An Introduction to the Holy Quran and its Characteristics

The Holy Quran was revealed on the Holy Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬in 23 years. After the declaration of His
prophet hood at the age of 40. This is the most sacred book among the three others, Torat, Zabur
and the Bible. Besides these four Holy Books, other small Sahi-fas were also revealed on other
prophets.

INTRODUCTION: TO THE HOLY QURAN:

 By Quran means collecting, living beside and the recitation. By Quran, Allah means
reading it again and again.
 Allah named the Holy Quran in the following manners: Kitab, Al-furqan, Kalam,
Zikar., Huda, Shifa, etc.
 There are 114 Surah’s in the Holy Quran while by Surah means status, height, pitch,
boundary, ‘elevation and mercy. By Surah, it is meant to be a chapter. In every Surah,
there are verses called ayahs. By Ayah means sign or miracle. It means every Ayah of
the Holy Quran is a sign of the Greatness of Allah. And every Ayah is a miracle in
such a way that no creature among men, jins and angels can create such an Ayah.
 The Holy Quran is divided into 30 parts called Paras and 7 Divisions each called
Manzil.
 It was revealed on ‘the Holy Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬through Wahi by the Great angel Jibrael ‫عليه‬
‫السالم‬.
 The Holy Quran first started revealing at the age of 40. While the Holy Prophet ‫ﷺ‬
was in cave Hira three miles away from the Holy Mecca.
 Up to 13 years the Holy Quran was revealed ‫ ﷺ‬in Mecca. When the Holy Prophet
remained there after the Declaration of His prophethood. For 10 years the rest of the
Quran was revealed in Madinah after he migrated to Madinah. Those Surah’s revealed
in Mecca were called Mecca and those revealed in Madinah were called Madni
Surah’s.
 As soon as the verses of the Quran revealed. The followers of the Holy Prophet
‫ﷺ‬learnt by heart and started following upon them.
 The present Quran which we have’ in our hands is just the same copy of the Quran
which is in LOHI MEHFUZ. Nobody could and even can not change even a single
word. Because Allah himself has taken the responsibility of safeguarding the Holy
Quran. While the other Holy Books like Torah, Zabur. And the Bible have been
changed by the past generations to such an extent that most of their original matters
have lost their originality of meaning and the text.
 The Holy Quran can be introduced with the most important traits that no book can
parallel it in his universe.
An Introduction to the Holy Quran and its Characteristics

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HOLY QURAN.

1. The Quran is in the words of Allah:

. No book can claim to be in the language of Allah except the Holy Quran. This book is a
relationship between man and God through the Holy Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. This Book being the Book of
Allah has its elevation to such an extent that nobody can judge of it.

2. Its Words are a Miracle:

The words of the Quran in the shape of verses are in such form that nobody can claim to
construct such words and this is the great miracle which has been announced by Allah in the
Holy Quran. It is also true that how the brain of the creature can compete the wisdom of Allah
who is the Creator of all.

3. The Quran is Concise:

The matter in the Quran has been described in such a manner that it logically explains every
relevant matter. Moreover, unnecessary and irrelevant things have been left out. There is
repetition of certain events which have been happening in the previous generations. These events
have direct effect and relationship with the circumstances around us today.

4. There is Depth in the Subject:

Though the language of the Holy Quran is simple yet there is great depth in the words. Every
verse has a direct relationship with the events happening around us today and till the Doom! S
Day. Moreover, every verse is a clear directive towards man’s life.

5. The Holy Quran Creates Mental and Social Revolution:

The Holy Quran is a book of revolution It is against dull life, lethargy, weakness and dishonour
in life. It leads the Muslims toward progress and change. By progress Quran means economic
mic and social progress, the Quran does not allow the Muslims to remain slave of others. The
Quran orders them to adopt Jihad and break the bonds of slavery and bring out a social
revolution in this world till they get command of this whole universe. They are ordered to break
the forces of Shirk and bring down the great powers which are not Muslims till they accept
Islam. The clear proof of this statement is that the Holy Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and his followers fought
more than 105 battles within ten years after the declaration of Jehad.
For a Muslin there is no rest. The Sahabah whenever came back from a war they were ordered by
the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬to go on another battle and in this way à chain of wars and battles is found in the
history of Islam during the period of the Holy Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and the Khulfa-i-Rashidin. Actually it
is the greatness of Muslims that they are accepted by Allah as His warriors. It is due to Jihad that
Islam is found today in all the corners of the world. It is due to absence of Jihad that that a large
part of world has not seen the light of Islam.

6. – The Holy Quran is the syllabus of Social Life:

The Holy Quran contains all matters social life beginning from family, passing through the
education, politics, economy and ending up to religion. It discusses all the social institution of
life, the Quran does not hesitate to discuss the husband and wife relationship and their delicate
bonds in which they have been tied. The Holy Quran discusses on all economic matters pure, and
impure and creating a fast line between them one for the Muslims and other for the non-
Muslims. There are parent-children relationship; neighbour-hood principle, old and young
relationship, ruler and ruled relationship and all the matters whatever come to happen in the life
of man. Hence the Quran: can be called to be a syllabus of man’s social life.

7. The Holy Quran is a Guide to the Righteousness:

The Books describes two ways in this universe. One leads to the hell. This way passes through
those actions and attitudes and beliefs which have been forbidden by Allah. The other way leads
to the Heaven passing through the beliefs and behaviours dictated by Allah and the Holy Prophet
‫ﷺ‬. In this way, this book is the true guide bf right and wrong for man on this earth.

8. There is no doubt in this Book:

This book is free from all doubts and suspicions. It is free from all mistakes and falsehood. This
book is true in words and actions. Whatever has been said is free from all proofs and
experimentation. If anybody finds any doubt about the Book, there is doubt in his brain. He tries
to find out mistakes in this Great Book it means he has been led astray and fallen away from the
true, path.

If he tries to make experimentation through observation of his eyes he will fail in his mission
use, there is order in the Holy Book that the believer’s belief in the Holy Quran unseen i.e.
without experimentation and observation. Because experimentation observation is related to
material objects only. The spiritual matters are free from physical observations. They are only to
be believed only by order of Allah. And this is called faith OLIM. in Islam. This Book creates a
group of faithful people called Mominin and these are the Muslims the words of Quran, and the
beliefs in the unseen
9. The Book is Shifa for the People:

In the words of the Quran, “there is Shifa for the people in this (Book)”. It means the Shifa has
not been specified in certain diseases. It means the Book is Shifa for all the diseases of man
when he believes in the Book. Especially those diseases which are not controlled by; the modern
medical therapies have been controlled by the Holy Quran, the mental and heart diseases in the
form of disruption, frustration, despair, restlessness and suicide etc. are those serious conditions
of man” life which have been directly controlled by the recitation of the Holy Quran.

When you feel a trouble of this type you open the Holy Book, read it with love and keenness
with the faith that no Book is superior to it in this world, then you find the result after a few
moments that the clouds of ill health are removed from the brain and the heart. N therapy can
claim to the solution of such diseases Such diseases are getting in large number due to the
increasing modern technology in our life. Dissatisfaction and disorder is growing commoner in
our life due to dis-satisfaction of social needs of people So in this period of frustration and
aggression, the Holy Quran presents a very useful and simple treatment of the same.

10. The Book invites towards faith and willfulness:

The Holy Quran is against: despair and cowardice. It creates the forces of hope and directs
towards the true path. This makes the Muslims to be an invincible power that is why he not
hesitate to face even the greatest power if Kufar and Shirk. The Book creates the forces of
bravery in its followers and makes them a dauntless power in the world. The Book invites the
people toward Islam and the Muslims are given the force of truth. The weakness of falsehood
and cowardice is removed from them.

As soon as they get into Islam by reading the Holy Kallima. “There is no deity except Allah, and
Muhammad (SAW) is the Prophet of Allah” he gets a power within himself that the darkness of
Kufr and Shirk is removed and he feels alight in his brain and heart. This light is the power of
Islam, true guide, faith and Iman. This light remains a guide throughout life for the Muslims in
thi

Mohammad Faraz

1. Qur'an - Qur'an is beyond a shadow of doubt, the main source of Islamic Law. Most
of the verses in Qur'an are clear as daylight, relevant to this date. However, a few are
 more indicative. To understand these, we have to take reference from what Prophet
Muhammad PBUH gave their explanations as. This is found in hadiths (narrations).
2. Hadith - Hadith is the record of narrations of Prophet Muhammad PBUH and upto 3
generations of Companions after him. Not all what is narrated / attributed via Prophet
Muhammad SAW is taken with a closed eye. Rather, only those narrations that have
reached us via "authentic" chain of "reliable & trustworthy" individuals / scholars is
taken into account. And biographies of each of these "reliable & trustworthy" narrators
is well maintained even upto this date. Narrations derived from such narrators is
classified as "Sahih". Sahih Hadees consist of explanations of Quranic Verses as well
as consist of detailed laws of Worship, Home Affairs, Trade, Market, Business,
Administration, etc.
Implied Sources from the above two.

3. Ijma - comes from word "Jama'a" or the rulings that are derived from above two sources. This
refers to the Jama'a (consensus) of First generation of companions, Second generation who learnt
from Companions and Third generation who learnt from Second Generation.

For newer matters, Consensus of Scholars after proper deliberation is considered.

4. Ijtihad - Even the Companions of Prophet who didn't find any issue in Qur'an and Hadith, or
Ijma'a, used to do Ijtihaad. Ijtihaad is deriving independent opinion on any issue as per the spirit
of Quran & Hadith.

For Example, the judgement shouldnt contradict Quranic laws either directly or in implied.

Also, no parties should be wronged from the judgement except the one who has done wrong.

Also, under Ijtihad, Qiyaas (analogy) can be derived.

These 4 are basic unified (in opinion) principles of deriving Laws in Islam. Key thing here is ...
Order is to be kept same. First Qur'an, Then Hadith, Then Ijmaa & only then Ijtihad.
In the name of Allah
Alsalamu Alaykum
There are four sources for sharia law (figh) according to Shia Muslim viewpoint (which, all of
them return to Allah, directly or indirectly). The Quran introduces the SunnAh and Reason (Aql)
as sources of knowledge. In bellow will be mentioned the Sharia law sources briefly.
1. The Holy Qur'an
The main and first source of Islamic law which other sources are taken from, is the Holy Quran;
the Qur'an will always be existing in its original form. With the precautions taken by the holy
Prophet. However, to draw inferences from the Qur'anic verses requires a special study of them
and Everyone cannot have access to all the contents of the Qur'an (to interpret the verses and to
reconcile them, keeping in mind all the explanations given in the Sunnah is a matter of
 specialization) but, it should not be forgotten that the Qur'an is a Book of clear guidance and all
those who know its language can be benefited by it directly. Others can have access to it through
its translations. All can be guided by its Light.
2. Sunnah
Including traditions reported by the holy prophet and infallible imam’s; in addition, their actions,
and confirming. In reality, the Sunnah is as an interpreter of the Holy Quran; as the Qur'an itself
expresses:
‫… َو َأْنَز ْلنا ِإَلْيَك الِّذْكَر ِلُتَبِّيَن ِللَّناِس ما ُنِّز َل ِإَلْيِهْم َو َلَعَّلُهْم َيَتَفَّكُر ون‬
We have sent down the reminder (Quran) to you so that you may clarify for the people that
which has been sent down to them, so that they may reflect (Surah Al-Nahl:44).
3. Consensus (Ijma)
Consensus of opinion (Ijma`) is considered another source of law besides the Qur'an and the
Sunnah, in the sense that if the jurists agree with an opinion, we should act upon it even if we do
not find anything in the Qur'an and the Sunnah to support it.
The Shi'ah jurists maintain that if some authority is found on a rule of law in the Qur'an or the
Sunnah, the question of the consensus of opinion does not arise. A text should always be given
preference over a consensus. But if no authority is found and still the jurists have expressed an
opinion, we regard it as authoritative, presuming that the jurists must have had some authority in
support of their opinion, though we could not find it. In this way the validity of a rule of law,
even in such cases is actually based on some authority in the Sunnah not known to us.
4. Reason (Aql)
Reason plays a basic role in ijtihad (the deduction of the rules of religious law from the sources).
Its role in ascertaining the rules of Islamic law has such an importance that it is said that reason
and Islamic law are inseparable. There is a maxim which says:
"Whatever judgement is pronounced by reason is pronounced by Islamic law and whatever
judgement is pronounced by Islamic law is pronounced by reason."
However, the Quran and the narration expressed many sharia laws, but there are matters which
have not been dealt with expressly by the Qur'an and the Suunah. We know that Islam is an all-
pervasive and ever-lasting religion. Then what should we do with regard to these matters? In
such cases the Islamic cannon law has certain principles and general rules by the application of
which and keeping in mind the contents of the Qur'an and the Sunnah, the problem of the new
questions can be resolved. This is one of the most difficult stages of juristic deduction.
These principles and rules have either been derived directly from the religious tests and can be
utilized only under the guidance of reason, or are basically the axioms which are applied to
juristic deduction of Islamic laws.

III)ANSWER THE FOLLOWING

11) Discuss the concept and emergence of Jurisprudence?
Ans) Jurisprudence means the rules and regulations of fiqh according to the Islam law which
infer the society and benefit it in positive ways. The concept of Jurisprudence is to concise
 general legislative rules on matters similar to jurisprudential maxims. The emergence of
Jurisprudence can be considered from the Prophet’s era and its rules are deduced from the text of
Holy Quran and Suunah. The formats of these rules were gradually established in the ages of the
prosperity of Islamic Jurisprudence.
22) What is the importance of the rules of Jurisprudence?
Ans. The rules of jurisprudence are of great value to a person pursuing knowledge; these rules
assist in:
- Understanding and memorizing many similar jurisprudential matters.
- Knowledge of the blessings of religion, its noble purposes and the fact that it suits all time and
all place related to past, present or future.
- Constituting a jurisprudential capability, which enables a student to deduce jurisprudential
rulings on new facts through qiyas.

3.) Discuss the normative juridicial maxims.

Ans) Rules of Jurisprudence are not of the same degree. There are five famous normative
maxims which all fiqh schools of thought have agrred upon relying on them. These maxims
include branches of all fiqh sources. The five normative rules of jurisprudence are as follows:
1i. Acts are judged by the intention behind them.
The words and deeds of man are subject to his intention. His deeds
are acceptable and deserve rewards if his intention is right. They are
unacceptable and constitute guilt of his intention is corrupt.

2ii. Certanity is not overruled by doubt.

If one has doubts but one is possessed by prior certainty, one will not be
bothered with doubts. Instead he refers to one's prior certainty because
certainty is firm belief whereas doubt is hesitation as to whether something

will occur or not.

3iii. Harm must be eliminated.
There are circumstances which being out hardship or difficulty to man when applying by Sharia
rulings. Hardship is of two types.
· Customary hardship:
This type of Hadrship is related to worshipping customs such as the hardship of fastening or the
hardships of Haj. There are countless examples of it.
· Uncustomary Hardship:
This is emergent and requires extra efforts such as hardship in travel and sickness.
4iv. Hardship begets facility.
Sharia forbids harming the self or others by forbidding the occurrence of
harm in the first place or by removing harm when it occurs
5v. Custom is the basis of judgment.
Words and deeds which people are accustomed to and have normalized
are ascribable to norms and considerable customsif they do not contravene
a Sharia text and have no measure in Sharia or language.

Custom denotes recurring happenings with the majority of people; these

happenings recur until they become acceptable, ie. people do not
object to them or feel that they are exotic. Convention is a mater which
most people are accustomed to and which belongs to words, deeds or
avoidance. If a matter is subject to judgment, this denotes that settlement
and ruling constitute the basis of adjudication between people.
The Qur'an is the principal source of Islamic law, the Sharia. It contains the rules by which the
Muslim world is governed (or should govern itself) and forms the basis for relations between
man and God, between individuals, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, as well as between man and
things which are part of creation. The Sharia contains the rules by which a Muslim society is
organized and governed, and it provides the means to resolve conflicts among individuals and
between the individual and the state.
There is no dispute among Muslims that the Qur'an is the basis of the Sharia and that its specific
provisions are to be scrupulously observed. The Hadith and Sunna are complementary sources to
the Qur'an and consist of the sayings of the Prophet and accounts of his deeds. The Sunna helps
to explain the Qur'an, but it may not be interpreted or applied in any way which is inconsistent
with the Qur'an.

Copy-boards held safely out of view on their heads, students in Djenné, Mali recite a Qur'an
passage from memory. (Aramco World Magazine, September-October, 1991; photo Brynn
Bruijn).
Though there are other sources of law—i.e., ijma', (consensus), qiyas, (analogy), ijtihad,
(progressive reasoning by analogy)—the Qur'an is the first and foremost source, followed by the
Hadith and Sunna. Other sources of law and rules of interpretation of the Qur'an and the Hadith
and Sunna follow in accordance with a generally accepted jurisprudential scheme.
And nor shall we be punishing until we had sent them an Apostle.
Qur'an 17:15
The Qur'an contains a variety of law-making provisions and legal proscriptions interspersed
throughout its chapters (suwar) and verses (ayat). A number of rules exist for interpreting these
provisions, such as the position of a given ayah within the context of the surah, which in turn is
interpreted in accordance with its place in the sequence of revelations, its reference to other
revelations, and its historical context in relation to particular conditions which existed at the time
of the given revelation. These and other rules are known as the science of interpretation (ilm usul
aI-fiqh). According to these rules, for example, one initially is to refer to a specific provision and
then to a general provision dealing with a particular situation. No general provision can be
interpreted to contradict a specific provision, and a specific rule will supersede a general
proposition. A general provision, however, is always interpreted in the broadest manner, while a
specific provision is interpreted in the narrowest manner. Reasoning by analogy is permitted, as
are applications by analogy, except where expressly prohibited. Simplicity and clear language
are always preferred. Similarly, the clear spirit of certain prescriptions cannot be altered by
inconsistent interpretations. A policy-oriented interpretation within the confines of the rules of
jurisprudence is permissible and even recommended, as is the case with the doctrine of ijtihad
(progressive reasoning by analogy).

"Avoid condemning the Muslim to Hudud whenever you can, and when you can find a way out
for the Muslim then release him for it. If the Imam errs it is better that he errs in favor of
innocence (pardon) than in favor of guilt (punishment)."
The Prophet's Hadith
"Were people to be given in accordance with their claim, men would claim the fortunes and lives
of (other) people, but the onus of proof is on the claimant and the taking of an oath is incumbent
 upon him who denies."
The Prophet's Hadith
Muslim scholars do not consider Islam to be an evolving religion, but rather a religion and legal
system which applies to all times. It is, therefore, the application that is susceptible to evolution.
Indeed, the provisions of the Qur'an are such that by their disciplined interpretation, with the aid
of the Hadith and Sunna and other sources of interpretation, Islam can, as intended, provide the
solution to contemporary social problems.

Fourteen centuries ago Islam was a spiritual, social, and legal revolution. Its potential for
effecting progress remains unchanged. This is essentially the belief of enlightened
fundamentalist Muslims. Islamic fundamentalism is not, therefore, a regressive view of history
and contemporary reality. Islam at the height of its civilization, between the seventh and eleventh
centuries, was neither repressive nor regressive. It was a progressive, humanistic, and legalistic
force for reform and justice.

Lo! Allah commandeth you that ye restore deposits to their owners, and , if ye judge between
mankind, that ye judge justly. Lo! comely is this which Allah admonisheth you. Lo! Allah is ever
Hearer, Seer.
Qur'an 4

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The Qur'an is the principal source of Islamic law, the Sharia. It contains the rules by which the
Muslim world is governed (or should govern itself) and forms the basis for relations between
man and God, between individuals, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, as well as between man and
things which are part of creation.24 Jan 2012
The Sunna is an authoritative source in Islamic law because the Qur'an is understood as ordering
Muslims to “obey God and obey the Messenger” (Qur'an 8:1) and to “take what the Messenger
has ordained for you and desist from what he has prohibited” (Qur'an 59:7). “Sunna” is the
Arabic term for the prophet Muhammad's way of life and legal precedent. It comes from the pre-
Islamic Arab notion of Sunna as the way of life of a tribe, which is reflected in the Qur'an's use
of the word to mean “the ways of God” (Qur'an 33:37, 62) or “ways of life” of earlier peoples
(Qur'an 3:137). The Sunna is an authoritative source in Islamic law because the Qur'an is
understood as ordering Muslims to “obey God and obey the Messenger” (Qur'an 8:1) and to
“take what the Messenger has ordained for you and desist from what he has prohibited” (Qur'an
59:7). In the framework of Islamic law, the Sunna explains duties left unclear in the Qur'an, such
as how to pray; replaces Qur'anic rulings; and adds new details of law and belief as well.
Although the Qur'an is held by Muslims to be the literal word of God and the ultimate fount of
all Islamic teachings, from the earliest period of Islam Muslim scholars recognized that the
Sunna's role as the lens through which the Qur'an was understood made it in effect more
authoritative than the Qur'an. In providing the details for the general principles laid out in the
Qur'an, the Sunna effectively defined what those principles were. The Sunna is not simply a list
of Muhammad's legal pronouncements about what is required or prohibited for Muslims. It
denotes his behavior in general, from the details of his dress to his interaction with his wives. As
a result many details of the Sunna are not black and white requirements or prohibitions; they are
either behavior that is recommended but not required or behavior that is licit but not
recommended. Although Sunni Islam (the original Arabic term is ahl al-sunna wa'l-jamaʿa, “the
people of the Sunna and the collective”) takes its name from the term “Sunna,” Shiʿite Muslims
are equally committed to the ideal of imitating the prophet's precedent. Shiʿite Islam simply has
its own vision of the Sunna, namely the teachings of the prophet as transmitted by the twelve
imams and elaborated by Shiʿite scholars.