AL-QUR’AN: THE ONLY DIVINE GUIDANCE IN PRISTINE FORM

Abstract

Al-Qur’an is the Final divine revelation sent down to the Final Messenger of God, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Allah SWT is the creator of all humankind, Jinns, and all creatures. He loves His creation endlessly. Hence, continued to send all Prophets from time to time, from Adam to Noah, to Abraham, to Jacob, to Moses, to Jesus, to Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be upon them all). It is a tragedy of human history that they rejected the Prophets sent to them for their rescue from destruction, to free them from vices and immoralities, from corruption to justice, from evil deeds to nobilities, from total immersion in a materialistic lifestyle to a balanced and holistic lifestyle. The Prophets guided them towards a blessed, happy, and hopeful life in this world, which would ultimately lead them towards a Blissful Eternal Life in Hereafter, which Undoubtedly is the Ultimate Destiny for all of us.

DIVINE GUIDANCE THROUGHOUT GENERATIONS

Allah SWT sent Adam, the Father of humankind, to the World and instructed him that Divine guidance would continuously be sent to him and his progeny. If they follow it correctly, no fear, distress, or grief would await them. (Al-Qur’an, 2:38, 20:123). If we follow the divine guidance exactly, we will have a blissful and happy life in this World and endless happiness and entertainment awaiting us in the Eternal life in Hereafter. (Qur’an, 16:97, 10:62-64)

Instead of following the Prophets and the divine guidance, we follow our desires, and satanic temptations, and engage in unlawful enjoyments that destroy our lives. It cannot confirm happiness in the world except for a very short moment. This worldly life cannot be compared to the life hereafter. (Al-Qur’an, 13:26, 28:50)

This is the same message given to all Prophets, from Adam to Muhammad. Allah SWT sent divine Books and booklets to many Prophets. Torah, Injil (Gospel), and Zabur were the prominent holy books sent to the Prophet Moses, Jesus, and David earlier. But unfortunately, due to the course of time, they did not remain intact in its pristine form. We love to see all divine Books in their original shape. That will give us a clear light on those generations, their problems, social realities, and the divine guidance sent to them. That is a serious gap in human history.

QUR’AN: FINAL GUIDANCE FOR HUMANKIND

After hundreds of Prophets and the relevant guidebooks, Allah SWT sent the Prophet Muhammad as His final messenger (Qur’an, 33:40). Allah SWT revealed the ultimate divine guidance in the form of QUR’AN AL-KARIM and stated clearly that the ‘Religion has been accomplished, and Islam has been chosen as the only way of life.’ (Qur’an, 5:3)

Since no more divine guidance is revealed afterward, the Qur’an must be preserved. Allah SWT has also confirmed that He Himself will preserve al-Qur’an from corruption or distortion. (Qur’an, 15:9).

In the Qur’an, Allah SWT revealed all important matters that humankind needs in this worldly life and for ultimate success in Hereafter. (Qur’an, 6:38) Since life Hereafter is the ultimate destination for all humanity, the Qur’an devotes significant parts of it to remind us once and again about it. This important issue is almost absent in today’s earlier divine scriptures: Torah and Injil. There is no doubt that Allah SWT also reminded them in those scriptures about the eternal life in Hereafter. But over time, the materialist followers removed such portions from their divine Books. The Qur’an draws a vivid, clear exposition of the life hereafter.

PROCESS OF REVELATION, PRESERVATION

The Qur’an al-Karim was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in 23 years of Prophetic life. It was guiding him throughout his mission as a Prophet. He faced challenges, trials, and tribulations from the non-believers, which upset him. The divine revelation would descend, soothing his heart that this was a standard procedure that all Prophets were rejected by their communities. And ultimately, the divine help would come to make the religion prosper. In his 13 years in Makkah, he faced extreme rejection mockery; many of his companions faced severe torture by the rejectionists. His companions migrated to Abyssinia to get relief from their sufferings. And finally, Allah’s help came and commanded him to migrate to Yathrib, later known as Madinah or the City of the Prophet. He spent the last ten years of his life in Madinah. Makkan non-believing Mushrikeen or Polytheists did not let him live a peaceful life in Madinah. They attacked him again and again. In most battles, the Prophet (PBUH) remained victorious, though, in some battles, they faced calamities due to shortcomings committed by some companions. In the 8^th year of Hijrah or Migration to Madinah, the Prophet (PBUH) was able to free the Land and the House of Allah SWT from shirk (polytheism) and kufr (rejection). Makkah came under the hold of the Prophet, and gradually, all other surrounding territories submitted to Islam, and the whole of Arabia became the land of Islam.

If one reads the Qur’an thoroughly, he will find the images and scenes of all his life in Makkah, Madinah, and during battles. The Qur’an was a guidebook for the Prophet and a guide for all humankind.

The Prophet and many of his companions memorized the Qur’an to preserve it. Not only that, the Prophet also arranged for the scribes to record the Qur’anic revelations right after its revelation via angel Jibril. The Prophet (PBUH) was guaranteed by Allah SWT that the Qur’an would remain intact in his memory and understanding. (Qur’an, 75: 16-19). Angel Jibril visited the Prophet frequently in Ramadan, so he would revise all Qur’anic surahs that were revealed. In the final year of the Prophet’s life, Jibril made the Prophet revise the whole Qur’an two times, which made the Prophet understand that his life was approaching the final moments.

ABU BAKR AND ‘UTHMAN’S COMPILATION OF THE QUR’AN

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) preserved the Qur’an onto different materials but not compiled it in a complete book form. Right after his death, within a year, it was felt that the Qur’an must be compiled in a book form. Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and Zaid bin Thabit devoted to compile the Qur’an in the original form. All copies were gathered, borrowed manuscripts were recollected, and the Qur’an was put into a book form. All famous memorizers were present in the Masjid of the Prophet to help in the compilation. Once the compilation was completed in a year, Zaid bin Thabit submitted it to the Caliph Abu Bakr. It was checked and thoroughly examined by the prominent companions of the Prophet who memorized the Qur’an. All companions agreed that the job was perfectly done in pristine form with no mistake.

During the third Caliph, ‘Uthman bin Affan, he faced the difference of the people in the recitation of the Qur’an from different cities and the rural areas. He attempted to do a standard version of compilation to bring back the Qur’an in the Qurayshite form, as the Qur’an was revealed first to the people of Quraysh in Makkah, and that was regarded to be the most authentic form of Qur’anic letters and readings. He assigned a committee of four prominent companions to update the Qur’anic writings. This helped to remove the differences, to a great extent, in reading the Qur’an.

The Qur’an that we have today is the same Qur’an compiled by the 1^st and the 3^rd Caliphs of Islam, Abu Bakr and ‘Uthman. There have been many attempts to explore any shortcomings or manipulations in the Qur’an throughout the ages in the whole world, but all such attempts concluded that the Qur’an is the only divine book in the world that remained intact and unchanged.

HUMANKIND LOVE THEIR CREATOR BY ‘NATURE’

It is ingrained in the minds of all humankind that they love their creator. The deadliest enemy of humans, the Iblis, made us forget this fact and ignore it constantly. Iblis, the devil, engaged us in worldly life and its immediate enjoyments. He made us ignore the blessings of Life after Death. Unfortunately, the majority of humans follow Satan and satanic temptations. They love the immediate pleasures in this temporal world and neglect the life in Hereafter that will last Billions after Billions of years, Forever. The intelligent minds would comprehend the realities and not succumb to Satanic traps.

Humans love their Creator in the core of their hearts. The evident proof is that when we face the extreme danger of life and death, such as Plane crashes, earthquakes, or similar calamities, we forget all false gods and return to our ultimate creator. Our love for Him is eternal. No matter whether we know it or not, believe it or not.

O HUMANS! RETURN TO THE BLISSFUL GARDENS OF AL-QUR’AN

Should not we return to our Lord, our Loving Creator? Definitely, yes. All of us know that the life cycle will come to an end for all human beings. Not only humans, but all living things would die. From the inception of human history until today, can we find any human being living until today? It is only Iblis Satan that Allah SWT granted him the lengthiest lifespan until the last moment of this world. (Qur’an 15: 36-38, 38:71-83). Life is a testing ground. The intelligent ones should not only try to be the best in this worldly life. They will also work harder and devote their heart and soul to being the noblest ones in the life Hereafter. They will not only focus on a worldly life that will rarely cross 100 years; but they will focus on a blissful life that will continue Billions after Billions of years.

O mankind! What made you deprived of the closeness of your Lord? Worldly luxuries!! Temptations!! Desires!! Wealths!! Positions!! Do not deprive yourself of the blessings of your Merciful Lord, Allah SWT. To know what He is telling us, please return to al-Qur’an, the ultimate divine guidance that remained pristine from the Day of its revelation until the Day of Resurrections. There are no other authentic sources we may resort to except through resorting to al-Qur’an.

May Allah SWT guide all humanity towards His Eternal Book, al-Qur’an al-Karim.

Noor Mohammad Osmani

31^st August 2023