When God created Adam, he and his children were all worshipping Him alone without partners. And so did his descendant up to the tenth generation which started to worship gods other than Allah. They started to worship stones and idols. It was Satan himself who made them do the most forbidden sin, Shirk, as it is known in Islam which is the worship of others other than Allah and if you are a Christian, you know that this is exactly in violation of the first and second commands of the Ten Commandments. Satan beautified this sin whose punishment is damnation into the hellfire for all of eternity by making it look like the worship of idols and stones is mere veneration of the virtuous dead people and keeping their legacy alive.
Since Noah, the first messenger, Allah has sent a succession of prophets and messengers. All bearing the message that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and to uphold all forms of goodness towards Allah and others.
Allah has sent down revelations to his Messengers and some of them have been given books like the Scrolls of Abraham, the Torah of Moses and the Gospel of Jesus. Muslims believe that these have been sent down in truth but they have been corrupted over time by having parts of it removed or added. The Holy books were corrupted especially by those who will gain material benefit. Allah said in the Quran about this kind of people:
“Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, “This is from Allah,” in order to gain material benefits! Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for that they earn thereby” ~ Quran 2:79
Thus, when Allah sent his final prophet and messenger Muhammad – peace be upon him. Allah sent with him a book. A book that was sent down as the Final Testament to the last and final Prophet Muhammad. Since there will be no more prophets or revelations to come. Allah Himself has guaranteed that this book will remain in its original form in order for it to be a reference and a guide for the believers until the end of time. Allah said in the Quran,
“We have sent down The Reminder (the Quran) and indeed we shall be its protectors.” ~ Quran: 15:9
The Quran is speech of Allah. It is revealed to Prophet Muhammad in the span of 23 years of his mission as a Prophet and Messenger in different occasions. The Quran is not created. It is a part of the characteristic of Speech of Allah. Quran teaches about the oneness of Allah, tales about the past Prophets and Messengers and their people and some of the basic laws of Islam.
THE GREATEST MIRACLE OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD
Prophet Muhammad had miracles the same way other prophets were given the same by Allah in order for them to prove the validity and authenticity of their message. Prophet Jesus was given the miracle of healing while Moses divided the sea for them to cross as an example. Prophet Muhammad did have other miracles but the greatest of his miracles is the Quran. The greatness of the Quran as a miracle is that because it is an eternal miracle that we still witness until today. Quran is the most read book in the world and is the only book which is memorized by millions of people from cover to cover which is a proof of Allah’s promise in the Quran itself that He shall protect it proving that it is indeed the word of Allah. Recently, scientists, Muslims and non-Muslims alike discovered many scientific miracles in the Quran. The Quran has been speaking about geology, outer space, biology and others since it was revealed 1400 years ago.
THE QURAN TODAY
The first parts to be revealed were brought down at the beginning of his Prophethood while the last parts were revealed a few days before his death. Today we see the Quran in book form known as the Mus’haf, which has been successfully completed and collected during the time of Caliph Othman bin Affan a few years after the death of Prophet Muhammad. The Quran is divided into 114 chapters of varying lengths. The longest could be a few dozen pages long while the shortest is a mere 10-word chapter. The Quran is a literary masterpiece which appeals to both Muslim and non-Muslim readers whether they read it in the original Arabic as it was revealed or in translations in different language which may lose some of the eloquence of the original but nonetheless retains the wisdom of the Quran.
Most of the Quran translations come with the original Arabic text for reference. If there is confusion with the translation, the Muslims could always refer to the original Arabic. Although appearing in translations in many different languages, the translations of the meanings of the Quran are made only by authorized translators and the whole Muslim nation is guarding that no such deviant or wrong translation will circulate.
Even the proper reading of the Quran is a separate Islamic Science itself. Tajwid, which literally means ‘beautification’,’ is the science of the beautification of Quranic recitation and the most beautiful Quranic recitation is that which is according the way Prophet Muhammad read the Quran. Quran is never read randomly or melodiously like a song that we could put any tune that we wanted.
The science of Quranic interpretation is known as Tafsir, is an even more specialized Islamic Science only performed by those who have deep knowledge of the religion being done usually by the elderly scholars.
Quran is the primary source of teachings of Islam and in conjunction with the authentic sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad which is also called the Sunnah, the two guarantees that Islam and its guidance remain in pristine condition even after Prophet Muhammad’s death.
For more information about Islam, watch Mensahe TV on Cignal TV channel 184. If you have questions, feel free to contact me via email: mujahidnavarra@gmail.com and my social media sites.
