuh) loved to do
everything starting with the right side - putting on shoes, walking, cleaning
himself, and in all his affairs generally.

The Silent Approvals of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
His silent approvals on different issues meant his not opposing or minding
what he saw, heard or knew of the actions or sayings of his Companions.
On one occasion, for example, the Prophet (pbuh) learned of actions of
some of his Companions from other Companions. Soon after the battle of
Khandaq, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) gave the order to the Companions to
move quickly to surround the tribe of Banu Quraydah, encouraging them
to hurry so that perhaps they would pray ‘Asr (the late afternoon prayer)
there.

Some of the Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) responded
immediately and left without praying ‘Asr. They arrived after sunset,
pitched camp and prayed ‘Asr- after sunset. At the same time another
group of Companions formulated their judgment differently. They thought
that the Prophet (pbuh) was merely encouraging them to hasten to their
destination, rather than to delay ‘Asr until after sunset. Consequently, they
decided to stay in Madinah until they had prayed ‘Asr. Immediately
thereafter, they hastened towards the tribe of Banu Quraydhah.

When the Prophet (pbuh) was told of how each group responded differently to his
announcement, he (pbuh) affirmed both judgments.

Physical and Moral Traits of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
Everything authentically narrated concerning the Prophet’s complexion and
the rest of his physical features is also included in the definition of sunnah.
Umm Ma’bad described what she saw of the great Prophet (pbuh). She
said:

“I saw a man, his face radiant with a bright glow, not too thin or
too fat, elegant and handsome. His eyes had a deep black hue with
long eyelashes. His voice was pleasant and his neck long. He had a
thick beard. His long black eyebrows were beautifully arched and
connected to each other. In silence, he remained dignified,
commanding utmost awe and respect. When he spoke, his speech was
brilliant. Of all people he was the most handsome and the most
pleasant, even when approaching from a distance. In person, he was
unique and most admirable. Graced with eloquent logic, his speech
was moderate. His logical arguments were well organized as though
they were a string of gems. He was not too tall or too short, but
exactly in between. Among three, he appeared the most radiant and
most vibrant. He had companions who affectionately honored him.
When he spoke, they listened to him attentively. When he gave
orders, they were quick to execute them. They rallied around him
guarding him. He never frowned or spoke frivolously.” [Hakim]

Along with his physical features, his Companions also described his habits
and behavior with people. Once Anas reported:

“I served the Prophet of Allah (pbuh) for ten years. Never once
did he so much as express any bit of displeasure nor did he ever
ask ‘Why did you do it?’ for something I did or ‘Why didn’t you do
it?’ for something I didn’t do.”

From the above we can clearly see that when the term sunnah appears in a
general context referring to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) it comprises
anything narrated about the Prophet (pbuh) and authentically traced to him.
Once a Muslim learns of the authenticity of any narration, he/she is obliged
to follow and obey it accordingly. Such obedience is mandated by Allah as

He declares
“…and obey Allah and His Prophet and do not turn away when you
hear (him speak).” [8:20]

At times, some Muslims are perplexed when people say that sunnah is
something only recommended and is not mandatory. Thus they conclude
that we are only required to follow the Qur’an and not the Sunnah. Such an
argument results from a gross misunderstanding. Scholars of Islamic
jurisprudence use the term sunnah to denote what is authentically
established of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in deeds which were not
subsequently made mandatory by Allah.

They further hold that this includes any saying of Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) where he encourages Muslims to do a particular task and
compliments those who imbibe such attributes. Thus to them, the term
sunnah denotes what is authentically established of Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) in deeds which he did voluntarily and which were not subsequently
made mandatory by Allah. They further hold that this includes any saying
of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) where he encourages Muslims to do a
particular task and compliments those who imbibe such attributes. Thus to
them, the term sunnah refers to what is “recommended” and is not
mandatory (fard or wajib).

From the above, we can clearly see that the term sunnah takes on different
meanings when used by different Islamic disciplines.

If one were to ask any Muslim to depict it, most likely they would offer
similar words. The Qur’an, to the Muslim, is the irrefutable, inimitable
Word of God. It was revealed by God Almighty, through the instrument of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) himself had no role in
authoring the Qur’an, he was merely a human secretary, repeating the
dictates of the Divine Creator:

“He (Muhammad) does not speak of his own desire. It is no less
than an Inspiration sent down to him.” [53:3-4]

The Qur’an was revealed in Arabic, to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), over a
period of twenty-three years. It is composed in a style so unique, that it
cannot be deemed either poetry or prose, but somehow a mixture of both.
The Qur’an is imimitable; it cannot be simulated or copied, and God
Almighty challenges mankind to pursue such an endeavor if he thinks he
can:
“Or do they say he forged it? Say: Bring then a chapter like unto
it, and call (to your aid) anyone you can, beside God, if it be
you speak the truth.” [10:38].

The Qur’an’s language is indeed sublime, its recitation moving, as one non-
Muslim scholar noted, it was like other cadence of my heartbeat. Due to its
unique style of language, the Qur’an is not only highly readable, but also
relatively easy to remember. This latter aspect has played an important role
not only in the Qur’an’s preservation, but in the spiritual life of Muslims as
well. God Himself declares,

“And We have indeed made the Qur’an easy to understand and
remember; then is there anyone that will receive admonition?”
[54:17]

One of the most important characteristics of the Qur’an is that it remains
today, the only holy book which has never changed; it has remained free
from any and all adulterations. Sir William Muir noted, “There is probably
in the world no other book which has remained (fourteen) centuries with
so pure a text.” The Qur’an was written down during the lifetime and
under the supervision of the Prophet, who himself was illiterate, and it was
canonized shortly after his death by a rigorous method which scrutinized
both written and oral traditions. Thus its authenticity is unblemished, and is
its preservation is seen as the fulfillment of God’s promise:

“We have, without doubt, sent down the Message, and We will
assuredly guard it from corruption.” [15:9]

The Qur’an is a book which provides the human being the spiritual and
intellectual nourishment he/she craves. Its major themes include the oneness
of God, the purpose of human existence, faith and God-consciousness, the
Hereafter and its significance. The Qur’an also lays a heavy emphasis upon
reason and understanding. In these spheres of human understanding, the
Qur’an goes beyond just satisfying the human intellect; it causes one to
reflect on implications.

There are Qur’anic challenges and prophecies. One
of the most exciting fields in recent years has been the discovery that, of
the significant amount of scientific information in the Qur’an, including the
event of the Big Bang, embryological data, and other information
concerning astronomy biology, etc., there is not a single statement that has
not been borne out by modern discoveries In short, the Qur’an fulfills the
heart, the soul, and the mind.

Perhaps the best description of the Qur’an was given by Ali, the cousin of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) when he expounded upon it as,

“The Book of God. In it is the record of what was before you, the
judgment of what is among you, and the prophecies of what will
come after you. It is decisive, not a case for levity. Whoever is
a tryant and ignores the Qur’an will be destroyed by God. Whoever
seeks guidance from other than it will be misguided. The Qur’an is
the unbreakable bond of connection with God; it is the remembrance
full of wisdom and the straight path. The Qur’an does not become
distorted by tongues. nor can it be deviated by caprices; it never
dulls from repeated study; scholars will always want more of it.
The wonders of the Qur’an are never ending. Whoever speaks from
it will speak the truth, whoever rules with it will be just, and
whoever holds fast to it will be guided to the straight path.”
[Al-Tirmidhi]