The Quran: Sacred Book Of Islam.


Posted on January 7, 2015

by Jerry Alatalo

Header5In an effort to help correct any misperceptions about Islam, which have resulted in much confusion about the spiritual tradition, perhaps the following verses from an English translation of the message of The Quran by Professor (Dr.) Syed Vickar Ahamed (2006) would be beneficial for building greater understanding.

Excerpts from the preface by Dr. Zakir Naik:

“Allah (swt) – (Out of reverence to Almighty God, the suffix (swt) is added to affirm his Purity and His Uniqueness) has sent a revelation in every age. Allah (swt) says in the Quran, “Allah permitted (or ordered, for) each period is a Book (revealed).” [13.38]”

 “There are several revelations sent by Allah (swt) in different ages for the guidance of human beings of the respective ages. Only four revelations are mentioned by name in the Quran. These are the Torah, Zabur, Injeel and the Quran.”

“Torah is the revelation that was revealed to Prophet Moses (pbuh) – (Out of appreciation and respect for the prophets, the suffix (pbuh) is added to pray to Allah to bestow peace upon them). Zabur is the revelation that was revealed to the Prophet David (pbuh). Injeel is the revelation which was revealed to Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and the Quran is the last and the final revelation, that was revealed to the Last and Final Messenger Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).”

“Since there was to be no messenger after Muhammad (pbuh), the book revealed to him (i.e., the Quran) was preserved word for word so that it should be a source of Divine Guidance for all times. Each of the revelations, prior to the revelation of the Quran, was meant only for a particular period and for a particular group of people.”

“As the Quran was the last and final revelation of Almighty Allah, it was revealed not just for Muslims or Arabs but it was revealed for the whole of Humankind. Further, the Quran was not revealed only for the era of the Prophet but it was revealed for all of Humankind until the Last Day.”

“Allah (swt) says in the Quran, “…A Book (the Quran) which We have revealed to you, (O Prophet!) so that you may lead mankind from the depths of darkness into Light – By the permission of their Lord – To the Path (towards Him), the Exalted in Power, the (One) Worthy of all Praise.” [14.1]” 

“There are various types of brotherhoods – brotherhood based on blood relations, brotherhood based on regional affiliations, or brotherhood on the basis of race, caste, creed, ideology, etc. But all these types of brotherhood are limited in their scope, coverage and benefits.”

“Islam, on the other hand, prescribes Universal Brotherhood. It rejects the thought that human beings have been created in castes or in different levels. In Surah Al-Hujurat [49.13], Allah (swt) describes the Islamic concept of Universal Brotherhood.”

“O mankind! We have created you from a single (pair) of male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another (not that you may hate each other). Surely, the most honorable of you, in the sight of Allah is (he, who is) the most righteous of you. Verily, Allah is All Knowing and is Well-Aware (of all things).”

Islam is a lifestyle with a specific moral and legal code of conduct. Islam means submission, submission to God. Those who profess to follow the Islamic lifestyle are called Muslims. The word Muslim means the one who has submitted. What follows is a small collection of verses from the Quran.

2.214. Or do you (people) think that you shall enter the Garden (Paradise) without the many (trials) as (they) came to those who passed away before you? They faced suffering and grief, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Prophet (Muhammad) and those of faith who were with him cried: “When (will come) the help of Allah?” Oh! Surely, the help of Allah is (always) near!

2.215. They ask you (O Prophet), what they should spend (in charity). Say: “Whatever you spend is good, (it) must be for parents and relatives, and orphans, and those in want, and for the wayfarers. And whatever you do (for them) that is good, Allah knows it well.”

2.275. Those who eat from (items including moneys that they receive as) interest, will not stand except as stands one whom the Satan by his touch has driven to madness. That is because they say: “Trade is like usury,” But Allah has permitted trade and forbidden usury. Those who after receiving the direction from their Lord, do not receive (usury), shall be forgiven for the past; Their case is for Allah (to judge) but those who repeat (receiving usury) are companions of the Fire; They will live in there (for ever).

3.30. On the Day when every soul will be faced with all the good it has done, and all the evil it has done, it will wish there were a large distance between it and its evil. But Allah cautions you himself. And Allah is full of kindness for His servants.

3.103. And hold fast, all of you together by the Rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and do not be divided among yourselves (being Muslims); And remember with thanks Allah’s favor on you; For you were enemies and He joined your hearts together in love, so that by His Grace you became brethren; And you were on the brink to the Pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make His Signs clear to you: That you may be guided.

4.161. And they took interest (usury), though they were forbidden to take it; And that they consumed men’s belongings wrongfully – We have prepared for the disbelievers among them who reject Faith a painful punishment.

5.30. The (selfish) soul of the other (brother) led him to the murder of his brother: (For) he murdered , and became (himself) one of the lost ones.

5.32. On that basis: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone killed a person – Unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land – It would be as if he killed all mankind (the people): And if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved all mankind (the people). Then although there came to them Our messengers with Clear Signs, yet even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses (and do injustices) in the land.

6.60. It is He, Who takes your souls by the night and (He) has knowledge of all that you have done by day: By day He raises you up again; That a term appointed will be fulfilled; In the end to Him will be your return; Then he will show you the truth of all that you did.

10.4. To Him will be your return – All of you. The Promise of Allah is true and sure. It is He who begins the process of creation, and repeats it, that He may reward with justice those who believe and work righteousness; But those who reject (and disbelieved) him will have streams of  boiling liquids (to drink), and a painful penalty because they rejected him.

10.56. It is He Who gives life and Who causes death, and to Him, all of you shall be brought back.

13.20-21-22. And those who fulfill the Promise to Allah and do not fail in their word; And those who combine the things which Allah has ordered to be joined, (truth with virtue, prayer with charity, and patience with perseverance) hold their Lord in respect and fear, and fear terrible penalty (if they do wrong); And those who patiently persevere, seeking the (Divine) Face of their Lord; establish regular prayers; Spend from what We have blessed for their life, secretly and openly; And block evil with good: For them there is the final reach of the (eternal) Home.

17.13-14. And we have tied every man’s fate onto his own neck: We shall bring out on the Day of Judgment for him a (register like) document, which He will see laid open (for him). (It will be said to him:) “Read your (own record) book: Your soul is enough this day to make out an account against you.”

18.49. And the Book (of deeds) will be placed (before you); And you will see the criminals in great fear because of what is (written) in there; They will say, “Woe (sorrow) to us! What a book this is! It does not leave out anything small or big, but takes account of it (in there)!” And they will find all that they did, present and placed (in writing) before them: And your Lord will not treat even one with injustice.

19.93-94. (There is) not (even) one being in the heavens and the earth that will not come to (Allah), the Most Gracious as (his) servant. Verily, He (Allah) takes an account of them (all), and has numbered them (all) exactly.

20.15. “Surely the Hour (of Judgment) is coming – My plan is to keep it hidden – For every soul to get back its reward by the measure of its actions.

21.1-2-3-4. Nearer and nearer comes to mankind the Accounting of their (actions); Yet they do not listen and they turn away with carelessness. Not even (a little) of a new Message comes to them from their Lord, but they (only) listen to it as they play – Their hearts playing with petty things, the wrongdoers hide their private talk: “Is this (human, the Prophet) more than a man like yourselves? Will you go into magic while you can see?” He (the Prophet) said: “My Lord knows (every) word (spoken) in the heavens and on the earth: And he is All Hearing, All Knowing.”

21.35. Every soul shall have a taste of death: And we test you with evil and with good by way of trial. To Us you must be returned.

21.47. And We shall set up scales of justice for the Day of Judgment, so that not a soul will be treated unjustly in the least. And if there is (anything less than) the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it up (for justice): And We are enough to take account.

21.94. So whoever does any deed of righteousness and has Faith – Verily, his effort will not be rejected: We shall record it (in the book of deeds) for him.

27.46. He said: “O my people! Why do you hurry to evil rather than the good? If you only ask Allah for forgiveness, you can (still) hope to receive (His) mercy.”

28.77. “But search out, with the (wealth) that Allah has given to you, the Home of the Hereafter, and do not forget your lawful (and good) fortune in this world: But you do good, like Allah has been good to you, and do not search (to make) mischief in the land: Verily, Allah loves not those who do mischief.”

31.15. But if they (the parents) try hard to make you join (others) in worship with Me things about which you have no knowledge, then do not obey them; But stay with them through this life in a just manner (and pay regard to them), and follow the way of those who come back to Me (with love): In the end, the return for all of you is to Me, and I will tell you the truth (and meaning) of everything that you did.”

34.3-4. The unbelievers say: “The Hour will never come to us;” Say: “No! By my Lord, but most surely, it will come upon you – By Him Who knows (everything) not (even) seen – From Whom is not hidden the smallest little (indivisible) particle in the heavens or on earth: And there is not a thing less than that, or greater, which is not clearly written in the Clear Book (Record): “That He may reward those who believe and work deeds of righteousness: For such (persons there) is forgiveness and most generous ways (and means) to live.”

36.12. Surely, We shall give life to the dead, and We record what they send before (Judgment) and that which they leave behind (in life), and We have taken record of all things in a book (of evidence).

40.39-40. “O my people! This life of the present is nothing but (temporary) comfort, it is the Hereafter that is the Home that will stay. He who works evil will not be repaid except by its own kind: And he who works a righteous deed – Whether male or female – and is a true believer – Such (a person) will enter the Garden (of happiness): In there they will have plenty without measure.”

58.6-7-8-9. On the Day when Allah will raise (resurrect) them all up (again) and show them the truth (and record) of their deed (and conduct). Allah has kept an account of it, while they may have forgotten it, and Allah is Witness to all things.

Do you not see that Allah does know (all) that is in the heavens and on earth? There is not a secret talk between three (person), but He makes the fourth among them (with his knowledge) – Nor between (any) five but He makes the sixth – Nor between fewer nor more but He is with them, wherever they may be: And in the end, He will tell them the truth of their conduct, on the Day of Judgment. Verily, Allah is All Knowing of all things.

Do you not see those who were advised against secret discussions: Yet (they) go back to that which they were asked not to do, and they hold secret discussions among themselves for injustice and hostility, and disobedience to the Messenger. And when they come to you, they greet and salute you, not as Allah salutes you, (but in crooked ways): And they say to themselves: “Why does Allah not punish us for our words?” Enough for them is Hell: In it they burn, and evil is that place to go!

O you who believe! When you hold secret discussions, do it not for injustice and hostility, and disobedience to the Messenger; But do it for good reasons and self-control; And fear Allah, to Whom you shall be brought back.

64.7. The unbelievers think that they will not be raised up (for Judgment), say: “O Yes! By my Lord, you shall surely be raised up: Then shall you be told (the truth) of all that you did, and that is easy for Allah.”

99.6-7-8. On that Day will men proceed in groups sorted out, to be shown the deeds that they (had done).

Then anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good, Shall see it!

And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil, Shall see it!

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3 thoughts on “The Quran: Sacred Book Of Islam.

    1. Stuart,
      That’s right, forgot about that Bush (burning?) “revelation” 🙂 . Had bought the Quran at a resale shop quite a few years ago and just read it all the way through recently. What stood out was the correlation between the Quran’s description of what a person sees after passing, all the details of good and bad, etc. – and personal accounts of the near death experience, in particular the “life review”. This struck me as totally fascinating. As far as the Quran, the writings contain nothing controversial in my view, and would highly recommend it for its profound spiritual value. But then, nearly every sacred text of the world’s spiritual traditions are profound.
      Thanks,
      Jerry

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