Thu03282024

Last updateSun, 20 Aug 2023 9pm

Back You are here: Home

Articles

The Holy Qur'an for Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

The Holy Qur’an for Yesterday,

Today and Tomorrow

 

So far much has been written about the Holy Qur’an and its teachings. Numerous people have also spent their lifetime pondering over its verses and have finally confessed that they have acquired nothing but limited insights into its profundity and sciences. It is, of course, true that everyone can make use of the Holy Qur’an in accordance with his or her potentials that are determined by purity and reflection; as the Holy Qur’an says:

 

 لاَّ يَمَسُّهُ إِلَّا الْمُطَهَّرُونَ

 

 “None shall touch it save the purified ones”.[1]

However, the wisdom and knowledge of the Holy Qur’an are infinite and its depth has yet to be discovered with new ways and approaches of understanding.

This Divine Book addresses all people and is highly comprehensive. It is for all people, including one who only wishes to recite it and one who deeply reflects on it. The Holy Qur’an says:

 

فَاقْرَؤُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ

 

 “Therefore, read what is easy of the Qur’an”[2] and in another occasion it says:

 

كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ

 

“ It is a book We have revealed to you abounding in good, that they may ponder over its verses”[3]

This is why it can be said to be the gift of God for the guidance of the entirety of mankind. This is, also, why it has been called “The Eternal Miracle”. The Holy Qur’an counts as the most valid religious source, for evidence shows that it has remained intact in the course of history and has not been distorted whatsoever.

Another feature that is of  much consequence, especially in the disturbing and turbulent days of modern life, is the unifying nature of the Holy Qur’an. It has always been the main axis for the convergence of the scattered societies of Muslims around the world.[4]

On this basis, God, the Almighty defines the Holy Qur’an as the strong covenant of God[5] as well as the Firmest Handle which shall not break off.[6]

It can unify all people in a world where ideologies have sought to put forward several approaches for the welfare of people but in vain.

In addition, the Holy Qur’an covers insights and issues that are inaccessible to man, thus:

 

َيُعَلِّمُكُم مَّا لَمْ تَكُونُواْ تَعْلَمُونَ

 

“and teaches you what you did not know.”[7]

This is why man’s learning, thinking and reasoning fail in uncovering and arriving at the depth of the Holy Qur’an. The main reason is the difference between reasoning and inspiration. Even though the reasoning and wisdom which are called the inner prophet shed lights on man’s ways of knowing, behaving, etc;  it cannot be inclusive without the aid of inspiration. According to the view of the Holy Qur’an, the learned need to primarily purify themselves in order to be “men who have intellects”[8]. The Holy Qur’an has been sent for all men to make them think carefully and seriously. It is not merely meant to help the learned ponder and reflect on its verses and sings. It is a common wisdom that can reveal the truth:

 

وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

 

 “and We have revealed to you the Reminder that you may make clear to men what has been revealed to them, and that they may reflect.”[9]

 

The Reflection of Rational Beings
Revealing the truths for man is only the path to the attainment of the teachings and sciences of the Holy Qur’an. As well, the Holy Qur’an has assigned responsibilities and obligations based on man’s potentials:

 

أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاء مَاء فَسَالَتْ أَوْدِيَةٌ بِقَدَرِهَا

 

“He sends down water from the sky whereat the valleys are flooded to(the extent of) their capacity”[10].

The learned need to embark on reflecting on and recollecting its sings and dimensions. They need to apply their reasoning and their wisdom to be well aware of the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and, as a consequence, they would attain the good life in this world and the Hereafter. Meanwhile, we believe that the foregoing can be made easy in the light of the school of the People of the House, Muhammad’s descendants.[11] The teachings of the Holy Qur’an must therefore, be expressed systematically and well defined as follows:

1. They must be comprehensive and inclusive to satisfy man’s basic needs.

2. They must be firm and coherent. They must not include threatening paradoxes so as to make them lively and coordinated.

3. They must be operational and useful rather than abstract and impracticable.

4. They must be God-based unlike man-made religions and doctrines. They must form a galaxy whose planets can touch all human issues including politics, economy, law, etc. 

Based on this, those who strive hard in the way of God will definitely be invested with Divine Guidance:

 

وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا

 

 “And for those who strive hard in Us, We will most certainly guide them in Our ways…..”[12]. As well, they will be addressed as

 

 سَلاَمٌ عَلَيْكُم بِمَا صَبَرْتُمْ

 

 “Peace be on you because you were constant…”[13] For

 

 الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ طُوبَى لَهُمْ وَحُسْنُ مَآبٍ

 

“As for those who believe and do good, a good final state shall be theirs and a good return.” [14]And our last call is that

 

رَّبَّنَا إِنَّنَآ سَمِعْنَا مُنَادِيًا يُنَادِي لِلإِيمَانِ أَنْ آمِنُواْ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَآمَنَّا رَبَّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّئَاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الأبْرَارِ

 

 “Our Lord! Surely we have heard a preacher calling to the faith, saying: believe in your Lord, so we did believe. Our Lord! Forgive us therefore our faults, and cover our evil deeds and make us die with the righteous.[15]

 

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1]. 56:79

[2]. 73:20

[3]. 38:29

[4]. "When temptations become obscure for you like dark partches of the night, then adhere to the Qur’an. " Wasa’il al-Shi’a, vol. 6, p.171.

[5]. 3:103

[6]. 2:256

[7]. 2:151

[8]. 13:194

[9]. 16:44

[10]. 13:17

[11]. “I am leaving to you two weighty treasures, the Book of God and my progeny, people of my house. They shall not be separated until they come to me by the Basin. Should you hold fast to them, you shall not go astray.” Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, vol.7, p69.

[12]. 29:69

[13]. 13:24

[14]. 13:29

[15]. 3:193

You have no rights to post comments

Find us on Facebook