Seventh Lecture
The world view of the Holy Qur’ªn

As a prelude to our discussion, we should discuss the environment in which the Holy Qur’¡n was nurtured.

In the opinion of all historians, the land of °ij¡z was one of the most retarded and backward sections of the world of antiquity. For this reason, the pre-Islamic Arabs were considered as savage or semi-savage.

Ideologically, they enthusiastically worshipped idols and these stone and wooden idols had a dark domination over their lives. It is also narrated that they used to make idols out of dates and bowed before them. However, at the time of famine, they would eat them.

Despite their hatred towards girls and in spite of the fact that they buried them alive, they considered the angels as the daughters of God. In this way, they lowered God’s position to the status of a man.

They were baffled by the notions of monotheism and when the Prophet of Islam invited them to monotheism, they remarked in astonishment:

أَجَعَلَ الآلِهَةَ إِلَهاً وَاحِداً إِنَّ هَذَا لَشَيْءٌ عُجَابٌ.

Has he managed to substitute one God for various gods? Really, this is a strange thing! [Qur’¡n 38:5]

Anybody who said anything against their superstitions, false myths or illusory thoughts was considered a lunatic.

A tribal system dominated their community and the differences among the tribes were so acute that the fire of war was never extinguished among them. They easily shed each other’s blood; and plunder was considered as a point of honor and their daily routine.

The number of literate men who could barely read and write in the city of Mecca was very few and scientists and learned men were scarce among them.

Out of such an environment, an unlettered man arose and brought forth a book whose content was so rich that after fourteen centuries scholars are still busy interpreting it and new truths are still being discovered in it.

The way the Holy Qur’¡n depicts the world of being is very accurate and precise. It presents the idea of monotheism in the most complete manner and introduces, in an elegant way, the mysteries of the creation of the universe, day and night, the sun and the moon, and of the plants and man, as signs of a unique God.

Sometimes, the Holy Qur’¡n penetrates into man’s soul and speaks of innate monotheism saying:

فَإِذَا رَكِبُوا فِي الْفُلْكِ دَعَوْا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ فَلَمَّا نَجَّاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ إِذَا هُمْ يُشْرِكُونَ.

When they embark on a ship (as soon as they feel some danger is approaching them on the sea) they invoke Allah sincerely, but when they are landed safely, they forget their Savior and again they consider partners for Allah. [Qur’¡n 29:65]

At other times, the Holy Qur’¡n, based on wisdom and rational thinking, discusses rational Monotheism, describing the outside world and the inner soul, and explaining the mysteries of the earth and the universe, the animals, the mountains, the seas, the rain, storms, and the subtle realities of man’s spirit and body.

When discussing God’s attributes, the Holy Qur’¡n uses the most profound and attractive methods: On one occasion it says:

لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ.

There is none like Him. [Qur’¡n 42:11]

In other places, the Holy Qur’¡n says:

هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ هُوَ الرَّحْمَانُ الرَّحِيمُ. هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْمَلِكُ الْقُدُّوسُ السَّلامُ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْمُهَيْمِنُ الْعَزِيزُ الْجَبَّارُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ. هُوَ اللَّهُ الْخَالِقُ الْبَارِئُ الْمُصَوِّرُ لَهُ الأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ.

He is Allah besides Whom there is no god; the Knower of the unseen and the seen; He is the Beneficent, the Merciful. He is Allah, besides Whom there is no god; the King, the Holy, the Giver of peace, the Granter of security, Guardian over all, the Mighty, the Supreme, the Possessor of every greatness Glory be to Allah from what they set up (with Him). He is Allah the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner; His are the most excellent names; whatever is in the heavens and the earth declares His glory; and He is the Mighty, the Wise. [Qur’¡n 59: 21-24]

In describing God’s Knowledge and in explaining His Infinite Nature, the Holy Qur’¡n makes use of the most elaborate expressions:

وَلَوْ أَنَّمَا فِي الأَرْضِ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ أَقَْامٌ وَالْبَحْرُ يَمُدُّهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ مَا نَفِدَتْ كَلِمَاتُ اللَّهِ.

And if all the trees on the earth were pens and the seas were ink with seven more seas, yet the words of Allah would not be exhausted. [Qur’¡n 31:27]

Concerning God’s dominance over everything and His presence everywhere, the Holy Qur’¡n employs elegant expressions such as the following:

وَلِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ.

And Allah’s is the East and the West, therefore, wheresoever you turn, there is Allah’s face. [Qur’¡n 2:115]

وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَمَا كُنْتُمْ وَاللهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ.

And He is with you wherever you are; and Allah sees what you do. [Qur’¡n 57:4]

And when the Holy Qur’¡n deals with the issue of Resurrection and the Day of Judgment, it astounds the unbelievers and neutralizes their argument by saying:

وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلاً وَنَسِيَ خَلْقَهُ قَالَ مَنْ يُحْيِ الْعِظَامَ وَهِيَ رَمِيمٌ. قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا الَّذِي أَنشَأَهَا أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ. الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنْ الشَّجَرِ الأَخْضَرِ نَاراً فَإِذَا أَنْتُمْ مِنْهُ تُوقِدُونَ. أَوَلَيْسَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَى أَنْ يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُمْ بَلَى وَهُوَ الْخَلاَّقُ الْعَلِيمُ. إِنَّمَا أَمْرُهُ إِذَا أَرَادَ شَيْئاً أَنْ يَقُولَ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ.

And he strikes out a likeness for Us and forgets his own creation. Says he: Who will give life to the bones when they are rotten. Say: He will give life to them Who brought them into existence at first, and He is cognizant of all creation. He Who has made for you the fire (to burn) from the green tree, so that with it you kindle (fire). Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth able to create the like of them? Yea! And He is the Creator (of all), the Knower. His command, when He intends anything, is only to say to it: Be, so it is. [Qur’¡n 36: 78-82]

In those days when photography and sound recording did not yet exist the Holy Qur’¡n says in relation to man’s deeds:

يَوْمَئِذٍ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَا بِأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْحَى لَهَا.

On that day, she shall tell her news because your Lord had inspired her. [Qur’¡n 99:4-5]

The Holy Qur’¡n also talks about the witness that our hands, feet and skins would offer on that day:

الْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَى أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَا أَيْدِيهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْجُلُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ.

On that day, We will set a seal upon their mouths, and their hands shall speak to Us, and their feet shall bear witness of what they earned. [Qur’¡n 36:65]

وَقَالُوا لِجُلُودِهِمْ لِمَ شَهِدْتُمْ عَلَيْنَا قَالُوا أَنطَقَنَا اللَّهُ الَّذِي أَنطَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ.

And they shall say to their skins: why have you borne witness against us? They shall say: Allah Who makes everything speak has made us speak. [Qur’¡n 41:21]

The true value of Qur’¡nic knowledge and its freedom from any superstition becomes evident only when we compare it with “the distorted Old Testament and the New Testament of today.” For instance, when we compare what the Holy Qur’¡n and the Bible have to say concerning man’s creation, what they have to say concerning the prophets, and how they describe God, then we can vividly see the differences.⁽[1]⁾