The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition Of Qur’anic Guidance In Its Own Words - Part One
By Muhammad Yunus, New Age Islam
(Co-author (Jointly with Ashfaque Ullah Syed), Essential Message of Islam, Amana Publications, USA, 2009)
9 December 2024
The Event of the Qur’an – the Revelation and the Scripture. A summary review of the Ahkamat (guidance) of the Qur’an
Compiled by Muhammed Yunus in sequel to his first joint exegetic work, Essential Message of Islam – co-authored with Ashfaq Ullah Syed, that was endorsed and introduced by Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl, whose credentials include:
• One of the most distinguished Islamic scholars of this era
• Alfi Distinguished Professor of Law at the UCLA School of Law,
• A Carnegie Scholar in Islamic Law in 2005.
• Appointed by President George W. Bush as the only Muslim on the Commission for International Religious Freedom,
• Served on the Board of Directors of Human Rights Watch.
• As of 2009 when he wrote the introduction to the referenced exegetic work* Dr. Abou El Fadl wrote 14 books and over 50 articles on Islamic law and Islam.
After a few submissions the book was approved by al-Azhar University, Cairo and published by Amana Publications in June 2009. The ISBN is 978-159008-059-7
On-line link to Essential Message of Islam:
https://www.newageislam.com/books-documents/essential-message-islam-pioneering-work/d/104768
Introduction.
The caption of the book needs no introduction. The Qur’an is the Primary Scripture of divine guidance for the Muslims as well as entire humanity. However, it evolves the tenets of its guidance through periodic revelation lasting some 23 years (610-623 AD). Since the revelation came down as ad-hoc pieces without any thematic continuity they appear disjointed. A reader has to go through the entire Qur’an and acquire a holistic view of its message on the different facets of its guidance to comprehend the broader boundaries of its message. This is an extremely challenging task making the Qur’an difficult to understand. For relatively easy conveyance of its guidance, this exposition is spread out in short simple write ups under separate headings as listed in the Table of Contents serially. There are some 136 sub-headings. These are listed under 13 Sections, each marking a shift in focus. Each heading is marked by a changed serial number highlighting a particular aspect of the Qur'an's message or guidance. This is reviewed in the main body of the work – Part-1
Part 2, with around 70 sub-headings spread over 10 Sections, serves as a road map of the Qur’an. It illustrates how the Qur'an took root in an inhospitable environment that grew increasingly hostile with passing of time, and how the Prophet overcame escalating resistance including military actions from his Meccan foes and hostile nomadic tribes, and active conspiracies of his other existential enemies – notably the powerful Jewish tribes of Medina and the native Arabs from across the desert highlands that surrounded his geographical domain.
Part-2 is like a summary history of the revelation which descended upon the Prophet like a long-drawn event spamming some 22 years. But this history – if we so call it, stands out as an irrefutable proof of the divinity of the revelation and also sheds light on the exemplary moral character and personal qualities of the Prophet that made him worthy of his vocational assignment.
Those interested to know the historicity of the Qur’an as an event and the subtleties and nuances of the Prophet’s noble persona and the aura and charisma that his followers must have seen in him may find this part very enlightening and spiritually fulfilling. It may open the eyes of the detractors of the Prophet who will see him face to face in human form handling the indomitable challenges history imposed on him as one-man crusader of Islam who won all his countrymen without personally wielding a sword or shooting an arrow and triggered the most revolutionary reform in world history/
Clarification On The Name 'Allah' To Pre-Empt Moot Arguments
The reader is kindly advised to note the following to avoid any unnecessary doubts about the purely Islamic character of this exercise. This work, however, is designed as a universal discourse, as the Qur’an speaks to all of humanity.
In this exposition, the term "Allah" is used to refer to the One and only God, who is the Creator and Sustainer of all that exists, both within and beyond the realm of physical existence. The use of this Arabic name reflects the Arabized religious vocabulary of Muslims, who are extensively exposed to the Arabic Qur'an. As a result, many may not recognize "Allah" in other languages –such as God in English.
For non-Arabs, however, the name "Allah" has gained a more universal character. The repeated invocation of Allahu Akbar in mosques worldwide has made the Arabic name of God familiar even beyond the Arab world.
This clarification is made to pre-empt any moot debate on semantics regarding the name of the supreme divine being, for, as the Qur’an itself states, God has "the most beautiful names":
• "And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them. And leave those who practice deviation concerning His names. They will be recompensed for what they have been doing." (7:180).
With this in mind, I hope the reader can approach the text with openness and avoid being drawn into irrelevant discussions on language, as the essence remains the same regardless of the name used.
2. The invocation 'Sal Allahu Alayhi Wasallam,' which means 'peace and blessings be upon him,' is traditionally attached to the Prophet's name; it is abbreviated as 's.a.w.' Muslim readers of this book are encouraged to pronounce this invocation wherever the Prophet’s name appears in this book without this invocation – though they can send their peace and blessings to the Prophet consciously from their heart for God best knows our inner thoughts. "
Mohammed Yunus
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION 8
#1. Evolution of Secondary sources 9
#2. Establishing the authority of the source material – the Qur’an. 9
#3. The Object of this book.11
#4. The Enlightening Role of the Qur’an. 12
#5. Impact of the revelation in the Spiritual realm13
#6. Impact of the Qur’an in the worldly plane. 13
#7. The Signature wisdom of the Qur’an. 14
#8. The Fighting Verses of the Qur’an 15
#9. Existential dimension of the Qur’an and dangers of literalism. 15
HISTORICITY AND DISTINCTIVE FEATURES OF THE QUR’AN.16
SECTION-1. SPIRITUAL TRAJECTORIES OF THE QUR’AN 17
#10. God is One, Unique and Transcendent.17
#11. Salah (Praising and glorifying God and seeking his protection): 18
#12. FRIDAY PRAYER.18
#13. Salah as a universal meditation for all humanity. 19
# 14. Good deeds with submission to God’s Will is the essence of Islamic message. 20
#15. Moral excellence / God consciousness (taqwa) is the bedrock of Islam: 20
#16. Humanitarianism (Zakah). 21
#17. Zakat (Mandatory Charity). 22
#18. Zikr (Remembrance) of God is the essence of prayer and spirituality 23
#19. Fasting 23
#20.Hajj Rites 24
# 21. Selfless dedication to please God (al-birr) – to attain the rank of muttaqi.25
#22. Jihad - a ceaseless struggle to face the challenges and hardships of life. 25
#23. Divine scheme of diversity of race, color and language 26
#24 No Coercion or discrimination in Religion 26
#25 Plurality of Faiths 27
#26. God may pardon those who had no means of guidance 28
#27. Brotherhood of humanity 28
#28. The Case of Apostasy 29
#29. The Case of Blasphemy Law 29
#30. Taking a false oath that could upset social peace and harmony is forbidden: 30
#31. Introduction of Prohibitory commandments. 30
SECTION-2. QUR’AN - A FONT OF JUSTICE AND CATALYST OF HUMAN RIGHTS. 31
#32. Qur’an’s revolutionary notion of haqq or incontestable right. 31
#33. Absolute justice is the bedrock of Islamic ethos. 32
#34. The primary duty of a ruler is to establish justice.: 33
#35. The right of hearing and appeal of an accused: 33
#36. Proportionality of Crime and Punishment. 34
#37. Female Infanticide. 34
#38. Arbitrary retaliatory killing was forbidden. 35
Emancipation of slavery: 35
#39. Security of non-combatants caught in war 35
SECTION-3. MORAL TRAJECTORIES OF JUSTICE. 36
#40. The duty of the grown up children to support their parents.36
#41. The moral right of the sick and marginalized relatives or friends. 36
#42. The rights of the deprived orphans 37
#43. Incontestable Rights (huquq) of the poor in the wealth of the rich: 38
SECTION-4. EXPLORATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES OF NATURE
39
#44. Pursuit of universal knowledge.39
Man’s potential to tap resources of nature.40
#45. Scientific flashes of the Qur’an. 41
#46. Human Embryology 43
#47 Movement of heavenly bodies in orbits44
#48. Geographic Marvels of the earth." 45
#49. The self-sustaining cycle of the plant and animal world 46
SECTION-5 EXCELLENCE IN CONDUCT AND BEHAVIOR. 47
#50 The Prophet Muhammad as an exemplar 47
#51. Restrain anger, forgive people, be courteous in greeting, speak nicely, avoid conflict, and do not talk evil of people in public unless you are wronged. 48
#52. Shun arrogance, boasting, loud talk, and remain deaf to whispers. 48
#53. Eschew slandering, back-biting, hoarding of wealth, miserliness, excessive suspicion and spying over others.48
#54. Return evil with good – hatred with kindness.49
#55. Kindness to all people regardless of any religious affiliations. 49
#56. The Qur’anic Ideal of conduct and behavior of a Muslim. 49
SECTION-6 On Personal clothing and Modesty. 50
#57 The cloak of taqwa is better than the cloak of any other material. 50
#58. Guidelines on modesty in mixed gender environments. 50
#59. The Qur’an makes concession for elderly women. 51
#60. Dressing guideline for the Prophet's household and other believing women51
#61. Qur’anic universal guidelines on modesty 52
SECTION-7 DIETARY GUIDELINES. 52
#62. The Qur’an’s dietary relaxations 52
#63. The Qur’an’s express dietary restrictions 53
#64. Any Self-denial or undue austerity is not approved. 53
#65. Curbing greed and craving for the luxuries and sensual pleasure of life 54
#66. Food of the ‘People of Scripture is allowable 54
#67. Intoxicants and Gambling. 55
#68. Good deeds and taqwa are of supreme significance compared to dietary habits 55
#69. All good things are lawful if obtained lawfully and consumed in moderation. 56
SECTION-8. PHASED INTRODUCTION OF MARRIAGE LAWS. 56
# 70. The Qur’an recommends monogamy as a social norm but does not mandate it 57
in historical perspective, mandating monogamy would have been a gender curse. 58
#71. The Qur’an permits restrictive polygamy under exceptional circumstances.58
#72. Sexual freedom without any coercion in wedlock. 59
#73. The Qur’an forbids marriage with the mushrikin 60
#74. Muslim men and women to choose their spouses 60
#75. Muslim men to marry any believing women. 61
#76. The Qur’an abolishes Incest and unwedded intimacy.61
#77. The Qur’an does not support marriage of minors 62
#78. Menstruation 62
#79. Men to give women dower at the time of marriage 63
#80. Women are entitled to independent income 63
#81. Role of men and women in wedlock 64
#82. Role of Arbitration to reconcile estranged espouses. 65
#83. The Qur’an overrules any notion of male superiority.65
#84. Paradox of linking Islam with misogynistic customs 66
SECTION-10. QUR’ANIC LAWS ON DIVORCE 66
#85. Phased execution of divorce. 66
#86. Three months waiting period for woman under notice of divorce. 67
#87. A woman can initiate a divorce unilaterally (khula) 68
#88. Remarriage between spouses after irrevocable divorce 68
#89. Shared responsibility of a divorced couple in raising the child born from their union. 69 #90. Settlement of dower if neither marriage is consummated nor dower fixed 70
#91. Settlement of dower if marriage is not consummated, but dower is fixed 70
#92. Maintenance for a divorced woman 71
#93. Clarification on the waiting period (iddah) 71
#94. The Qur’an forestalls any manipulation of its commandments 72
#95. Empowerment of widows 72
SECTION – 11 AGAINST UNLAWFUL INTIMACY / ADULTERY / HOMOSEXUALITY 73
#96. Sexual norms of pre-Islamic Arabia. 73
#97. Qur’anic punishment for adultery (zina) 74
#98. Qur’anic punishment for slandering against chaste women 74
#99. Accusing one’s wife of sexual offences if her husband is the only witness 75
#100. Random Sexual lapses 75
#101. The Qur’an condemns homosexuality. 75
SECTION-12. COMMERCIAL CONTEXTS 76
Foundational Principles 76
#102.Do not usurp what belongs to others.76
#103. Fair Measurement and Weight: 77
#104. Fair payment for goods and services.77
#105. Usury (riba) and unrestrained profiteering. 77
#106. Will and Inheritance. 78
#107. Leaving behind a will – a moral and legal obligation:78
#108. Inheritance Ratios in the absence of any will. 79
#109. Qur’anic Guidelines on distribution of Legacy. 79
#110. The Case of modern banking 80
#111. On the drafting of a commercial contract 80
#112. Why two women to substitute for one man as a witness? 81
SEC-13 - BID THE GOOD (MA’RUF) AND RESTRAIN THE EVIL (MUNKAR) 81
#113. Consultation in conducting affairs 82
SECTION - 14- ABOMINABLE DEEDS ARE FORBIDDEN AND SINFUL. 83
#114. God is merciful to the repentant: 83
SECTION-15. EXEMPLARY PUNISHMENTS FOR HEINOUS CRIMES. 84
#115. Definition and Perception of Crime: 84
#116. Qur’an warns of amputation punishment based on past precedent.84
#117. Punishments are exemplary and era specific. 85
SECTION-18. CLARIFICTION OF MISINTERPERTATIONS IN QUR’ANIC MESSAGE 85
#118. God will not accept any religion other than Islam. 85
119. Historical necessity of jiziya tax in the concluding phase of the revelation.86
#120.Sunnah versus Hadith 86
#121. Relationship of Hadith and the Qur'an. 87
#122. The Sharia Law of Islam – a cumulative juristic tradition, not a word of God. 87
#123. Role of Muslims as witnesses to humanity. 88
#124. Qur’anic commandments are gender neutral, except those gender specific. 88
#125. The knowledge of the un-knowable (alim al ghayb) 89
#126.Obey and follow the Prophet. 89
The Qur’an does not connect religion with statecraft. 90
THE QUR’AN –Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light.)*
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An Exposition Of Qur’anic Guidance In Its Own Words. August 8 2024
Introduction
In his book, The 100- A Ranking of the Most Influential persons in History, the world renowned American scholar Michael H. Harts, ranks Prophet Muhammad (Peace and God’s Blessings be upon him) as No.1. In the concluding paragraph of his essay on the Prophet he declares: “It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most influential single figure in human history “
Interestingly this ranking goes neatly with the following pronouncement of the Qur’an which dates at least 14 centuries from Michael Hart’s time:
• “Those who follow the Messenger, the untutored Prophet, they find him described in the Torah and the Gospel. He directs them to righteousness, deters them from evil, allows them good things, forbids them wickedness, and relieves them of the burdens and shackles that weigh upon them. Those who believe in him, respect him, support him, and follow the light (Nur) that descended with him are the successful” (7:157).
With this very brief preamble, let us come straight to the point – an objective review of the diverse elements of Qur’an’s commandments (Hidaya) that the Prophet Muhammad conveyed as his sole mission. Thus his ranking as the most influential person in history renders the Qur’an as the most influential book in history.
1. The Qur’an Is The Primary Religious Scripture Of Islam
In one of its key verses the Qur’an introduces the Prophet Mohammed (Peace and Allah’s Blessings be upon him) as the conveyer of the ‘Nur” – literally light but signifying ‘divine guidance’ or Ahkamat, and thus acknowledges the primacy of the Qur’an as the ultimate font of guidance – or Primary scripture of Islam.
• “Those who follow the Messenger, the untutored Prophet, they find him described in the Torah and the Gospel. He directs them to righteousness, deters them from evil, allows them good things, forbids them wickedness, and relieves them of the burdens and shackles that weighed upon them. Those who believe in him, respect him, support him, and follow the light (Nur) that descended with him are the successful” (7:157).
As a revealed scripture, the Qur’an is not like any standard text book. Nor is it a linear or structured narration like the secondary sources of Islam notably the hadith, Sharia Law and the Prophet’s biography – each having evolved more than two centuries after the death of the Prophet. Since Islamic scholarship and religious thoughts sanctify the secondary sources as inextricable part of religion or faith, we start with a summary briefing on the historical evolution of the secondary sources so that Muslims understand the dichotomy between the Qur’an’s primary and secondary sources – between divine revelation and historical evolution through human agency.
2. Evolution Of Secondary Sources
Islam’s growth in the first two centuries has been phenomenal. Either through conquest in its early decades or peaceful proselytization and missionary activities in later years Islam had become the most popular and welcome religion from Spain to the West to the inner recesses of China in the East. Since this vast and expanding region was largely non-Arabic and had divergent social, cultural and legal systems, it was not possible to take the Arabic Qur’an to its people without interpretation in native languages or cultural adaptation. The secondary sources evolved with time, to interpret and apply the Qur’anic model in the different social and cultural settings that Islam encountered in this period. The secondary sources included the Hadith, Sharia Law, and the biography of the Prophet that is summarily touched in the concluding part under 130-133]. Without delving further into the secondary sources, let us come straight to the heart of the religion – the Qur’an.
Throughout its formative phase (the first two centuries) , and beyond that to this day, the Qur’an has remained the singular uncontested Scripture of Islam, while the secondary sources have served as the practical implementation of the Qur’anic message under different socio-cultural setting of the growing Muslim world. Passages- of varying lengths from the Arabic Qur’an are recited in the Salah (daily prayer) in Muslim households and mosques of all sects and law schools (Malaki, Hanbali, Hanafi and Shafi’i) all over the world, while reports from Hadith are told in the form of Prophetic traditions to convey the practical aspects of Islam. Not one single sect or Law school - even those outlawed by the Ulama (Mutazila for example) claim to have a version of the Qur’an that differs from the current manuscript in a single word let alone verse. Besides the entire corpus of secondary sources including the Hadith are based on verbal reports orally transmitted down the generations from the Prophet’s lifetime: they cannot claim any divinity as Allah alone is divine and He does not share an iota of divinity with anyone else. So the Qur’an and Qur’an alone is the embodiment of divine guidance for all humanity.
Finally, to quote Chiragh Ali (1844-1895), a protégé of Syed Ahmed (1817-1898), the renowned Muslim intellectual of British India: “The only law of Muhammad or Islam is the Qur’an, and only the Qur’an. Islam and Change, extracted from John L. Esposito, Islam the Straight Path, New York 1994, p. 44.
3. Establishing The Authority Of The Source Material – The Qur’an
As this paper is built around the verses of the Qur’an, it is essential to first establish the authenticity of the text of the Qur’an - the singular source material for this work. So, as a starter, we list below a set of compelling arguments to support the integrity of the revelation – the Qur’an or the Recital that we have in our hands. .
• Immediate Memorization Of Revelation
i. The Qur’an came down in passages that were initially small and became bigger with passage of time. The moment any passage was revealed, the Prophet recited it and those of his companions who were with him witnessed it and memorized it. Memorization was thus the primary mode of preservation of the Qur’an, and is continued to this day by countless Huffaz (memorizers) across the world – particularly in the Arab world where Muslim children learn the Qur’an by heart at an early age.
• Any Doctoring Of A Lyrical Composition Cannot Go Undetected By Its Memorizers
ii. As any changes in the text of a lyrical composition would be immediately noticeable by its memorizers there is no chance of the Qur’an ever being altered or doctored during the past 15 centuries of oral recitation in each successive generation since the Prophet’s era.
• Any Of The Prophet’s Next Of Kin Or Companions Are Not Mentioned In The Qur’an
iii. The absence of the name or even an oblique mention of any of the Prophet’s closest companions (Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali), wives or blood relatives – exonerates the Qur’an from any possible political influence that inevitably happens with historical records. These companions later became the elected Caliphs of the new nation (Ummat) of Islam and were in comfortable position during their tenure as Caliphs to have their names or even initials inserted at one or the other pauses or interjections in the Qur’an to sanctify and eternalize their names. Their successive Caliphacy lasted for thirty years after the Prophet’s death (632-662 AD) which was long enough time to enter their names or references in the Qur’an. But they are not mentioned even obliquely in the Qur’an. This precludes the possibility of any doctoring of the Qur’an during the long span of the early Caliphs.
• The Birth Of Jesus Christ Is Exclusively Sanctified
iv. While the Qur’an has the angels giving the good news of Jesus’s birth to Mary, mother of Prophet Jesus, venerating and naming the child, it only records some platitudes on the birth and grooming of the Prophet as illustrated in the following contrasting remarks on these two Prophets:
• Venerating remark on Jesus Christ: (The Angels said) “O Mary, Allah gives you good news of a Word from Him. His name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, honoured in this world and the next, and one of the nearest (to Allah). He will speak to the people from the crib and in maturity, and will be among the righteous” (3:45-46).
• Humbling remark on Muhammad: “it found him (Muhammad) an orphan and gave shelter, and found him wandering, and gave guidance, and found him needy, and gave sufficiency” (93:6-8).”
Jesus Christ Is Accorded Exclusive Honorific Titles
v. The Qur’an refers to him as a Sign (ayah, 19:21, 21:91, 23:50), mercy (Rahmah, 19:21), a Word (Kalimah, 3:45, 4:171) and a Spirit from Him (Ruhum Minhu, 4:171), one who was strengthened by the Sacred Spirit (Ruhul Quddus, 2:87, 2:253, 5:110). It mentions Jesus by his name ‘Isa’ 25 times and in conjunction with this or separately as Messiah or Son of Mary, some 35 times - the highest for any Prophet. On the other hand, it mentions Muhammad/ Ahmad by name only five times and presents him as a manifestation of mercy to all humanity (21:107).
If the Qur’an were indeed doctored, the foregoing record may have been just the other way round and the honorific titles of Jesus Christ may have been removed.
- The Qur’an Claims The Integrity Of Its Preservation Most Emphatically.
vi. The most powerful and compelling arguments, however, are voiced in the Qur’an on its preservation in pure form.
• “The Words of your Lord will be fulfilled truthfully and justly: none can change His Words, for He is All-Knowing and Aware” (6:115);
• “Surely We have sent down this Reminder, and surely. We will protect (preserve) it” (15:9).
• “Nay! This is a Glorious Qur'an (85:21). (Inscribed) in a protected Tablet “ (85:22).
The literary majesty of the Qur’an and its eloquence par excellence virtually cast a spell on the listeners, so much so that the Quraysh kept away from it and said: “Do not listen to this Qur'an and speak noisily (during its recitation) then perhaps you will overcome (its effect)” (41:26).'"
Vii. The Qur’an Is Free From Any Self-Contradiction
Despite the Qur’an’s interaction with different kinds of audience, the diversity of its themes, its impromptu response to the contemporary issues to a mixed audience (his followers, the People of the Book (Christians and Jews), the pagans, the unbelivers who persistently denied the revelation, and humankind in general, the Qur’an claims:
• “Don’t they ponder over the Qur’an? Had it been from (someone) other than Allah, they would have surely found much contradiction in it” (4:82).
• “Praise and be to Allah who has revealed to His devotee the Book, and did not put any distortion in it” (18:1) 60])
- Viii. The Qur’an’s Dire Warning Against Any Doctoring Attempt
‘vii. The Qur’an protects against any possible tampering of its text during the course of the revelation by incorporating in it the following warning directed at the Prophet but applicable to all Muslims:
• “If he (Muhammad) attributed to Us any false speech (69:44), We would seize him by the right hand (69:45), then We would sever his aorta (69:46) and none of you could prevent it”(69:47).
As the Prophet’s followers held him in utmost veneration, the gravity of this warning, however symbolic it may be, heightened their spiritual consciousness to ensuring the integrity of the revealed passages as they memorized them.
These propositions and arguments (i-viii above) serve as irrefutable proof of the integrity of its text. Had there been any alteration in the Qur’an, the Prophet’s enemies as well as the general Arab public would not have embraced Islam during his lifetime as they would have seen the Qur’an failing in its various claims and arguments. And even if, for the sake of argument, they did so under the prevalent historical setting, they would have definitely rejected the Qur’an immediately after the Prophet’s death. However, this did not happen. The Prophet’s immediate successors were as intense in their faith in the Qur’an as their predecessors during the Prophet’s lifetime. Thus there can be no iota of doubt that the Qur’an was handed down to the Prophet’s successors, and through them to the posterity in its original form.
4. The Object And Modality Of This Book
This book attempts to enlighten the readers on the various elements of Qur’anic guidance. It is a condensed version of a comprehensive exegetic work – ‘Essential Message of Islam’ authored jointly with Ashfaque Ullah Syed, that was approved by Al-Azhar University, Cairo (2001) and endorsed by an internationally recognized Islamic scholar and Jurist, Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl, Prof. of Law, UCLA and published by Amana Publications USA (2009). All the translation of verses and their interpretations as tabled in this work are consistent with this original version as well as those listed in the internationally acknowledged woks of Muhammad Asad and Abdullah Yusuf Ali.
As with the original version (Essential Message of Islam), this book seeks to interpret the various facets of the Qur’anic message by drawing explanations primarily from the Qur’an itself. This approach is designed to minimize the influence of the personal, educational, doctrinal, and cultural backgrounds of Qur’anic researchers and exegetes, whose interpretations have contributed to an ever-expanding corpus of commentary. While these interpretations provide a rich textual exploration of the Qur’an from diverse perspectives, they often complicate access to its guidance on specific topics. Readers are frequently left to navigate divergent and sometimes conflicting scholarly opinions without the expertise or authority to determine which interpretation is most accurate. By directly engaging with the Qur’an as described above, this work seeks to provide clarity, sparing the reader the burden of choosing from a labyrinth of divergent scholarly views. However, as a human endeavour, it cannot claim to be entirely free from error or oversimplification. Despite this limitation, it strives to transcend the complexity of traditional exegesis and offer a more accessible understanding of the Qur’anic message.
5. The Enlightening Role of the Qur’an
In one of its foundational verses, the Qur’an calls itself ‘Nurun Ala Nur’ (literally light upon light) – an expression that metaphorically signifies its enlightening role both in spiritual as well as secular domains:
• “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. A likeness of His light is a niche that has a lamp in it, and the Lamp is in a glass, and the glass is (dazzling,) as it were, a radiant star. (The Lamp is) lit from a blessed olive (tree), neither of East nor of West; its oil almost glows, though fire has never touched it. Light upon light! Allah guides to His Light anyone He Wills, and Allah gives people examples, for Allah is fully Aware of everything” (24:35).
It is a deeply mystical verse. Any attempt to explain or interpret this verse will be at the least too abstract or speculative and at the best too complex. So we proceed with the discourse focusing on its title – and attempt to explore the enlightening facets of the Qur’an. We begin with the role and agenda of the Qur’an on the turf of history.
6. The Qur’an Makes No Distinction Between The Spiritual And The Secular.
In scores of its verses, the Qur’an pairs Salat (prayer) with Zakat (charity) and treats all worldly actions and pursuits as reflections of the Will of Allah. It does not clarify the apparent anomaly between the Will of Allah governing the actions of man and the actions of man governed by himself-making it absolutely clear that each person will have to account for his deeds on the Day of Judgment:
• On that day, people will come out in groups, to be shown their deeds (99:6) Whoever did an atom's weight of good will see it.(99:7). And whoever did an atom's weight of evil will see it” (99:8).
The division of the revelation’s role between the Spiritual and worldly planes as summarily noted below is to highlight the comprehensive scope of the Qur’an which extends to both spiritual and secular domains. This holistic perspective is crucial in understanding the Qur'an's guidance for leading a balanced and righteous life.
7. Impact Of The Revelation In The Spiritual Realm
The primary mission of the revelation on the spiritual plane was to proclaim the absolute Oneness (Tawhid) and transcendence of Allah - who remains impenetrable to human intellect and has no association with anything whatsoever. As the Qur’an puts it:
• “He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Absolute. He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none comparable to Him” (Sura 112).
The pre-Islamic Arabs also believed in One Supreme Allah they called Allah:
• "And if you ask them, 'Who created the heavens and the earth, and subjected the sun and the moon?' They will surely say, 'Allah.' How then are they deluded? (29:61).”
But they also venerated a pantheon of deities or idols whom they regarded as compeers or associates of Allah. They would call upon Allah at the time of any imminent danger but once they felt safe and secure they went back to their idols:
• "And when they board a ship, they supplicate Allah, sincere to Him in religion. But when He delivers them to the land, at once they associate others with Him" (29:65).
The Qur’an dismisses the notion of Allah having associates (Sharik). To reinforce its monotheistic stance, the Qur’an regards any association with Allah (shirk) as the gravest sin:
• “Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly gone far astray." (Quran 4:48)
However, it leaves on human conscience to come to believe in the absolute unicity of Allah, Al-Lah in Arabic– that literally translates ‘the (al) lah (Allah)
8. Impact Of The Qur’an In The Worldly Plane
Beyond its role in reinforcing pure monotheism, that was corrupted over time, the Qur'an orchestrated an all-encompassing reform in the worldly plane. In its own vocabulary, the Qur’an had a compelling mission that it commissioned to Prophet Muhammad through the Qur’anic revelation:
• “We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) a Book that you may bring humanity out of Darkness (Zulumat) into Light (Nur) with the permission of their Lord, to the path of the Almighty, the Praiseful” (14:1). The same message is repeated in the verses 5:16, 57:9, 65:11 with slight textual modification.]
• “Those who follow the Messenger, the untutored Prophet, they find him described in the Torah and the Gospel. He directs them to righteousness, deters them from evil, allows them good things, forbids them wickedness, and relieves them of the burdens and shackles that weigh upon them. Those who believe in him, respect him, support him, and follow the light (Nur) that descended with him are the successful” (7:157). (also listed in 1 above)
In one word, the mission of the Qur’an in the worldly plane was- to rescue humanity from 'Zulumat' (collective depravities and inequities, literally, Darkness) and lead them towards 'Nur' (all-embracing enlightenment, literally Light - the direct opposite of Darkness).
9. The Signature Wisdom Of The Qur’an
For the believers, the Qur’an is an immeasurable source of inspiration. However, it also encapsulates snippets of worldly wisdom, side by side with flashes of mercy, compassion and spiritualism that can greatly benefit individuals, believers, communities and broader humanity Here is a small cross section of verses that can infuse wisdom on reflection:
• “The worst creatures in Allah’s sight are the deaf and dumb — those who refuse to use reason (‘aql).” (8:22)
• “…Let not the hatred of a people who obstructed you from (entering the) Sacred House, lead you to be hostile. Therefore, help each other to piety (birr) and Uprightness (Taqwa), and do not collaborate with each other in sin and enmity. Be Upright (Attaqu) before Allah and (remember,) Allah is severe in punishment” (5:2)
• “It may be that Allah will bring about love between you and those of them you (now) regard as your enemies. (Remember,) Allah is Able (to do anything) and Allah is Most Forgiving and Merciful” (60:7)
• “If you should retaliate, retaliate to the same extent as the injury done to you. But if you resort to patience — it's better for the patient. So be patient. Your patience comes only from Allah. And don’t grieve over them, nor be distressed by their plots. (16:126-127)
• "Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant." (7:199)
• Goodness and evil are not equal. Therefore, repel the latter with that which is good, and then the one between whom and you is hatred, will indeed become your friend (41:34).
• “Allah gives wisdom to anyone He wishes, and he who is granted wisdom has indeed received a great bounty; yet none is mindful of this, except the prudent” (2:269).
• “…Allah will raise by degrees those of you who believe, and those who acquire knowledge (‘Ilm)…” (58:11).
10. The Fighting Verses of the Qur’an
The Qur’an contains numerous verses urging the Prophet's followers to fight against their pagan aggressors, treaty violators, and those who first attacked them and expelled them from their homes. These verses, tied to a transitional period of the revelation, are context-specific and not part of the Qur'an's universally binding or eternal message. Nevertheless, they carry profound lessons in human relations. They must, however, be retained in the Qur’an to attest to the defensive character of the Prophetic mission that faced mounting hostilities from the pagans and conspiracies from its own ranks (the hypocrites) and native Jewish tribes. However, the Qur’an moderates its fighting verses with reconciliatory verses. Thus, a passage dating from the late Medinite period asks the Muslims to be just and virtuous to those who did not fight against them over religion, nor expelled them from their homelands (60:8), and reminds them that their enemies could eventually become their friends (60:7). The revelation also clarifies that it forbade the Muslims to befriend only those who fought against them over religion, and expelled them from their homelands and helped (others) in their expulsion (60:9).
• Allah does not forbid you to be virtuous and just to those who did not fight you over religion, nor drove you from your homelands. Indeed, Allah loves the just (8). Allah only forbids you to befriend those who fought against you over religion, and expelled you from your homelands, and backed (others) in your expulsion; and whoever befriends them – it is they who are unjust” (60:9).
11. Existential Dimension Of The Qur’an And Dangers Of Literalism
The Qur’an calls for, among other things, employing birds to catch a prey or hunt for food (5:4), traveling to Mecca on lean mounts (22:27), resisting an invasion by standing firm like a solid block in the battlefield (61:4) and having a cavalry division in its army (8:60). These, as well as the ‘fighting verses’ mentioned under 10 above represented the ground realities of the Prophet’s era or the existential dimension of the Qur’an. Hence, literalism can freeze the Qur’an in its era, and kill its liberating and dynamic spirit - its call to probe its verses, seek its best meaning:
• “Those who listen to this speech and follow the best (meaning) – it is they who are guided by Allah, and it is they who are prudent” (39:18).
• “Follow the best (meaning) of what has been sent down to you from your Lord, before suffering comes upon you of a sudden and without your knowledge” (39:55).
Therefore, we must not draw any conclusion from any single verse or passage of the Qur’an without taking account of its existential dimension and historical context, if any, to avoid misinterpretation of its message.
12. Obey and Follow the Prophet:
The Qur’an makes it absolutely clear that the Prophet’s mission was to convey Allah’s message (5:99, 7:158, 13:40, 42:48) with clarity (5:92, 16:82, 24:54) and deliver humanity out of darkness into Light (14:1, 57:9) It refers to itself as the ‘light’ (nur) (5:15, 6:91, 42:52, 57:28) or the divine fount of enlightenment and has been unequivocal about its singular role as guidance for the believers in Allah (7:52, 16:64, 27:77. 31:3), and for humanity at large (2:185, 10:108, 14:52).
The reader may be wondering on today’s relevance of this topic when the Prophet is not there for almost 15 centuries -he died in 632 AD. But the Qur’an is replete with biddings to obey and follow the Prophet (3:31, 3:32, 3:132, 4:69, 4:80, 5:56, 5:92, 24:52, 24:54, 24:56, 47:33, 64:12) indicating his ultimate leadership of the Muslim community and this needs appropriation into the present and future narratives.
The Qur’an vested the Prophet with the role of the ultimate authority to get his followers obey and follow him in all community and religious matters. But this obedience and emulation was a historical necessity to get his followers to support him, and follow the light (Nur) that descended with him (the Qur’an) (7:157, 1 above) Without such express and repeated instruction his followers may not have accepted him as their ultimate guide and at testing moments even deserted him This oft repeated instruction thus had an existential dimension that was relevant during the course of revelation. As for the posterity down the generations till this day the Qur’an supplements its command with following the light (Nur) that descended with him – the Qur’an. (7:157, 1 above)
Thus the Qur’an’s oft-repeated command to the Prophet’s immediate audience to obey and follow him will translate into obeying and following the commands or Ahkamat of the Qur’an.
Any in-depth study of the Qur'an probing the panorama of its enlightening tenets will be a very challenging task and somewhat subjective as well given the nuanced diction and constantly changing context of the Qur’an. Accordingly, the Muslims are commanded to follow the best meaning in its guidance (39:18, 39:55/ 11 above).
This exposition seeks to present a structured Road Map for exploring the Qur'an's guidance, offering insights into its overarching principles and moral trajectories following the example of the Prophet as illustrated in Part-2 of this book .
13. Prelude
The Qur'an was revealed over a span of approximately 22 years, amidst a backdrop of evolving historical contexts. Throughout this period, it significantly influenced the course of history, particularly through its profound spiritual messages and powerful oratory, even in the face of escalating opposition and mounting hostilities.
The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) began as a solitary missionary in 610 AD, gradually leading a small, community in Mecca. In 622, he fled to Medina with a sole companion (mentioned but not named in the Qur’an) in the face of an imminent threat to his life. Over the next decade, despite increasing hostilities from the Meccan and desert Arabs, and escalating conspiracies of powerful Jewish tribes and hypocritical Muslims (munafiqun) of Medina he succeeded in bringing to his faith practically the entire Arab heartland including the city of Mecca (630) that happened some eight years after his secret flight from this city. The interim period saw the Meccans sending increasingly powerful armies to get rid of him and his steadily growing community – but the Qur’an had been true to its following prediction made at the time of his flight from Mecca:
• “He who ordained the Quran upon you, will bring you back to the place of return…” (28:85).
This demonstrates the extraordinary and compelling nature of his mission as recorded in the Qur’an. As Maxime Rodinson, an eminent historian of early Islam openly skeptical of the revelation wrote in the concluding paragraph of his biography of Prophet Muhammad: “It is not belittling Muhammad to see him as a political figure – but to see him as no more than that would be a mutilation. And anyone who thus mutilates Muhammad is in fact mutilating himself in the domain of knowledge.” Muhammad, Penguin Books, London 1995.
This very brief introduction to the Prophet’s mission calls for a substantive commentary on the extraordinary features of the revelation that came down as an extended event. This we have attempted to capture in Part-2 of the book extracted from the Qur’an which was directly witnessed by the Prophet’s companions who were around during each occasion of revelation. These commentaries – rather clippings pieced together construct a posthumous high speed journey through the long 22-year span of the revelation and bring across the extraordinary features of the Prophet’s mission. They also showcase the diversity, inter-connectedness, subtlety, consistency and harmony of Qur’anic revelation that has inspired renowned Islamic scholars to compile extensive interpretational discourses or 'Tafsir', which became central to the curriculum in Islamic seminaries. However, with the rapid advancement of secular and universal sciences, theological studies have seen a decline, diminishing the prominence of these seminaries and the number of their students compared to their historical peak in the past centuries.
Now coming to the bottom line, the Muslims are commanded to follow the best meaning in the Qur’an (Verses 39:18, 39:55/ 11 above). The author has attempted to capture and illustrate this in the main body of this exposition that follows - that is tailored as a Road Map for a journey into the Qur’anic guidance:
Interesting by inserting the above two verses, the Qur’an has itself set limits on interpretation boundaries, ensuring that its message remains clear and accessible across generations or else the traditional exegesis would have continued to flourish endlessly with new set of Tafsir in each generation, in every country leaving the Muslims lost in an ever growing exegetic labyrinth.
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Muhammad Yunus, a Chemical Engineering graduate from Indian Institute of Technology, and a retired corporate executive has been engaged in an in-depth study of the Qur’an since early 90’s, focusing on its core message. He has co-authored the referred exegetic work, which received the approval of al-Azhar al-Sharif, Cairo in 2002, and following restructuring and refinement was endorsed and authenticated by Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl of UCLA, and published by Amana Publications, Maryland, USA, 2009.
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