The desired relationship between man and God is that of a living relationship. This relation exists at all times and at every moment through the remembrance of God, prayer, worship, contemplation, reflection, drawing lessons from God’s signs, etc. Man asks God for blessings at every moment and he receives them from God at every moment. Just as man is dependent on God for his existence, so is he totally dependent on God for his survival. If God ceased to sustain him even for a moment, man would be destroyed. God is not only the Creator of man, but also his Sustainer. The relationship between God and man is that of a Giver and receiver, where man is the receiver and God the Giver.
Source: Spirit of Islam Magazine
The Quran, addressed to humankind, tells us of God’s scheme for human existence—man is placed on Earth for the purpose of being tested. The freedom he is given here is not as a matter of right, but as a matter of trial. On the outcome of this test, rests the eternal fate of man. The Quran asserts that human beings are eternal creatures, yet only an extremely small part of their lifespan has been assigned to this present world, the remainder is ordained for the Hereafter. As we learn from the Quran, all the revealed books were sent by God so that man might be informed of the nature and purpose of his life. The teachings of the Quran can be summed up under two basic headings: 1. Believing in one God and worshipping Him alone and 2. Regarding all human beings as equal and according to them equal rights.
Every book has its objective and the objective of the Quran is to make man aware of the Creation plan of God. That is, to tell man why God created this world; what the purpose is of settling man on Earth; what is required from man in his pre-death life span, and what he is going to confront after death. Man is born as an eternal creature. When God created man as such, He divided his life span into two periods, the pre-death period, which is a time of trial, and the post-death period, which is the time for receiving the rewards or punishment merited by one’s actions during one’s lifetime. These take the form of eternal paradise or eternal hell. The purpose of the Quran is to make man aware of this reality. This is the theme of this divine Book, which serves to guide man through his entire journey through this life into the after-life.
It would be correct to say that man is a seeker by birth. The Quran is the answer to man’s quest. It presents this world as a testing ground, and the Hereafter as the place where the result of the test will be taken into account by the Almighty and whatever man receives in the life after death, by way of reward or punishment, will be commensurate with his deeds in this world. The secret of man’s success in this life is to understand God’s creation plan as given in the Quran and map out his life accordingly.
Source: The Quran
The Quran addresses women with respect and emphasizes their rights and dignity. The Quran says: “You are members, one of another.” (3:195) This shows that men and women have no difference regarding status, rights, and blessings in this world and the Hereafter. From this, we can understand that both men and women are equal in status and deserving of respect, although they may have different roles. The Quran commands kindness and justice in relationships, stating that women should be treated fairly, and their rights should be honoured. Moreover, the Quran encourages men to uphold high standards of conduct towards women. It acknowledges the importance of women in society, recognizing their contributions and rights, and emphasizes that any apparent imperfections in relationships should be approached with patience and understanding. Furthermore, the Quran provides guidelines for maintaining harmonious relationships and promoting reconciliation in cases of conflict. In essence, the Quran advocates for the empowerment and equitable treatment of women, affirming their vital role in both the family and society at large. Possessing qualities of gentleness, compassion, patience, and emotional connection, women have been bestowed by the Creator the role of shaping future generations of human beings. In this sense, women are ‘builders of humanity.’
Source: Woman In Islamic Shariah
The Quran states: “If someone kills another person unless it is in retaliation for someone else or for causing corruption on the Earth, it is as if he had murdered all mankind.” (5:32) Considering murder as a horrendous act, Islam states that killing a single person without proven justification is equal to killing all human beings. Killing one human being is just as horrendous as killing all human beings. Such a killing breaks all traditions of respect for life. The above Quranic verse shows the great importance of peace and security in Islam. If someone is unjustly killed, it should be treated as a matter of the greatest urgency, as if all of humanity were under attack.
Source: Shared Wisdom
I am a vegetarian. This is entirely a matter of one’s personal choice. The Quran holds no compulsion on Muslims to eat meat. It is simply an individual’s own choice. The basic principle for food habits is given in the Quran in these words: "Eat from the wholesome things with which We have provided you but do not transgress" (20:81), and "Eat and drink but do not be wasteful: God does not like wasteful people" (7:31).
Source: The Seeker’s Guide
The Quran describes a particular natural law in the following words: ‘reconciliation is best’ (4:128). In the event of a conflict between two parties, they can engage in violent confrontation. But there is another method they can choose: to immediately come to an agreement and end their conflict. This is what reconciliation is about.
It is very rare for this sort of reconciliation to be equally in accordance with the desires of both parties. In most cases, this reconciliation happens on a unilateral basis. That is to say, one of the two parties sets aside its desires and agrees to settle the dispute according to the desires of the other party. Why is this sort of unilateral reconciliation taken to be ‘best’? The reason for this is because a situation of conflict calls a halt to constructive activity. The benefit of agreeing to reconciliation is that one is thereby spared the need to waste one’s time, strength and resources on useless confrontation and so can focus on constructive efforts instead. A course of action that is opposed to reconciliation is always and inevitably a course leading to destruction. The method of reconciliation is always, and in every case, a beneficial one.
Source: Islam and World Peace
Those who are introduced to the Quran only through the media, generally have the impression that the Quran is a book of jihad, and jihad to them is an attempt to achieve one’s goal by means of violence. But this idea is based on a misunderstanding. Anyone who reads the Quran for himself will easily appreciate that its message has nothing to do with violence. The Quran is, from beginning to end, a book which promulgates peace and in no way countenances violence. It is true that jihad is one of the teachings of the Quran. But jihad, taken in its correct sense, is the name of peaceful struggle rather than of any kind of violent action. The Quranic concept of jihad is expressed in the following verse, ‘Do greater jihad (i.e. strive more strenuously) with the help of this [Quran]’ (Quran, 25:52).
Obviously, the Quran is not a weapon, but a book which gives us an introduction to the divine ideology of peaceful struggle. The method of such a struggle, according to the Quran, is ‘to speak to them a word to reach their very soul’ (4:63). So, the desired approach, according to the Quran, is one which moves man’s heart and mind. That is, in addressing people’s minds, it satisfies them, convinces them of the veracity of the Quran and, in short, brings about an intellectual revolution within them. This is the mission of the Quran. And this mission can be performed only by means of rational arguments. This target can never be achieved by means of violence or armed action.
Source: The Quran
If you read the Quran, you will find that it is, without doubt, a book of peace. It is not a book of violence and war. The very first phrase in the Quran is: ‘In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful.’ In other words, the highest attribute of the God who has sent this Book is mercy, and this Book is an expression of the attribute of His mercy. All the statements of the Quran are, directly or indirectly, related to peace. For example, the Quran says: “God does not love corruption.” (2:205), and “God calls man to the home of peace.” (10:25). All the verses of the Quran are, directly or indirectly, based on peace. There are more than 6000 verses in the Quran. Of these, hardly 40 are about commandments of qital or war—in other words, less than 1 per cent. Those who regard the Quran as God’s Book can be considered to be true believers only when abiding by the teachings of the Quran, they become fully and completely peace-loving. On no condition whatsoever should they take the path of violence.
Source: Islam and World Peace
One important quality of the Quran is that it gives us only basic, but essential principles, often using repetition to emphasize key points. On the contrary, non-basics, or matters relating only to form, constitute only a negligible part of the scriptures. This is in consonance with the Quranic scheme, the importance of form being entirely secondary. To the Quran, only those precepts are important which figure as fundamental guidelines. The Hadith provide explanations for Quranic teachings. It is as if the Quran is the text and the Hadith its commentary, the Quran being the theory and the Hadith the practice. Both are equally essential for the following of religion.
There are many books of Hadith, some of which are of particular importance. For instance, Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Jami al-Tirmidhi, Sunan Abi Dawood, Sunan an-Nasai, Sunan Ibn Majah, Muwatta Imam Malik and Musnad Ahmad. The Hadith constitutes an interpretation and elaboration of the Quran. In the Quran, mostly basic commands have been given, details of which can be learned from the prophetic traditions. Similarly, the Hadith gives us a practical framework for the theoretical guidance of the Quran. The importance of the Hadith is such that it cannot be considered separate from the Quran.
Source: The Seeker’s Guide
The Quran provides guidance for all human beings. The Quran is the only scripture that has been preserved in its original form. The Quran is the only source for anyone to obtain a reliable introduction to God. The Quran addresses the soul of a seeker. For any person who is desirous to know about his Creator and what He wants from him, the answer lies in the Quran. The study of the Quran tells us that the actual target of the Book is to change the thinking of an individual. The Quran gives many principles to inculcate right thinking in a person. Thinking is man’s greatest action. Right thinking is needed to manage crisis situations. The Quran provides guidance for navigating life in this world and the hereafter, addressing both personal and social matters. As regards managing social situations, we need to train ourselves to manage them instead of reacting to them. That is why the Quran lays emphasis on patience or sabr. Patience is the exercise of restraint in trying situations of life. We can easily manage all the trying situations of life if we follow the principles of restraint and patience.
Yes, anyone can read the Quran. The Quran is the Book of God for all humanity. In the words of the Quran: “This is a blessed Book which We sent down to you, for people to ponder over its messages. (38:29) The purpose of the Quran is to engage the human intellect, encouraging people to reflect and grasp its profound meanings. When one reads the Quran in this way, a two-way process between the Quran and its reader comes into play. For him, the Quran is an address or speech by God and his heart starts answering this address at every verse.
Reading the Quran, one starts contemplating on its verses. Where there is any mention of God’s majesty, the reader’s entire existence is strongly affected by the realization of His greatness. When God’s blessings are enumerated in the Quran, the reader’s heart overflows with gratitude; when God’s retribution is described in the Quran, the reader trembles on reading it; when an order is laid down in the Quran, the feeling becomes intensified in the reader that he should become the obedient subject of his Lord by carrying out that order.
Source: The Quran
Yes, a non-Muslim can read the Quran. There is no restriction preventing non-Muslims from accessing the Quran, and many have expressed interest in reading it to understand its teachings better. The Quran is available in translations, making it accessible to those who do not know Arabic. When you read the Quran, you will find that it deals with all the subjects relating to human beings. But the basic theme of the Quran is the Creation Plan of God. All other subjects touched upon by the Quran are related to this theme, directly or indirectly. God Almighty created the universe, and it is God Almighty who revealed this book called Al-Quran. The primary purpose of the Quran is to reveal that divine plan according to which the world was created, and man was settled in it. In summary, the Quran is a book meant to be read by all, and its teachings can provide valuable insights regardless of one’s religious background.
It is often believed that the Quran is a book only for the Muslims. But nothing could be farther from the truth. The Quran, which literally means, ‘to be read,’ is in fact a book for the entire mankind. In its 114 chapters, the Quran addresses all of humanity. Nowhere in the Quran does it say that it is a book for Muslims. About the Prophet of Islam, the Quran says: ‘He has been sent as a mercy to all mankind.’ (21:107). So, both the Quran and the Prophet of Islam were sent for mankind and not for one community as it is erroneously believed. The Quran has been preserved in its entirety for all time to come. Although written originally in Arabic, it has been made accessible, thanks to translations, to those who have no knowledge of Arabic. While no substitute for the original, translations serve the signal purpose of spreading the word of God far beyond the Arabic-speaking people to a far broader spectrum of humanity. To understand the message and wisdom of the Quran, Arabic understanding or reading is not necessary. As the Quran states: “We have made it easy to learn lessons from the Quran. Is there anyone who would receive admonition?” (54:17)
Source: The Quran
The proof that the Quran is a divine book lies in several key aspects that affirm its authenticity and unique nature. Firstly, the Quran presents a challenge to humanity by inviting individuals to produce a text comparable to it, claiming that no one has been able to meet this challenge since its revelation. This assertion highlights its unparalleled literary quality and depth, suggesting a divine origin. Moreover, the Quran is characterized by its consistency; it does not contain any contradictions, which is cited as a significant indication of its divine authorship. The preservation of the Quran in its original form since its revelation further supports its claim to be the word of God, as no other religious text has maintained such integrity over time. Further, the Quran addresses profound truths about human nature and the universe, which were not known at the time of its revelation. This foresight is viewed as evidence of its divine inspiration. The linguistic excellence, consistency, preservation, and profound insights of the Quran collectively serve as compelling proof of its divine origin.
Source: The Quran An Abiding Wonder
When you read the Quran, you will repeatedly find it stated that it is the word of God. Apparently this is a plain fact. But when seen in context, it is an extraordinary statement. There are many books in the world which are believed to be sacred. But, except for the Quran, we do not find any religious book which thus projects itself as the word of God. This kind of statement, appearing uniquely in the Quran, gives a point of departure to the reader. He then studies it as an exceptional book, rather than as a common book written by human beings. We find recurring in the Quran statements worded more or less as follows: ‘O man, it is your Lord, who is addressing you. Listen to His words and follow Him.’ Even this style of address is quite exceptional. This kind of direct divine invocation is not present in any other book. It leaves a lasting impression on man. He feels his Lord is directly addressing him. This feeling compels man to take the assertions of the Quran with extreme seriousness, rather than treat them like everyday statements in an ordinary book. The style of compilation of the Quran is also unique.
Books written by human beings usually have their material arranged in order from A to Z, according to the topic. But the Quran does not follow a pattern of this kind, so that to the common man it appears to be lacking in order. When looked at in reality, however, it will emerge as an extremely coherent and orderly book, and quite majestic in its style of writing. While reading the Quran, we feel that its writer is on a very high pedestal from where He is looking down and addressing the whole of humanity, which is His special concern. This address focuses on different groups of human beings while encompassing all of them.
One special aspect of the Quran is that at any moment its reader can consult its Writer, put his questions and receive answers, for the Writer of the Quran is God Himself. He is a living God. As man’s Creator, He directly hears and answers man’s call.
Source: The Quran
The Quran was not authored by any human being; it is the actual word of God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel. The process of revelation began in 610 AD and continued over 23 years. The Prophet Muhammad served as the receiver of this divine message, and he did not write it himself. He had scribes who recorded the revelations as they were revealed, ensuring that the Quran was preserved in both written and memorized forms. After the Prophet's death, the compilation of the Quran into its current form was carried out under the caliphate of Abu Bakr and later Uthman, who standardized the text to ensure its preservation. Thus, the Quran is viewed as a divine scripture, revealed on Prophet Muhammad and recorded by his Companions.
Source: The Quran: An Abiding Wonder
The Quran is the book of God. The Quran, having been preserved in its original form, is a completely reliable source of divine guidance. There are 114 surahs in the Quran. Everything that has been laid down in the Quran can be summed up thus: an individual should believe in the one God, and hold himself accountable to Him alone. He should discover that the Prophet Muhammad was a messenger who conveyed God’s guidance to humanity.
The Quran is a sacred book sent by God for everyone. It is a book for all because it has been sent by God, Who is the Creator of all mankind. It explains God’s creation plan for humanity. The Quran is not a new divine book. It is, in effect, a preserved version of the previous divine books. In this sense, the Quran is a book for all human beings and all nations. The Quran manifests God’s mercy for all. It is the message of God sent by Him for everyone. The Quran is a light of guidance for the whole world, just as the sun is a source of light and heat for the whole world. The Quran emphasizes the importance of spiritual and intellectual discovery of truth, aiming to make individuals aware of God's creation plan and their purpose in life. In essence, the Quran is a book of wisdom, guidance, and contemplation, urging individuals to study and reflect upon its messages to lead a meaningful life.
Source: The Spirit of Islam
A Paradisiacal personality is one fit to inhabit Paradise. Such a personality becomes an ardent seeker of Paradise, he begins to feel as if he is living in Paradise while remaining physically in this world. If he starts living in Paradise in terms of such a feeling in this world; in the next world he will physically become a resident of Paradise. God’s angels will welcome those men and women, who reach the Hereafter with all the above qualities. The angels will come forward and say: “Congratulations, O Blessed Souls! Enter God’s heaven by divine decree. Here, there is no death and no parting from this joyous world. The eternal life has been given to you for all eternity.” The Quran says: “O Soul at peace! Come to your Lord well pleased, and He will also be well pleased with you. So enter among My chosen servants. And enter My Garden.” (89:27-30)
Source: The Road to Paradise
During this limited life span on this Earth, what man needs to do to get entry into Paradise, is to seek the Creator and Sustainer of this universe. Having discovered the reality of Paradise on this Earth, he should become its seeker in his heart of hearts. Intellectually, spiritually and morally he should make himself deserving of an abode in the extreme refinement of Paradise. He should devote this present life span to preparation for an unlimited life in the Hereafter. Every man and woman born in this world is like an ‘ore,’ he, himself has to refine himself and fashion himself into a steel personality, a purified personality which God can find deserving of inhabiting in the ideal world of Paradise. Every living being has to awaken his or her consciousness to the ultimate extent and elevate himself through intellectual and spiritual development to develop a Paradisiacal personality. Those who succeed in reaching that high level of humanity will find a place in the orchard of happiness in the world to come, which is what we call Paradise; while those who are unable to do so will be eternally deprived.
Source: The Road to Paradise
