The Quran – The Final Revelation to Mankind

What is the Qur'an?

The Qur'an is the literal word of God, The Almighty (Allah in Arabic), revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) through the Angel Gabriel.

Guidance for Mankind

The Qur'an is "a guidance for mankind… and the distinction (between right and wrong)."Qur'an 2:185 It provides direction to help mankind judge between right and wrong, without which, man would surely be in loss.

The Final Revelation

The Qur'an is the last scripture revealed by Almighty Allah (God), confirming what little truth remains in parts of previous scriptures and refuting and correcting fabrications and additions which have crept into current day versions of such scriptures.

How was the Qur'an Revealed?

The Qur'an was revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him) and exists only in the language in which it was revealed – Arabic. However, the translation of the meaning of the Qur'an is available in many languages.

The Qur'an was not sent down as a complete book in one revelation; rather, the revelation spanned over a period of 23 years.

For this reason, it is essential to know in what circumstances the verses were revealed, in order to have a proper understanding of the Qur'an; otherwise, its teachings could be misunderstood.

How do I know that it is from God?

Preservation

The Qur'an is the only religious sacred text that has been in circulation for a lengthy period, and yet remains as pure as the day it was revealed. Nothing has been added, removed or modified from it, since its revelation over 1400 years ago.

Not only has the Qur'an been preserved in written form, but also in the hearts of men, children and women. Today, millions of people have memorised the Qur'an from cover to cover.

Scientific Miracles

The Qur'an does not contradict modern science but rather, supports it. One of the most remarkable aspects about the Qur'an is that it contains many verses which accurately describe natural phenomenon in various fields such as embryology, meteorology, astronomy, geology and oceanography. Scientists have found its descriptions incredibly accurate for a book dating back to the 7th century.

In fact, many of the scientific miracles mentioned in the Qur'an have been discovered only recently, through the modern advancement of technological equipment. Consider the following:

• The Qur'an gives a detailed description of the development of the human embryo. These details were unknown to the scientific community until recent times.
• The Qur'an states that the astronomical objects (stars, planets, moons etc…) were all formed from clouds of dust. Previously unknown, this fact has now become an undisputed principle of modern cosmology.
• Modern science has discovered the existence of barriers that allow two seas to meet yet maintain their own temperature, density and salinity.

These signs of God were clearly stated in the Qur'an more than 1400 years ago.

Uniqueness

Ever since its revelation, no person has been able to produce a single chapter like that of the Qur'an in its beauty, eloquence, splendour, wisdom, prophecies, and other perfect attributes.

The people that rejected Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) failed this challenge, eventhough they were extremely eloquent in the language of the Qur'an. This challenge remains unanswered to this very day.

No Contradictions

When people write, they are bound to make mistakes such as spelling and grammar, contradictory statements, incorrect facts, omission of information, and other various errors.

The Qur'an has no contradictions whatsoever – be it in scientific explanations of the water cycle, embryology, geology and cosmology; historical facts and events; or prophecies.

Couldn't Muhammad have authored it?

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was known in history to be illiterate; he could not read nor write. He was not educated in any field that could account for neither the scientific and historical accuracy, nor the literary beauty of this magnificent Book. The precision of historical recounts of previous peoples and civilisations mentioned in the Qur'an is also too great to be authored by any man.

Purpose of Revelation

To Believe in One True God

The most important topic mentioned throughout the Qur'an is the belief in the One, True God. God informs us that He has no partner, no son, no equal, and that none has the right to be worshipped except Him alone. Nothing is comparable to God and none of His creation resembles Him. The Qur'an also rejects the notion of attributing human qualities and limitations to God.

To Reject All False Gods

Since Allah alone is the only One worthy of worship, false deities and false gods must be rejected. The Qur'an also rejects the notion of attributing divine qualities to anyone or anything other than Allah.

To Narrate the Stories from the Past

The Qur'an contains many narratives with beneficial lessons, including the true stories of previous Prophets such as, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jesus and Moses. Of these stories, Allah says,

To Remind us of the Day of Judgement

This Noble Book reminds us that everyone will taste death and will be held accountable for all their actions and sayings:

To Fulfil the Intended Way of Life

Importantly, the Qur'an teaches that the purpose of life is to worship God alone, and live one's life according to the way of life prescribed by Him. In Islam, worship is a comprehensive term that includes all actions and sayings (whether private or public) that Allah loves and is pleased with. Therefore, by doing what Allah commands, a Muslim is worshipping God and fulfilling his purpose in life. The following are examples of worship from the Qur'an:

To pray:

"O you who believe! Bow down and prostrate yourselves and worship your Lord, that you may succeed." Qur'an 22:77

"…And spend, it is better for your souls; and whoever is saved from the greediness of his soul, these it is that are the successful."Qur'an 64:16

To be honest:

"Cover not Truth with falsehood, nor conceal the Truth when you know (what it is)." Qur'an 2:42

To be modest:

"Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty." Qur'an 24:30-31

To be thankful:

"And Allah has brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers– you did not know anything– and He gave you hearing and sight and hearts that you may give thanks." Qur'an 16:78

To be just:

"O you who believe! Stand firmly for justice, as witnesses to God, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor…" Qur'an 4:135

To be patient:

"And be patient, for indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good." Qur'an 11:115

To do good:

"Allah has promised to those who believe and do good deeds (that) they shall have forgiveness and a mighty reward." Qur'an 5:9

Conclusion

In summary, the Qur'an teaches mankind how to worship the One True God, hence fulfilling their true purpose in life, and attaining success in both this world and the next.

Don't you owe it to yourself to at least read this Noble Book?

http://islamicpamphlets.com/the-quran-the-final-revelation-to-mankind/

http://www.quranexplorer.com/quran/

Thank you

Women's Rights in Islam

"And for women are rights over men, similar to those of men over women."Qur'an 2:228Women in Islam are thought to be subjugated, degraded, oppressed – but are they really? Are millions of Muslims simply that oppressive or are these misconceptions fabricated by a biased media?

Over fourteen hundred years ago, Islam gave women rights that women in the West have only recently began to enjoy. In the 1930's, Annie Besant observed, "It is only in the last twenty years that Christian England has recognised the right of woman to property, while Islam has allowed this right from all times. It is a slander to say that Islam preaches that women have no souls." (The Life and Teachings of Mohammed, 1932).

Men and women all descended from a single person – the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him). Islam does not accept for either of them anything but justice and kind treatment.

Equal Reward & Equal Accountability

Men and women worship Allah in the same way, meaning they worship the same God (Allah), perform the same acts of worship, follow the same scripture, and hold the same beliefs. Allah (the Arabic word for the One true God of all creation), judges all human beings fairly and equitably. Allah emphasises the just treatment and reward due to both men and women in many verses of the Qur'an:

These verses show that reward is dependent upon one's actions and not one's gender. Gender does not play any part in how a person is rewarded and judged.

If we compare Islam to other religions, we see that it offers justice between the sexes. For example, Islam dismisses the idea that Eve is more to blame than Adam for eating from the forbidden tree. According to Islam, Adam and Eve both sinned, they both repented and God forgave them both.

Equal Right to Knowledge

Both men and women are equally encouraged to seek knowledge. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Education is compulsory for every Muslim."

Also, great female Muslim Scholars existed at and around the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Some were from his family and others were his companions or their daughters. Prominent amongst them was Aisha, the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him) through whom a quarter of the Islamic law has been transmitted.

Other females were great scholars of jurisprudence and had famous male scholars as their students.

Equal Right to Choose a Spouse

Islam has honoured women by giving them the right to choose a spouse and keep their original family name once married. Additionally, many have the impression that parents force their daughters into marriage. This is a cultural practice, and has no basis in Islam. In fact, it is prohibited.

At the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), a woman came to him and said, "My father has married me to my cousin to raise his social standing and I was forced into it." The Prophet sent for the girl's father and then in his presence gave the girl the option of remaining married or nullifying the marriage. She responded, "O Messenger of Allah, I have accepted what my father did, but I wanted to show other women (that they could not be forced into a marriage)."

Equal yet Different

While men and women have equal rights as a general principle, the specific rights and responsibilities granted to them are not identical. Men and women have complementary rights and responsibilities.

Aside from external and internal anatomical differences, scientists know there are many other subtle differences in the way the brains of men and women process language, information and emotion, just to mention a few.

A socio-biology expert, Edward O. Wilson of Harvard University, said that females tend to be higher than males in verbal skills, empathy and social skills, among other things, while men tend to be higher in independence, dominance, spatial and mathematical skills, rank-related aggression, and other characteristics.

It would be foolish to treat both genders the same and to ignore their differences. Islam teaches that men and women have complementary, yet different, roles because it is best suited to their nature. God says:

The Family Unit

God created men and women to be different, with unique roles, skills and responsibilities. These differences are not viewed as evidences of superiority or inferiority, but of specialisation. In Islam, the family is of central importance. The man is responsible for the financial well being of the family while the woman contributes to the family's physical, educational and emotional well being. This encourages cooperation rather than competition. By fulfilling their mutual responsibilities, strong families are created and hence strong societies.

Also, emotionally, neither men nor women live a happy life without one another. Allah describes this beautifully by saying:

Clothing provides comfort, warmth and security as well as making one look good – this is how the relationship between the husband and wife is defined in Islam.

Love & Mercy in Spousal Relations

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also encouraged men to treat their spouses in the best way, "The best of you are those who are best (in treatment) to their wives."

Aisha (the Prophet's wife) was once asked how the Prophet's conduct was in his home. She said,"He was like one of you at home, yet he was most lenient and most generous … He was ready to give a helping hand to his wives in the ordinary work of the house, [he] sewed his own clothes and mended his own shoes." In general, he helped in whatever work his wives did.

Lofty Positions of Mothers & Daughters

A mother has the greatest influence on a child especially in the earlier years through her affection, care and love. Undoubtedly, the success of a society is due to mothers. Therefore, it is only right for Islam to honour and raise their status.

Allah says in the Qur'an:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) was once asked, "O Messenger of Allah, who among people is most deserving of my good treatment?" He said, "Your mother." The man asked twice more, "Then who?" and was given the same response. Only until the fourth time did the Prophet respond, "Then your father." Reward is not only given to the good and kind treatment towards mothers. In fact, Islam has designated a special reward for raising daughters that is not granted for raising sons.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "Whoever Allah has given two daughters and is kind towards them, they will be a reason for him entering Paradise."

Conclusion

Before Islam, women were considered shameful, female children were buried alive, prostitution was rampant, divorce was only in the hands of the husband, inheritance was only for the strong, and oppression was widespread. Islam came and abolished these practices. Even now, in "developed countries", women are not granted respect, dignity and honour, let alone equal pay for equal work. Islam, however, regards women as precious and valuable, not to be disrespected or disgraced. The mistreatment of women in some Middle-Eastern countries or Muslim families is due to cultural factors that some Muslims wrongly follow, not because of Islam. Why would many women around the world willingly enter Islam if it is an oppressive religion?

We end with the words of our Lord and your Lord, the Creator and Sustainer of all men and women: