Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | Quranic Wisdom
In chapter twenty-eight, the Quran records a story which has a great lesson for every man and woman. Qarun, or Korah, was a wealthy member of the Israeli community of ancient Egypt. When Korah became arrogant because of his wealth, some of his community members told him that arrogance would not serve him well. According to the Quranic version the story is as follows:
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | Quranic Wisdom I P.49
In the early period of his mission, when the Prophet of Islam and his Companions were in Makkah, they were facing great hardships that led to despair and frustration. It was a grim situation. The Companions started asking whether their mission had strayed into a blind alley. At this critical time, God Almighty revealed chapter ninety-three of the Quran. It reads:
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | Quranic Wisdom
The Quran advocates the culture of spirituality. Quranic spirituality has nothing mysterious about it. It is a well-known discipline. It is only an alternative name for intellectual development. The formula for Quranic spirituality is expressed thus in a Quranic chapter:
Become men of God. (3:79)
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | Quranic Wisdom
The Prophet of Islam started his mission in the first quarter of the seventh century in Arabia—an age of religious persecution. The Prophet’s mission was based on the oneness of God, while the people of that time were believers in idolatry. So, they became hostile to the Prophet and he and his companions became victims of various kinds of problems.
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | Quranic Wisdom
The multi-religious society is a universal phenomenon, most societies being multi-religious in composition. A question commonly asked is: how to live in a society where believers of different religions are living side by side?
The Quran was revealed in the first quarter of the seventh century. Some of its parts were revealed in Makkah and some were revealed in Madinah. Both the cities were inhabited by people of different religions, namely Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
In this situation the Quran offered a simple formula:
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | Quranic Wisdom
The thirty-first chapter of the Quran is named after Luqman. Luqman was not a Prophet, but he was a wise man. He lived before the advent of Islam, having been born possibly in ancient Sudan. He gave some advice to his son, a part of which is as follows:
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | Quranic Wisdom
In the chapter Al-Rad (The Thunder), the Quran narrates a parable illustrating the law of nature, that only those who prove to be giver members of society will be able to establish themselves in life. The following is the translation of the verse:
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | Quranic Wisdom
Al-Asr (The Time) is the one hundred and third chapter of the Quran. It is a relatively short chapter. Its translation is as follows:
Time is a witness, that man is surely in a state of loss, except for those who believe and do good deeds and exhort one another to hold fast to the Truth, and who exhort one another to steadfastness. (103:1-3)
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | Quranic Wisdom
There are one hundred and fourteen chapters in the Quran. Al-Zalzalah (The Earthquake) is chapter number ninety-nine. There is a story relating to this chapter in which there is a great lesson.
It is said that once a man came to the Prophet and after some discussion, he accepted the Prophet’s faith. Then the Prophet said to him: “Stay with Ali ibn Abi Talib—one of his companions—for your further training.”
