(SA) is an abbreviation of an Arabic expression, meaning: Allah's peace and blessing be upon him and his kinsfolk

* (A.S.) means: peace (salam) be upon him or her

* (R.A.) means may Allah be pleased with him

* (A.ft) means may Allah accelerate his Noble Manifestation (Relief)

until he joined the rapidly expanding operations of the North Sea oil industry in Aberdeen, Scotland. Incidentally, this move was made in mid‑October, 1978, only about four months before the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran. His employer, Occidental Petroleum Corporation, transferred Bahram from Scotland to California, in 1983, to join the corporation's headquarters of its worldwide engineering activities.

His job was the task of facilitating the Director of Europe and Middle East Petroleum Engineering with economic studies for project ranking and strategic decision making. 1986 was a critical year for the oil industry in which many lost their jobs; Bahram was no exception. While many were sad, Bahram kept saying: "Thank God Who may have planned something better for me". This refers to the essence of a beautiful Iranian poem, which says: "If God closes a door out of His Wisdom, He opens another, out of His Grace."

A significant turning point was forming in Bahram's life. God's will was to subdue his earthly matters and to compensate for this by arousing his spiritual life. Initially, he himself, his colleagues, and his lovely wife tried hard to set up various oil (and non‑oil) related businesses. But it was obvi­ous to those around him that God had something else in store for him. A variety of irresistible forces induced him more and more toward the study of the Glorious Qur'an and the omnipotent Islamic belief. All glory and thanks belong to God.

The most effective one of these forces were the

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love of his family and the occurrence of certain grave events. This created the main driving force pulling him closer to the spiritual aspect of life, and a desire to learn about God and His recommended way of life. He found the Glorious Qur'an the best guide to inspire him. The second important feature was the charisma of a great man, Hadrat 'Imam Khomeini (R.A.).

Without having met him, and with miles of physical distance between them, the radiant character of this great leader had a striking impact on Bahram. Interestingly enough, misinformed Bahram was initially somewhat suspicious of Ayatullah Khomeini's mission! However, his words and deeds gradually convinced Bahram about the Great Ayatullah's spiritual character, strength and wisdom (R.A.).

This generated curiosity to read first, his biography, then, about the system that built his character (i.e. Islam) and finally the Glorious Qur'an as the basis and foundation of Islam. The third great force was the effect of certain spectacular dreams, dramatic visions, and prayer sessions at the beginning of this drive.

Bahram is devastated by the extent to which the enemies of Islam, from both within and without, have collectively managed to change the real pic­ture of Islam, and that of Muslims into an ugly and unbecoming one. No matter how divided they may be in their own beliefs, they become united allies when they face Islam.

Bahram is deeply disturbed when he sees that they have managed to deceive a worldful of people by manipulating and falsifying the rule

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of God in order to justify their own illegitimate earthly desires or practices. He is greatly concerned about the innocent young peo­ple who could easily fall into their traps under various great‑sounding but deluding and unpalatable banners.

With this brief background, the motivation for this work ‑ and hopefully others in future ‑ becomes overwhelming and overpowering. He himself was the victim of a lengthy period of unawareness, and he hopes to com­pensate for this setback by raising the sense of awareness of others of the Reality, and in particular, that of the innocent, lovely young people living under the subduing and often misleading influence of Western culture.

May God always protect them from all devils and guide them in the right direction.

I am greatly indebted to Muhsin Jahangiri, professor of philosophy at the Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences of the University of Tehran. He generously donated his time, in Oxford, to examine this very humble contribution in detail from an ideological viewpoint. I am very grateful for his valuable contribution and encouragement.

I am greatly indebted to the late Charles L. Janssens, retired professor of French, German and English at various institutions (including the University of Arizona, San Jose State University, California, and the University of Houston, Texas) and ex‑Dean of the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literature at Jundi Shapur University, Iran.

He has kindly and sincerely donated much of his valuable time to scrutinize this work from the English‑language point of view. It is regrettable that Janssens passed away on 27th of November 1995, only a few months after his lasting contribution in this work. May God bless him for his sincere assistance.

Last, but definitely not least, I am also greatly indebted to 'Tahereh Saffarzadeh, popular and prominent poet, whose thought‑provoking message has reached all corners of the world. This dynamic pious lady studied in Iran, England and America in contemporary literature with special focus on major poets, practical literary criticism and translation.

On returning home, she felt mostly concerned about the anti‑traditional and "westernized intellectuals" who lose their identity and become disloyal and insincere toward their own countries, nations, and genuine culture and heritage.

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Her sincerity toward the oppressed is obvious in her wide‑ranging work. She has written eight volumes of poems in addition to other valuable publications. She adores the Glorious Qur'an incessantly and looks for her poetic expressions in this Noble Book and the rich Islamic traditions, in a world governed by laic and vulnerable minds.

Saffarzadeh, the most distin­guished poet of Islamic thoughts, has also served as a university teacher, and in several reforming and constructive cultural and educational projects. Currently she is in charge of reviewing, composing and producing high standard university books in English, in addition to other activities, including translation of the Glorious Qur'an into English. She has helped me tremendously to finalize this book.

by Muslim scholars down through the centuries, devoted to the genre of tafsir, or commentary on the Qur'an; this can be rather more intimidating than comforting. Moreover, the twentieth century has witnessed a growing literature in English on the Qur'an, written both by Muslims and non‑Muslims, but which is also more often than not directed at the scholarly reader, and can leave someone wishing a simple introduction in a state of frustration.

What is very often needed by a person coming to this scripture for the first time with a sincere desire to penetrate its meaning is some guide as to how it influences the ordinary believer, how it exerts its effect on his or her life, and how it penetrates the deepest layers of a Muslim's conscience. This work by Bahram Samii marks a significant effort to give just such an introduction.

The author has avoided an academic style, and has instead concentrated on a simple exposition of the way in which the Qur'an presents itself in its own terms and how this can be disclosed through a careful reading of the text. It cannot, of course, be done without some knowledge of the Arabic in which the Qur'an was revealed to The Prophet Muhammad (SA) over four­teen centuries ago, and this terminology has been explained to a sufficient degree for the non‑expert to understand the sometimes very different meanings which such a vocabulary has when compared to its contempo­rary English translations.

Naturally, the meaning of the Qur'anic text has

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been the subject of the profoundest meditations and discussions throughout the history of Islamic scholarship, and the author has incorporated some of this material, especially through the comments of contemporary Muslim translators and scholars; but this has been kept to a minimum so as to avoid overburdening the reader with unnecessary complexities.

Whoever is beginning to read the Qur'an in English will be able to use this work to understand how the book is not an impenetrable text but a living guide for the life of the ordinary, thinking Muslim, the key to the understanding of the Islamic view of the world and how the Muslim relates to other views of the world in our times.

The author has not, however, made any compromises in order to present his ideas, and what will strike the reader is the straightforward manner in which he has managed to com­municate his own deeply committed reflections on the Qur'an, reflections with which the reader will easily be able to sympathize. This book will surely serve as an invaluable companion for those setting out on the stimu­lating journey to discover the message that the Qur'an extends to everyone who is prepared to listen to what it has to say.

John Cooper,

Cambridge 1997.

through the book in your hand, you shall discover why the Glorious Qur'an is so popu­lar. The reading of the Holy Qur’an is considered a pious duty by Muslims.

They believe that blessings flow even from the sound of its recitation. There is historical evidence indicating that from the very beginning, it made a profound impression on those who came to believe in it by hearing it.

By now, people all over the world have enjoyed this pleasant internal sensation for centuries, and shall continue doing so for the reasons we shall read in this book. Many people, men and women, children or adults, learn the entire Book by heart. Some people read the complete Qur'an several times during the blessed month of Ramadan. Many commit themselves to read it at least once in this month.

Not everybody, however, is familiar with this Holy Book. In fact, those who have not had the opportunity to become acquainted with the Noble Qur'an, may have a completely distorted impression about this unique Divine Scripture, as it has been subjected to ardent misrepresentation by powerful media for centuries.

The deeper one goes into the world of Qur'anic knowledge, the more enjoyable the recitation of this Holy Book becomes. After all it is a part of our instinctive nature; it is the purest Voice of our Loving Creator. Its adoration is beautifully inherent in the heart of humankind. An Introduction To The Glorious Qur’an is intended to give a portrait of the Holy Qur’an in

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a manner which is easy to follow for those who have not had the chance to become familiar with this Great Book.

The grandeur of this Miraculous Scripture has often put beginners off, but it has also caused scholars to find satisfaction in immersing themselves deeply in the ocean of the Precious Qur'an. Therefore, some of their writings can be found to be too deep and, perhaps, tiresome for the uninitiated.

This book is designed for easy and exciting reading by letting the Great Qur’an talk about Itself. This is why there is no "reference" section at the end of this book; it mainly consists of ayat (1) of the Glorious Qur'an, com­ments by my humble self, and a few authoritative scholars, as referenced in the text or endnotes.

This writing is meant to take you through a gradual and systematic understanding of the Miraculous Book. Even those who are familiar with the Glorious Qur'an may find this treatise stimulating when they obtain a global overview of this Holy Guidebook for mankind.

The meaning of the Arabic word, Al‑Qur’an, is "The Reading, The Recitation (aloud) and The Collection". The Miraculous Qur’an has suc­cessfully created a new phase of human thought and has greatly affected the lives of millions of people the world over.

While the Great Qur'an strictly prohibits the roots of all evils such as interest (usury), oppression, corruption, adultery, intoxicants, gambling, etc., it constantly reminds us of Divine mercy and compassion. The Glorious Qur'an introduces the Hereafter as the ultimate

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residence of peace, serenity, security and permanence for those who follow the path of God, but of Hell‑Fire for those who do not. It leaves us totally accountable for our deeds in this world: either we end up in the Garden or in Hell.

The most important feature of the Holy Qur'an is its purity; every word of it is the word of God the Exalted. It is not a book written by Muhammad (SA), but as we shall see, the Glorious Qur'an is a collection of revelations, exactly as revealed to Muhammad (SA). He was specially chosen to be the "means" through which the words were revealed and recited. His own words (collected by his disciples and known as hadith(s) or tradition(s)) are distinctly different from the revealed words of God, as will be dis­cussed later.

The Glorious Qur’an is a distinguished masterpiece of Arabic literature, unmatched throughout the life of humankind. The Great Book Itself chal­lenges humankind to match it, and says "you cannot!" It is a great miracle that the Holy Qur’an has not been successfully challenged for over 1400 years. In fact God has taken it upon Himself to protect it, as it is mentioned in this Glorious Book Itself.

God gave miracles to all His prophets and apostles as proofs of their Divinity: Gone are the apostles, prophets and their‑miracles, except for the miracle of The Last Prophet, Muhammad (SA). God gave him a nonperish­ing miracle, one whose hidden wisdom has been gradually unravelled throughout the past fourteen

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centuries, and more is yet to be discovered as knowledge improves. These subjects will be briefly dealt with in this writing.

This Great Book repeatedly appeals to us to think, reason, and under­stand why we believe what we believe, and forbids us to believe blindly without pondering and reasoning. For those who wish to open their heart and intellect, there is plenty of evidence in the Holy Qur'an to consolidate their belief. Those who do not want to believe will refuse to believe no matter how sound the proof may be.

Madinah.

The first surah of the Glorious Qur'an is al‑Fatihah (The Opening). Each surah is named after some striking incident or purpose, or after a key word in that surah. To emphasise the deserving importance of the entire being, and the environment in which the human being lives, Almighty God has granted many environmental names to the surahs of the Holy Qur'an, such as The Night, The Day, The Spider, The Honeybee, The Dawn, The Time, The Sun, The Moon, etc.

All the surahs of the Holy Qur'an begin with Bismillahi 'r‑Rahmani 'r‑Raham (in the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate) to keep reminding us of His endless Mercy and His all‑encompassing Compassion, except for surah at‑Tawbah (9), meaning Repentance. This may indicate the degree of God's anger with those who insist on disobeying Him. In contrast, this key word for the Grace, Blessing and Mercy of God has been effectively used twice in the Opening surah (al‑Fatihah).

For the convenience of those who wish to read all the surahs of this great book over a fixed period, the Glorious Qur'an is divided into 30 equal parts, each called one juz' (plural, ajza' meaning parts), or into seven equal segments, each called a manzil. Each juz' is subdivided into two hizbs (sections) which are further divided in four rubs (quarters). Therefore, if one reads one rub every night, the entire Qur'an will be read in about eight months. Similarly, if one wishes to read the complete Qur'an in one week, one

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must read one manzil a day. Large surahs of the Glorious Qur'an are also divided into rukuc according to the meaning of the passage.

The Noble Qur'an has been well preserved in its original form through­out fourteen centuries in two ways: 1) in writing, and 2) by memorising and passing the words from the heart of one generation into that of another. Two copies of the original standard Qur'an still exist today, one in Istanbul(1) (Turkey) and one in Tashkent(2) (Uzbekistan).

The Glorious Qur'an is considered to be so Holy that Muslims treat it with enormous respect.

While It is being read:

• You must not speak

• You must not eat or drink

• You must concentrate quietly.

It is not to be touched unnecessarily. Before reading it or touching it:

• You must wash thoroughly

• You must be in the right frame of mind and have good intentions

• You must seek refuge in God from satan's wicked intentions

• Women should be clear from menstruation.

Upon completion of its recitation one should conclude the session with certain phrases, at least stating that the Exalted God speaks the Truth, His Blessings be upon Muhammad (SA) and his kinsfolk. But normally, a longer prayer is recited.

When not being recited, it should be:

• Placed high up, so that nothing is put on top of it

• Kept covered with a light cloth to shield it from dust.

I shall refrain from describing this unique Book of Divine Guidance in my own humble words and examine how the Great Qur'an Itself defines Its own

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aspects.

For example, the Hebrew word Eloha (meaning the Creator) is the same as Allah. However, the Jews use the plural form, Elohim, which denotes more than one God. The Aramaic word, Alaha, for God, used by The Prophet Jesus Christ (PBUH), sounds even closer to Allah. Therefore, even though this name may sound strange to non‑Muslims, it was a familiar name to the previous prophets of God and their followers. Let us now examine if there is any difference between the two words, Allah and God.

The Supreme Being, the Creator, is free from being associated with part­ners or gender. He is unique and pure. Unfortunately, the word "God" has lost its uniqueness and purity. Unless we say "the God" it does not denote a unique being any more. And so long as we use words such as gods and goddesses, and follow duality, trinity, and multi‑god worship, we have lost the purity of His name by associating gender and partners with Him. The word Allah (Al‑Ilah), The God, is devoid of any association while it denotes the needed uniqueness. Moreover, it honours the integrity of the Unity of the Almighty God's religion from the very beginning, as other messengers of Allah the Exalted used the same word throughout. Now that we can appreciate this great difference between these two words, I would feel obliged to use the name Allah, not out of prejudice, but in order to reflect appropriately what is meant to be expressed.

on earth, declares the Praises and Glory of Allah; for He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. It is He Who gives Life and Death; and He has Power over all things. He is the First and the Last, the Evident and the Immanent (Hidden). And He has the full knowledge of all things. He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days (stages, long periods, or ages), then He established Himself on the Throne. He knows what enters within the earth and what comes forth out of it, what comes down from heaven and what ascends up to it. And He is with you wheresoever you may be. And Allah sees well all that you do. To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. And all affairs go back to Allah. He merges Night into Day and He merges Day into Night. And He has the full Knowledge of the secrets of (all) hearts." (57:1‑6)

Or:

"Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god; Who knows (all things) both secret and open; He, the Gracious, the Merciful. Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god; the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace, (and Perfection) the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme. Glory to Allah! (High is He) above the partners they attribute to Him. He is Allah,

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the Creator, the Originator, the Bestower of forms and colours. To Him belong the Most Glorious Names. Whatever is in the heavens and on earth doth declare His Praises and Glory. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise." (59:22‑24)

Or:

"Allah is He besides Whom there is no god, the Everliving (and causing life), the Eternal Self‑subsisting by Whom all subsist. No slumber can overtake him nor sleep. All things in the heavens and on earth belong to Him. Who is he who can intercede with Him but by His permission? He knoweth what is before them and what is behind them, nor shall they grasp any matter of His knowledge except for what He pleases. His Throne extends over the heavens and earth, and the preservation of them tires Him not. And He is the High, the Supreme." (2:255)

Or:

"Say: He Allah is One. Allah is the Absolute Self‑Sufficient. He begets not, nor is He begotten, and there is not a single one to equate with Him." (112)

There are many more ayat describing the attributes of Allah the Almighty but these few may be sufficient to ask ourselves how we can consider a God who falls short of the qualities extracted from these four ayat. This would mean one who:

• is not being praised and glorified by all beings in the heavens and on earth,

• has no control over the dominion of the heavens and earth (cannot induce rain, earthquake, movement of the celestial bodies, etc.),

• cannot give life and

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death,

• has no power over all things,

• did not exist from "the Beginning" nor shall last to "the End",

• is indistinct and affected,

• does not have full Knowledge of all things,

• cannot create the heavens and earth,

• does not know the inflow and outflow of the heavens and earth,

• cannot be with you wheresoever you may be,

• does not see what you do,

• cannot receive all affairs; or all affairs do not go back to him,

• has no power over the emergence of day and night,

• has no knowledge of the secrets of all hearts,

• is not the Absolute Sovereign,

• cannot create nor originate,

• is not everliving,

• is not the Self‑subsisting, and the Absolute Needless,

• gets tired and drowsy, or slumbers,

• is not One (the Only),

• is not the Absolute Self‑sufficient (on Whom all others depend),

• begets or is begotten,

• is like others (taking spouse, having companions and colleagues).

This list can grow rapidly if one uses more ayat which describe Allah's attributes. It is obvious that one who is affected by a tiny insect and escapes from it cannot be considered The Almighty, no matter what names misguided and misdirected people may assign to him to justify their own belief, and perhaps to deceive and mislead others.

remove from them their ills and improve their condition." (47:2)

this work:

* nubuwwah, meaning Prophecy,

* nably (plural: anbiya'), meaning Prophet,

* nabawiyy, meaning Prophetic.

Therefore, a nabiy is one with whom Allah, the Exalted, has established a divine link. Ordinary pious people can also be inspired by Almighty Allah, but a nabiy, at a much higher level, can bring back Divine information (news) on what people have questioned.

A rasul, on the other hand, is commissioned with a major task, and is the Almighty Allah's ambassador and envoy to establish the "principles" of the way of life (dins). Therefore, nubuwwah (the ability to communicate with Allah) is a prerequisite for Risalah (being commissioned, Apostleship), and any rasul is automatically a nabiy (Prophet) by definition. But not all nabiys are, necessarily, rasals. It is maintained that there have been some 124,000 nabiys and about 313 rasuls of Allah.

The word "seal" in this ayah asserts the completion of The Divine Message. When a document is sealed it is complete; no further additions, deletions, substitutions, or modifications can be made. Allah's guidance is and will always be continuous but there is no need for further nabiys to do so. The Final Divine Message is complete, according to this ayah, and no additional Prophecies are to be expected. Until the manifestation of Imam Al‑Mahdi (A.F.), people will need thinkers and religious leaders ‑ but not a new nabiy ‑ to explore the truth already revealed in the Glorious Qur'an and the ahadith. This is not an arbitrary matter. It is a decree full of Divine Knowledge and

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Wisdom, as the above ayah says "and Allah has the full Knowledge of all things" immediately after asserting the completion of The Divine Message.

In order to bypass the above ayah and gain legitimacy for post‑Islamic religious groups, some people argue that, unlike Muhammad (SA), who was a rasul and a nabiy, their religious leader is at a higher level, and need not claim to be a nabiy. They say their rasul could communicate with Allah, the Exalted, at his position of Risalah without being a nabiy, thus the above ayah and the seal of nubuwwah do not apply to their leader. They forget the element of interdependency (one entity being the prerequi­site to another). Nubuwwah (being a nabiy) is a prerequisite for Risalah (being a rasul).

To do away with the above reasoning, they use a different terminology, instead of rasul. They make use of expressions such as "the Manifestation of God" or "the Reformer", and so on. The fact remains that the Miracu­lous Qur'an cannot be tricked. How can the Reformer, the Manifestation, or the Messenger in any name or terminology, perform God's mission without being in communication with Him? This is the beauty of the powerful language of the Glorious Qur'an, full of absolute wisdom.

These examples are given to illustrate why the position of a rasul is much higher than that of a nabiy. Such a clear distinction does not exist in the English language and much confusion and misunderstanding are ex­perienced when one talks about apostles, prophets, messengers,

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saints, disciples, and so forth. For example, in English, the word apostle is used even for saints, such as St Paul, St John, and other disciples.

This lack of clarity can also deceive people into the creed of a few post‑Islamic "religious" groups which contradict the universal and eternal ayat of Allah the Exalted (as presented above).

all at once?' Such (it is revealed) that We may strengthen thy heart thereby, and We have rehearsed it to thee in slow and well­ arranged stages, gradually. 33 ‑ And no question do they bring to thee but We reveal to thee the truth and the best explanation (thereof)." (25:32 33)

It should be borne in mind that this gradual revelation over some 23 years relates to the Divine revelation to humankind, through Gabriel (PBUH) and Muhammad (SA), which is thought to be the second stage of revelation. The first stage, in contrast, was all at once from the level of the "Mother Book", (Umm ul‑Kitab), before Allah, to that of the "scribe angels" in the heavens of the world, in one night.(1) Please consider the following ayah from the Glorious Qur'an:

"We have indeed revealed this (Message) in The Grand Night." (97:1)

There is more Divine significance about The Grand Night, not known to humankind as yet:

"And what will make you comprehend what The Grand Night is?" (97:2)

The date of this Excellent Night is also a mystery. Several nights in the blessed month of Ramadan have been suggested with the 27th being the most widely accepted date. All we know confidently is that the Grand Night is in this blessed month, according to the Glorious Qur'an:

"The month of Ramadan, in which was sent down the Qur’an, a guide for humankind, and Clear Signs of guidance and distinction (between virtue and vice)." (2:185)

Arabic, that you may be able to understand. 4 ‑ And verily, it is in the Mother of the Book, in Our Presence, high (in dignity), full of wisdom." (43:3 4)

"Allah doth obliterate (blot out) or confirm what He pleaseth. With Him is the Mother of the Book." (13:39)

The term "Mother of the Book" (or the Mother Book) is believed to represent the Full Knowledge, the essence of all Divine revelations without regard to time and space, the codes known to Him but not understandable by us. It does not necessarily represent a physical book. The following ayat may explain better. It should be clear that this subject is a very large one on which volumes of deep discussions have been rendered, with various points of view. Therefore, no claim is made in this brief writing that this interpretation is the only one or the true one:

"Say to whoever is an enemy to Jibril: for certain he brings down the (revelation) to thy heart by Allah's will, a confirmation of what went before, and a (book of) guidance and glad tidings for the believers." (2:97)

"It is not but wahy that is revealed." (53:4)

"Thus doth (Allah) send wahy to thee as (He did) to those before thee, Allah exalted in Power, full of Wsdom." (42:3)

"Say: I am but a man like yourselves, (but) the wahy has come to me, that your Allah is one Allah ...." (18:110)

"51 ‑ It is not fitting for a man that Allah should speak to

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him except by wahy, or from behind a veil, or by the sending of a rasul to reveal, with Allah's permission, what Allah wills. For He is most High, Most Wise. 52 ‑ And thus have We, by Our command, sent inspiration to thee. Thou knowest not what was Revelation, and what was Faith. But We have made (the Qur’an) a Light, wherewith We guide such of Our obedient as We will. And verily thou dost guide to the Straight Path." (42:51‑52)

Almighty Allah tells us explicitly that there are three ways in which He bestows His revelation on mankind:

A. Wahy: Inspirations may occur in many forms, ranging from a simple and common dream and telepathy, to much more elevated forms of vision and the Divine revelation. In the English language, the word "revelation" is used for all who reveal, being the journalists, politicians, writers, or God! Therefore, the Arabic term wahy is used here for that which is uniquely a Divine revelation.

Another point to clarify is that the subjects of inspiration are human beings, in general, whereas the subjects of wahy are chosen Messengers of Allah, the Exalted. In lower forms of wahy, signals are stimulated by Allah the Exalted into the heart and mind of a Messenger who understands the substance of the Message, whether it is a command or prohibition, or an explanation of a great truth. It is quite logical that the more elevated a Messenger, the greater is the value of the message, the quality

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of its reception and the impact of such a message.

In its perfect form, verbal or literal wahy is transmitted in such a way that the actual words of Almighty Allah are conveyed in human language, uttered by the human tongue. This superior ‑ recited ‑ form of wahy is only granted to the greater Prophets, while lower forms may be bestowed upon other Prophets. It is important to realise that not all inspirations or revelations are heavenly. Satan, angels, and humankind may inspire people and reveal certain affairs. This is how many people are deceived by specific ominous visions and inspirations. The safest revelation is that in which Allah the Exalted sends an Angel to recite the wahy personally to His Chosen Messenger, as will be covered under C) below.

B. Behind a veil: Not, of course, a material veil, or screen, but a mystic Veil of Light. There are quotations from Muhammad (SA), saying: "Allah has some seventy thousand Veils of Light and Darkness. Were He to with­draw their curtain, then would splendours of His Aspect (or Countenance, or Face) surely consume everyone who apprehended Him with his sight: ' This is a very large subject which has been studied by numerous scholars. This subject will be only briefly introduced in this book (see the mystic elements of the Glorious Qur'an, page 38). For more information, one could start with Appendix VIII of the Glorious Qur'an translated into English by A. Yusuf ‘Ali.

C. Rasul (apostle of Allah): The revelations

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are delivered to the Holy Messenger of Allah through the Angel Gabriel (PBUH), as mentioned earlier, in the purest and most confident form. These spiritual visions, conveying the message of Revelation, are the basis of the Noble Qur'an.

Another important point in the above ayah is: "We have made (the Qur’an) a Light, wherewith We guide such of Our obedients as We will." There is another ayah to complement the above:

"O mankind! Verily there had come to you a convincing proof from your Lord. For We have sent unto you a Light (that is) manifest (muban)." (4:174)

The Light refers to the Glorious Qur'an and its manifestation is the character and personality of Muhammad (SA) himself. He is known to be the walking Qur'an. Extensive volumes of traditions (ahadith) fail to give evidence to one single incidence indicating that he (and his kinfolk) deviated from ‑the Qur'anic way. Therefore, his life should be taken as a perfect model to follow for those who wish to be guided according to the Holy Qur'an.

and searching for ta'wil of its hidden meanings. But no one knows its ta'wil except Allah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: `We believe in the Book, the whole of it is from our Lord.' But only men of understanding really heed." (8:7)

This very important passage beautifully clarifies the structure and the con­cept of interpretation of the Great Qur'an. In this respect, the Munificent Qur'an consists of two portions:

1) the nucleus or foundation of the Book (ayat muhkam), and

2) the part which is allegorical, reflecting more than one aspect (ayat mutashabih).

Ayat muhkam are those ayat whose inner meaning is identical to their meaning in the sentence in which they appear. No other interpretation can be made; as an example: "Say: Allah is One". The majority of the Qur'anic ayat are of this type.

Ayat mutashabih, on the other hand, are those for which more than one interpretation is possible. It is fascinating to utilise the latter part to exer­cise our ingenuity for interpretation of the inner meaning of the Glorious Qur'an. But, as clearly stated in this verse, ta'wal of the allegorical part is associated with perversity, discord and disturbance (fitnah),(1) and Allah the Exalted has assured us that no one knows their correct interpretation except He. This is why Muslim interpreters, commentators and translators should not insist on the correctness of any particular interpretation of these ayat. They say only Allah the Exalted knows which one, if any, is correct. Many of these ayat automatically become clear

p: 30

by the time that scientific and other discoveries give evidence of their truth. This subject will be dis­cussed later. Some non‑Muslim intellectuals, however, press strongly with their interpretations of these ayat, as the above ayah associates this with fitnah.

Another important feature of this ayah is the holistic approach to the Noble Qur'an. We should believe in the Book, in its entirety. We cannot believe some parts, and reject other parts.

These two very important features should be considered particularly seriously by those who would exert efforts to interpret allegorical issues of the Precious Qur'an, and those who would selectively believe in this Book. We must try to understand it as best we can, but not deviate from the path of Almighty Allah and mislead people by insisting on certain interpretations of metaphorical ayat. Time will clarify them when neces­sary, as time has already clarified plenty of ayat misinterpreted or not understood at all for many years. This subject will be reviewed later.

humankind over 14 centuries ago, particularly to the untutored Muhammad (SA). Considering all this, it is miraculous that the Great Qur'an is perfectly consistent throughout.

and finally, the criterion that distinguishes right from wrong. Other similar ayat cast more light on the use of this Unique Book, but we should be content at this level. All these magnificent benefits are for those who wish to be guided. For those who insist on prejudice and arrogance regarding the wahy of Allah the Exalted, this Holy Book can cause nothing but perdition.

of Mary..." (5:15‑19)

"Allah has said: `Take not (for worship) two gods, for He is only One Allah. Then fear Me and Me alone ...'." (16:51)

it is the cult of your father, Ibrahim. It is He (Allah the Exalted) Who has named you Muslims, both before and in this (revelation); That the Apostle should be a witness for you and you be witness for mankind! So establish regular Prayer, give regular Charity, and hold fast to Allah! He is your Protector ‑ the Best to protect and the Best to help!"(22I:77 78)

This ayah has many important points but the one we need to concentrate on is: "It is He Who has named you Muslims, both before and in this (revelation)". This very clear and strong statement makes Islam distinctly different from all religions of the world in which people coin a name for their religion, normally after the person whom they follow. But when it comes to Islam, Allah the Exalted clearly says that He Himself selected this very profound name, for all His revelations, either before or during the time Muhammad (SA).

For the definition of the word Islam please refer to the Glossary.

"And remember Ibrdhim and Isma’il raised the foundation of the House (with this prayer): `Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. For Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing'. Our Lord! make us Muslims, bowing to Thy (Will), and of our progeny a people Muslim, bowing to Thy (Will); and show us our places for the celebration of (due) rites; and turn unto us (in Mercy); for Thou art the Oft­ Returning, the Merciful." (2:127 128)

"The Religion before Allah is

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Islam (submission to His Will): Nor did the `people of the book' dissent therefrom except through envy of each other, after knowledge had come to them..." (3:19)

The above ayat clearly confirm that Islam as a concept existed from the early days of the din of Allah the Exalted, but it took centuries before this concept finally culminated as a religion by His Will through Muhammad (SA), and the most appropriate name, Islam, was explicitly selected by Almighty Allah for His din.

Clearly, the din before Exalted Allah is Islam (being in the state of sub­mission to Allah the Exalted) and there is punishment, as shown later on, for those who have seen the Precious Qur'an and yet turn away from His din.

"Ibrahim was not a Jew nor a Christian; But he was true in Faith as a Muslim. And he joined not gods with Allah." (3:67)

"Say: We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Ibrahim, Isma’il, Ishaq, Yacqub, and the Tribes, and in that which was given to Musa and ‘Isa (Masih) and the prophets, from their Lord. We make no distinction between one and another among them and we are Muslims to Him (to Him we submit). If anyone desires a Religion other than Islam (submission to the Almighty Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers." (3:84 85)

These passages clearly indicate that Islam as a concept goes back

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to the early days,(1) and that this concept of total submission to Allah the Omni­potent has also been preached by other prominent messengers of Allah the Exalted preceding the last prophet.

It is significant to realise that in the entire Qur'an the singular form "din" (Religion) appears about 70 times but the plural form, "adyan", not one single time. This clearly shows that there is only one din before Almighty Allah.

other). But (later gen­erations) will cut off their affair (of unity), one from another. (Yet) they will all return to Us." (21:92 93)

In his well known English translation of the Qur’an, Yusuf ‘Ali wrote:

"God's message was and ever is one; and his Messengers treated it as one. It is people of narrower views who come later and trade on the earlier names, that break up the Message and the Brotherhood [ummah] into jarring sects and tribes." p 843, n. 2750

The Islamic ummah is only one in Exalted Allah's view. All the boundaries and differentiations are our own makings. These ayat and the translator's footnote tell us about the unity of Almighty Allah's Word from the beginning to the end, the unity of His din, mankind, and the entire universe.

brother Shu’ayb. He said O my people! Worship Allah. You have no other god but Him." (7:85) "And to (the tribe of) Thamud We sent their brother Salih. He said O my people! Worship Allah. You have no other god save Him." (7:73) "And verily We have sent among every nation an apostle (proclaiming): Worship Allah and eschew evil." (16:36)

"And We sent Nuh to his people, so he remained among them a thousand years less fifty" (29:14)

"And Ibrahim said to his people "Serve Allah and fear Him. That will be best for you, if ye understand! "(29:16)

Every prophet was sent unto his own nation for their guidance, but the message of The Last Prophet Muhammad (SA) is general for all mankind:

"Say: O mankind! Verily! I am sent as the rasul to you all." (7:158)

"Above all, it is a Message to all the worlds." (68:52)

Therefore, it is obvious that Almighty Allah's Religion had entered a universal level by the time Islam was introduced as a way of life (din) and that the Noble Qur'an is a Book of Guidance for all humankind, in all places and for all times.

to thee that was not said to the messengers before thee..." (41:43)

rasul

of Allah.

Ayyub (Job)

4

Over 100 years before Abraham (PBUH).

Author of The Book of Job in the Old

Testament.

Muhammad (SA)

4

Introduced Islam as religion. The last

Messenger of Allah.

Al-Yasa’ (Elisha)

2

Mentioned in the Qur’an 6:86

Idris (Enoch)

2

A prophet before Noah (PBUH)

Dhu al-kifl (Dhalkifl)

2

Qur’an 21:85-86

Ilyas (Elias, Elijah)

2

Qur’an 47:123-132

And the names of Divine Scriptures in the Glorious Qur'an are:

The Injil meaning "The Tidings" in Greek, the New Testament, The Tawrah meaning "The Law or The Sacred" in Hebrew, the Old Testament, The Zabur (or al‑Mazamir) meaning "The Writ" in Arabic, the Psalms of David, The Suhuf of Abraham, meaning "The Sheets" in Arabic. (PBUT all).

using an incorrect translation for the key word:

"Allah doth obliterate or confirm what He decides. With Him is the Mother of the Book." (13:39)

Based on this ayah some people have allowed themselves to cut the Glorious Qur'an into pieces and under the banner of abrogation select what they like and disregard the rest. Let us look at the correct translation first:

"Allah doth obliterate(1) or confirm what He decides. With Him is the Mother of the Book." (13:39)

One should consider that obliteration (mahw) means blotting out, efface­ment, wiping away, forgetting, suppression, resolution, disappearing because of erasure, loss, absorption or solution. Whereas to abrogate (naskh) means to annul, to cancel, to invalidate and to void.

As the ayah clearly mentions, the Mother of the Book is with Almighty Allah. This is the Full Knowledge, the essence of all revelations, indepen­dent of time and space. Why should Allah, the Knowing, reveal the Final Message and then abrogate it? And how? Muhammad (SA) is the Last nabiy, and we should remember from the earlier discussions that without being a nabiy one could not have full access to the Divine "knowl­edge" necessary for any Divine mission, including abrogation of Divine revelations.

One important consideration in this context is that religious tenets (‘aqidah) are never abrogated. They have been fixed from the beginning and have been repeated by all prophets of Almighty Allah. A few examples of such creed and doctrines are oneness of Allah, concept of Islam, the idea of the return of all humankind back to

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Him for the Judgement, and so forth. Such religious tenets are independent of time and location. The reli­gious laws (shari’ah), however, have been abrogated by Almighty Allah from nation to nation living at different times and in different geographical locations.

The second important consideration is that only Almighty Allah and the Divine prophets can abrogate certain rules of shari’ah, not anyone else. He possesses the Mother of the Book, the essence of all revelations.

The third important subject is the distinction between obliteration (mahw) and abrogation (naskh). Some local and timed rules and laws are subject to obliteration according to the Plan and Will of Almighty Allah, by not getting effectively recorded, being forgotten with time, or other causes and events. Where are the pure and original words of Allah, exactly as uttered by many of His rasals or nabs ys? What happened to the Suhuf (Scriptures) given to The Prophet Abraham (PBUH), the Psalms to The Prophet David (PBUH), The Tawrah to The Prophet Moses (PBUH), and the Injil to The Prophet Jesus Christ (PBUH)?

Based on clear evidence all or parts of these words may have been lost, translated, forgotten, or obliterated (mahw) either due to satanic alterations or to innocent mistranslation (from the true words. And this is not by accident; it is the will of Allah the Exalted Who dictates that certain things be obliterated or be preserved. When it comes to the Holy Qur'an, however:

"... for it is indeed a Message of Remembrance. So, let whosoever will,

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keep it in Remembrance; in Books held in honour; exalted, pure and holy; (written) by hands of scribes, noble and righteous." (69: 11‑16)

Islam did not come to abrogate the previous Divine Scriptures. On the con­trary, it came to establish and strengthen the unity of all previous Divine religions and their respective messengers. The main question is whether all components of the previous Scriptures are indeed purely and truly the word of Allah, or some parts have been contaminated by the words of humankind.

There are, however, people who have read the Glorious Qur'an and yet claim prophethood. They usurp Divine authority, and abrogate the Noble Qur'an selectively in order to remove any sign that is incompatible with their own claim!

first let us find out.

along with other writings of their leader and call the booklet a prayer book.

This entire section was included for the continuation of ayah 2:286 under the previous heading. In the Glorious Qur'an, Allah the Exalted teaches us the basic ingredients for our supplications. There are a number of such ayat, one being the latter part of the last ayah of Surah al‑Baqarah (2). This is the longest surah of the Glorious Qur'an full of serious matters of law. How appropriate to end this onerous surah with this beautiful duca' for the acquittal of our sins and mistakes:

... Our Lord! condemn us not if we forget or fall into error. Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which Thou didst lay on those before us.(1) Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us forgiveness and have mercy upon us. Thou art our Protector; award us with victory over the dis­believing folks." (2:286)

Allah the Exalted sows more seeds to show us the ingredients for supplica­tions in a few other ayat such as:

2:201 250, 3:8, 16, 53, 147, 193 194, 7:23, 47, 126, 155 156, 14:40 41, 20:25‑28, 23:97 98, 25:65 74, 27:19, XXVHI:17, 40:7, 59:10, 60:4, 71:28, etc.

They are captivating and penetrating when their deeper meanings are realised. Using these, and other ingredients, Islamic literature is full of rich, enchanting and powerful supplication books. Unfortunately they are not all available in

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English. The reader could contact the publisher of this book, The Muhammadi Trust, and enquire for "The Psalms of Islam" and other supplication books available in English.

first five ayat of surah 96, al‑‘Alaq, (the very first wahy to Muhammad (SA) carry considerable significance which cannot be dis­cussed in this introductory account. Volumes of commentaries have been written about this revelation, which cannot be covered in this book. However, the referral to the Pen as a symbol of the eternal plan of Allah the Omnipotent should be mentioned briefly. Many Divine words through numerous messengers have been lost, forgotten or tampered with because they were not recorded early enough. Islam, as the Perfect and Final stage of Almighty Allah's din, had to be provided with a well‑documented record so that the purity and the integrity of Exalted Allah's words should be safeguarded for ever as a Book of human guidance. This is why in the very first revelation the use of Pen is mentioned.

Only three years later, one complete Surah, called al‑Qalam (meaning The Pen) was revealed to Muhammad (SA), to strengthen the symbol of permanence of His Final Testament (the Great Qur'an). This Sarah starts:

"Nun! By the Pen and by the (Record) which (humankind) writes." (68:1)

Knowing Muhammad (SA), so well, and seeing the unequivocal trans­formation that had come over him, Khadijah became his first follower. The second follower was Ali, (A.S.), who was only ten years old, and the next was Zayd (a slave boy who was adopted by Muhammad (SA), after setting him free). Soon Muhammad's (SA) friend Abu Bakr was also convinced. At this stage, Muhammad (SA), had not talked about his experience openly.

Some

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months later, he had another heavenly experience. Suddenly he heard the voice again, and this time saw a huge pair of eyes staring at him, which became a gigantic figure whose wings (or feet) straddled the hori­zon. He shut his eyes and turned away, but no matter what he did he could still see the angel. There was no escape.

Once again he rushed home in shock. Khadijah noticed this time that when she wrapped him up, he began to breathe deeply, and sweated pro­fusely. He was seeing the angel again, who said:

"O thou wrapped up (in thy cloak), arise and deliver thy warning! And thy Lord do thou magnify! And thy raiment keep free from stain! And all abomination (idolatry) shun! Nor expect any compensation (in return of what you give). But for thy Lord's (cause) be patient." (74:1‑7)

ennoble the focal point in this ayah. The first part is:

"Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah. That which hath been killed by strangling or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death. That which hath been (partly) eaten by a wild animal, unless you are able to slaughter it (in due form). That which is sacrificed on stone (altars). (Forbidden) is also the division (of meat) by raffling (gambling practised by pagans) with arrows. That is impiety..." (5:3)

The jewel of this ayah follows the important and memorable declaration which was announced during the farewell pilgrimage of Muhammad (SA), to Makkah in the tenth year of the Hijri calendar. Soon after the pilgrimage, he started for Madinah. On his way to Madinah, at Ghadir Khumm, three important events took place(1) one of which is the very last revelation, as follows:

"...This day have those who reject Faith given up all hope of your religion. Yet fear them not, but fear Me. This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion..." (5:3)

The holy prophet departed to the eternal world in less than 3 months after this revelation (on 28th Safar, 11 A.H.):(2)

The "shell" is then completed as follows:

"...But if any is forced by hunger, with no inclination to transgression, Allah is indeed

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Oft‑Forgiving, the Merciful." (5:3)

With this long ayah, Allah the Almighty perfects His religion (din) and calls it Islam.

Therefore, not all ayat in a surah are in the sequence of revelation. Two sequential ayat might in the end be located in two separate surahs far from one another. This is the way Allah the Omnipotent wanted His Book to be, and this is the way It is. Recorded documents substantiate that the disciples of the rasul recorded everything according to the order given by the prophet without moving anything backward or forward.(1)

vibrating sound similar to the sound of honeybees when revelations were being transmitted.

g. On some occasions Allah the Exalted spoke to him through Angel Gabriel (PBUH) who stayed with the prophet and absorbed much of the shock. But on other occasions, Allah the Omnipotent revealed to Muhammad (SA), directly. The latter form reflected a heavier impact on The Prophet, and resulted in extraordinary phenomena, as mentioned above.

minds and the hearts of His men and women. I beseech readers, respect­fully and humbly, to pay particular attention to the emphasis Allah the Exalted has placed on these important issues, and not to pass them by indifferently. Would you please consider taking a few minutes to think of why Almighty Allah emphasises these matters so much, giving historical examples, naming the persons and communities who disbelieved, repeat­edly warning the readers of the Glorious Qur'an about satan and his influences on the hearts, minds and actions of humankind. This is because He loves us, and He warns us about the heavy impact and the doomed ending of kufr. These matters are more emphasised than the glad tidings for the men and women who believe and their blissful fate. This emphasis is for our guidance by the Great and Only Creator Who knows best what is good for us, and what is to our detriment.

3. The Truth of the Glorious Qur'an, and its recognition of the previous Books. This emphasis, once more, proves the deserving attention that Allah the Exalted gives to the Legitimacy and the Truth of a Divine Book. Again, this should be of interest to followers of certain religious cults, who lack a Divine Book or mistake a human's writing for Divine.

4. Promises and agreements that Allah the Exalted has granted to the men and women who believe. Once Allah the High has emphatically warned people against kufr, and about the miserable outcome of such dis­believing ideologies and

p: 54

actions, and after He emphatically asserts the Divine position of the Glorious Qur'an, He stresses the promises He is willing to grant, and agreements He is willing to make with His believing people of the right deeds so that they will be successful in this world and the next. These agreements constitute the duties of the men and women believers towards the Compassionate, the Merciful and the Knowing Creator. One cannot neglect these duties and still expect ultimate prosperity in both worlds.

5. Piety, Virtue and Righteousness (taqwa) is His next matter of empha­sis. Taqwa can be construed as the essence of Islamic practice, as tawhid might be considered as the paramount hinge of Islamic belief. It certainly deserves the emphasis of the Glorious Qur'an, after the above‑mentioned important matters have been repeatedly stressed and clarified in the minds of its readers.

Taqwa is difficult to define. It is easier to grasp its meaning by knowing that it is the opposite of being the slave of one's selfish desires. Taqwa is the most difficult aim in one's earthly life because satan is constantly sow­ing flamboyant ideas in our hearts and is continually tempting us with exciting actions which have no purpose except satisfaction of the self. It takes great willpower to let the intellect be in control, not the heart, and to distinguish vice from virtue. As one acquires more strength in this area, and gradually discovers that one's decisions and actions can be governed by certain Divine principles instead of being

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guided purely by self‑satisfaction, then satan will shy away and will gradually have less and less influence on him/her.

One feels at peace only when his heart and mind act hand in hand. Before that, the heart longs for a satanic feature and the intellect tries to defy it; the person feels insecure and unsure as he has to sort things out between his conflicting heart and mind. Once he practises taqwa, ultimately the heart and mind shall come together, and there will be no internal conflict to upset the person, and he will be in peace and harmony with everything around him. But how does one get there?

Like everything else, to achieve a certain goal, one needs certain tools and training. The more we discharge our duties toward Allah the Exalted, the more we shall acquire His Mercy, Light, Guidance and Blessing:

"...Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is the one among you who oractises taqwa the most..." (49:13)

We need the tools that train us to be willing to let go of things that we relish, such as certain foods, excessive sleep, illicit sex, immoderate money and luxury. A hungry person who has all sorts of food around him, but resists eating them because of fasting, can be better prepared to fight against his selfish desires than one who does not have this training. A person who rises for the regular prayers, five times a day, must sacrifice many hours of sleep, including getting up at

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the crack of dawn. He is well equipped with willpower to combat his selfish desires, let alone the fact that he will be closer to Allah's Blessing because of the obedience and dis­charge of his duties toward Allah the Exalted.

Therefore, it appears that the necessary primary training for the realisation of taqwa begins with the salat (regular prayers), the sawm (fasting), pay­ment of the khums, the zakah and charities, and the recitation of the Glorious Qur'an, not only for guidance toward taqwa, but also for the blessing that Its recitation brings about. This is only the beginning. For further refinement, one should understand and practise the Islamic Principles (religious tenets) and the Pillars of Islam (the necessary duties to be discharged by a Muslim).

6. Matters relating to the legitimacy of Muhammad's (SA) message and the wahy from Allah the Exalted. This is complementary to item 3 above. These two items together consolidate the validity, legitimacy and Divinity of the Message and of the Messenger of Islam with great emphasis. Once more, this is another flag to alert people who follow certain religious groups or certain individuals depending on a slim evidence of legitimacy or a complete lack of it. Beware of the first two items of Allah's emphasis for your own sake.

what is ultimately good, and what is ultimately bad for us.

Today's plight of mankind is the very heart of this issue. For a few centuries, mankind had been deceived into believing that it knew better what was good and what was bad for it, and it lived a life of its own with very little regard for the wishes of Allah the Exalted. Then it found out all sorts of miseries such as AIDS, drugs, high rates of crime, divorce, and violence, in a world where economic, racial, and political slavery prevail. An important part of the Great Qur'an forms a comprehensive foundation on which sound systems of social justice, politics, economics, legislation, jurisprudence, world order, global responsibilities towards Nature, and so forth, can be constructed.

(2:256)

The following are a few characteristics of the way Almighty Allah speaks. This set of examples may be a rudimentary way to gauge such claims, but examples can be extended to any degree, all the way to the entire text of the Glorious Qur'an:

over what is transmitted to His messenger as wahy (Divine revelation).

Not a single one of us could escape from the Fire if it were not for His Mercy and Compassion. They illustrate that the spirit is under the command of the holy prophet's Lord, and that about the knowledge of spirit very little is communicated to him. They show that The Holy Prophet (SA) was commanded to allow the revelation to sink into his heart and mind rather than be impatient about it. It adds that Almighty Allah would certainly complete the revelation to its perfection according to His Own Plan. It assures us that all revelations would be collected and preserved for mankind and would not be forgotten or lost.

These few examples are sufficient to give the reader a feeling of authority, of being in charge and control, of commanding, and of assurance.

Miraculous Divine Book. It provides comfort, assurance and confidence to the reader of the Glorious Qur'an that these words are expressed from an All­authoritative and All‑superior Source, Who is in absolute control, and that things are in complete check at all times and all places throughout the universe. And it renders the reader a sense of security should he/she totally depend on Him, His mercy, His judgement, His sustenance, His ability and might, His justice, His protection, and effectively submit him/herself to His Will (the true meaning of Islam).

A few more examples are:

"Is it you that cause it to grow, or are We the causers of growth?" (56: 64)

"Who is then more unjust than one who forges a lie against Allah or rejects His communications?..." (7:37)

"Do they who work evil think that they will escape Us?..." (29:4)

"...Do you then believe in a part of the Book and disbelieve in the other?..." (2:85)

"What! Did you then think that We had created you in vain and that you shall not be returned to Us?" (23:115)

In addition to these types of questions, there are as many as 976 inter­rogative statements, for example with what?, for what?, in what?, from what?, from whom?, for whom?, on whom?, and others such as then what?, then who?, like what?, and like who? etc. in the Noble Qur'an.

a goodly reward, and easy will be his task as We order it by Our command." (18:88)

"60 ‑ ...those who repent and believe, and work righteousness will enter the Garden and will not be wronged in the least. 61 ‑ Gardens of Eternity, those which (Allah) the Gracious, has promised to His obedients in the Unseen. His promise will certainly come to pass. 62 ‑ They will not there hear any vain discourse, but only salutations of peace (salam) and they will have therein their sustenance, morning and evening.(1) 63 ‑ Such is the Garden which We give as an inheri­tance‑to those of Our obedients who guard against evil." (19:60‑63)

According to Yusuf cAli, the distinguished translator of the Precious Qur'an, the Arabic word salam, translated as "Peace", has a much wider meaning. This word is derived from the Arabic root "S‑L‑M", and has various significant meanings such as:

* A sense of security and permanence, which is unknown in this life, as in salam.

* Soundness; freedom from defects; perfection, as in the word salam.

* Preservation, salvation, deliverance, as in the word sallama.

* Salutation, accord and harmony with those around us.

* Resignation in the sense that we are satisfied (and not discontented).

* The ordinary meaning of peace for salam, i.e., freedom from any jarring element.

* Total submission (to the will of Allah the Exalted), as in taslim.

All these shades of meaning are implied in the word Islam. If all the above can characterise the Heavens, then the ultimate destiny of

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Islam is the Heavens.

drawbacks incidental to its physical nature: e.g. (1) it is dependent upon some source external to itself; (2) it is a passing phenomenon; if we take it to be a form of motion or energy it is unstable, like all physical phe­nomena; (3) it is dependent on space and time: its speed is 186,000 miles per second, and there are stars whose light takes thousands of years before it reaches the earth. The perfect Light of Allah is free from any such defects. The first three points in the parable centre around the symbols of the Niche, the Lamp, and the Glass, as follows:

"1. The niche (mishkah) is the little shallow recess in the wall of an Eastern house, fairly high from the ground, in which a light used to be placed, before the era of electricity. Its height enabled it to diffuse the light in the room and minimised the shadows. The background of the wall and the sides of the niche helped to throw the light well into the room, and if the wall was white‑washed, it also acted as a reflector. The opening in front made the way for the light. So with the spiritual Light, it is placed high, above worldly things; it has a niche or habita­tion of its own, in Revelation and other Signs (ayat) of Allah; its access to men is by a special Way, open to all, yet closed to those who refuse its rays.

"2. The Lamp is the core of the

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spiritual Truth, which is the real illumination; the niche is nothing without it. The niche is actually made for it.

"3. The Glass is the transparent medium through which the Light passes. On the one hand, it protects the light from moths and other forms of low life (lower motives in man) and from gusts of wind (passions), and on the other, it transmits the light through a medium which is made up of and akin to the grosser substances of the earth (such as sand, soda, potash, etc.), so arranged as to admit the subtle to the gross by its transparency. So the spiritual Truth has to be filtered through human language or human intelligence to make it intelligible to mankind."

In the same way that this Glass needs constant cleaning in order for the light to pass through, mankind should also maintain such transmissibility by regular prayer (salat), the zakdh, and other purification means. Salat purifies the soul in the same way that bathing cleanses the body.

"The glass by itself does not shine. But when the light comes into it, it shines like a brilliant star. So men of Allah who preach Allah's Truth, are themselves illuminated by Allah's Light and become the illuminating media through which that Light spreads and permeates human life."

This is a good example of how a low‑level matter, such as glass, takes on a higher level quality, illumination, when it is in proximity with the main source (of Light). Another example is a piece of

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black, solid carbon which takes on the glowing, warm and radiant qualities of fire, if placed next to a raging fire. This demonstrates how blissful we shall feel if we constantly choose to associate ourselves with the radiant and blessed people, and to follow their path.

"The Olive tree is not a very impressive tree in its outward appear­ance. Its leaves have a dull greenish‑brown colour, and in size it is inconspicuous. But its oil is used in sacred ceremonies and forms a wholesome ingredient of food. The fruit has a specially fine flavour. This Olive is not localised. It is neither of the East nor of the West. It is universal, for such is Allah's Light. It shines in all directions beyond time and space limitations."

... whose Oil is well‑nigh luminous, though fire hardly touched it ...

"Pure olive oil is beautiful in colour, consistency, and illuminating power. The world has tried all kinds of illuminants, and for economic reasons or convenience, one replaces another. But for coolness, comfort to the eyes, and steadiness, vegetable oils are superior to electricity, mineral oils, and animal oils. And among vegetable oils, olive oil takes a high place and deserves its sacred associations. Its purity is almost like light itself; you may suppose it to be almost light before it is lit."

This is why the expression "light on light" is used in this ayah.

"So with spiritual Truth: it illuminates the mind and understanding imperceptibly, almost before the human mind and heart have been consciously

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touched by it."

... Light on light! Allah does guide, whom He will, to His Light ...

"Glorious, illimitable Light, which cannot be described or measured. And there are grades and grades of it, passing transcendently into regions of spiritual height, which man's imagination can scarcely conceive of. The topmost pinnacle is the true prototypal Light, the real Light, of which all others were reflections, the Light of Allah."

This beautiful ayah is one of the examples for the mystic elements of the Glorious Qur'an.

when led by the Almighty, the Wise, the Knowing, and the Merciful One. Another interesting element of this feature is the very effective reflection of down‑to‑earth matters about which common and uncommon people wonder, think, or ask questions for their day‑to‑day life. This is why the Glorious Qur'an is The Book of Guidance for Allah's dan (His recommended way of life).

By now, we have reviewed sufficiently to enable us to distinguish the difference between the style of writing in the Holy Qur'an and the way human beings write. If this distinction is not yet apparent, there is still a considerable opportunity to grasp this point as one reads through, and finally, when one reads the Glorious Qur'an Itself.

It is remarkable that experts have clearly shown that there is a distinct difference between the style, grammar and vocabulary of the Prophet's own words (called hadith, plural ahadith) and those of the Miraculous Qur'an. This is another proof of the Glorious Qur'an being purely words of Allah the Exalted transmitted to Muhammad (SA), either directly, or through the Angel Gabriel (PBUH). No other religious book offers this feature of Absolute Purity. This is the very feature which makes the Precious Qur'an uniquely Divine.

those who have been deceived to accept words of a human being as words of Allah (no matter how beautiful they may be), I would sincerely recommend to reading at least ten pages of the Noble Qur'an just to see for themselves how Allah the Exalted speaks. For the beginners it might be a good idea to start with small Surahs toward the end of the Glorious Qur'an. They are short, rhythmic and poetic, and are easy to begin with and enjoy.

It is amazing that Muhammad's (SA) own word, hadith, is distinctly dif­ferent from the wahy of Allah the Exalted in many aspects, even though they both come out of the same mouth, by the same tongue of the same person. Let us review some examples. In the Great Qur'an we read this telegraphic statement:

"Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the rasul of Allah, and the seal of the nabiys..." (33:40)

Compare this with a hadith from the Messenger of Allah the Omnipotent for style, vocabulary, and expression:

"The parable of myself and the parable of the Prophets is as the para­ble of a place of which the construction has been made good but wherein the place of a brick has been left out. The on‑lookers went round it wondering at its good construction except for the place of the brick. It is I who closed up the place of the brick (according to Allah's command). The construction has therefore been sealed by me, and

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the Messengers have come to an end with me. I am the brick and the seal of the prophets. "(1)

One of the best examples for the telegraphic style of the Qur'anic ayat is the famous surah, al‑Ikhlas. (The Absolute Purity). The entire surah, with tremendous significance and impact, is as follows:

"Say: He Allah, is One. Allah is the Absolute Self‑Sufficient. He begets not, nor is He begotten, and there is not a single one to equate with Him." (112)

In the Arabic language, it takes even less wording to express this profound, purposeful and significant message, which is the cardinal aspect of the turning point from a multi‑god worship to the great concept of tawhad (please refer to the Glossary).

subjects that we did not know, and which we can now understand by reading The Book. The second function of the Final Testament, how­ever, goes beyond educational aspects, and has to do with the training of individuals and societies to build up certain personal, social, cultural, com­munal and correctional characteristics.

For educational purposes, where a person reads certain material to understand its meaning, repetition is unnecessary if the matter is clearly stated. But for a build‑up of personalities and societies, the reading material should go beyond the scope of plain understanding; it must become a native part of the reader for day‑to‑day practice. Not only does this type of reading material need continuous repetition, but it should also be attractive enough to generate the desire for repeated readings. This is the very feature Allah the Exalted placed in the Glorious Qur'an and this is why the Great Book is uniquely Divine.

the Glorious Qur'an is written in a disarranged and mixed‑up style. They wonder why all matters relating to a certain subject could not be pulled together in one chapter, as in the majority of books we read today. This matter is very intriguing, and I shall try to review it with a few examples:

The most beautiful formal garden, full of fragrant flowers and blossoms, with complete separation of various sections, can soon become dull and boring if visited frequently. But a beautiful site, in a natural form, full of wild flowers of all colours and fragrances, mixed and mingled naturally with other shrubs and trees, is always pleasing and refreshing even if visited frequently.

It is an intrinsic trait of humankind to enjoy natural mixing and com­mingling. One of the beautiful aspects of the mosques in cosmopolitan communities is the very mixing of people coming from various parts of the world, with different complexions, colours, languages, nationalities, costumes, but united through Allah the Exalted as one body. Can you imag­ine how uninteresting it would be if we were to segregate these people in separate sections of a mosque? This also applies to the Glorious Qur'an. This Great Book could not have maintained its standing record of the most­frequently‑read book of the world for over fourteen centuries if it were writ­ten in the boring form of a manual.

It should also be borne in mind that the Glorious Qur'an is a Book of Guidance for all people and for all times. Fourteen

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centuries ago, people were not used to classification, indexing, bibliography, heading, subheading, references, and computerised shortcuts. But today, all these facilities are available and are being used while the original format of the Precious Qur'an remains unchanged. The Glorious Qur'an has been entered into computers by many institutions all over the world, and has been analysed in many ways with amazing results and find­ings. Therefore, one should not consider the original format as a limitation. As we have seen before, placement of ayat and Surahs is exactly the way Allah the Exalted commanded it and this is the way It remained throughout.

Modern psychology recommends that we should not concentrate on one subject for too long, and should bring in a change to refresh the work and increase performance or comprehension. This is a built‑in feature of the Glorious Qur'an, which gives the history of ancient civilisations, moves on to certain social rules about, say, weddings, eating or worship, then on to ethical lessons and morality, and on to the description of this world, and its purpose, while moving to what action or word Allah the Exalted inspired in the heart or mind of a prophet, and finally the reaction of the community of believers. This amalgamative style is the paramount cause of the joy felt in the recitation of this Munificent Book.

Modern businessmen keep changing the order of things in a department store. Giant stores keep moving various departments around. They know the merits of customer curiosity. It makes people

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wander around to find what they came to buy, and in this pleasant stroll, pick up a lot of things that they had no intention of buying when they came in. The very same wisdom in the Glorious Qur'an is teaching millions of earnest seekers things that they were not initially looking for. How could these modern techniques be known over fourteen centuries ago by any human being of that time?

of interesting educational, historical stories and parables. Book printing and reading is much more common now than it used to be centuries ago. In order to promote the idea of learning through historical events, not only does the Glorious Qur'an give numerous histori­cal examples about the doers of good and of evil, it also encourages us to go around and discover for ourselves signs of disastrous floods, earth­quakes, etc. that afflicted some disbelieving ancestors. These historical examples are too many to include in this introductory review, but for the recommended "exploratory expedition" these ayat can be referred to: 3:137, 6:11, 16:36, 27:69, 29:20, 30:42.

whole, the spirit, the composition of human and mammal milk, what mankind is made of, human embryology and the beginning of life, man's destiny, Almighty Allah's attributes, the history of various civil­isations, the history of previous Divine prophets and messengers, the names of previous Divine books, and so on.

Therefore, unlike the Holy Bible, the Miraculous Qur'an is not primarily a book of religious history and events. It contains practically all aspects of din (the way of life prescribed by Allah the Exalted), matters such as sociology, geology, medicine, astronomy, theology, history, biology, anthropology, Divine world order, eternal peace and so forth. But it should be borne in mind that the Noble Qur'an does not claim to be a Book of law or science or of any of the above disciplines. It is a Book of Guidance for mankind.

Throughout history, many devout religious figures full of inspiration have produced uplifting writings full of beauty and grace. Many of them have been favoured with a considerable body of supporters and followers. For those who have not studied the Great Qur'an, it is very easy to accept such writings as divine scriptures, and mistake the writer for a prophet of Allah the Exalted, as these glamorous writings can entice the heart and the spirit very effectively. But those who are well‑versed in the Holy Qur'an, and have understood its uniquely exalted position, can immediately tell the difference between this Divine Book and the product of a created mortal. This is a very important

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issue, particularly in today's life when the shallow and cosmetic image is well advertised and well accepted at the expense of valuable genuineness, nobility, logic and Truth.

Only a few examples of the scientific wisdom of the Glorious Qur'an are covered below but the full coverage can easily be the subject of a very large book:

the depths of darkness in a vast deep ocean, overwhelmed with layer topped by layer of waves, topped with (dark) clouds. Depths of darkness, one above another..." (24:40)

Only recently did science discover that:

A. Water manoeuvres in various layers in the ocean. These layers may have different characteristics, such as salinity, density, temperature, marine biology, and so on; and they may move relative to one another.

B. Each layer acts as a filter causing the gradual disappearance of a certain light spectrum. For example, red light is excluded at about 30 metres, green at approximately 100 metres and blue at about 200 metres of depth. This continues to ultimate darkness at deeper sections of the ocean where fish could not see anything if there were no source of light within their own bodies. In the above ayah, waves and clouds are also mentioned to empha­sise the degree of darkness associated with the status of unbelievers, as clouds cause absorption, and waves cause reflection of light before it can reach the surface of an ocean.

How could Muhammad (SA), who had never seen an ocean, possibly know these twentieth‑century scientific discoveries over fourteen hundred years ago? This, and many similar ayat, are signs of Divine wahy revealed throughout the Glorious Qur'an.

They keep the earth in balance during the rotation, they prevent slippage of layers of earth during the rotation, and similarly to tree roots they keep mountains firmly in place.

of Medicine of the University of Toronto, has written a voluminous book on this subject, detailing the close match between the ayat of the Holy Qur'an and the findings of his team. The find­ings of this work are in perfect harmony with many ayat of the Miraculous Qur'an as well as with several hadith quotations.

This book is now available in English, German, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Italian and Portuguese.

It is difficult to reduce a 500‑page book with descriptive colour pictures into a few simple paragraphs. Basically, through the revelations from the Glorious Qur'an and ahadith, one finds the most comprehensive and accurate terminology to refer to various stages of embryology, the rules of heredity, and chromosomal makeup of a new being, and many other specific pieces of information which have been either unknown or mis­understood by medical science for many centuries. Embryologists are amazed to learn that accurate periods of time associated with specific embryonic developments have been mentioned in the ahadith, such as:

"In every one of you all components of your creation are gathered together by 40 days..." (1)

or:

"When 42 nights have passed over the drops (fertilisation), Allah sends an angel to it, who shapes it and makes its ears, eyes, skin, flesh and bones. Then he asks: Oh Lord! is it male or female? and your Lord decides and the angel records it."(2)

The use of modern technology and magnified pictures of the embryo taken at different intervals clearly shows the development of the body as given above. The

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Glorious Qur'an reveals three veils of darkness that surround the embryo:

"...He creates you in the wombs of your mothers, stage by stage, one after another, in three veils of darkness..." (39:6)

Today, they are known to be: the anterior abdominal wall, the uterine wall, and the amniochorionic membrane.

As I write these words, I cannot help treasuring and adoring the quality and importance of the Wisdom and Knowledge given to us by Allah the Exalted in the Glorious Qur'an. People should be very careful when they pass judgements about many so‑called "Divine" books. The Noble Qur'an is the best‑known yardstick with which these claims can be examined.

Any further details on the scientific research on human embryology is beyond the scope of this book. I would like to refer the reader to the source book for this amazing information:

The Developing Human ‑ Clinically Oriented Embryology

3rd edition (with Islamic additions), ISBN 0‑7216‑6472‑5, 1983

Dar al‑Qiblah for Islamic Literature

P .O. Box 10932, Jeddah 21443, S. Arabia.

Although there is a great deal to write about the findings of various subjects that have already been revealed in the Precious Qur'an centuries ago, I should stop at this point. These few pages are only meant to be a humble illustration of the absolute knowledge reflected by the Miraculous Qur'an. For further information one could refer to:

The Bible, the Qur'an and Science by Maurice Bucaille (French Academy of Medicine) Published by American Trust Publications, 1979 7216 S. Madison Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46227, USA.

The Qur'an and Modern Science

The Islamic Academy of

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Science

20B Jalan Daud, Kg Bahm, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

to substantiate this fact. As I have chosen to let the Glorious Qur’an answer most of the questions, I think it would be appro­priate to continue the same technique, and see how the Munificent Qur’an Itself proves Its own miraculous nature.

Let us first define "miracle". The Arabic equivalent of miracle is mujizah, which is a derivative of the root "’A‑J‑Z". This root reflects the idea of being unable to, inability, impossibility. Mu’jizah (or miracle) means something that no one can do except Allah the Exalted (or His Messengers, with His Leave). What is the difference between magic and miracle? The difference is that the former can be done by a talented human being either out of his own creativity or by learning from others. The latter, however, cannot be done by mankind. Humankind is unable (‘ajiz) to do it on its own initiative, without the Will of Allah the Exalted. In order to perform a miracle, one must be empowered by Allah the Omnipotent exclusively. With this in mind, let us now see how the Precious Qur’an Itself proves that It is a miracle:

say `He forged it' say: `Bring you then ten Surahs forged, like unto it, and call (to your aid) whomsoever you can, other than Allah! If you speak the truth!"' (11:13)

who claim they can produce a similar book but in reality have not been able to do so, He clearly reminds them of the excruciating consequences:

"23 ‑ And if you are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time to our obedient, then produce a Surah like thereunto; and call your witnesses or helpers besides Allah if your (doubts) are true. 24 ‑ But if you cannot ‑and certainly you cannot‑ then fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones ‑which is prepared for those who reject Faith." (2:23 24)

Therefore, the contestation continued for fourteen years during the lifetime of Muhammad (SA), with frequent reminders. Today, after over fourteen centuries, no one has matched even the smallest surah of this Book. I hope that the above passage illustrates how the Noble Qur'an Itself proves its miraculous nature (i.e. the inability of humankind to produce a similar Writing).

Some people have claimed that their writings are Divine or their books are comparable or even superior to the Glorious Qur'an. There are also people who believe in these claims without either having assessed these writings in the original text (excerpts, translations, interpretations and commentaries are unacceptable for this assessment), or having realised the perfection and glory of the true wahy from the Miraculous Qur'an. I hope this and the next sections of this book can provide a basis for the examination of such claims.

with the Noble Qur'an, and because these two Books are considered as being of the same importance by some people, it might be appropriate briefly to compare the two Books to get an idea about their fundamental differences. This comparison is only superficial. It does not include any quotations from either one of these Books. It is meant to be a purely academic exercise, without the slightest prejudice.

First of all, any "book" must have a title, and it shall identify its author(s) so that people can gain confidence about what they expect to read, and whose voice the "book" represents. If someone is writing a book about, say, computers, the word "computer" must appear in that book at least once! Otherwise, it would be an irrelevant title, and could confuse people. In the case of the Holy Bible, for example, not only does the author remain unidentified, but also the title of the book, Bible, is not even mentioned one single time. To begin with, this lack of assurance compels the reader to assume that this is the word of Allah the Exalted, or of The Prophet Jesus Christ (PBUH), or of others.

Unlike the Holy Bible, the Glorious Qur'an addresses Its title subject within the Book frequently. In fact, the word "Qur'an" appears 58 times in the Holy Qur'an. The count should increase when words other than "Qur'an" such as "The Book" or "al‑Furqan" (the Criterion ‑to distinguish between good and bad), dhikr (remembrance), Tanzil (gradual descending of wahy to

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humankind), etc., were added. This indicates how meaningful the title name "Qur'an" is, and how well it blends with the material explained in it.

Table 1(1) is a brief comparison of the Holy Bible and the Miraculous Qur'an. One can easily see that the Holy Bible is composed of 66 books and missionary letters, "according to" various Prophets, Disciples, Saints, historians or other religious dignitaries, from memory. None of them are "according to" the rasuls of Almighty Allah, The Prophet Moses (PBUH) himself, or The Prophet Jesus Christ (PBUH) himself.

The Glorious Qur'an is only one Book, in it, every word of Allah the Exalted is "according to" the rasul of Allah the Exalted, Muhammad (SA) himself. In the Islamic world, the Scripture that contains the sayings and traditions of Muhammad (SA), "according to" the Disciples and religious historians, is called a book of hadith (plural, ahadith), not the Qur'an Itself. Most ahadith were collected and published in the 4th Islamic century. Each hadith must clearly identify every individual who related a quotation, as well as the one who received it. This linkage of information transmittal by prominent figures must go all the way back to The Prophet (SA) himself. One of the most important criteria by which a wrong With can be distinguished is the very quality of linkage. A hadith is unaccept­able even if only one of the links of the chain is unrenowned. Therefore, to be perfectly correct, the Holy Bible should, at best, be compared with the books

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of ahadith, not with the Great Qur'an.

The New Testament in English is a translation of another translation of yet another translation. Even the best translator in the world has "limita­tions", as a human being, when it comes to interpreting a Divine Book, which originates from a source of "absolute" Knowledge. In the case of the Noble Qur'an, science, research, time, history, nature and analytical learn­ing have proved, again and again, that some of the multifarious words were indeed wrongly translated in the past. Even simultaneous translations differ from one person to another, sometimes significantly.

One can envisage how much misrepresentation would have been entered into the Glorious Qur'an if the original Scripture in the original Arabic language had been unavailable for reference. The problem is that the Holy Bible is not avail­able in the original words for reference (an Old Testament in Hebrew and a New Testament in Aramaic). Consequently, there is an inherent super­imposed misrepresentation in this Book causing errors and contradictions. Some 50,000 errors and contradictions in the Holy Bible have been recorded by the Christians themselves, back in 1957.(1)

Books of the Old Testament were written years and centuries after the death of our great prophet Moses (PBUH); similarly, Books of the New Testament were written many years after the departure of our cherished prophet Jesus Christ (PBUH). Unlike these two Testaments, the single Book of the Final Testament (The Glorious Qur'an) was revealed, recited, fully memorised, written and distributed within the lifetime of The Prophet Muhammad (SA).

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This unique feature guarantees the authenticity and accuracy of this Book. Universally accepted "original" volumes of the Qur'an exist for reference in the exact original language. Therefore, this collection of Divine Revelations is well preserved in its original exactness and purity.

All of these features generate faith and interest in reading the Noble Qur'an without a shadow of a doubt about its authenticity and legitimacy. Almighty Allah says that The Qur'an will be saved until the end.

"We have, without doubt, sent down the Message and We will assuredly guard it (against corruption)." (15:9)

Almighty Allah's pure wahy and holy Truth will never be eclipsed even though the enemies of Islam constantly mock it, and are determined to abate, disparage, and invalidate It; as they have attempted to do for over fourteen centuries.

it or has diverted him (or her) from the inborn natural Divine religion, din, to some kind of man‑made, temporal sect. Without din, a person wanders around aimlessly and spoils his life in darkness, though he may be an "intellectual" in the eyes of some people.

The entire creation follows certain rules, conforms with certain conditions and has a certain goal, all set by Allah the Exalted. Humankind is no exception. Therefore the question remains: what is the dan (a way of life) that would conform with the rules and conditions and aims for our lives as set forth by our creator? Humankind had no choice in its own creation, and is only a "created" being. Therefore, it cannot depend on itself to search for the right way of life (din), as it does not know all about the entire creation, and all the rules and laws of the universe. Consequently, its own created creed is compelled to be inadequate for the guidance of all people at all times.

Allah the Exalted has chosen Islam as the right way of life for all people and all times (also refer to ayah 5:3, on page 29) Islam is in accord with the creation of mankind, and its instinct and intuition. It is harmonious with the universal mandate of creation, which is total submission to the Will of Allah the Exalted.

Consider how the entire creation submits to the rules and conditions set forth by Him; the entire galaxy, the moon, the earth,

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the earthquake, the wind and the hurricane, the rain and the snow, the bees and the birds, the trees, the vegetables and the flowers, and an endless list of other beings. They all submit entirely to the set formula which has proved to be the best for them for millennia. And this is the true meaning of Islam. We should all learn Islam from Nature. Only the human beings keep challenging Allah the Exalted, His messengers and His Message, making life difficult for themselves.

"Do they seek for other than the din of Allah while all creatures in the heavens and on earth have, willing or unwilling, submitted to His Will (embraced Islam)? And to Him shall they all be brought back." (3:83)

"Verily the din (religion) before Allah is Islam (Submission to His Will). And `people of the book' did not dissent there from except through envy of each other after knowledge had come to them. But if they deny the Signs (ayat) of Allah, Allah is certainly swift in reckoning." (3:19)

According to Islamic belief, this world is only a farmland. We harvest what we sow in it. Prosperity and success in the mind of a Muslim are not con­ceived as worldly affluence and a rich life only. It is to fulfil the worldly obligations in the way Allah the Exalted has prescribed to earn His satis­faction for ultimate peace and security of the soul in the next world. This life is short, the next is forever. Which one is worth

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satisfying? This might be significant to observe that both "this world" and "the next "are mentioned equally, 115 times each, in the Noble Qur'an.

We said that the entire universe, including humankind, has a purpose. Let us now see what the Glorious Qur'an says in this connection:

"And I have not created the jinn and the human except that they should worship (obey) Me." (51:56)

Jinnkind and humankind are both free to choose, and it is up to them to follow the instructions of Allah the Exalted or not. The Munificent Qur'an teaches us that total submission to the Will of Allah the Exalted will make our spirit, intellect, and talents flourish towards perfection of our insight and toward the transformation of our "potential" abilities into "real" abilities.

This causes great pleasure, and constitutes a "real" success, which is but the reflection of our serving Allah the Exalted, and obeying Him like a slave.

If we are not obedient to Allah the Exalted, then we are a slave of our own wishes, and of satanic agents. The Glorious Qur'an is quite clear on the fate of such people. Let us examine the following two ayat:

"Have you then not seen him who takes his low (vain) desire for his god. And Allah has made him go astray having knowledge, and has sealed his hearing and his heart (understanding), and put a cover on his sight. Who can then guide him after Allah (has withdrawn guidance)? Will you not then be heedful?" (45:23)

It seems clear that selfish

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desires can seal Allah's guidance resulting in ignorance and going astray, no matter how intelligent and successful one may appear to be. And:

"Verily, Allah admits those who believe and do righteous deeds to Gardens beneath which rivers flow. While those who reject Allah (cover His words and disobey him) enjoy (this world) and eat as cattle eat. And the Fire is their abode." (47:12)

Therefore, it appears that the enjoyments of humankind, the most honour­able part of creation, can become as low as those of animals when they choose to disobey Allah the Exalted. Choosing, by free will, not to reject, disobey and challenge Allah the Exalted seems to be the dividing line between mankind and animals. This total submission to the Will of Allah is the true meaning of Islam. Humankind adheres to it by free will while the rest of beings do it automatically.

Having come to this point, we now ask what is the secret formula and the procedure to achieve this position. The Glorious Qur'an has the answer:

"... And We have sent down to thee the Book explaining all things, a Guide, a Mercy and Glad Tidings to those who submit to the Will of Allah (Muslims)." (16:89)

This means that the Munificent Qur'an includes and explains everything humankind needs to know. Or:

"Nothing have We neglected in the Book " (6:38)

And:

"There is no compulsion in religion, the Right way is just made clear from the wrong (by the Glorious Furqan)..." (2:256)

Therefore according to the Glorious Qur'an Itself the

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secret formula to ultimate bliss can be found in this Book. Everything that humankind needs to know is in It and nothing is neglected in this Book of Guidance. Allah the Exalted leaves people free to choose after the Final Testament, al‑Furqan (the distinguisher between right and wrong), has been sent down to humankind.

The Glorious Qur'an is the "written" form, and the Life of Muhammad (SA) and the infallible Imams (PBUT all), is the "practical" form of guidance to the Straight Path for the ultimate and true pleasure, prosperity, peace and tranquillity (salam).

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 .... 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, it is based on misconception ...."

I hope that with this introductory book I have been able to draw a more representative picture of the Glorious Qur'an. It may be a drop in the ocean to remove the satanic misconceptions brought about by those who felt the Glorious Qur'an conflicted with their interests.

I hope I have been humbly able to explain the yardstick with which a Divine Scripture may be gauged. I sincerely feel sad, particularly for the young people seeking a way, to see that they become victims of Western propaganda against Islam and the Glorious Qur'an, and to see that they are deceived by some so‑called religions which have no Divine legitimacy. May Allah the Exalted be with them, protect them and guide them to the Straight Path. I hope this small contribution will be found helpful in this respect.

I have seen, and heard of, people who cannot bear the initial impact of the Glorious Qur'an when they open

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this Great Book for the first time. This fright often causes them to close the Book, and thus close to themselves that ocean of wisdom and blessings. I hope this book has served the purpose of providing a comprehensive image of the Glorious Qur'an, the perfected and the unique Divine Book, so that the reader may have some idea about what he or she should expect from this Noble Scripture. No doubt there are shortcomings in this treatise, as we, the created, are limited in our abilities.

This ends all that was intended to be included in this work, though there is no end when it comes to writing about the Noble Qur'an. May Allah bless this service, and all the good intentions that have been my motivations for it. Without His consent and will, nothing could have been accom­plished. So, thanks to Almighty Allah for His graceful inspiration and strength with which we have been able to produce this work. He is Sufficient and the best Guide.

May the peace and blessings of Allah the High, be on all nabiys of Allah, on the seal of the prophets and his kinsfolk, and upon those who transcend in following His Path.

15 Sha’ban(1) 1416, L.H.C.

17 Day 1374, S.H.C

7 January 1996, A.D.

Praise and thanks are for Allah,

The Lord of the Worlds

recite the Qur’an in slow, measured rhythmic tones. Soon shall We send down to thee a weighty Message.(1) Truly the rising by night is most potent for governing (the soul), and most suitable for (framing) the word (of prayer and praise).

27:6: And most certainly you are made to receive the Qur’an from the presence of One Who is the Wise and the Knowing.

10:15: But when Our Clear Signs are communicated unto them, those who rest not their hope on their meeting with Us, say: "Bring us a Qur’an other than this, or change it." Say: "It is not for me, of my own accord, to change it. I follow naught but what is revealed unto me. If I were to disobey my Lord, 1 should myself fear the Penalty of a Mighty Day."

28:85: Verily, He Who ordained the Qur’an for thee, will bring thee back to the Place of Return. Say: "My Lord Knows best who it is that brings true guidance and who is in manifest error."

17:45‑46: When thou dost recite the Qur’an We place between thee and those who do not believe in the Hereafter, a hidden barrier. And We put coverings on their hearts (and minds) and a heaviness in their ears lest they understand It. And when thou commemorate thy Lord ‑ Him alone ‑in the Qur an, they turn their backs in aversion.

41:26: And those who disbelieve say: "Do not listen to this Qur’an and make noise therein, that you may gain the upper hand."

12:3:

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We narrate unto thee the most beautiful of stories by Our revealing to thee this Qur’an. Before this, thou too were certainly among those who did not know.

18:54: We have explained in detail in this Qur’an, for the benefit of humankind, every kind of similitude. But humankind is, in most things, contentious.

27:76: Certainly, this Qur’an doth explain to the children of Israel most of what they differ in.

34:31‑33: The disbelievers say: "By no means will we believe in this Qur’an, nor in (any) that (came) before it." Couldst thou but see when the unjust (disbelievers) will be made to stand before their Lord, bandying words one with another. Those who were reckoned weak shall say to the arrogant ones (those who were proud of themselves and acted as a chiefs, superpowers, masters, and claimed false sacredness): "Had it not been for you, we would certainly have been believers."

Those who were proud (masters) shall say to those who were deemed weak: "Did we turn you away from Guidance after it reached you? Nay! You (yourselves) were guilty."

Those reckoned weak shall say to the aggressors (masters): "Nay! It was a plot by night and by day when you told us to disbelieve in Allah and to set up equals to Him.". They will declare repentance when they see the punishment. We shall put yokes on the necks of the disbelievers. It would only be a requital for their (ill) deeds.

47:24: Do they not then earnestly seek to understand the Qur’an? Or are

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there locks on their hearts (and minds)?

17:9: Verily, this Qur'an doth guide to that which is most upright (or stable), and gives glad tidings to the Believers who perform deeds of righteousness, that they shall have a magnificent reward.

7:204: And when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and remain silent, that you may receive Mercy.

56:77‑80: That this is indeed a Qur’an, most honourable, in a Book well­guarded, which none shall touch but those who are clean. A revelation from the Lord of the Worlds.

I would feel unaccomplished if I did not add a few words about this passage. It describes the Glorious Qur'an with four characteristics: 1) It is most honourable, which implies, besides the fact that It is worthy of receiving honour, that It bestows great favours upon those who receive It. 2) It is well‑guarded; precious in Itself, and well preserved in Its purity. 3) None but the clean shall touch It. Clean in body, clean in mind, clean in thought, clean in intention, and clean in spirit. 4) It is a revelation from the Lord of the Worlds, and is therefore universal for all.

There is more food for thought. Just open the Book and discover. Reflection upon Divine Clear Signs (ayat) is considered an act of worship.

transliteration characters:

Surah Name

Definition

Number

Al-Fatihah

The opening surah

1

Al-Baqarah

The cow

2

Ali-‘Imran

The ‘Imran people

3

An-Nisa’

The Women

4

Al-Ma’idah

The Divine food

5

Al-An’am

The cattle

6

Al-Anfal

The booty of war

8

At-Tawbah

(Bara’ah)

The repentance

(immunity)

9

Yunus

The Prophet Jonah (pbuh)

10

Hud

The Prophet Hud (pbuh)

11

Yusuf

The Prophet Joseph (pbuh)

12

Ar-Ra’ad

The thunder

13

Ibrahim

The Prophet Abraham (pbuh)

14

Al-Hijr

The rocky cave

15

An-Nahl

The honeybee

16

Al-Isra’

The Divine night journey

17

Al-Kahf

The cave

18

Maryam

Holy Mary (pbuh)

19

Ta-Ha

Ta-Ha Divine code

20

Al-Anbiya’

The prophets

21

Al-Hajj

The Makkah pilgrimage

22

Al-Mu’minun

The believers

23

An-Nur

The Light

24

Al-Furqan

The Criterion for Distinction

25

Ash-Shu’ara’

The poets

26

An-Naml

The ant

27

Al-Qasas

The narratives

28

Al-Ankabut

The spider

29

Ar-Rum

The Romans

30

Luqman

Luqman, the wise man

31

As-Sajdah

The prostration

32

Al-Ahzab

The Confederates (The Parties)

33

Saba

The city of Saba

34

Fatir

Originator of creation

35

Ya-Sin

Ya-Sin Divine code

36

As-Saffat

The rangers

37

Sad

Sad Divine code

38

Az-Zumar

The companions

39

Ghafir (Mu’min)

The Forgiver (The Believer)

40

Fussilat

(Ha-mim)

Expounded

(Hamim Divine code)

41

Ash-Shura

The Council

42

As-Zukhruf

Gold adornments

43

Ad-Dukhan

The smoke

44

Al-Jathiyah

The hobbling

45

Al-Ahqaf

The sand-dunes

46

Muhammad

The Prophet Muhammad (SA)

47

Al-Fath

The victory

48

Al-Hujurat

The chambers

49

Qaf

Qaf Divine code

50

Adh-Dhariyat

The scatterers

51

At-Tur

The name of a mountain

52

An-Najm

The star

53

Al-Qamar

The moon

54

Ar-Rahman

The Beneficent

55

Al-Waqi’ah

The Great Inevitable Event

56

Al-Hadid

The iron

57

Al-Mujadalah

The pleading one

58

Al-Hashr

The Mustering

59

Al-Mumtahinah

The examined one

60

As-Saff

The ranks

61

Al-Jumu’ah

The Friday prayer

62

Al-Munafiqun

The hypocrites

63

At-Taghabun

The day of excessive loss

64

At-Talaq

The Divorce

65

At-Tahrim

The prohibition

66

Al-Mulk

The kingdom

67

Al-Qalam

The pen

68

Al-Haqqah

The inevitable calamity

69

Al-Ma’arij

The Lord of Ascension

70

Nuh

The Prophet Noah (pbuh)

71

Al-Jinn

The jinn

72

Al-Muzzammil

Enrapped in cloaks

73

Al-Muddaththir

The one wrapped up

74

Al-Qiyamah

The resurrection

75

Al-Insan (Dahr)

The humankind (The time)

76

Al-Mursalat

The continual Risalah

77

An-Naba’

The tiding

78

An-Nazrat

The plucking angels

79

‘Abasa

He frowned

80

At-Takwir

The eclipse of the sun

81

Al-Intifar

The time of splitting of the sky

82

Al-Mutaffifin

The Deceivers in measuring

83

Al-Inshiqaq

The bursting

84

Al-Buruj

The Celestial stations

85

At-Tariq

The night star

86

Al-A’la

The most high

87

Al-Ghashiyah

The overwhelming calamity

88

Al-Fajr

The daybreak

89

Al-Balad

The city

90

Ash-Shams

The sun

91

Al-Layl

The night

92

Ad-Duha

The brightness

93

Inshirah

(ash-Sharh)

Expansion (of inner light)

94

At-Tin

The fig

95

Al-‘Alaq

The blood clot

96

Al-Qadr

The Excellence

97

Al-Bayyinah

The clear evidence

98

Az-Zilzal

The earthquake

99

Al-‘Adiyat

The runners

100

Al-Qari’ah

The Clamour

101

At-Takathur

The rivalry in worldly increase

102

Al-‘Asr

The promised age

103

Al-Humazah

The Backbiters

104

Al-Fil

The elephant

105

Quraysh

Quraysh people

106

Al-Ma’un

The Charity

107

Al-Kawthar

The Abundance

(Heavenly Fountain)

108

Al-Kafirun

The Unbelievers

109

An-Nasr

The Support (of Allah)

110

Al-Lahab

The Flame

111

Al-Ikhlas

(Tawhid)

The Absolute purity

(The Divine Unity)

112

Al-Falaq

The dawn

113

An-Nas

The people

114

or goddesses are associated. "He begets not, nor is He begotten, And there is not a single one to equate with Him." (112)

Apostle: See rasul.

ayah: Clear Sign from Allah, miracle. Shortest unit of the Qur'anic text.

ayat: Plural of ayah.

Diya': Light, brilliancy.

Din: The way of life as prescribed by Allah. Religion is the closest word in English, but is not a precise representation. There are many religions, whereas there is only one din, which started from the time of The Prophet Adam (PBUH), was gradually completed by many prophets such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus Christ (PBUT all), and Muhammad (SA), and was finally perfected by Allah, the exalted in the form of Islam. The word din has been mentioned in the Glorious Qur'an about 70 times, but there is no mention of its plural form, 'adyan.

Du’a': Supplication.

Fitnah: Allurement, seduction, discord, riot, disturbance, civil war, impiety, unbelief, sin, chastisement, madness.

al‑Furqan: The Criterion to distinguish between good and evil (one of the names of the Glorious Qur'an).

Furqan: See al‑Furqan.

Hadith: A collection of words of Muhammad (SA) as quoted by reliable sources who reported directly from him, and identification of a series of reputable dignitaries who heard the quotations from one another before it was finally documented. A complete reputable linkage is necessary for an authentic Hadith. The plural is ahadith.

Hadrat: Excellency, Highness, a title used before the name of Messengers, angels, imams, religious leaders, and pious personalities.

Hijrah: The victorious migration of Muhammad (SA) from Makkah to Madinah, in A.D. 621, which initiates

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the Islamic calendar.

Imamah: Imamate, one of the five Shi’iy principles, the belief in 12 infallible imams, as leaders of Islamic community.

Injil, the: The Book of Divine Revelation to The Prophet Jesus Christ (PBUH) (the source from which the New Testament is produced).

Islam: As a concept, in the form of a verbal noun, means "the state of being submitted (to the will of Allah, the Exalted) at all times". As a religion, in the form of a proper noun, it is the perfection of din (please see din) before Allah. As a word, it has a variety of meanings, most suitable for the final stage of Allah's din. Various derivatives of its root denote perfection, safety, security and protection, health and freedom from defect, salvation and preservation, peace and tranquillity, salutation and greetings, reconciliation, and most importantly, submission to the will of Allah, and obedience.

Jinn: Jinns are made of smokeless fire, men made of clay, and Angels made of light. As in the case of mankind, there are both believers and unbelievers, among jinnkind. Their bodies are mare subtle than those of humans, and cannot be normally seen by mankind. But they are known to have affected the lives of men in various ways.

Ka’bah, the: The Holy focal point representing the Oneness of Allah and his Islam. There are indications that it was first built by The Prophet Adam (PBUH). But it is certain that its construction goes back at least to the time of The Prophet Abraham and his son

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Ishmael (PBUT). After the establishment of truth of the Unity of Allah by The Prophet Abraham (PBUH), people gradually fell into idol worship again for many gener­ations until the time of Muhammad (SA), when the Kacbah was cleared of idols, and the worship of One True Allah was re‑established. Muslims, worldwide, turn to the Kacbah when praying, as a convergence to the Oneness of Allah and the Unity of His din. The Kacbah is also a focal point for the unity of Muslims when they gather together during the pilgrimage. The rite of circumambulation around the Kacbah emulates the circumambulation of angels around the Throne of Allah in the Heavens.

Khums: a tax on surplus wealth.

Madyan: Midianites. The Prophet Jethro (PBUH) was missioned by Allah for guidance of this community.

Messenger: See nabiy (Divine Prophet) and rasul (Divine Apostle). Messenger is taken to mean either nabiy or rasul.

Mishkah: Niche.

Mubin: According to A. Yusuf cAli, the renowned translator of the Glorious Qur'an, mubin means beautifully plain, clear, unambiguous, self‑evident, not involved in mysteries of origin, history, or meaning, one which everyone can understand as to the essentials necessary for him (or her). Mubin has all these meanings, but it suggests, besides, some quality of a shining light, by which we are able to make things clear, to distinguish the true from the false. With this in mind, perspicuous, illuminating or enlightening might be a good representation of mubin.

Nabiy: A messenger, selected by Allah, who is in communication with Him and can bring back

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Divine news and information. He is not necessarily charged with the mission of risdlah. Out of some 124,000 nabiys who have helped mankind since its creation, only 313 were commissioned as rasuls.

Nur: Visible radiation, capable of causing a visual sensation, light, lighted (lit), luminous body, reflection or manifestation of the source (and The Truth).

Peace: A by‑product of justice. Peace can only be achieved when justice prevails using one universal code of justice according to Almighty Allah, and not various standards according to heads of states.

Prophet: See nabiy.

Rasul: A messenger, selected by Allah, who is charged with certain Divine mission. He must also be a nabiy in order to be able to communicate with Allah and accomplish his mission.

Risalah: The Divine mission for a rasul, planned by Allah the Exalted.

Shi’iy: Shiite.

Siraj: Lamp, wick, a glowing subject (e.g. glow‑worm), sun. See also wahhdj under which an ayah from the Glorious Qur'an includes both words.

Surah: Each of the 114 chapters of the Glorious Qur'an is called one surah.

Tafsir: Exegesis, commentary, explanation, interpretation. Please see Note below.(1)

Tawrah, the: The Book of Divine Revelation to The Prophet Moses (PBUH) (the source from which the Old Testament is produced).

Taqwa: Piety, virtue, the opposite of being the slave of one's selfish desires.

Tawhid: The paramount principle of Islamic unity. It starts with the Unity or Uniqueness of Allah, the Exalted, [There is no gods) or goddesses) except Allah], and penetrates globally through every aspect of life and death, such as the Unity of the universe, religion (din), mankind,

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race, Divine Plan, and so forth.

Ta'wil: Paraphrasing, commenting and expounding by going back to the root and origin of the subject, interpretation. Please see Note below. 38

Tafsir: Exegesis, commentary, explanation, interpretation. Please see the following note. 38

Thamud: Thamud community to which The Prophet Saiih (PBUH) was sent by Allah for guidance.

Wahhaj: Stems from a root that denotes: to blaze fiercely, to kindle (the fire), to be vehemently hot, to shine, intense heat or glow (of the sun or fire). "And (have We not) built over you the seven firmaments, and placed (therein) a lamp (the sun) [siraj] that glows intensely (wahhaj]?" (78:12‑13)

Wahy: The process of Divine revelation to messengers of Allah. For more information please refer to Chapter II, section A), item 7, "What is the Mother of the Book" on page 11, and also item 19, "What was the first revelation..." on page 27.

Ummah: The Muslim community, brotherhood.

Zakariyya: Father of Yahya, John the Baptist (PBUH).

Zakat: a tax on certain produce of the land, mines, etc.

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