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Pondering on the Quran | ||
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By Harun Yahya |
21/07/2005 | |
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In most of the Middle Eastern countries where Muslims are in the majority, most of the people who can be considered as average citizens would give this answer: The Quran is the holy book of our religion. Yet, they know very little about the content of the Quran, about what is written in its pages. In fact, the Quran is used for many purposes that are far removed from its true revealed purpose. It is usually hung on the walls of houses within a decorative cover and read, usually by older people, from time to time. People read it in Arabic, but as they only know how to read Arabic letters without understanding the meaning, most of the time they have no idea what they have been reading about, and so have no grasp of the content of the Quran. The Quran is also supposed to afford some very interesting benefits to people. After reading it and performing some weird rituals like breathing hard on another persons face, the reader and the readers close relatives are believed to be protected from a possible future accident or misfortune. The Quran is credited with being some sort of amulet that includes talismanic words that protect people against bad luck. The Quran is also believed to have a frightening power: it smites people if they tell lies! At graveyards it is read out for the deceased without anyone knowing what is being read. It can even be used for telling fortunes. In short, in most of the countries where Muslims are in the majority, only a small percentage of people know the content of the Quran and ponder on the Quran as required. As a result, people who are ignorant of the real message of the Quran, attribute different meanings to it. Many people believe some traditions to have their origin in the Quran, although they may be contradictory to the very nature of the Quranic message. For example, there are many people who believe that a blue bead, which is believed to possess the power to avert the Devils eye, is recommended in the Quran. So then, what is the true nature of the Quran? The answer must be derived from the Quran itself, as that is where the truth is to be found. [Here is a Message for mankind: Let them take warning from it, and let them know that He is no other than the One Allah: let men of understanding take heed.] (Ibrahim 14:52) [And We have indeed made the Quran easy to understand and remember: but will any take heed?] (Al-Qamar 54:32) [There is, in their stories, instruction for men endued with understanding. It is not a tale invented, but a confirmation of what went before it, a detailed exposition of all things, and a guide and a mercy to any such as believe.] (Yusuf 12:111) [This is the Book; in it is certain and unmistakable guidance for those who fear Allah.] (Al-Baqarah 2:2) These verses and many others emphasize that the real purpose of the revelation of the Quran is to encourage people to ponder on such crucial issues as the creation and purpose of life, to make them know about Allah Who has created them, and to guide them to the right way. The Quran is a book that is needed by people with open minds and souls. Many rituals believed to have originated from the Quran are widely practiced, but in fact are not from the Quran. On the contrary, they conflict with the Quranic message. This shows us that there is a huge difference between the true religion as explained in the Quran and the concept of religion generally prevalent. This difference has been caused by abandoning the real source, the Quran. Of this, the Quran says:
Therefore, what is needed in the first place is to correct this wrong point of view about the Quran and make people understand that the Quran is not a book which is addressed only to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) but is addressed to all people who consider themselves Muslims. Any person who utters this well known statement Im a Muslim, al-hamdu lillah, must read the Quran and try to understand the meaning of the verses. In the Quran, the importance of learning verses and reciting them is especially emphasized.
Because of not doing what is ordered in the Quran and not learning the religion from its original source, countless prejudices that stem from traditions have been introduced into religion. The verses of the Quran strongly emphasize that, in order to understand religion, there is no need to look for any source other than the Quran.
Of course, learning the Quran is only an introductory step as application should follow it. Some people believe that the Quran addresses only Muslims of the 7th century while others think that only a small number of the verses address people other than the Muslims of the 7th century. Those with such a mentality are satisfied just with reading the Quran and thinking that they have fulfilled their religious duties by so doing. However, it is not only a matter of learning what is in the Quran, but also of putting it into practice, fulfilling the duties ordered in the Quran, adopting the moral standards explained in the Quran; in short, applying the Quran to ones own everyday life. Those who claim that the Quran has become outdated and needs to be revised to be in accordance with this new age, cannot grasp the fact that the Quran is not confined by the chains of time but covers all ages and societies, as it has been revealed by Allah Who has knowledge of everything, past and future. When one reads the Quran with a sincere heart and an open mind, one sees that the models of people and societies described in the Quran existed in every age in history, including that of today, and that the Quran explains the current state of people and societies. All the disorder, perversion, and mistakes of a society which has strayed from true religious values have been clearly stated in the Quran. The reactions of the people of these societies towards religion have been described with detailed character analyses. These descriptions and analyses are relevant in all respects to the world of today, thus demonstrating the sociological miracle of the Quran. What is interesting here is that such inconsistent views as society is in a state of continuous progress whereas religion is static have also been diagnosed in the Quran as arising from a deficiency of comprehension. We should keep in mind that unbelievers who lived thousands of years before the Quran also interpreted religion as tales of the ancients (An-Nahl 16:24). When one starts reading the Quran and tries to implement it in ones daily life, then one can be considered to be on the way to becoming a real Muslim as described in the scriptures. With amazement, one begins to see how the Quran covers every moment of life. Many events that a person experiences have been mentioned in the Quran and the reactions of a Muslim which would befit those occasions have also been explained in detail. Being satisfied with reading and knowing the Quran without practicing it may have certain displeasing consequences. Allah describes the Jews as the kind of people who behave in this way and likens them to a donkey which carries huge tomes without any understanding of them:
* Excerpted with kind permission from: http://www.harunyahya.com ** Harun Yahya was born in Ankara in 1956. He studied arts at Istanbuls Mimar Sinan University, and philosophy at Istanbul University. Since the 1980s, he has published many books on political, faith-related, and scientific issues. |
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[The Majestic Quran, 39:53]
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{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) 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.}
(Holy Quran-16:125)
{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all."
[Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
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