The Holy Qur’aan

 

What is the Qur’aan?

Praise be to
Allaah.

The
Qur’aan is the word of the Lord of the Worlds, which Allaah revealed
to His Messenger Muhammad

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), to bring mankind forth
from darkness into light: 

“It is He Who sends down manifest Ayaat
(proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) to His
slave (Muhammad) that He may bring you out from darkness into light

[al-Hadeed
57:9 – interpretation of the meaning] 

Allaah
has told us in the Qur’aan the stories of the earlier and later generations
and the creation of the heavens and the earth. He has explained in detail
what is halaal and what is haraam, the basics of good manners and morals,
the rulings of worship and dealings with others, the lives of the Prophets
and the righteous, and the reward and punishment of the believers and
disbelievers. He has described Paradise, the abode of the believers,
and He has described Hell, the abode of the disbelievers. He has made
it (the Qur’aan) an explanation of all things:

“And We have sent down to you the Book
(the Qur’aan) as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and
glad tidings for those who have submitted themselves (to Allaah as Muslims)”

[al-Nahl 16:89 – interpretation of the meaning] 

The
Qur’aan explains the names and attributes of Allaah and what He has
created. It calls us to believe in Allaah, His angels, His Books, His
Messengers and the Last Day: 

“The Messenger (Muhammad) believes in
what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers.
Each one believes in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers.
(They say,) ‘We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers’
— and they say, ‘We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your forgiveness, our
Lord, and to You is the return (of all)’”

[al-Baqarah 2:285 – interpretation of the meaning] 

The
Qur’aan describes the Day of Judgement and what will happen after death
– the resurrection, the gathering, the judgement and being brought to
account. It describes the Cistern, the Siraat (bridge over Hell), the
Balance [in which deeds will be weighed], the blessings and torment,
and the gathering of mankind on that great Day: 

“Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has
the right to be worshipped but He). Surely, He will gather you together
on the Day of Resurrection about which there is no doubt. And who is
truer in statement than Allaah?

[al-Nisaa’ 4:87 – interpretation of the meaning] 

The
Qur’aan calls us to examine and ponder the signs of Allaah in the universe
and the verses of the Qur’aan: 

“Say: ‘Behold all that is in the heavens
and the earth’”

[Yoonus 10:101 – interpretation of the meaning] 

“Do they not then think deeply in the
Qur’aan, or are their hearts locked up (from understanding it)?”

[Muhammad 47:24 – interpretation of the meaning] 

The Qur’aan is the Book of Allaah for all
of mankind: 

“Verily, We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the
Book (this Qur’aan) for mankind in truth. So whosoever accepts the guidance,
it is only for his ownself; and whosoever goes astray, he goes astray
only for his (own) loss. And you (O Muhammad) are not a Wakeel (trustee
or disposer of affairs, or guardian) over them”[al-Zumar 39:41 – interpretation
of the meaning] 

The Qur’aan confirms the Books which came
before it, the Tawraat (Torah) and Injeel (Gospel), and it is a witness
over them, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book
(this Qur’aan) in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it
and Muhaymin (trustworthy in highness and a witness) over it (old Scriptures)”[al-Maa'idah
5:48] 

After the Qur’aan was revealed, it became
the Book for all of mankind until the Hour begins. Whoever does not
believe in it is a kaafir who will be punished with torment on the Day
of Resurrection, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“But those who reject Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences,
verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), the torment will touch them
for their disbelief (and for their belying the Message of Muhammad)”[al-An’aam
6:49] 

Because of the greatness of the Qur’aan and
the signs, miracles, parables and lessons contained therein, in addition
to its eloquence and beautiful style, Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning): 

“Had We sent down this Qur’aan on a mountain, you
would surely have seen it humbling itself and rent asunder by the fear
of Allaah. Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that
they may reflect”[al-Hashr 58:21] 

Allaah has challenged mankind and the jinn
to produce something like it, even one soorah or one aayah, but they
could not do that and will never be able to do that, as Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): 

“Say: ‘If the mankind and the jinn were together
to produce the like of this Qur’aan, they could not produce the like
thereof, even if they helped one another’”[al-Israa’ 17:88] 

Because the Qur’aan
is the greatest of the heavenly Books, the most complete, the most perfect
and the last of them, Allaah commanded His Messenger Muhammad

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to convey it to all of mankind,
as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“O Messenger (Muhammad)! Proclaim (the Message) which
has been sent down to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you
have not conveyed His Message. Allaah will protect you from mankind”
[al-Maa'idah 5:67] 

Because of the importance
of this book and the ummah’s need for it, Allaah has honoured us with
it. He sent it down to us and has guaranteed to preserve it. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr
(i.e. the Qur’aan) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption)” [al-Hijr
15:9]