BACKGROUND
OF QURAN IS THE WORD OF ALLAH
ASSEMBLED
BY MALLAM ABBA ABANA, KUBWA, ABUJA, NIGERIA
http://variousislamicdawadocuments.blogspot.com
https://web.facebook.com/abba.abana
emails:gonidamgamiri@yahoo.com;
abba.abana@gmail.com
Bismillah
Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah. As-Salaam Alaikum
Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu.
Praise
be to Allaah; we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah
from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides
will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can
guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad
(Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam) is His slave and Messenger.
PREAMBLE
QUESTION FROM A BROTHER: PLS I need someone to
tell me the Qur'anic verse and chapter dat says d Qur'anic words are from Allah
directly not prophet Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam), because there's an
argument going on between me and one stupid Christian.
Contents in this article include:
1. Background
of Quran Is the Word of Allah
2.
Quran’s Message
3.
Quran’s Preservation
4.
Quran’s Authenticity
5.
Quran’s Miracles
6.
Quran’s Universality
BACKGROUND OF QURAN IS
THE WORD OF ALLAH
The
Quran is the holy book which Muslims recite and turn to for guidance in all
aspects of their lives. Its verses have remained intact since their original
revelation by God in the 7th century. This brochure explains the divine origin
of the Quran by elaborating upon its preservation, authenticity and miracles.
It also discusses the Quranic message which has universal appeal and is
relevant for all times.
The
Quran is the last testament in a series of divine revelations from God (Allah
in Arabic). It consists of the unaltered and direct words of God, which were
revealed through the Angel Gabriel to Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam), the
final prophet of Islam, more than 1400 years ago.
Islam
is a continuation of the message received by previous prophets, such as Noah,
Abraham, David, Moses and Jesus, peace be upon them all. Therefore, the Quran
maintains the pure teachings of previous revelations, including the Torah and
the Gospel. The Quran describes that all the prophets taught people to believe
in the One God, the Creator. The messengers also instructed them to spend their
lives with God-consciousness, doing good deeds and avoiding sins. Moreover,
they warned their fellow humans of accountability in the afterlife, a subject
which the Quran returns to again and again.
Since
its revelation, the Quran (also spelled ‘Koran’) has remained preserved in its
exact, primary text. While numerous translations of the Quran exist, they are
all based on the single, original Arabic script, making the Quran unique from
previous scriptures in its pure authenticity.
QURAN’S MESSAGE
The
distinctive approach of the Quran is that its spiritual message includes
practical injunctions aimed at the general welfare of individuals, society and
the environment in which we live.
The
Quran’s message is eternal and universal, transcending our differences in race,
color, ethnicity and nationality. It provides guidance on every facet of human
life – from economics and the ethics of trade to marriage, divorce, parenting,
gender issues and inheritance.
Monotheism
is a prominent theme of the Quran, affirming that God is One without any
partners. In a concisely-worded Quranic chapter, God commands, “Say, ‘He is God
the One, God the eternal. He begot no one nor was He begotten. No one is
comparable to Him’” (Holy Quran Chapter 112:1-4). [Belief in One God]
A
foundational message in the Quran is its emphasis on righteous conduct built on
firm belief and love for God. The Quran acknowledges human desires while
reminding individuals to cultivate their souls. In addition, God calls on
humans to use their intellect and reflect on the world around them. The Quran
encourages humankind to recognize the signs of God’s existence in the precise
order of the universe and the careful placement of every object in the total
scheme of creation.
As
Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam), former British pop star, has expressed, “Everything
made so much sense. This is the beauty of the Quran; it asks you to reflect and
reason… When I read the Quran further, it talked about prayer, kindness and
charity. I was not a Muslim yet, but I felt the only answer for me was the
Quran and God had sent it to me.”
QURAN’S PRESERVATION
Muslims
believe that God sent many revelations to humanity throughout history, and over
time they underwent changes from their original form. However, God chose to
preserve His message to humanity in His final revelation, the Quran. Yet, one
might wonder, which evidence supports the claim that the Quran has never been
modified?
The
Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam) over a period
of 23 years. The unique rhythmic style of the Quran made it easy to memorize,
which has been the main source of its preservation. Moreover, since Prophet Muhammad
(Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam) could not read or write, he appointed scribes to
record the Quran as it was being revealed to him. Thus, the complete Quran was
not only memorized by Prophet Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam) and many of
his companions, but it also existed in its entirety in written form during his
lifetime. [Biography of Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam) by a non-Muslim]
Within
a year after Prophet Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam) ’s death, a manuscript
of the entire Quran was assembled by a committee led by his chief scribe, who
followed stringent criteria to safeguard against any errors. This copy was
approved unanimously by Prophet Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam)’s
companions, including hundreds that had memorized the entire Quran. Eventually,
several copies of the Quran were compiled in book form and distributed to the
major Muslim cities. One such copy is currently at the museum in Tashkent and a
facsimile of it, produced in 1905, is available in the Columbia University
Library.
The
process of memorization began during Prophet Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam)
’s life and is still emphasized by Muslims to this day. In his book, An
Introduction to Hadith, John Burton explains that oral transmission through the
generations aids preservation by diminishing reliance solely on written
records. Manuscripts which are not protected through memorization can be
altered, edited or lost overtime. However, a book that is committed to memory
by millions of people across the world over centuries cannot be changed due to
the amount of people who know it word-for-word.
God
promises in the Quran, “We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We
will assuredly Guard it (from corruption)” (Holy Quran Chapter 15:9).
QURAN’S AUTHENTICITY
Many
people mistakenly believe that the Quran was authored by Prophet Muhammad
(Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam) . In fact, the Quran is the preserved speech of God.
At the same time, one might ask, which proofs indicate that the Quran is the
Word of God and not the writings of Prophet Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam)?
In
the Quran, God addresses Prophet Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam), “You never
recited any Scripture before We revealed this one to you; you never wrote one
down with your hand” (Holy Quran Chapter 29:48). In other words, Prophet Muhammad
(Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam), who was known to be illiterate, neither read any
previous scriptures nor wrote the Quran.
Prophet
Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam) was greatly regarded in his society for his
superior character and exceptional manners, earning him the title of the
‘Truthful One.’ Even after his Prophethood, the elite of Mecca were ready to
make him their leader, so long as he allowed them to continue their pagan
lifestyles. Yet, he was willing to forego all worldly glory in order to fulfill
his mission. As a result, he suffered patiently through persecution and exile
before ultimately succeeding in revolutionizing the entire Arabian Peninsula.
Through
it all, God kept on revealing the Quran to him piecemeal. Occasionally, the
revelations stopped temporarily, reminding him and others that he had no
control over them. Once, when two envoys posed some questions to him, he
replied, “Tomorrow I will tell you.” He expected God will inspire the answers
in him through revelation and he waited for Angel Gabriel. However, revelation
did not come during the next few weeks even as Meccans taunted him. Finally,
God sent him the response while admonishing him, “Do not say of anything, ‘I
will do that tomorrow,’ without adding, ‘God willing’” (Holy Quran Chapter,
18:23-24).
The
Quran was revealed at a time when the Arabs excelled in oral poetry. However,
despite his intelligence, Prophet Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam) was not
skilled in composing poetry. Yet, when the Quranic verses were recited, they
stunned even the most acclaimed poets in the society. Deeply moved by the
rhythmic tone, literary merit and penetrating wisdom of the Quran, many
converted to Islam. Indeed, the science of Arabic grammar was developed after
the revelation of the Quran, using the Quran as a basis for devising its rules.
There
are many miracles in the Quran which themselves attest to the fact that this
truly is a divine scripture.
QURAN’S MIRACLES
The
Quran mentions phenomena that were unknown at the time. In fact, many were only
recently discovered by modern science.
For
example, God describes the stages of human development in the womb:
We
created man from an essence of clay, then We placed him as a drop of fluid in a
safe place, then We made that drop into a clinging form, and We made that form
into a lump of flesh, and We made that lump into bones, and We clothed those
bones with flesh, and later We made him into other forms –– glory be to God,
the best of creators! (Holy Quran Chapter, 23:12-14)
Professor
Keith Moore, a prominent scientist of anatomy and embryology at the University
of Toronto, Canada, has stated, “It has been a great pleasure for me to help
clarify statements in the Quran about human development. It is clear to me that
these statements must have come to Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam) from God
… because almost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries
later.”
The
Quran also describes the expansion of the universe: “And it is We who have
built the universe with (Our creative) power; and verily, it is We who are
steadily expanding it” (Holy Quran Chapter 51:47). It was not until 1925, when
Edwin Hubble provided evidence of receding galaxies, that the expanding
universe came to be accepted as a scientific fact.
Professor
Alfred Kroner, a world-famous geologist, explained: “Thinking about many of
these questions and thinking where Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam) came
from, he was after all a Bedouin, I think it is almost impossible that he could
have known about things like the common origin of the universe, because
scientists have only found out within the last few years with very complicated
and advanced technological methods that this is the case.”
QURAN’S UNIVERSALITY
“This
is the Scripture in which there is no doubt, containing guidance for those who
are mindful of God, who believe in the unseen…” (Holy Quran Chapter, 2:2-3).
The
Quranic message is relevant to every nation and era – another proof that the
Quran is truly the Word of God. Intending for this Book to remain a source of
guidance, inspiration, wisdom and healing for all of humanity, God designed its
message to transcend the bounds of time.
The
Quran’s divine message applies to all aspects of life and rises above the superficial
differences among humans. Its teachings guide the spiritual, social and
intellectual needs of humanity. It encourages us to remember God often, to
humble ourselves before Him, to fulfill our promises, to work together as a
community and to remain patient and perseverant in times of hardship. Quranic
stories teach us the importance of placing our trust in God, speaking the truth
in the face of injustice and dealing with fellow humans with mercy.
In a
world starved of love and compassion, the Quran’s universal message provides
the solution to the collective despair of the human condition. We invite you to
open it and receive the great benefit this book has to offer.
This
is a blessed Book which We sent down to you [Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam)
], for people to ponder over its message, and for those with understanding to
be reminded. (Holy Quran, 38:29)
Note:
The subscript p next to Prophet Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam) represents the invocation Muslims say with his
name: May God’s peace and blessings be upon him.
CONCLUSION
Islam
is a continuation of the message received by previous prophets, such as Noah,
Abraham, David, Moses and Jesus, peace be upon them all. Therefore, the Quran
maintains the pure teachings of previous revelations, including the Torah and
the Gospel. The Quran describes that all the prophets taught people to believe
in the One God, the Creator.
While
numerous translations of the Quran exist, they are all based on the single,
original Arabic script, making the Quran unique from previous scriptures in its
pure authenticity.
Monotheism
is a prominent theme of the Quran, affirming that God is One without any
partners. In a concisely-worded Quranic chapter, God commands, “Say, ‘He is God
the One, God the eternal. He begot no one nor was He begotten. No one is
comparable to Him’” (Holy Quran Chapter 112:1-4). [Belief in One God]
God
promises in the Quran, “We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We
will assuredly Guard it (from corruption)” (Holy Quran Chapter 15:9).
Finally,
God sent him the response while admonishing him, “Do not say of anything, ‘I
will do that tomorrow,’ without adding, ‘God willing’” (Holy Quran Chapter,
18:23-24).
For
example, God describes the stages of human development in the womb:
We
created man from an essence of clay, then We placed him as a drop of fluid in a
safe place, then We made that drop into a clinging form, and We made that form
into a lump of flesh, and We made that lump into bones, and We clothed those
bones with flesh, and later We made him into other forms –– glory be to God,
the best of creators! (Holy Quran Chapter, 23:12-14)
The
Quran also describes the expansion of the universe: “And it is We who have
built the universe with (Our creative) power; and verily, it is We who are
steadily expanding it” (Holy Quran Chapter 51:47). It was not until 1925, when
Edwin Hubble provided evidence of receding galaxies, that the expanding
universe came to be accepted as a scientific fact.
“This
is the Scripture in which there is no doubt, containing guidance for those who
are mindful of God, who believe in the unseen…” (Holy Quran Chapter, 2:2-3).
This
is a blessed Book which We sent down to you [Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam)
], for people to ponder over its message, and for those with understanding to
be reminded. (Holy Quran, 38:29)
