What is The Quran?
Introduction
However, when they read it carefully with open, unprejudiced minds, they are surprised contrary to their expectations. They find it an extraordinary book, for although it addresses numerous diverse topics encompassing the universe including the heavens, stars, planets, moon, earth and how they were formed; it deals with inanimate objects and animals; humans and how they were created; it speaks about various nations and their stories with their prophets; about politics, economics, society, law, legislation, behavior, ethics, war and peace; and about the Day of Judgment, reckoning, punishment, and Heaven and Hell... So they are simultaneously amazed by the accuracy of that information and its lack of contradiction with modern scientific discoveries in our present time, and their astonishment increases as does the admiration of many predecessors over the centuries.
In closing, I wish to note that I exerted maximum effort and time in authoring and preparing this introduction, yet I hope I have given the Book of God its due right.
Praying to God Almighty to accept it favorably, make it beneficial, and place it in the scale of my good deeds and those of my parents, and everyone who has done me a favor.
This introduction also greatly benefits new converts to Islam, providing them with extensive, important, and extremely accurate information, in addition to being beneficial for many Muslims.
The Holy Qur'an
"Say, 'O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of God to you all'" (Surah Al-A'raf, Verse 158).
"And We have not sent you except comprehensively to mankind as a bringer of good tidings and a warner" (Surah Saba, Verse 28).
Therefore, it was not appropriate for his miracle to be a physical, tangible miracle, like an event that occurs and ends, passes away and is known only by report, such as the miracles of previous prophets and messengers like Abraham, Moses, and Jesus son of Mary (peace be upon them), which vanished immediately after occurring, faded into the depths of history, and no one saw them again.
Evidence from the Qur'an that it is Revelation from God:
The Holy Qur'an contains many verses that confirm it is revealed from God, including the following:
- God Almighty said: Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion upon His Servant that he may be to the worlds a warner. (Surah Al-Furqan, Verse 1).
God Almighty said: "And [mention] the Day when We will resurrect among every nation a witness over them from themselves. And We will bring you, [O Muhammad], as a witness over your people. And We have sent down to you the Book as clarification for all things and as guidance and mercy and good tidings for the Muslims". (Surah An-Nahl, Verse 89).
- God Almighty said: And with the truth We have sent it down, and with the truth it has descended. And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a bringer of good tidings and a warner. (Surah Al-Isra, Verse 105).
God Almighty said: The Trustworthy Spirit has brought it down. (Surah Ash-Shu'ara, Verse 193).
- God Almighty said: And indeed, [O Muhammad], you receive the Qur’an from One who is Wise and Knowing. (Surah An-Naml, Verse 6).
- God Almighty said: Alif, Lām, Rā. [This is] a Book whose verses are perfected and then presented in detail from [one who is] Wise and Acquainted,
[Through a messenger, saying], “Do not worship except Allah. Indeed, I am to you from Him a warner and a bringer of good tidings.”
[Through a messenger, saying], “Do not worship except Allah. Indeed, I am to you from Him a warner and a bringer of good tidings.” (Surah Hud, Verses 1-2).
Evidence from the Qur'an that it is not authored by Muhammad:
The Holy Qur'an contains numerous verses commanding the Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) to wait for answers to questions directed to him (3), or without anyone asking, such as Allah's saying:
"And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be guided." (Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 186).
And His saying:
"And when you, [O Muhammad], do not bring them a sign, they say, 'Why have you not contrived it?' Say, 'I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord. This [Qur'an] is enlightenment from your Lord and guidance and mercy for a people who believe." (Surah Al-A'raf, Verse 203).
And His saying:
"Say, “I do not say to you that I have the depositories of Allah, nor do I know the unseen, nor do I say to you that I am an angel. I only follow what is revealed to me.” Say, “Are the blind and the seeing equal? Then will you not give thought?" (Surah Al-Ahqaf, Verse 9).
The Qur'an contains many verses that admonish the Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him), including the following:
- The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) was earnestly inviting a group of Quraysh nobles to Islam when a blind Muslim man named Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum approached him seeking knowledge, persistently repeating his request, unaware of the Messenger's engagement with the people. The Messenger (peace be upon him) disliked Ibn Umm Maktum interrupting his speech, so he frowned and turned away from him. Then the following verses were revealed admonishing the Messenger (peace be upon him): "He frowned and turned away / Because the blind man came to him. / But what would make you perceive, [O Muhammad], that perhaps he might be purified / Or be reminded and the remembrance would benefit him? / As for he who thinks himself without need, / To him you give attention. / And not upon you [is any blame] if he will not be purified. / But as for he who came to you striving [for knowledge] / While he fears [Allah], / From him you are distracted" (Surah 'Abasa, Verses 1-10).
- When the Messenger of God gave permission to the hypocrites who sought his leave to stay behind from the Battle of Tabuk with false excuses, this verse was revealed, drawing his attention and directing him that he should have verified to distinguish the truthful from the liars in their claims. Allah Almighty said: "May Allah pardon you, [O Muhammad]; why did you give them permission [to remain behind]? [You should not have] until it was evident to you who were truthful and you knew the liars." (Surah At-Tawbah, Verse 43).
- "O Prophet, why do you prohibit [yourself from] what Allah has made lawful for you, seeking the approval of your wives? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." (Surah At-Tahrim, Verse 1).
- "And never say of anything, “Indeed, I will do that tomorrow,"
"Except [when adding], “If Allah wills.” And remember your Lord when you forget, and say, Perhaps my Lord will guide me to what is nearer than this to right conduct. "Except [when adding], “If Allah wills.” And remember your Lord when you forget, and say, Perhaps my Lord will guide me to what is nearer than this to right conduct." (Surah Al-Kahf, Verses 23-24).
- "O Prophet, sufficient for you is Allah and for whoever follows you among the believers." (Surah Al-Anfal, Verse 64).
- "O Prophet, urge the believers to battle..." (Surah Al-Anfal, Verse 65).
- "O Prophet, fear Allah and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.
And follow what is revealed to you from your Lord. Indeed, Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.
And rely upon Allah; and sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs." (Surah Al-Ahzab, Verses 1-3).
It is established that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was illiterate, neither reading nor writing, and he was not known for composing poetry. His sayings, despite their eloquence and conciseness, do not reach or compare to the linguistic eloquence of the Qur'an; the gap between the two is vast. This is besides what the Qur'an contains of legislative miracles, knowledge, sciences, news, wisdom, etc., which are beyond human capability.
Muhammad (peace be upon him) was famous for forty lunar years before his mission for truthfulness and trustworthiness, to the extent that his people called him "the Truthful, the Trustworthy." Could one who was truthful and trustworthy with people lie or falsely attribute words to God?
Sheikh Muhammad al-Ghazali (may God have mercy on him) said: "Muhammad (peace be upon him), who presented to the world the noblest beliefs and laws, in the most sublime style and purest expression—if he had brought this religion from himself, not from God, this would mean that humans are more capable of creating religions than the Lord of humans. Otherwise, how can it be conceived that the Qur'an is a human work, while the two Testaments: Old and New, are divine works?"
The Qur'an's Superiority Over Previous Divine Scriptures
It is preserved in its original Arabic text, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) over fourteen centuries ago and to this day, not a single letter has changed or been altered, neither by addition nor omission, nor by advancement or postponement. Moreover, it contains no element of human intellectual production, due to Allah's guarantee to protect it, as He said:
"Indeed, it is We who sent down the Reminder, and indeed, We will be its guardian." (Surah Al-Hijr, Verse 9).
And His saying: "Falsehood cannot approach it from before it or from behind it; [it is] a revelation from a [Lord who is] Wise and Praiseworthy." (Surah Fussilat, Verse 42).
One might ask: Why did God not preserve the Torah and the Gospel from alteration, distortion, and loss, as He preserved the Holy Qur'an?
The answer: The missions of Moses and Jesus son of Mary (peace be upon them) were specific to a particular people—the Children of Israel only—and they were also temporary, their validity and implementation ending with the sending of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), whose mission is universal for all people—including Jews and Christians—in every time and place. Therefore, God did not undertake to preserve the Torah He revealed to Moses (peace be upon him) or the Gospel He revealed to Jesus son of Mary (peace be upon him), nor other revelations He sent to His messengers, leaving the responsibility for that to the people upon whom those messages were sent. And God knows best.
The skeptic may doubt the source of the Qur'an if he wishes, but the fact that the Qur'an we have today is exactly the same Qur'an in text that was presented to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), memorized by his Companions (may God be pleased with them) by heart and in writing, is a historical phenomenon that cannot be doubted or questioned, as humanity in its long history does not have anything comparable to the Qur'an in terms of definitive, certain transmission.
And the Qur'an obliges Muslims to believe in those prophets and messengers and in their messages: "Say, “We have believed in Allah and in what was revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Descendants, and in what was given to Moses and Jesus, and in what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [submitting] to Him" (Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 136). That is, a Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he does not believe in the message of those prophets and messengers (peace be upon them).
The Holy Qur'an is free from stories of immorality or those that promote vices like lying, deceit, betrayal, adultery, etc., and it exalts God, His prophets and messengers (peace be upon them) from everything disgraceful, while these matters—regrettably—are mentioned in the books of the Old Testament.
The Holy Qur'an contains recordings of the miracles of previous prophets: Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus son of Mary (peace be upon them), which, were it not for the Holy Qur'an, no one would have known with certainty of their occurrence.
Although the books of the Old Testament mention some of them, they mention them mixed with untrue matters, such as reporting that Lot was drunk and lay with his daughters who bore him children (10), and other such writings about some prophets, leading to the rejection of their reports about other prophets and their miracles.
And the Holy Qur'an denied what came in the Gospels of the Christians—the New Testament—that the Jews arrested Jesus Christ and tried him (13), as well as their claim that they crucified and killed him on the cross (14). God Almighty said: "And [for] their saying, “Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.” And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him,
Rather, Allah raised him to Himself. And ever is Allah Exalted in Might and Wise." (Surah An-Nisa, Verses 157-158).
They have no knowledge of it, nor do their forefathers. Grave is the word that comes out of their mouths; they speak not except a lie.
Perhaps, [O Muhammad], you would kill yourself with grief over them if they do not believe in this message, [even though] We have made it clear for the people." (Surah Al-Kahf, Verses 4-5).
And the Qur'an clarified the truth about Christ, and responded to the doctrine of the Trinity: "O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, “Three”; desist—it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs." (Surah An-Nisa, Verse 171).
The Sharia (law) of the Qur'an completed and perfected all the laws of previous prophets; therefore the Qur'an is the overseer and controller over the books that preceded it. Allah Almighty said: "And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it..." (Surah Al-Ma'idah, Verse 48). The address is to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and the Book is the Holy Qur'an, containing the truths of matters, and it is true in itself, and confirming what preceded it of divine scriptures that were revealed before it, and therefore it is the overseer, controller, and trustworthy guardian over them, for it has clarified and established the truth that came in them, and corrected what occurred to them of deficiency, addition, or change, whether due to forgetfulness, loss, or deliberate or unintentional alteration and substitution, then abrogated them all, i.e., invalidated their implementation, and replaced them.
Through the Holy Qur'an, we—Muslims—believed in the messages and miracles of previous prophets, including the message and miracles of Jesus Christ son of Mary (peace be upon him), at a time when many non-Muslims denied the miracles of Jesus Christ son of Mary, and indeed many people doubted the very existence of Jesus son of Mary, so the Holy Qur'an has the credit with Christians for affirming his existence and message (16).
In addition, the Holy Qur'an absolved Lady Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, from the accusation of adultery with which her people accused her when she came to them carrying him while unmarried, and God made him speak while in the cradle: "Then she brought him to her people, carrying him. They said, 'O Mary, you have certainly done a thing unprecedented. / O sister of Aaron, your father was not a man of evil, nor was your mother unchaste.' / So she pointed to him. They said, 'How can we speak to one who is in the cradle a child?' / [Jesus] said, 'Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet. / And He has made me blessed wherever I am and has enjoined upon me prayer and zakah as long as I remain alive / And [made me] dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me a wretched tyrant. / And peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive'" (Surah Maryam, Verses 27-33).
Based on the above, whoever among Jews and Christians is guided and enters Islam does not thereby deny or turn his back on God's prophets and messengers such as Moses and Jesus son of Mary (peace be upon them).
