Islamic Studies

HUM-110

Compiled by: Hafiz Muhammad Zuhaib

COMSATS UNIVERSITY LAHORE

Lecture-1

Introduction of Al Quran
Al Quran as a Holy Book

The linguistic meaning of Al Quran

According to Al-Tabree, the word “Qur'an” is derived from “qar’aa”, which means “to read, or to
recite”.

The definition of the Quran

There are multiple definitions by multiple scholars but one of the most appropriate definitions is as
follows:1 “The Quran is the Arabic Kalaam ‘speech’ of Allah which he revealed to prophet
Muhammad PBUH in wording and meaning, and which is preserved in the mushafs, and which
reached us by mutawatir transmissions, and is a challenge to mankind to produce something similar
to it”.

The Names of the Quran

The Quran has referred to itself by several names, including:
1) Al-Quran: This name is mentioned seventy-three (73) times; it is no surprise that the book of
Allah is known by this name. Allah says in one verse:

‫ض َظ ِهيرً ا‬
ٍ ْ‫ض ُه ْم لِ َبع‬
ُ ْ‫ان َبع‬ َ ‫ان اَل َيْأ ُت‬
َ ‫ون ِبم ِْثلِهِۦ َو َل ْو َك‬ ‫ْأ‬
ِ ‫ت ٱِإْلنسُ َو ْٱل ِجنُّ َع َل ٰ ٓى َأن َي ُتوا ِبم ِْث ِل َه ٰـ َذا ْٱلقُرْ َء‬ ِ َّ‫قُل ل‬
ِ ‫ِئن ٱجْ َت َم َع‬

“Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “If ˹all˺ humans and jinn were to come together to produce the equivalent of this
Quran, they could not produce its equal, no matter how they supported each other.”(17-88)
2) The Kitaab(book): This name is mentioned seventy seven times.
1
Manahil al Arfan, v.1, p.21 , Az Zarqani.
 َ ‫ا ٓل ٓم ٰ َذل َِك ْٱل ِك َت ٰـبُ اَل َري‬
َ ‫ْب ۛ فِي ِه ۛ ُه ًدى لِّ ْل ُم َّتق‬
‫ِين‬
“This is the Book! There is no doubt about it—a guide for those mindful ˹of Allah” (1- 1-2)
3) Al-Furqaan(Criterion): Allah has mentioned this name four times in the Quraan. Al-furqaan
means that Quran is the criterion between Tauheed and Shirk, truth and falsehood, good and
evil. Allah says:
َ ‫ون ل ِْل َع ٰـ َلم‬
‫ِين َنذِيرً ا‬ َ ‫ك ٱلَّذِى َن َّز َل ْٱلفُرْ َق‬
َ ‫ان َع َل ٰى َع ْب ِدهِۦ لِ َي ُك‬ َ ‫َت َب‬
َ ‫ار‬
“Blessed is the One Who sent down the Criterion to His servant, so that he may be a warner to the
whole world”(25-1)
4) Al-Zikr (Remembrance): This name occurs fifty-five times in the Quraan. The zikr signifies that
Quraan is a Guidance and a Remembrance of the purpose of life, as it describes the purpose
of creation, the history of the past nations, and the descriptions of Heaven and Hell. Allah
says:
َ ُ‫ف ُتسْ ـَٔل‬
‫ون‬ َ َّ‫َوِإ َّنهُۥ َلذ ِْك ٌر ل‬
َ ‫ك َولِ َق ْوم‬
َ ‫ِك ۖ َو َس ْو‬
Surely this ˹Quran˺ is a glory for you and your people. And you will ˹all˺ be questioned ˹about
it˺.(43-44)
5) Al-Tanzeel (Revelation): The root word “na-za-la” signifies the descent of an object from a
higher place to a lower place. The Qur'an therefore, is a Revelation that was sent down from
Allah to the Prophet PBUH. Allah says:
َ ‫نزي ُل َربِّ ْٱل َع ٰـ َلم‬
‫ِين‬ ِ ‫َوِإ َّنهُۥ َل َت‬
“Verily this is a Revelation from the Lord of the Worlds” (26-192)
This name is one of many proofs that Allah, All Glory be to him, is above his creation and not
everywhere as some believe, as He is the one who “sent-down” the Quran.

The Quran as it describes itself

The best and most authentic way to describe the Al Quran would be to quote what it has to say
concerning itself. Some of these verses are the following:
The believer are told to rejoice in the revelation that Allah has sent down,

َ ‫قُ ْل ِب َفضْ ِل ٱهَّلل ِ َو ِب َرحْ َم ِتهِۦ َف ِب ٰ َذل َِك َف ْل َي ْف َرحُوا ه َُو َخ ْي ٌر ِّممَّا َيجْ َمع‬
‫ُون‬
Say: "In the bounty of Allah. And in His Mercy,- in that let them rejoice": that is better than the
(wealth) they hoard.(10-58)

َ ‫َي ٰـَٓأ ُّي َها ٱل َّناسُ َق ْد َجٓا َء ُكم بُرْ َه ٰـنٌ مِّن رَّ ِّب ُك ْم َوَأ‬
‫نز ْل َنٓا ِإ َل ْي ُك ْم ُنورً ا م ُِّبي ًنا‬
O humanity! There has come to you conclusive evidence from your Lord. And We have sent down to
you a brilliant light.(4-174)

َ ‫ور َو ُه ًدى َو َرحْ َم ٌة لِّ ْلمُْؤ ِمن‬

‫ِين‬ ُّ ‫َي ٰـَٓأ ُّي َها ٱل َّناسُ َق ْد َجٓا َء ْت ُكم م َّْوعِ َظ ٌة مِّن رَّ ِّب ُك ْم َوشِ َفٓا ٌء لِّ َما فِى ٱل‬
ِ ‫ص ُد‬
O humanity! Indeed, there has come to you a warning from your Lord, a cure for what is in the hearts,
a guide, and a mercy for the believers.(10-57)

َ ‫ض َّل َفِإ َّن َما يَضِ ُّل َع َل ْي َها ۖ َو َمٓا َأ‬

ٍ ‫نت َع َلي ِْهم ِب َوك‬
‫ِيل‬ َ ‫اس ِب ْٱل َح ِّق ۖ َف َم ِن ٱهْ َتدَ ٰى َفلِ َن ْفسِ هِۦ ۖ َو َمن‬ َ ‫ْك ْٱل ِك َت ٰـ‬
ِ ‫ب لِل َّن‬ َ ‫ِإ َّنٓا َأ‬
َ ‫نز ْل َنا َع َلي‬
Surely We have revealed to you the Book ˹O Prophet˺ with the truth for humanity. So whoever
chooses to be guided, it is for their own good. And whoever chooses to stray, it is only to their own
loss. You are not a keeper over them.(39-41)

َ ‫نت َت ْد ِرى َما ْٱل ِك َت ٰـبُ َواَل ٱِإْلي َم ٰـنُ َو َل ٰـكِن َج َع ْل َن ٰـ ُه ُنورً ا َّن ْهدِى ِبهِۦ َمن َّن َشٓا ُء مِنْ عِ َبا ِد َنا ۚ َوِإ َّن‬
ٓ ‫ك َل َت ْهد‬
‫ِى‬ َ ‫مْر َنا ۚ َما ُك‬‫َأ‬ َ ‫َو َك ٰ َذل َِك َأ ْو َح ْي َنٓا ِإ َلي‬
ِ ْ‫ْك رُوحً ا مِّن‬
‫ِإ َل ٰى صِ ٰ َرطٍ مّسْ َتق ٍِيم‬
And so We have sent to you ˹O Prophet˺ a revelation by Our command. You did not know of ˹this˺
Book and faith ˹before˺. But We have made it a light, by which We guide whoever We will of Our
servants. And you are truly leading ˹all˺ to the Straight Path.(42-52)

The Sunnah as it Describes the Quran

The importance of the Quran is so great that the Prophet PBUH said: “The best of you are those who
learn the Quran and teach it to others”.
There are numerous Ahadees about the merits of the Quran and its reciter. Some of them are as
follows:

1) Jubayr reported that the Prophet PBUH said: “Rejoice! For verily, this Quran- one part of it is
in the hands of Allah, and the other part is in your hands. Therefore hold on to it, for you will
never be destroyed, not will you ever go astray after it” (Musnad Ahmad)

2) Umar reported that the Prophet PBUH said: “Indeed, Allah will raise (or honor) people (in this
world and hereafter) by this book, and he will debase others by it” (Muslim)

3) Abu Malik al-Ash’aree stated that the Prophet PBUH said: “The Quran is either an evidence
(or proof) for you, or against you”(Muslim)
 4) Anas reported that the Prophet PBUH said: ‘Verily Allah has chosen people amongst
mankind. The people of the Quraan. They are people of Allah and his chosen ones.’ (An-
Nasaaee). The people of the Quran are those who know it and practice it.

5) Ibn Masood reported that the Prophet PBUH said: “The Quran is an intercessor, and an
intercession that is accepted, and a Maahil2 , and a credible book. Whoever puts it ahead of
him, it will lead him to Paradise, and whoever throws it behind him, it will drag him to
hell.”(At- Tabaraanee)
6) Nawwaas ibn Sam’aan reported that the Prophet PBUH said: “Allah has set forth the
following as a parable: There is a road which leads straight to the destination. On either side
of the road, there is a wall in which are open doors with curtains hanging on them. From the
remote end of the road, a voice calls, ‘Proceed straight and don't turn to any side!’ Whenever
someone intends to lift a curtain from the door, another voice calls from above: ‘Beware!
Don't lift the curtain, otherwise, you will be lured inside. (The Prophet PBUH explained:) The
straight path is Islam; the walls are the limits (hudood) of Allah (which he has placed on
actions); the open doors are the things that he has prohibited; the voice which calls from the
end of the road is the Quran, and the voice which calls from above is Allah's monitor in the
heart of every believer”(At- Tirmidhee)

7) Ibn-Amr reported that the Prophet PBUH said, “The book of Allah is the rope of Allah which
is dangling from the heavens down to the earth”(Musnad Ahmad)
8) There is an eloquent and beautiful description of Quran narrated by Ali ibn Tablib in Jami
At-Tirmidhee and is as follows: “The book of Allah–it has the tidings of those before you, and
the news of those after you, it is the judge between you; it is the criterion; it cannot be taken
lightly, whoever abandons it due to arrogance will be destroyed by Allah, and whoever seeks
guidance by other than it will be misled by Allah, It is Allah’s strong rope; it is the wise
Remembrance; it is the Straight path. It is not strayed by (one’s) desires, nor the tongues
confused by it. Its wonders never cease and the scholars never satisfy themselves of it.
Whoever speaks with it has spoken the truth; whoever works upon it will be rewarded;
whoever judges according to it will be just; and whoever calls to it will be guided to the
straight path.”
2
A Mahill is one who is persistent in his intercession, and goes to all extremes to save a person.
Importance of Understanding Al Quran
Learning the Quran is a very important act in Islam that brings invaluable rewards from Allah (SWT).
Entirely, it is one of the best things to do to earn good deeds, get closer to Allah (SWT), and enter
Jannah (Paradise).
The benefits of learning the Quran are truly unlimited, but the main benefit of it is guidance towards
the straight path.
Islam emphasizes the importance of learning, and this is demonstrated in the first Ayah that was
revealed to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in Surah Al-Alaq Ayahs 1-5:
“In the Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists). He created man from a clot (a piece of
thick coagulated blood). And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught (the writing) by the
pen? He has taught man that which he knew not” [96- 1-5].
Additionally, it has been narrated by `Uthman that Prophet Muhammad PBUH said, “The best
among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it.” (Bukhari).
This Hadith illustrates that the best people are those who are associated with the Quran- by
learning it and conveying its beneficial knowledge; thus emphasizing the importance of learning the
Qur'an.
The Qur'an is superior to any other speech. For instance, it has been narrated by Abu Musa Al-Ashari
that the Prophet Muhammad PBUH said, “The example of him (a believer) who recites the Qur’an is
like that of a citron which tastes good and smells good. And he (a believer) who does not recite the
Qur’an is like a date which is good in taste but has no smell. The example of a dissolute wicked
person who recites the Qur’an is like the Raihana (sweet basil) which smells good but tastes bitter.
And the example of a dissolute wicked person who does not recite the Qur’an is like the colocynth
which tastes bitter and has no smell." (Bukhari).

There are numerous reasons why you should learn and understand the Quran:

1) Learning and understanding the Quran guides you to the right path.
The Holy Quran is the words of Almighty Allah and the source of guidance to all mankind. Learning
the Quran will help you make the right decisions and follow the right path to succeed in this life &
hereafter.
As Allah (SWT) said: "This is the Book (The Quran) about which there is no doubt, a guidance for
those conscious of Allah” (2:2)

2) Learning the Quran gives a better understanding of our purpose of

existence.
The Quran gives an insight into how to live with a purpose to serve Almighty Allah and many
verses of the Noble Quran speak about the origins of the existence of human beings and this
Universe.
In the Holy Quran, Almighty Allah says: “He created death and life to test you as to which of you is
best in deed.” (67-2)

3) Learning the Quran increases your faith (Iman).

There is no doubt that the Quran is a great source of guidance towards Islam.
Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran: “And when a surah is revealed, some of them ask “which of
you did this increase him in Iman?”. As for the ones who believe, it increased them in Iman and they
rejoice.” (9-124).

4) Learning the Quran raises your status in the eyes of Allah.

If you want to be among those who are the best in the eyes of Allah, learn the Quran, excel in it,
then teach it to others. This is from the characteristics of the believers who followed the prophet
Muhammad (PBUH).
In this regard, the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: "The best among you (Muslims) are those who
learn the Qur’an and teach it." (Bukhari).

5) Purification of heart.
When a Muslim recites the Quran, it purifies the heart by cleaning it from all the impurities that stick
to it.
Almighty Allah says in the Quran: “O mankind! There hath come to you an admonition from your
Lord and a healing for the (diseases) in your hearts and for those who believe a Guidance and
Mercy.” (10-57)

6) Quran recitation brings many rewards, benefits, and virtues.

Reciting the Quran brings many rewards and blessings from Allah (SWT). Muslims will earn great
rewards for reciting the Quran, especially if it’s recited daily.
In this regard, our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “If anyone prays at night reciting
regularly ten verses, he will not be recorded among the negligent; if anyone prays at night and
recites a hundred verses, he will be recorded among those who are obedient to Allah; and if anyone
prays at night reciting one thousand verses, he will be recorded among those who receive huge
rewards" (Sunan Abu Dawood).

7) Reading the Quran guards us on the Day of Resurrection.

Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon him) said: "Recite the Qur'an, for it will come as an intercessor for its reciters on
the Day of Resurrection." (Muslim).

8) Reciting the Quran brings us closer to Allah (SWT).

Praying and reading the Quran are two ways of opening a conversation with the Almighty Allah. as
the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
“Allah said: ‘I have divided the prayer between Myself and My slave into two halves, and My slave
shall have what he has asked for.’
When the slave says: ‘Alhamdulillah I rabbil Alameen (All the praise is to Allah, the Lord of all that
exists),’ Allah says:’My slave has praised Me, and My slave shall have what he has asked for.’
And when he says: ‘Ar-Rahmanir-Rahim (The Mos Gracious, the Most Merciful),’ Allah says: ‘My
slave has extolled Me, and My slave shall have what he has asked for.’
And when he says: ‘Maliki yawmiddin [The Only Owner (and he Ruling Judge] if the Day of
Recompense],’ Allah says: ‘My slave has Glorified Me. This is for Me, and this Verse is between me
and My slave in two halves.’
And when he says: ‘ Iyyaka na’budu wa iyyaka nastain [You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we
ask for help],’ He says: ‘This is between Me and My slave, and My slave shall have what he has
asked for.’ And the end of the Surah is for My slave.’
And when he says: ‘Ihdinas-siratal-mustaqeema, siratal-alldhina an’amta alayhim a lad-Dallin
[Guide us to the Straight Way, the way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the
way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray],’ He says: ‘This is for My slave,
and My slave shall have what he has asked for.”
(Sahih Darussalam)

9) Intercessor on the Day of judgment.

The Holy Quran will intercede on the Day of Judgment. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said that: “Read
the Quran, for verily it will come on the Day of Standing as an intercessor for its companions.”

10) Teaching the Quran to bring significant rewards.

Islam assigns great significance to teach Quran to everyone. It is vital for Muslims to ensure that
their children learn to recite the Holy Qur’an.
As the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: "On the Day of Qiyaamah, a crown of such brilliance will be
placed on the heads of the parents of one who learned the Qur'an and practiced its laws, that its
glitter will outshine the brilliance of the sun which penetrates your houses. What then do you think
will be the position of the one who himself learned the Qur'an and acted following it?
[Ahmad and Abu Dawood]

11) Find out about the Hereafter.

This worldly life does not end at death. There is a life after death (hereafter) that will be forever.
The Holy Quran will teach you about the hereafter and you can read all about the amazing
privileges and beauty of paradise that Allah (SWT) has promised for believers.

12) Learn about the religion of Islam.

We should learn about our Islam from the Holy Quran, as it is pure, the unchanged message from
Allah (SWT), nothing has been added, removed, or changed from it. Quran is the words of Allah
literally.
In the Holy Quran Allah (SWT) says: “And the word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in
justice. None can alter His words, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.” (6:115)
Lecture-2

Subjects (Themes) of Al Quran

Most Islamic scholars focuses on verse-by-verse exposition of Qur’anic texts. Some recent works
topically arrange Qur’anic texts into helpful indices, but not many scholars attempt to describe the
major themes of the Qur’an. Among these classifications there is one described by the famous
scholar of 18th century Shah Waliullah Dehlawi and one recent classification by Professor Fazl ur
Rahman.

According to Shah Waliullah, there are five major themes of the Quran:

1) Polemics, controversial discussions with Jews, Christians, disbelievers and idolators

mostly about beliefs.
In the Quran, Allah points out and challenges the false beliefs of four groups of people: The
idol-worshipers (particularly those of Makkah at the time of the Prophet Muhammad), the
Jews, the Christians and the hypocrites.
Each of these groups has a unique set of false beliefs and deviant practices; and Allah
addresses each in the style most suitable for it.
Often Allah addresses these people directly, for example: “O Children of Israel”, “O People of
the Book”. At other times, He discusses them in the third person. Sometimes He quotes what
they say and then criticizes it.
It may sometimes be useful to know a little bit about the different beliefs, practices and
historical events pertaining to these groups in order to better understand the passages in the
Quran that deal with them.
It’s also important to remember that, the passages in the Quran regarding these four deviant
groups do not only concern them. Any group or individual who has a similar set of beliefs or
practices will also find those verses relevant. Therefore, when Allah addresses the Children of
Israel, don’t skip those passages assuming that, since I am not a child of Israel, these verses
don’t concern me.
Every verse of the Quran has lessons and benefits for us; sometimes we need to deeply
reflect on the more subtle points in order to understand them.

2) Favours of Allah: Creation, gifts, health and wealth.

 In numerous places of the Holy Quran, Allah reminds human of His favours. The Holy Quran
also mentions the perfect qualities of Allah. The explanation of these verses wherein Allah’s
favours and His perfect qualities are mentioned is called science regarding Allah’s favours.
Allah mentions His creation of the heavens and the earth; He mentions all the beautiful and
useful things He created for our benefit. He mentions His beautiful names and attributes that
highlight different aspects of His mercy on us.
All verses of the Quran deserve to be reflected upon. The verses that mention the favors of
Allah moreover urge us to reflect on these favors themselves.
So when you read verses about the seamless perfection of the sky, don’t just read it and move
on. Rather, go out and look at the sky itself; experience this everyday miracle of Allah with your
own eyes, and reflect upon the power of the One who created it.

3) Death and resurrection: Evidence for resurrection.

A part of the Holy Quran contains the circumstances of death and what happens after the
death. The explanation of these verses is called science regarding the death and what
happens after the death.
The Quran mentions many things about life after death; and it would be impossible for us to
know about unless Allah told us about them. These include vivid descriptions of people rising
from their graves at the blowing of the horn, the Day of Judgment, Paradise and Hellfire.
You will notice while reading the Quran that Allah didn’t arrange the Quran according to this or
any other classification of topics. In fact, the Quran is not like any other book. It’s Allah’s direct
speech; and it takes the form that is best suited to move our hearts and minds.

4) Laws and responsibilities:

Family law, civil and criminal, Fardh, Wajib, Haram, Makruh.
Almost all of the laws that govern a Muslim’s life are mentioned in the Quran, including laws
pertaining to worship, trading and economy, marriage and divorce, inheritance, social
etiquettes, family responsibilities, government, war and international politics.
The verses relating to this topic are termed as Aayat alAhkam. The explanation of these
verses is called ‘llmul Ahkam (Science of rulings).
These laws are often just mentioned in the Quran in general terms, sometimes revealing the
wisdom behind them, and their detailed explanations and minor details are left for Prophet
Muhammad to clarify and demonstrate.
Examples of laws that are mentioned in the Quran:
Praying the five obligatory prayers, fasting in Ramadan, paying zakah, performing Hajj and
Umrah; doing ablution for prayer, doing tayammum (dry ablution) when one can’t find water;
division of one’s estate after death, dowry, waiting period after divorce, and much more.
 5) Days of Allah: History, stories of the Prophets, parables of the people of Allah.
Allah tells many stories in the Quran, and all these stories are real incidents from history.
Allah tells us stories of prophets and other good people who lived great lives in the past; they
dedicated their lives to struggle for the sake of Allah and died on the truth. He also tells us of
bad people and nations who transgressed despite being sent repeated reminders through
prophets, and the fate they finally met with because of their continued arrogance.
Often you will find that, while the Quran only mentions the main message of these stories
without going into minor details, the books of tafsir are loaded with further tit-bits that were
mainly obtained from Jewish scriptures.
While narrating these stories, Allah mentions only those points that we need to know. For
example, in the story of the prophet Yousuf, Allah only mentioned two names: Yusuf and his
father Yaqub. But we find mention of many other names in books of tafsir.

According to Prof. Fazul Rahman, there are also seven major themes of the Quran:
1) Allah
Professor Rahman considerers the necessity of God and his unity. He discusses the Qur’anic
notion of monotheism—tawhid—and its rationality and reasonableness. The Qur’an aims to speak to
man’s heart about God and to emphasize believing in God through “‘belief in and awareness of the
unseen’ (2:3)” (2). God’s existence does not need theological proofs; mankind merely needs a
reminder of his existence. The Qur’an lays claim on the heart and mind of man to submit to this
self-existent deity. God is the Served, and man is his servant. God is not obliged to explain, prove, or
reveal himself.

2-1) Man as Individual

The Qur’an rejects the body-mind dualism of Greek thought. It sees the body-mind as fused
together. The soul is a mental state inseparable from the mind. Satan is the antithesis of man instead
of the anti-God. Man, as God’s vice-regent, is granted free choice, and thus man rules the moral
social order. This vice-regency constitutes the mission of man on Earth. Unlike the cosmos, which
follows God’s ingrained laws, man, being granted free choice, has a set of potentialities that enable
him to submit to the will of God. There is a moral tension in man because he is petty, imprudent, and
prone to forget God. Suffering helps man remember God. When man remembers God and makes
moral choices over against all lesser choices, he achieves the eminent balance that the Qur’an calls
taqwa.

2-2) Man in Society

 The Qur’an uniquely promotes human flourishing and condemns “even the idea of ‘being
unjust to oneself [zulm al-nafs],’ so that individuals and particularly societies are eventually
destroyed.… It is basically talking about the self-destructiveness of a way of life, of a society, of a type
of civilization” (37). Man is designed to be part of a community. The Qur’an criticizes the polytheism
and social injustice of pre-Islamic Arabia (the Makkan society). To counteract the despairing
socio-economic conditions of Makkan society, the Qur’an proposes banning usury and imposing the
zakah tax, which was for the distribution of wealth and the alleviation of social injustice.

The Qur’an also promotes a strong family unit where the parents are respected and obeyed,
and parenting is guided and bound by the Qur’an. When man rightly treats all members of society,
including his enemies, he comes closer to the ideal of taqwa. For a model state system to promote
taqwa for all members of society, the Qur’an prescribes a shura (a collectively-led committee) of
educated men to rule society with equity, since justice is the prerequisite of every action of man and
society. The Qur’an teaches the value of personal property, earning, religion, dignity, and freedom of
life. In a polygamous marriage, men are to respect their wives, and if they do not, the wives have the
right to divorce. In the Qur’an, man and society are one, working toward the higher goal of taqwa.

3) Nature
The story of nature’s creation is minimally discussed in the Qur’an. Nature submits perfectly to
God’s commands, and is thus “Muslim.” Nature’s purpose is to show forth God’s Ultimate Power and
his Infinite Mercy. The whole cosmos is a sign of God, which man in his obstinacy suppresses.
Moreover, there are other supernatural signs which go against the laws of nature, but in order to
understand their significance, man must have the capacity of faith. Like the signs of nature, the verses
of the Qur’an serve as signs to man because they come from the same Creator. “God’s great sign is
the nature and the universe. Man has to discover this himself. Nature exists for man to exploit for his
own ends. That is its purpose. Man’s purpose is to serve the Creator; therein lies the difference
between physical and moral law.”

4) Prophethood and Revelation

Islam is viewed as the perfect and complete form of religion; Muhammad’s message is the end
of the evolutionary process of religion. All the prophets have the same essential
message—monotheism (tawhid)—which Muhammad most authoritatively taught. This chapter
describes the Spirit of Revelation (or an angel) which came upon the Prophet’s heart by the Spirit in
the Night of Power (al-qadr). God only speaks to men through the Spirit infused in the mind of the
Prophet. The beauty and linguistic style of the Qur’an’s Arabic evinces its miraculous nature.

5) Eschatology (the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the
soul)
 The Qur’an speaks of Judgment Day as the day when man becomes fully aware of the truth
about himself. As he stands before God, he will have a record of everything he did inscribed in a
journal in his hand. There will be no intercessor on that day unless God permits. Every deed will testify
for or against the man, and the Hereafter will depend upon his life on Earth. The Qur’an grounds its
moral imperatives in this fear of Judgment Day.

6) Satan and Evil

Satan is of the Jinn—creations parallel to man but more evil. Satan is anti-man, as opposed to
anti-God; he rivals man and seeks to deceive him into disobeying God’s will. According to the Qur’an,
taqwa is a strong buttress against Satan’s attacks. Satan symbolizes hopelessness, which is why the
Qur’an condemns hopelessness and despair. Moreover, evil men are empowered by Satan, and
man’s weaknesses and lack of morals make him an easy target for Satan.

7) Emergence of the Muslim Community. This chapter demonstrates that the Arabs were looking
for a religion like Judeo-Christianity. Stories of Jesus and Moses circulated around the Arab
community, so when they came to Muhammad, they came in the form of Revelation. And
Muhammad’s Revelation encompassed all the prophets. God is one, God’s prophets attest to this one
message, and God’s people are all one. From this community of oneness around the final revelation
(monotheism) given to Muhammad emerged the concept of the Muslim ummah—the house of Islam.
The Christians and Jews were called the People of the Book, yet they were viewed as defective in
their so-called monotheism. But the Muslim community demonstrated the ideal, since it did not deviate
in its strident devotion to monotheism.
The Revelation of Al Quran

The Meaning of Wahy

‘Wahy” means to inspire, or to communicate in a manner that is not obvious or apparent to anybody
else, in a swift manner.

The Procedure of Wahy

Wahy can occur in two ways: without an intermediary, and with an intermediary.
A) Without an intermediary:

1) By way of dreams.

This is the first type of inspiration that the Prophet PBUH received. Ayeshah (may Allah be pleased
with her) reports: “The commencement of the divine inspiration upon the Prophet PBUH was in the
form of good dreams; he never used to dream about anything except that it came true like the rising
of the sun.” In other words, before the Prophet PBUH received his mission of prophethood, he PBUH
would see dreams of events that would eventually come true, just like the sun rises every morning.

[The dreams of all the prophets are an inspiration from Allaah. In these dreams, the prophets are
either shown some event of the future or given commandments by Allaah. This is proven by the
dream in which Ibraaheem saw himself sacrificing his son Ismaa’cel. Ibraaheem understood that this
dream was a command from Allaah, directing him to sacrifice his son.

Another example of this is the Treaty of Hudaybiah. The Prophet PBUH had been shown a vision in
which the Muslims were performing the rites of "Umrah, and the Companions set out with the
Prophet PBUH from Madeenah to Makkah hoping to perform the Umrah. The pagans of Makkah,
however, did not allow the Muslims to enter Makkah and a treaty was enacted between the Muslims
and the pagans, later to be known as the Treaty of Hudaybiyah. One of the conditions of the treaty
was that, in the following year, the Muslims would return and complete the rites of 'Umrah. As the
Muslims returned sad-heartened to Madeenah, Allaah revealed:
“Indeed, of a surety shall Allaah fulfil the dream which He showed His Messenger; you shall enter
the Masjid al-Haraam, if Allaah wills, secure, with your heads shaved or trimmed (after performing
the rites of pilgrimage), fearing none» [48:27]” ]s

2) Direct speech from Allaah.

This is the second way in which Allaah communicates to the prophets directly. This is the meaning of
this verse:
‫ب َأ ْو يُرْ سِ َل َر ُسواًۭل َفيُوح َِى بِِإ ْذ ِنهِۦ َما َي َشآ ُء ۚ ِإ َّنهُۥ َعلِىٌّ َحكِي ۭ ٌم‬
ٍ ‫ان لِ َب َش ٍر َأن ُي َكلِّ َم ُه ٱهَّلل ُ ِإاَّل َوحْ يًا َأ ْو مِن َو َرآِئ ح َِجا‬
َ ‫َو َما َك‬

It is not ˹possible˺ for a human being to have Allah communicate with them, except through
inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger-angel to reveal whatever He wills by
His permission. He is surely Most High, All-Wise. Quran [42-51]

[Allaah speaks directly to the prophet, but the prophet does not see him. An example of this was
when Allaah spoke to Moosaa on Mount Toor. This method of wahy occurred once with the Prophet
PBUH, when he went on his journey of al-Isra wa al-Mi'raaj. The Prophet PBUH did not see Allaah,
since there was a veil of light between them. Aboo Dharr asked the Prophet PBUH, “Did you see
your Lord (on the journey of al-Israa)?” The Prophet replied, “Light — how could I see Him?” meaning
that there was a veil of Light that was between the Prophet PBUH and Allah Almighty]

B) With an intermediary:

This is the primary and most common method of inspiration. This method of wahy is when Allaah
sends an angel to inspire His Messenger. This way of revelation has two stages. In the first stage,
Allah inspires Jibreel (Angel) with the Wahy and in the second stage, Jibreel inspires the Prophets
with the Wahy.

[The Prophet PBUH said, “Whenever Allaah desires to inspire a matter (to His servants), He speaks
with the inspiration, and (because of this) the heavens themselves shake out of fear of Allaah. When
the people of Heaven (the angels) hear of it, they fall down in a swoon and prostrate to Him. The
first one to raise his head is Jibreel, and Allaah speaks to him with the inspiration that He wishes.
Then Jibreel passes by the angels; whenever he goes by any heaven, the angels of that heaven ask
him, ‘What did our Lord say, O Jibreel?” He answers, ‘He has Spoken the Truth, and He is the Most
High, the Most Great.” ]

The Revelation of the Quran to the Prophet PBUH from Jibreel

After Jibreel heard the Qur'aan from Allaah, he communicated this to the Prophet PBUH. This
occurred in one of two ways.

1) The revelation came to the Prophet PBUH in a very severe manner, like the ringing of a bell.
This was the hardest for the Prophet PBUH, and it is reported that he used to break into a sweat,
even on very cold nights, when he was being inspired. After this state passed, the Prophet PBUH
remembered what was inspired to him.

2) Jibreel took on the form of a man and came to the Prophet PBUH. This type of inspiration was
easier for the Prophet PBUH.

The proof for these two methods is found in the hadees of Aa'ishah, in which she stated that Haarith
ibn Hishaam asked the Prophet PBUH, “O Allaah’s Messenger! How is the divine message revealed
to you?” He PBUH responded, “Sometimes it comes to me like the ringing of a bell. This form is the
hardest on me, and this state passes off after I have grasped what is inspired. Sometimes the angel
comes to me in the form of a man and talks to me, and I grasp what he says."

The effect that the revelation process had on the Prophet PBUH has been recorded in a number of
ahadees. "Aa'ishah narrates, “Sometimes the revelations would descend upon the Prophet PBUH on
a very cold morning, and his forehead would glisten with sweat.”

["Ubaadah ibn as-Saamit reported that whenever the wahy descended upon the Prophet PBUH, the
significance and importance that he gave (to the inspiration) could be seen, and his face became
slightly pale. Also, the Prophet would lower his head during the inspiration process, and the
Companions, due to their love for the Prophet (3), would also lower their heads until the revelation
had ended.]

The stages of Revelation:

The Qur'an was revealed gradually over a period of twenty-three years. There are three stages of the
Revelation.

The First Stage:

The Qur'an, the Speech of Allaah, was written on the Lauh al-Mahfoodh, or the Preserved Tablet,
which is with Allaah, all Praise be to Him. The Lauh al-Mahfoodh is the Tablet upon which al of the
things that will happen from the creation of the Heavens and Earth, until the end of time, are written.
The Prophet PBUH said, “The first thing that Allaah created was the Pen. He said to it, “Write!” It
responded, “O My Lord! And what shall I write?” Allaah said, “Write the destiny of all things, until
the Day of Judgement.”
This writing occurred and was preserved on the Lauh al-Mahfoodh. Therefore, included in the Lauh
al-Mahfoodh is the text of the Qur'an. Allah says in the Quran:

ۭ ُ‫انٌ َّم ِجي ۭ ٌد فِى َل ْو ۢ ٍح مَّحْ ف‬

ٍ‫وظ‬ ۭ ‫َب ْل ه َُو قُرْ َء‬

In fact, this is a glorious Quran, ˹recorded˺ in a Preserved Tablet. [85- 21-22]

The Second Stage:

From the Lauh al-Mahfoodh, Allaah revealed the Qur'an to the lower heavens, in a place called “The
House ofHonour” (a/-Bayt al-"Izza). This revelation occurred in Ramadaan, on the Night of Decree
(Laylat al-Qadr). The proof of this is found in some verses of the Qur'an, and the statements of the
Companions.

َ ‫ِإ َّنٓا َأ‬

‫نز ْل َن ٰـ ُه فِى َل ْي َل ِة ْٱل َق ْد ِر‬

Indeed, ˹it is˺ We ˹Who˺ sent this ˹Quran˺ down on the Night of Glory. [97-1]

Explaining these verses, Ibn "Abbaas said, “The whole Qur'aan was sent down to the lower heavens
on the Night of Decree. Then, whenever Allaah wished to inspire something (from the Qur'an), He
would inspire it.
The Third Stage:

In this stage, Jibreel brought those portions of the Qur'an which Allah commanded him to bring. The
Qur'an refers to this revelation in many verses. In one verse, Allaah says,

َ ‫ون م َِن ْٱلمُنذ ِِر‬

‫ين‬ َ ‫ َع َل ٰى َق ْل ِب‬. ُ‫ َن َز َل ِب ِه ٱلرُّ و ُح ٱَأْلمِين‬.‫ِين‬
َ ‫ك لِ َت ُك‬ َ ‫نزي ُل َربِّ ْٱل َع ٰـ َلم‬
ِ ‫َوِإ َّنهُۥ َل َت‬

This is certainly a revelation from the Lord of all worlds, which the trust-worthy spirit ˹Gabriel˺
brought down into your heart ˹O Prophet˺ so that you may be one of the warners. [26- 192-194]

Ruling out the tempering of Revelation:

The possibility that the revelation of the Qur'aan might have been tampered or changed during the
revelation process is ruled out by Allaah in the following verses, so no doubt can remain with
regards to its authenticity.

Trustworthiness of Angels, especially Gabriel.

‫َأ‬
ِ ‫اَل َيسْ ِبقُو َنهُۥ ِب ْٱل َق ْو ِل َوهُم ِب‬
َ ُ‫مْرهِۦ َيعْ َمل‬
‫ون‬

«They do not speak until He has spoken, and they act on His Command» 121:27]

For Archangel Gabriel, Allah described him as: “a trustworthy Spirit” [26:193]

Allah described prophet Muhammad PBUH as :

َ ‫َو َما يَنطِ ُق َع ِن ْٱل َه َو ٰ ٓى ِإنْ ه َُو ِإاَّل َوحْ ۭ ٌى ي‬

‫ُوح ٰى‬
“And he (Muhammad) does not speak from his own desires, it is only an inspiration that is
inspired”[53- 3-4]

َ ‫ۚ قُ ْل َما َي ُكونُ ل ِٓى َأنْ ُأ َب ِّد َلهُۥ مِن ت ِْل َقٓاِئ َن ْفسِ ٓى ۖ ِإنْ َأ َّت ِب ُع ِإاَّل َما ي‬
ۖ َّ‫ُوح ٰ ٓى ِإ َلى‬

“Say (O Muhammad): ‘It is not for me to change it (the Quran) from my own desire. I only follow that
which is revealed to me” [10:15]

Summary:
Therefore, the Qur'aan has been preserved safely, and no doubt can be cast on its authenticity. The
Qur'aan — as the kalaam ofAllaah — existed from eternity. It was then written in the Lauh
al-Mahfoodh, in a protected, well-guarded Tablet. During the month in which the Prophet PBUH
began his mission, the Qur'aan was sent down to the lower heavens. The trustworthy Angel Jibreel,
after he had heard the Qur'aan from Allaah, then revealed it to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, who
preserved it faithfully, without any alteration, and who then passed it on to mankind.

The Wisdom Behind the Gradual Revelation

If Allaah had willed, the Qur'aan would have been sent down in its entirety to the Prophet PBUH at
the beginning of his prophethood, just like the previous scriptures However, this was not the case.
Some of the benefits of the gradual revelation are as follows:

1) To strengthen and empower the Prophet PBUH against the disbelievers

The Prophet PBUH was anguished and distressed by the attitude of the people towards his
message. They ridiculed and mocked him, and claimed that he was a sorcerer, or that he was
possessed by the jinn. By the continual revelation of the Qur'an to the Prophet PBUH, he was
reaffirmed in his determination

2) To simplify its memorization and understanding by the Companions.

If the Qur'an had been revealed all at once, it might have been very difficult for the Companions to
understand all of its verses properly. Yet, with gradual revelations, the Companions understood and
implemented the Qur'aan correctly.

3) To prove the truthfulness of the Prophet PBUH.

The idolaters and the People of the Book used to ask the Prophet PBUH questions in order to outwit
him, but every time Allah would reply to their queries. As Ibn "Abbaas said, “Whenever the
disbelievers brought a new question to the Prophet PBUH, Allaah would reveal to them an answer
(through the Qur'aan).”

4) To prove the miraculous nature of the Quran

Indeed, one of the most outstanding miracles of the Qur'an was that it was revealed over a period of
two decades, it answered many questions from believers and idolaters, it solved a wide variety of
problems, it frequently commanded the Prophet PBUH and the believers to a course of action, and
yet not a single of its six thousand plus verses is contradicted by another!

5) To reveal the laws of Islaam — the Sharee'ah — in a gradual manner.

Among the blessings of Allaah to the Companions is that He revealed to them the laws of Islaam
gradually and thus made it easier for them to adopt these laws Initially, there were no specific laws
of halaal and haraam.