Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Second Lecture: Prophets are Needed to Provide us with Rules and Regulations

In the preceding lecture, we dealt with two functions of the prophets: The educational dimension and the ethical dimension. Now we will deal with their function in providing us with social laws which are crucial to our lives.

We know that man’s most important asset is his dynamic social life which is the basis for all his various advancements.

If men lived apart from each other there is, no doubt that we would now be living in a situation not better than that of the Stone Age.

It is the collective endeavor of mankind that has kept the torch of culture and civilization burning. It is our collective efforts which have been the source of all these scientific discoveries and innovations.

For instance, the journey to the moon would never have taken place if a great number of experts and scholars had not continuously worked diligently in the decades that preceded it.

Another example is the transplant of a dead person’s heart into the body of a living person and the subsequent saving of a life, whose death would have been inevitable if this operation had not taken place. Such a feat is the result of continual research done on the human heart during the history of mankind.

However, despite the glories that social life provides us, there are still some hardships and obstacles in our way and these are the conflicts that exist in human social life which at times culminate in wars.

In this respect, we appreciate the need for laws and regulations.

Rules could solve three types of hardships

Laws outline an individual’s tasks vis-à-vis society and vice versa. They give us the capabilities to flourish and coordinate our efforts.

Laws pave the way for regulating individuals in carrying out their tasks.

Laws prevent individuals from violating each other’s rights; laws prevent chaos in one citizen’s interaction with another. And laws define punishment for criminals and law-breakers.

Who is the Best Legislator?

Now we would like to know who could be the best legislator; who is most capable in regulating the necessary laws for mankind that could encompass all the three principles mentioned above which outline the individual’s rights and interactions with society and which control affairs and inhibit the aggression of law-breakers?

Human society, for example could be likened to a huge train and the government as its engine.

Laws are like the rails of such a train which show the direction towards a specific destination, a direction and route which passes through all kinds of bends and curves, and all sorts of mountains, hills, and valleys.

A good railway should have the following features:

The ground on which the train travels should be strong enough to tolerate the maximum pressure;

The distance between two rails should be the same as that between the wheels of the train.

The direction should not be too steep so that the brakes of the train could function properly.

Landslides should also be prevented and the probability of the occurrence of flooding and avalanches should be accounted for to ensure the safety of the train.

Having considered this example, let us now return to human society:

The legislator who desires to pass the most appropriate laws for human beings should have the following features:

He should know human nature well and be familiar with man’s instincts, emotions, needs and problems.

He should consider all man’s capabilities and should prepare the necessary laws for them to flourish.

He should be able to predict all the accidents that might inflict the whole nation.

He should not have special personal privileges and prerogatives so that he could design law without seeking to secure his specific interests or those of his close relatives.

Such a legislator should be aware of all the progress that man might have made and all the failures and pitfalls that threaten his safety.

Such a legislator should be completely immune from committing errors, mistakes, blunders and forgetfulness.

He should be strong enough not to be intimidated by any governmental official or by any power. At the same time, he should be extremely amicable and sympathetic.

Who Possesses These Features?

Can a man be the best legislator? Has there been someone who knows man completely when one of the greatest sociologists of our time has written an informative book called” Man, the Unknown Creature.”

Is man’s mentality, his tendencies, instincts and emotions entirely known to us?

Does anybody else, besides God, know man’s spiritual and physical needs? Can you pick a man out of human society who does not have any special interests in his community? Can you identify a man who is immune to faults and blunders?

For these convincing reasons, there is nobody except God and the person who receives His revelations, who could ever be a good and prudent legislator.

Thus, we arrive at the following irrevocable fact; the Creator Who has created man to improve and become perfect should appoint for him guides who could provide man with all-inclusive divine laws.

People would definitely trust those rules that come from God and this trust and recognition will safeguard those laws.

The Relation between Monotheism and Prophethood

It is worth mentioning here that the system of creation as such, is a living witness for the divine prophets and their righteous missions.

It should be pointed out that even a short and cursory look at this marvelous creation will reveal to us that God has not ignored any of the needs of any creature. For instance, He has given us our eyes and then has provided these eyes with eyelashes and eyelids to protect them from any sort of damage.

God has provided tear-ducts for each eye because dryness destroys them.

God has also provided small openings in the corner of man’s eyes to carry the extra water through them into the nose. If these openings were not narrow enough, teardrops would always cover our faces.

God has made man’s pupils so sensitive to light that they automatically widens or narrow in response to strong and weak light. This protects the eyes from any unpredictable damage.

There are muscles around the eyeballs which can turn the eyes in different directions to observe different objects.

Could such a God, Who has provided man with all his needs, deprive man of a guide and an infallible leader who is intimately connected with His revelation?

The well-known philosopher, lbn Sina (Avicenna), in his work called “Shafa” [Remedy] writes:

“Man’s need for the appointment of prophets for his survival and for his attainment of virtues is more crucial than the growth of his eye-lashes, eyebrows, the curves in his feet and the like. Thus, it is impossible for the Eternal Benevolence to arrange for the latter and ignore the former.”

THINK AND ANSWER

What is man’s most precious asset?

Why can’t man live without laws?

Give one revealing example of the role of laws in man’s life.

What are the characteristics of the best legislator?

Why should prophets be human beings?

Third Lecture: Why are Prophets Sinless [infallible]?

Immunity against Sins and Wrongdoing

No doubt, each Prophet should attract public confidence as his first priority so that no one could identify any trace of wrongdoing, lying, or error in his utterances.

If this is not the case, his very position of leadership will be undermined. If the prophets were not infallible, those who seek for an excuse, under the pretext that the prophets make errors, and those who find the truth, due to the flaws they observe in the Prophet’s invitation, would abstain from answering their invitation or at least not accept them enthusiastically.

This reason which could be called “the infallibility reason” is one of the strongest proofs of the infallibility of the prophets.

In other words, how could God order us to obey a person with no pre-conditions while that person might be a wrongdoer? Under such circumstances, if people obey such a person, they would have followed a sinner and if they did not obey him, then his position of leadership would have been compromised.

For this very reason, when the great interpreters interpret the sacred verse:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ

O you who believe: Obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority from among you. [Qur’an 4: 59],

they inform us that the reason for this unconditioned obedience is that both the Prophet and “those in authority,” who are the infallible Imams, are sinless and infallible. Otherwise, God would never have issued the command for absolute obedience.

Another approach to verify the sinlessness and infallibility of the prophets is to consider the fact that “the factors that contribute to committing sins are non existent in the prophets.”

Now let us explain a little more: When we study ourselves, we will find out that we are almost sinless with respect to some dirty or inappropriate deeds.

Let us observe the following examples:

Have you ever met a wise man who likes to eat fire, dust or garbage? Can you find an intelligent person who likes to walk in the streets naked?

Definitely not; and when we come across such a person, we will be certain that he has gone insane and suffers from some mental disorder.

For this very reason, we could explain this magnificent fact through the following succinct sentence: Every rational and healthy individual is infallible and sinless with respect to a range of improper deeds.

If we delve into this issue a little more, we will find out that some people are immune from the wrongdoing that others commit while ordinary people do not have such immunity.

For instance, a proficient and skillful physician, who has a deep knowledge of microbes and their hazards, would never drink dirty water that had been used to wash the clothes of infected patients, while an illiterate person might unknowingly do this.

We could also come to the following conclusion: the more knowledge we have about a subject, the more immune we are from acting in error regarding that subject.

It is easy for us to see that a person whose faith is strong and who firmly believes in God’s justice and vividly sees this justice around him, would be immune against all sins and any repulsive act would seem to him just like walking naked in the streets. For him illegally gained property would look like the flames of fire. In the same way that we refrain from taking fire into our mouths, he too would avoid taking religiously unlawful property.

From these discussions, we could conclude that the prophets, due to their strong faith and knowledge, could easily control and suppress the stimuli for committing sins and the most enticing means to engage in sins could never influence their wisdom or faith. That is why we have concluded that prophets are infallible and immune from sins.

How Could Infallibility be considered a Point of Honor?

Some people who are ignorant of the fact that infallibility and inerrancy inhibit the commission of sins claim that it is not a point of honor for an infallible person not to commit a sin since God has helped him to be so. They add further that this is an imposed infallibility and the person should not claim any virtue for it.

However, with the explanation we have offered above, the answer to such a claim loses its merit. A Prophet’s immunity against sins is in no way imposed; rather; it is the result of this powerful faith and conviction and his extra-ordinary knowledge. And this is the greatest point of honor for him.

Is a skillful physician forced to avoid infectious diseases? Is it not a virtue for such an adroit person to observe hygiene? Is it not a point of honor for a lawyer to avoid crimes due to the fact that he knows their consequences?

Thus, we conclude that infallibility on the part of the prophets is entirely voluntary and is considered a great honor for them.

THINK AND ANSWER

How many branches of infallibility are there?

What would happen if the prophets were not infallible?

What is the essence of infallibility?

Could you offer some more instances of actions against which some people are infallible?

Is the infallibility of prophets compulsory or voluntary? Why?

Fourth Lecture: The Best Way to Recognize the Prophet

It is, no doubt, against wisdom and logic to accept the claim of just any claimer. A person who claims to be a Prophet might be telling the truth, but there is always the chance that an opportunist might also claim that he is a Prophet. For this reason, it is necessary for us to have definitive criteria to evaluate such claims.

There are different ways for us to arrive at such an objective. Among them are the following two approaches:

A study of the content of the Prophet’s invitations and message;

Miracles and supernatural deeds

Now, let us talk a little about miracles: there are those who are amazed at the word “miracle,” or consider miracles to be the stuff of legends and myths. But when we consider the true meaning of miracles, we find out that such conceptions are false.

A miracle is not an impossible act, neither is it an effect with any cause. In plain words, a miracle is an extra-ordinary act whose performance is beyond the power of the common man; rather, its performance depends on a supernatural power.

Thus, a miracle has the following features:

It is an action that is possible and acceptable.

Ordinary people or even men of great genius who are reliant on human power are not capable of performing such an act.

The performer of a miracle should be so confident of his performance that he could invite others to challenge him.

No one else could perform the same miracle, and as its name implies, no one would be able to perform it and would be frustrated in attempting it.

A miracle should be accompanied with the claim to prophethood or Imamate [thus, any extraordinary work performed by a common man is not a miracle; rather it is an act of divine grace (Karamah)]

Some Vivid Examples

All of us have heard that one of the miracles performed by Jesus Christ(s) was to bring the dead back to life and to cure incurable diseases.

What scientific or rational reasons do we have to believe a man could not return to life after his body was dead? Or what rational reasons are there for us not to believe that a cancer patient who was considered incurable could be cured?

Of course, man, with his normal powers, is not capable of resuscitating the dead or curing many diseases, even if all the world physicians worked together.

But why couldn’t a man who is equipped with a divine power and who is cognizant of God’s immense ocean of Knowledge resuscitate a dead body or cure an incurable disease?

Science says: I do not know and am not capable, but it could never say that it is impossible or irrational.

Another example: A journey to the moon without a spacecraft would be impossible for any human being. But what is wrong for a person to do it if he is equipped with a supernatural force and with a mysterious mount that is very different from what we have seen?

Anybody who could perform such feats and then claim prophethood and invite people to challenge him must be definitely sent by God.

This is because it is impossible for God to give a thief and a liar such a power to mislead people.

Miracles should not be mingled with Superstitions

Going to extremes have always caused the distortion of facts and truth. The same is also true regarding miracles.

While some modernist thinkers, either explicitly or implicitly deny all miracles, other groups of people invent miracles and present others with weak Islamic traditions and superstitious myths, which are probably the work of mysterious enemies, thus defacing the Prophet’s true and intellectually sound miracles by encapsulating them within the cover of illusion and superstition.

True miracles do not show their merits unless they are pruned of such man-made, invented myths.

For this very reason, our religious thinkers have always been careful to present Islamic narrations without such man-made innovations.

These Islamic thinkers created a science called “the science of the men of religion” so that they could evaluate the narrators and they could distinguish correct narrations from weak ones and stop the mixing of truth with illusory and baseless ideas.

Colonizers and atheistic movements have also not remained idle and have also endeavored to mix pure, clean religious ideas with baseless superstition. In this way, they have frantically tried to give an unscientific aspect to these genuine miracles. However, we should always be aware of the destructive conspiracies of our enemies.

The Differences between Miracles and Other Extraordinary Acts

Sometimes we hear about people performing supernatural deeds. Many have witnessed such feats. This is a fact, not a myth.

Now this question is raised: What is the difference between these extraordinary acts and the miracles of the prophets? What are the criteria to distinguish between them?

There are two clear answers to this question:

Yogis perform only a limited set of acts. In other words, no Yogi would do any act that you might suggest; rather, he would carry out the extraordinary act at which he is adept. This is obvious since the power of human beings is limited and he can become an expert only in one or of practice.

However, there is no limit to the Prophet’s extraordinary feats. There is no condition on them.

At any moment, a Prophet is ready to perform any miracle required of him. This is because they receive their power from God. And we know that there is no limit to God’s power while man’s power is limited.

What a yogi may perform could be done by another yogi, so their practice is not beyond the power of man.

For this very reason, a yogi would never challenge others to carry out the same feat he does. This is because there might be other people like him.

However, the prophets challenged others to do what they did and they would say, “If all people on the earth gathered together, they would never be able to do what we do.”

The same applies to magic. These two differences clearly distinguish miracles from magic, as well.

THINK AND ANSWER

Why is a miracle called by this name?

Are miracles considered as exceptions to the law of cause and effect?

How could you distinguish miracles from the works of yogis?

What are the main principles of miracles?

Have you ever encountered a phenomenon similar to a miracle in your life?

Fifth Lecture: The Greatest Miracle of the Prophet of Islam

The Eternal Miracle

All Islamic scholars believe that the Holy Qur’an is the greatest miracle of the Prophet of Islam. The reasons for this statement are as follows:

The Holy Qur’an is a rational miracle which deals with people’s souls.

The Holy Qur’an is an eternal miracle.

The Holy Qur’an is a miracle that says aloud:

“If you say this book is not from God, then bring forth one like it.”

This challenge is explicitly stated in the Holy Qur’an:

قُل لَّئِنِ اجْتَمَعَتِ الإِنسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَى أَن يَأْتُواْ بِمِثْلِ هَذَا الْقُرْآنِ لاَ يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَلَوْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ ظَهِيراً

Say: If men and jinn should combine together to bring the like of this Qur’an, they could not bring the like of it, though some of them supported the other. [Qur’an 17:88]

Still on another occasion, The Holy Qur’an has eased the condition for such a challenge:

أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ قُلْ فَأْتُوا بِعَشْرِ سُوَرٍ مِثْلِهِ مُفْتَرَيَاتٍ وَادْعُوا مَنْ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ إِنْ كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ

Or do they say: He has forged it. Say: then bring ten forged chapters like it and call upon whom you can besides Allah, if you are truthful. [Qur’an 11:13]

And later, the Holy Qur’an adds: if they did not accept this invitation, be aware that these verses are from God.

فَإِلَّمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا لَكُمْ فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا أُنزِلَ بِعِلْمِ اللَّهِ وَأَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ

But if they do not answer you, then know that it is revealed by Allah’s knowledge and that there is no god but He; will you then submit? [Qur’an 11:14].

Once again, the Holy Qur’an has set the least condition for challenges against it:

وَإِنْ كُنتُمْ فِي رَيْبٍ مِمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَى عَبْدِنَا فَأْتُوا بِسُورَةٍ مِنْ مِثْلِهِ وَادْعُوا شُهَدَاءَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ إِنْ كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ

And if you are in doubt as to that which We have revealed to Our Servant, then produce a chapter like it and call on your witness besides Allah if you are truthful. [Qur’an 2:23]

In the next verse, the Holy Qur’an explicitly states:

فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا وَلَنْ تَفْعَلُوا فَاتَّقُوا النَّارَ الَّتِي وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْكَافِرِينَ

But if you do it not and never shall you do it, then guard yourselves against the fire whose fuel will be men and stones and is prepared for the unbelievers. [Qur’an 2:24]

These continual challenges reveal the fact that the Great Prophet had relied heavily on the Holy Qur’an and presented it as his miracle despite the fact that he performed numerous other miracles mention of which can be found in the history books.

Since the Holy Qur’an is a living miracle which is available to all, we shall rely on it extensively.

How did the Infidels Show Their Weakness in Response to These Challenges?

It is worth noting that the Holy Qur’an put a lot of pressure on the infidels to encourage them to mount a response to its challenge because it did not like to give the infidels a chance to make excuses.

Expressions such as “If you tell the truth”… “You would never be capable of”… “Ask the whole world for assistance”… “Bring forth at least one Surah like it”… “If you become an unbeliever, a burning fire is waiting for you”… all explain this truth.

Besides all this, the Prophet’s Holy wars against the unbelievers was not an easy job because Islam had endangered not only their religion to which they were inclined but also their economic and political interests. In short, even their very existence was severely jeopardized.

In other words, the advance of Islam had disturbed every aspect of their life. For this very reason, they had to fight back vehemently.

In order to weaken the Prophet of Islam, they decided to bring forth verses similar to those of the Holy Qur’an so that they could not be intimidated by it any more.

They asked all the eloquent writers among the Arabs to combat the Holy Qur’an but each time they took part in the competition they were the losers. The account of these failures is recorded in history books.

The Story of Walid Ibn Mughirah

Among those who were invited to this contest was Walid Ibn Mughirah, of the tribe of Banu-Makhzum who was quite well-known among the Arabs in those days for his penmanship and his literary style.

He was asked to deliberate on the Holy Qur’an and tell others about the impressions he got from it. Walid asked the Prophet to recite some of the verses of the Holy Qur’an for him and the Prophet recited a part of the Surah ha-Mim.[2]

These verses excited Walid so much that he jumped up instantly and headed towards the tribe of Banu-Makhzum, saying vehemently, “I swear to God I heard some words from Muhammad that are similar neither to the words of human beings nor of the fairies.” He then uttered the following:

“His statements have a special flavor and a unique beauty. Above them you would assume branches filled with fruits and their roots encompass deep meanings which dominate everything and are dominated by nothing.”

These remarks of Walid caused the rumor among the tribe of Quraish that Walid had been enchanted by Muhammad(s).

Abu-Jahl hurriedly went to his house, and told him what he had heard from the men of Quraish and invited him to a meeting they were holding.

Arriving in their company, Walid asked them: Do you think Muhammad is crazy? Have you observed any symptoms of madness?

The audience replied in unison that they did not, and then he asked them if they thought that he was a liar. Had he not been well-known among them as a trustworthy man?

Some of the Quraishi leaders replied “Then with what term shall we accuse him? Walid thought for a moment and then replied: “Call him a wizard.”

Although they desired to drive away the masses that had been fond of The Holy Qur’an, this very appellation of “magic” was living proof of the supernatural attraction of the Holy Qur’an. They thus interpreted this attraction as “magic” when in reality these two are not connected, at all.

This is why the Quraish men spread the rumor that Muhammad was a skillful wizard and that those verses were his magic. They advised the people to stay away from him and not to listen to his words.

However, they failed in every respect and those thirsty for the truth and those who found it, who were clean-hearted, gathered around the Holy Qur’an in the thousands and were satisfied with the content of its verses. The defeated enemies had to withdraw.

Today, too, like in the past, the Holy Qur’an invites all peoples to challenge it and it proclaims: If you are in doubt concerning the validity of these verses, and if you imagine they are man-made, then bring forth something like them. I invite you scientists, you philosophers, you literary men and you writers from all nations and tribes, to do so.

We know that the enemies of Islam, especially Christian priests, who see Islam as a revolutionary sect that is full of meaning, and who visualize Islam as a threat to their interests, spend millions of dollars every year to carry out their anti-Islamic propaganda. They carry out their obnoxious activities in Islamic countries under the pretext of cultural, scientific, medical and hygienic activities.

Why have they not taken the short-cut by inviting Christian Arabs, and Arab scientists, poets, writers and philosophers to write and produce some Surahs like those of the Holy Qur’an, in this way, they could silence Muslims forever.

They would have done this under any circumstances if they could. Their weakness vis-à-vis this issue is a firm argument against the infidels and a living argument in favor of the miraculousness of the Qur’an.

THINK AND ANSWER

Why is the Holy Qur’an considered as the Holy Prophet’s greatest miracle?

How does the Holy Qur’an invite people to challenge it?

Why did the unbelievers give the title of “magic” to the Holy Qur’an”?

Why is Islam considered as the sturdy rival of Christianity?

What was the story of Walid Ibn Mughirah?

Sixth Lecture: A Brief Look at the Miracles of the Holy Qur’an

Why the Discontinuous letters?

We know that at the start of most Surahs of the Holy Qur’an we will find discontinuous letters, such as Alif, Lam, Mim [ALM], ALMR, and Yasin [YS].

In accordance with some Islamic narrations, God has used these letters to show that one eternal miracle of creation, i.e., the Holy Qur’an, is simply composed of letters and it is constructed in such a way as readily could be produced even by children. The very fact that such a masterpiece is composed of such simple letters, is a miracle in itself.

Now this question may be raised: How is the Holy Qur’an a miracle? Is it because of its eloquence and clearness or because of something else?

When the Holy Qur’an is looked at from different angels, different aspects of its miracle manifest themselves, including the following:

Eloquence and clearness: the words and lexical items in The Holy Qur’an have their specific attraction.

The content of the verses is extremely magnificent. The verses are free from superstitions.

Scientific miracles: this means the disclosure of issues which had not been attained in those dark days;

Vivid and explicit prediction of future events (the concealed news of the Holy Qur’an)

Lack of contradiction and unrelated issues

A complete discussion of these five issues would need a large space. However, a short reference to each one of them seems reasonable.

Eloquence and Clarity

We know that every discourse has two aspects: the words and the semantic content.

A discourse is called eloquent and clear when its words and morphemes are chosen in such a way that they show coherence and a lack of ambiguity. When the conditions are fulfilled, the text is deemed attractive.

The Holy Qur’an possesses these two distinctive features in such a way that up to now no one has ever been able to produce anything as attractive and elegant as its verses and Surahs.

In the previous lectures we read about the story of Walid Ibn Mughirah, the representative of the Arab infidels, who became so excited upon hearing the recitation of the Holy Qur’an that he ordered the Quraish leaders to describe the Holy Qur’an with the pejorative word “magic” and Muhammad as a “magician.”

They used this expression repeatedly for the Prophet. Although they did so cast aspersions on the Prophet, in fact, it showed their admiration of him. This is because the word “magic” implied that the Holy Qur’an had a tremendous effect on the audience.

However, instead of accepting the Holy Qur’an as a miracle and believing in it, they went astray and called it sorcery.

There are many instances reported in the history of Islam of aggressive unbelievers who converted to Islam upon hearing the Holy Qur’an recited to them. This clearly shows that the eloquence and clarity of the Holy Qur’an was a sign of its miraculousness. For those familiar with Arab literature. The more they read the Holy Qur’an, the more they became fascinated and enchanted by its verses.

Qur’anic expressions are extremely well-arranged, accompanied with an elegant style, vividness, and lack obscurities or ambiguity.

It is worth mentioning that Arab literature in those dark ages was sublime and the poetry which has survived from the pre-Islamic era is still highly accomplished even today.

It is said that each year the most famous literary men of the hijaz used to assemble and present the best examples of their poetry in the `Ukaz Market, which was a trade and literary center. The best poem was then regarded as “the poem of the year.” After this, they would write it down and post it in Mecca. When the Prophet started his mission, there had been seven such masterpieces which were collectively termed “the Seven Suspensions.”

However, upon the revelation of the Holy Qur’an, every one of those seven literary masterpieces lost its fame and were finally forgotten forever.

The interpreters of the Holy Qur’an elucidated its subtleties in their commentaries on the sacred verses, and one can see a range of such interpretations in related works.[3]

Familiarity with the Holy Qur’an reveals the complete sincerity and lack of exaggeration in the following statement uttered by the Prophet of Islam:

ظَاهِرُهُ أَنِيقٌ وَبَاطِنُهُ عَمِيقٌ؛ لاَ تُحْصَى عَجَائِبُهُ وَلاَ تَبْلَى غَرَائِبُهُ

“The outward aspect of the Holy Qur’an is elegant and its content is deep. No one can enumerate the number of the miracles of the Holy Qur’an and its wonders would never be out-dated.”

The great student of the school of the Holy Qur’an, Imam `Ali(s), regarding this issue writes in the Nahj al-Balaghah:

فِيهِ رَبِيعُ الْقَلْبِ وَيَنَابِيعُ الْعِلْمِ وَمَا لِلْقَلْبِ جَلاَءٌ غَيْرُهُ

“The spring of hearts lies in the Qur’an; rivers of knowledge spring from it. There is no polish effective for man’s heart and soul than this book.”

THINK AND ANSWER

What is the philosophy behind the use of the discontinuous letters in the Holy Qur’an?

Is the Holy Qur’an considered a miracle or a series of miracles?

Why did the opponents of Islam call the Prophet of Islam by the pejorative name “magician”?

What is the difference between eloquence and clarity?

To what era does “the Seven Suspensions” belong and what does this phrase mean?

Seventh Lecture: The world view of the Holy Qur’an

As a prelude to our discussion, we should discuss the environment in which the Holy Qur’an was nurtured.

In the opinion of all historians, the land of hijaz was one of the most retarded and backward sections of the world of antiquity. For this reason, the pre-Islamic Arabs were considered as savage or semi-savage.

Ideologically, they enthusiastically worshipped idols and these stone and wooden idols had a dark domination over their lives. It is also narrated that they used to make idols out of dates and bowed before them. However, at the time of famine, they would eat them.

Despite their hatred towards girls and in spite of the fact that they buried them alive, they considered the angels as the daughters of God. In this way, they lowered God’s position to the status of a man.

They were baffled by the notions of monotheism and when the Prophet of Islam invited them to monotheism, they remarked in astonishment:

أَجَعَلَ الآلِهَةَ إِلَهاً وَاحِداً إِنَّ هَذَا لَشَيْءٌ عُجَابٌ

Has he managed to substitute one God for various gods? Really, this is a strange thing! [Qur’an 38:5]

Anybody who said anything against their superstitions, false myths or illusory thoughts was considered a lunatic.

A tribal system dominated their community and the differences among the tribes were so acute that the fire of war was never extinguished among them. They easily shed each other’s blood; and plunder was considered as a point of honor and their daily routine.

The number of literate men who could barely read and write in the city of Mecca was very few and scientists and learned men were scarce among them.

Out of such an environment, an unlettered man arose and brought forth a book whose content was so rich that after fourteen centuries scholars are still busy interpreting it and new truths are still being discovered in it.

The way the Holy Qur’an depicts the world of being is very accurate and precise. It presents the idea of monotheism in the most complete manner and introduces, in an elegant way, the mysteries of the creation of the universe, day and night, the sun and the moon, and of the plants and man, as signs of a unique God.

Sometimes, the Holy Qur’an penetrates into man’s soul and speaks of innate monotheism saying:

فَإِذَا رَكِبُوا فِي الْفُلْكِ دَعَوْا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ فَلَمَّا نَجَّاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ إِذَا هُمْ يُشْرِكُونَ

When they embark on a ship (as soon as they feel some danger is approaching them on the sea) they invoke Allah sincerely, but when they are landed safely, they forget their Savior and again they consider partners for Allah. [Qur’an 29:65]

At other times, the Holy Qur’an, based on wisdom and rational thinking, discusses rational Monotheism, describing the outside world and the inner soul, and explaining the mysteries of the earth and the universe, the animals, the mountains, the seas, the rain, storms, and the subtle realities of man’s spirit and body.

When discussing God’s attributes, the Holy Qur’an uses the most profound and attractive methods: On one occasion it says:

لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ

There is none like Him. [Qur’an 42:11]

In other places, the Holy Qur’an says:

هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ هُوَ الرَّحْمَانُ الرَّحِيمُ. هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْمَلِكُ الْقُدُّوسُ السَّلامُ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْمُهَيْمِنُ الْعَزِيزُ الْجَبَّارُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ. هُوَ اللَّهُ الْخَالِقُ الْبَارِئُ الْمُصَوِّرُ لَهُ الأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

He is Allah besides Whom there is no god; the Knower of the unseen and the seen; He is the Beneficent, the Merciful. He is Allah, besides Whom there is no god; the King, the Holy, the Giver of peace, the Granter of security, Guardian over all, the Mighty, the Supreme, the Possessor of every greatness Glory be to Allah from what they set up (with Him).

He is Allah the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner; His are the most excellent names; whatever is in the heavens and the earth declares His glory; and He is the Mighty, the Wise. [Qur’an 59: 21-24]

In describing God’s Knowledge and in explaining His Infinite Nature, the Holy Qur’an makes use of the most elaborate expressions:

وَلَوْ أَنَّمَا فِي الأَرْضِ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ أَقَْامٌ وَالْبَحْرُ يَمُدُّهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ مَا نَفِدَتْ كَلِمَاتُ اللَّهِ

And if all the trees on the earth were pens and the seas were ink with seven more seas, yet the words of Allah would not be exhausted. [Qur’an 31:27]

Concerning God’s dominance over everything and His presence everywhere, the Holy Qur’an employs elegant expressions such as the following:

وَلِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ

And Allah’s is the East and the West, therefore, wheresoever you turn, there is Allah’s face. [Qur’an 2:115]

وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَمَا كُنْتُمْ وَاللهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

And He is with you wherever you are; and Allah sees what you do. [Qur’an 57:4]

And when the Holy Qur’an deals with the issue of Resurrection and the Day of Judgment, it astounds the unbelievers and neutralizes their argument by saying:

وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلاً وَنَسِيَ خَلْقَهُ قَالَ مَنْ يُحْيِ الْعِظَامَ وَهِيَ رَمِيمٌ. قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا الَّذِي أَنشَأَهَا أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ. الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنْ الشَّجَرِ الأَخْضَرِ نَاراً فَإِذَا أَنْتُمْ مِنْهُ تُوقِدُونَ. أَوَلَيْسَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَى أَنْ يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُمْ بَلَى وَهُوَ الْخَلاَّقُ الْعَلِيمُ. إِنَّمَا أَمْرُهُ إِذَا أَرَادَ شَيْئاً أَنْ يَقُولَ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ

And he strikes out a likeness for Us and forgets his own creation. Says he: Who will give life to the bones when they are rotten. Say: He will give life to them Who brought them into existence at first, and He is cognizant of all creation. He Who has made for you the fire (to burn) from the green tree, so that with it you kindle (fire). Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth able to create the like of them? Yea! And He is the Creator (of all), the Knower. His command, when He intends anything, is only to say to it: Be, so it is. [Qur’an 36: 78-82]

In those days when photography and sound recording did not yet exist the Holy Qur’an says in relation to man’s deeds:

يَوْمَئِذٍ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَا بِأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْحَى لَهَا

On that day, she shall tell her news because your Lord had inspired her. [Qur’an 99:4-5]

The Holy Qur’an also talks about the witness that our hands, feet and skins would offer on that day:

الْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَى أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَا أَيْدِيهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْجُلُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ

On that day, We will set a seal upon their mouths, and their hands shall speak to Us, and their feet shall bear witness of what they earned. [Qur’an 36:65]

وَقَالُوا لِجُلُودِهِمْ لِمَ شَهِدْتُمْ عَلَيْنَا قَالُوا أَنطَقَنَا اللَّهُ الَّذِي أَنطَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ

And they shall say to their skins: why have you borne witness against us? They shall say: Allah Who makes everything speak has made us speak. [Qur’an 41:21]

The true value of Qur’anic knowledge and its freedom from any superstition becomes evident only when we compare it with “the distorted Old Testament and the New Testament of today.” For instance, when we compare what the Holy Qur’an and the Bible have to say concerning man’s creation, what they have to say concerning the prophets, and how they describe God, then we can vividly see the differences.[4]

THINK AND ANSWER

What are the main features of the social environment from which the Holy Qur’an arose?

How did idolatry influence their thought at this time?

What is the difference between natural and rational monotheism?

What is the logic of the Holy Qur’an in describing God and His Attributes?

How could we better comprehend the contents of the Holy Qur’an?