General Beliefs of Muslims concerning the Revelation of the Qur'an
More than any other revealed book, especially the Torah and the New
Testament, the Qur'an describes the details of the revelation, the transmittance
and even accounts of the experience of the revelation. The general belief
of Muslims concerning the revelation, based on the Qur'an, is that the
text of the Qur'an is the actual speech of God transmitted to the Prophet
by one of His chosen angels.
The name of this angel, or heavenly being, is Gabriel or the Faithful
Spirit. He transmitted the word of God over a period of twenty-three years
to the Prophet. He would bring the divine instructions to the Prophet,
who would relate them faithfully to the people using the same words in
the form of a verse.
The Prophet thus used the meaning of the verses to call the people to
an understanding of faith, of belief, of social laws and of individual
duties. These instructions from God to His messenger are known as the Prophecy,
or the message; the Prophet transmitted this message without making any
addition to or detraction from it in any way.
The View of Contemporary Non-Muslim Writers concerning the Revelation
and Prophecy
Most contemporary writers who take an interest in different religions
and ideologies adopt the following view of the Qur'an: they say the Prophet
was a social genius who appeared to save society from the throes of decline
into savagery and to raise it up in the cradle of civilization and freedom.
They claim also that he called men to his own ideas of pure and sincere
behavior by giving them a comprehensive religious form and order. They
affirm that he had a pure soul and tremendous ambition; that he lived in
a particularly dark and ignorant age, where only the law of force and foolish
singing of verse, social chaos and selfishness, stealing, marauding and
savagery were to be seen.
They describe how he was troubled by witnessing such things and, sometimes
when overcome by the pain of such sights, he would withdraw from men and
pass days alone in the cave in the Tihamah mountains; he would marvel at
the sky and its shining stars, the earth, the mountains, the sea, the desert
and all the precious means placed at the disposal of man by the Creator;
he would be grieved at the bad behaviour and ignorance of those around
him, who had thrown away a life of well-being and happiness for a tormented
succession of bestial habits.
This feeling was always present with the Prophet; he bore this pain
and vexation up to his fourtieth year when, according to these contemporary
non-Muslim writers, he formed a plan to save his fellow-men from their
miserable state of nomadic wandering, rebellious independence, selfish-
ness and lawlessness.
This plan, called the religion of Islam, was the most suitable one for
the times. The Prophet being of pure and sincere character, realized that
his chaste thoughts were the Word of God and Divine Revelation which were
infused in him through his virtuous nature. His good will and benevolent
spirit, from which his thoughts exuded and established peace in his heart,
was called the Spirit of Trustworthiness and Gabriel, the angel of revelation.
Furthermore, according to this contemporary view of Muhammad, he perceived
the forces of good and happiness in nature as Angels and all the forces
of bad as Satan and the Jinn (invisible entities). He called his own task,
which he had undertaken according to his own conscience, Prophethood and
himself, the deliverer of the divine message.
This explanation, however, comes from those writers who affirm the existence
of God or at least some kind of nature- force, and attach a certain importance
to the religion of Islam, albeit in the name of just and unbiased assessment.
Those, however, who deny outright the existence of a Creator see Prophecy,
revelation, divine duties, reward and punishment, the fire and the garden
as mere religious politics, a lie in the name of religion to further one's
own ends.
They say that the prophets were reformers who brought about social change
in the name of religion. They argued that since men of past ages were drowned
in ignorance and superstitious worship the prophets contained the religious
order within a framework of superstitious beliefs about the origin of Creation
and the day of reckoning in order to further their prospects of reform.
What the Qur'an Itself Says concerning this Matter
Scholars who explain the power of revelation and prophecy using the
above explanation, attach great importance to the Science of nature and
the visible world, and claim that everything in the world works according
to the laws of nature. They view historical events, right up to the present-day,
as the developing and constantly changing face of nature.
Likewise, they view all revealed religions as social manifestations.
Thus they would agree that if one of the geniuses of history, like Cyrus,
Darius or Alexander, had announced himself as having been chosen by God
as an executor of divine commands, their explanation would have been no
different than that given above.
We do not intend here to establish the existence of the unseen, of the
world beyond the visible world of nature; we are not saying to other scholars
or scientists that any one science may only be discussed by remaining within
the strict limits of that particular science. We are not suggesting that
the modern sciences which investigate the properties and effects of the
material world, (whether or not they be positively or negatively disposed
to the creation), do not have the right to enter into an investigation
of the metaphysical.
What we are saying is that any explanation they propose must be in accordance
with the explanation of society, existence, nature and the cosmos given
by the Qur'an. The Qur'an is an authentic document of prophecy and is the
basis Of all social, metaphysical and scientific discussion; the explanation
Of the Qur'an contain proofs against their arguments which we can enumerate
and reflect upon. These proofs are connected to different Qur'anic verses
discussed below.
According to the explanation of modern non-Muslims and atheists, the
Prophet's nature was pure through which came to him the word of God, meaning
that the divine system of thought was alive in his own thoughts; the idea
of divinity manifested itself in his thoughts because he was pure and holy;
it was natural (in the minds Of these Scholars) for prophets to attribute
these thoughts to God for, in this way, they ennobled and exalted their
own task.
The Qur'an, however, strongly and convincingly denies that it is the
speech or the ideas of the prophet or, indeed, of any other man. In chapters
X:38 and XI:13 the Qur'an declares that if it is the word of man then detractors
of Islam should produce similar words about every subject treated in the
Qur'an, namely, belief in the after-life, morals, laws, stories of past
generations and other prophets, wisdom and advice. The Qur'an urges them
to seek help anywhere if they do not realize that it is the word of God
and not of man, but adds that even if jinn and man joined forces together
they would not be able to produce a Qur'an like it.
In chapter II:23 the Qur'an challenges those who consider it merely
the speech of Muhammad to produce a book similar to it or even just one
chapter like it. The force of this challenge becomes clear when we realize
that it is issued for someone whose life should resemble that of Muhammad,
namely, the life of an orphan, uneducated in any formal sense, not being
able to read or write and grew up in the unenlightened age of the jahiliyah
period (the age of ignorance) before Islam.
In IV:82 the Qur'an asks why no inconsistencies or changes appeared
in the verses considering that neither the wording nor the meaning of the
verses has altered despite being revealed over a period of twenty-three
years. If it was the word of man and not the word of Gods then it would
have certainly been affected by change like all other things in the temporal
world of nature and matter.
It is clear that this challenge and these explanations are not mere
empty words of exultation; rather they present the Qur'an for what it is,
namely the word of God.
The Qur'an establishes its own miraculous nature in hundreds of verses.
This miracle is still unexplained by normal literacy standards used to
"grasp" a text. Indeed successive prophets established their prophethood
through similar verses revealed by God. If prophecy was merely the call
of an individual conscience or the inspiration of a pure and sincere soul,
then there would be no sense in claiming it as divine proof or seeking
help in its miraculous nature as the Prophet, in fact, did.
Some writers interpret the many miracles of the Qur'an in terms of undisguised
mockery. When we investigate the subject of their mockery we inevitably
discover that the Qur'an means something other than that which they have
understood.
It is not our intention to try and prove the miraculous nature of the
Qur'an nor to demonstrate the soundness and authenticity of its narration;
rather, we would point out that the Qur'an clearly describes the miracles
of the past prophets, like Salih, Abraham, Moses and Jesus. The stories
related in the Qur'an can only be understood and interpreted in the light
of miraculous guidance.
Why, we may ask, if the prophets were mere men, inspired by the purity
of their character, was it necessary to establish the existence of this
miraculous guidance?
The Angel Gabriel
According to the explanation of the above-mentioned writers, the prophet
referred to his own pure soul as the "Faithful Spirit" or the giver of
revelation. The Qur'an, however, does not support this view and names Gabriel
as the deliverer of the verses.
God says in chapter II:97, "Say (O Muhammad, to mankind): Who
is an enemy to Gabriel! for it is he who has revealed (this book) to your
heart by God's permission." This verse refers to Jews who wanted
to know who had revealed the Qur'an to the Prophet. He replied that it
was Gabriel. They said, "We are enemies of Gabriel as he it was who gave
us (the tribe of Israel) the laws and legal punishments and as we are enemies
to him, we do not believe in the book which he has brought. " Thus God
replies to them in the verse that Gabriel revealed the Qur'an to the Prophet
by God's permission. God further says that the Qur'an is to be believed
in, and that it is not the speech of Gabriel. It is important to note that
the Qur'an, in the words of the above verse was revealed "to the heart"
of the Prophet Muhammad by Gabriel.
In another verse [XXVI:193-4] we read that it was transmitted by the
Faithful Spirit, "which the Faithful Spirit has brought down upon
your heart." By comparison of these two verses it becomes evident that
it is the angel Gabriel who is meant here by the words, "Faithful Spirit."
In chapter LXXXI:1923 God describes the transmittance of revelation:
That this is in truth the word of an honoured messenger (Gabriel),
Mighty established in the presence of the Lord of the Throne, one to be
obeyed and trustworthy and your comrade (the Prophet) is not mad. Surely
he saw him on the clear horizon.
These verses show that Gabriel was one of the intimates of God, possessing
great power and trust. Again in chapter XL:7 we read, "Those who
bear the power, and all who are around Him, praise their Lord and believe
in Him and ask forgiveness for those who believe." Such characteristics
as belief in God and seeking forgiveness from him are only to be expected
from independent, sentient creatures.
In chapter IV:172-173 we read, The Messiah will never disdain
to be a servant of God, nor will the favoured angels. Whoever disdains
His service and is proud, He will gather them all to Himself, then as for
those who believe and do good, He will pay them fully their rewards and
give them more out of His grace, and as for those who disdain and are proud,
He will punish them with a painful doom. And they will not find for themselves
besides Allah a guardian or a helper.
It is clear that although the Messiah, Jesus, and the favoured angels
do not disobey the commands of God they are, nevertheless, warned of a
painful punishment on the day of reckoning if they were to commit a wrong.
The possibility of neglect of their duties or committing wrong action is
neces- sarily dependent on their being sentient beings, possessed of free
will and entrusted with the task of transmitting the revelation of God.
Thus we learn from the Qur'an that Gabriel is the Faithful Soul: he
is trustworthy and to be obeyed because he is obeyed by angels in his task.
An indication of these obedient angels comes in the verse, But truly
it is a warning-so let whoever will pay heed to it, on honoured leaves
exalted, purified (set down by scribes) noble and righteous [LXXX:11-16]
.
The Angels and the Devils
According to the explanation of contemporary non-Muslim writers, angel
is the name given to forces in nature which represent goodness, and happiness
and devils are forces in nature representing evil and unhappiness. What
we under- stand from the Qur'an, however, is that they are beings existing
beyond our sense-range, who possess feelings and an independent free-will.
To the verses above, (indicating that angels possess independence and free
will), may be added many other verses which confirm these same qualities.
The refusal of Satan to prostrate himself before Adam and the dialogue
between Satan and God occurs several times in the Qur'an. Satan, after
having been expelled from intimacy with God, says in chapter XXXVIII:82-83,
"I surely will lead every one of them astray except your sincere
slaves among them." And God replies "I shall fill hell with
you and with those who follow you, together" [XXXVIII:85].
It is clear that punishment can only take place if the punished understand
the reason for the punishment. God in chapter XXXIV:20, says in confirmation
of Satan's warning to man, "And Satan indeed found his calculation
true concerning them, for they follow them, all except a group of true
believers. " Likewise, we read in chapter XIV;22, "And Satan
said when the matter had been decided: Indeed! Allah promised you a promise
of truth; and I promised you and failed you. And I had no power over you
except that I called to you and you obeyed me. So do not blame me but blame
yourselves."
Blame is a matter which can only be associated with those who possess
the power of reason and free-will. We quote these verses to show that Satan,
like the rest of the angels, is a thinking independent being rather than
a force in nature. Just as verses occur in the Qur'an concerning the angels
and the devils, there also are verses which clearly and vividly describe
the jinn (elemental spirits or invisible beings, either harmful or helpful)
. In chapter XLVI: 18 reference is made to those who, invited to believe
in Islam, spurn it as just another ancient fable or superstition: Such
are those in whom the word concerning nations of the jinn and mankind which
have passed away before them has effect. Indeed they are the losers.
We may understand from this verse that the jinn, the invisible entities,
like mankind, live in different nations, pass a period of time in their
different societies and finally die.
In the same chapter, verses 29-32 we read, And when we inclined
toward you (Muhammad) certain of the jinn who wished to hear the Qur'an
and when they were in its presence said, Listen! and, when it was finished
turned back to their people warning. They said: O our people! Truly we
have heard a book which has been revealed after Moses, confirming that
which was before it, guiding to the truth and a right road. O my people!
respond to God's Summoner and believe in Him. He will forgive you some
of your wrong actions and guard you from a painful doom. And whoever does
not respond to God's Summoner he can in no way escape in the earth, and
you (can find) no protecting friends instead of Him. Such are in clear
error. These verses clearly confirm that the jinn, like men, live
in groups, are thinking individuals possessing free will and charged with
duties, Moreover, there are other verses dealing with the day of rising
which affirms these same qualities in the jinn.
The Call of Conscience
According to the explanation of certain modern writers, prophethood
is the rising up of a man from amongst his people in order to undertake
social reform in accordance with the call of his conscience. The Qur'an,
however, gives a different meaning to the prophethood. In XCI:7-8 we read,
"And a soul and Him who perfected it, and inspired it (with conscience
off what is wrong for it and (what is) right for it. "
In this verse God demonstrates that each individual perceives from his
own conscience and God-given nature the difference between good and bad
action; and, that the potential for reform and the bettering of one's self
is contained within each person; some listen to their conscience and act
correctly while others pay no heed and so act wrongly.
Thus in the following verses of the same chapter God says: "He
is indeed successful who causes it to grow and he is indeed a failure who
stunts it. " If prophethood manifests itself as a result of the
conscience, which everyone possesses, then everyone in theory may become
a prophet. God, however, has reserved this duty for certain men only.
Thus He says in chapter VI:124, "And when a sign comes to them,
they say: we do not believe until we are given that which God's messengers
are given. God knows best with whom to place His message."
The Reality of the Prophet's Mission
We should repeat at this point that we do not intend to prove or disprove
here the truth of Islam or the validity of the Prophet's invitation of
the people to Islam. Rather, we simply want to state that the second of
the modern non-Islamic explanations is also not in accordance with the
explanation given in the Qur'an.
According to it, the prophet succeeded in convincing people to believe
in a set of superstitions framed in a politico-religious framework; he
was aided in this, so they say, by the fact that his own people were tribesmen,
having no advanced culture of their own. In the name of public good and
the well-being of society harsh punishments were promised to those who
did not obey the religious laws; the Prophet instilled a fear of the Day
of Reckoning and promised rewards for those who obeyed.
Thus fervour for the promised paradise and fear of the Day of Reckoning
created a society based on a religious foundation.
The history of the lives of other prophets has, for the most part, been
lost in time, but the life of the Prophet Muhammad is well documented.
Anyone who researches into it will not be left in the least doubt that
he had total faith and inner certainty in his mission. If religious beliefs
were mere superstitions or a means to unify and subdue a society, then
all the proofs expounded in the Qur'an concerning the hereafter, the existence
of a Creator of the World, Divine Unity, His attributes, belief in a prophecy
and the reckoning of a man's actions after death would have absolutely
no meaning.
What the Qur'an says about the Meaning of Revelation and Prophecy
The Qur'an clearly states that it is a book revealed to the Prophet
and that revelation is a kind of divine utterance beyond the understanding
or communication of the material world; revelation is unperceived by sense
or intellect but apprehended by other faculties which, by God's will, are
present in certain individuals. Through revelation instructions from the
unseen are received and their acceptance and implementation is called prophethood.
To clarify this matter we may make the following points.
Man 's Innate Nature
In the beginning of this book we explained that each created entity,
whether mineral, plant or animal, is endowed with an inherent force which
enables it to develop in accordance with its own innate design and nature.
Thus we read in chapter XX:50, "Our Lord is He who gave everything
its nature, then guided it correctly, " and again in chapter LXXXVII:2-3
"Who creates, then disposes, who measures then guides." We
also know that man is not excluded from this general law, that is, he has
a direction and an aim towards which he develops, having been endowed with
faculties which allow him to fulfill this aim. All his happiness lies in
achieving this aim; his sorrow, grief and misfortune are the result of
his failure to achieve this aim. He is guided to this special purpose by
his Creator.
As God says in chapter LXXVI:3, "Indeed, we have shown him the
way whether he be grateful or disbelieving. " Likewise we read
in chapter LXXX:1920, "From a drop of seed, He creates him and proportions
him. Then makes the way easy for him. "
Man 's Path in Traversing the Road of Life
The difference between the animal and plant kingdoms and man is that
the former react according to their inherent knowledge or instinct, while
man, also possessing an inherent knowledge, is equipped with an intellect
and the capacity to use or recognize wisdom. Even if man is capable of
undertaking a certain action, he weighs the good or the bad, the benefit
or harm, contained in that action and implements it only if he estimates
that the benefit outweighs the harm.
Thus he follows the instruction of his intellect in every action; the
intellect dictates the necessity of an action. The intellect causes one
to abandon an act if it is likely to bring with it an unacceptable degree
of trouble and hardship; it not only instructs one on the feasibility of
an action, but it also takes into account the dictates of sentiment and
feeling.
Indeed the perception of sentiment with regard to the relative good
or bad in matter is so closely connected with the decision of the intellect
as to be considered one and the same thing.
Man as a Social Being
No one would deny that men are social beings who co-operate with each
other to better meet their daily needs. We may wonder, however, whether
men desire this co-operation from their natural feelings; are they naturally
inclined to undertake an action with others and share an interest in something
as a social project?
On one level, man's needs, feelings and desires cause him to act for
his own benefit and without regard for the needs and wishes of others.
Man uses every means to fulfil his own needs: he uses every kind of transport
to reach his destination; he uses the leaves, stems and fruit of plants
and trees; he lives upon the meat of animals and their products, and takes
advantage of a multitude of other things to complement his own deficiencies
in certain respects. Can man, whose state is such that he uses everything
he finds to his own ends, be expected to respect another human being? Can
he extend his hand to another in co-operation and turn a blind eye to his
own desire for the sake of mutual benefit?
The answer in the first instance must be no. It is as a result of man's
countless needs, which can never be fulfilled by himself alone, that he
recognizes the possibility of fulfilling them through the help and co-operation
of others. Similarly, he understands that his own strengths, desires and
wishes are also shared by others, and just as he defends his own interests
so others defend theirs.
Thus, out of necessity, he co-operates with the social nexus and gives
a certain measure of his own efforts to fulfill the needs of others; in
return he benefits from the efforts of others in order to full fill his
own needs. In truth he has entered into a market-place of social wealth,
always open to traders and offering all the benefits obtained by the collective
work of the society. All these factors are placed together in this market-
place of pooled human resources and each person, according to the importance
society attaches to his work, has a share in these benefits.
Thus man's first nature incites him to pursue the fulfillment of his
own needs using others in the process and taking advantage of their work
for his own ends. It is only in cases of necessity and helplessness that
he lends a hand to co-operate with society.
This matter is clear when we observe the nature of children: anything
a child wants he demands in an extreme way; he emphasizes his demand by
crying. As he grows older, however, and becomes a part of the social fabric,
he gradually puts an end to his excessive demands. More evidence for the
truth of this may be seen when a person accumulates power which exceeds
that of others and he rejects the spirit of cooperation and its restrictions
of society; such an individual uses people and the fruits of their labours
for himself without giving anything back in return.
God refers to the necessary spirit of natural cooperation in society
in chapter XLIII:32, "We have apportioned among them their livelihood
in the life of the world, and raised some of them above others in rank
that some of them take labour from others ... " This verse refers
to the reality of the social situation in which each individual has a different
capacity and different talents: those who are superior in one domain engage
the cooperation or employ of others for their eventual mutual benefit.
Thus all members of society are linked together in the ways and wants
of the fabric of one single social unit. Those who do not see the obvious
necessity of mutual cooperation are condemned by God in chapter XIV:34,
"Truly man is surely a wrong-doer, (a tyrant) " and, in chapter
XXXII1:72, "Indeed he has proved a tyrant and a fool."
These verses refer to man's natural instinct which, unless checked,
drives him to take advantage of his fellow-men and in doing so to overstep
the rights of others.
The Manifestation of Social Differences and the Necessity of Law
Man in his dealings with his fellow men is obliged to accept a social
life based on cooperation; in doing so he effectively forgoes some of the
freedom enjoyed within his own sphere of work. Merely taking part in a
society based on injustice and gaining social differences is not enough
to satisfy the basic needs of the average man. In such a society, taking
advantage of the efforts of others leads to corruption and a loss of the
original purpose of removing glaring differences between men and bettering
their lives.
It is clear that a framework of laws, understood and respected by all,
must govern the different members of society. If there are no clear laws
governing even the most basic of transactions (like buying and selling),
transactions will cease to function correctly. Laws are necessary to preserve
the rights of individuals. The power and wisdom of the Creator, who has
guided man towards his well-being and happiness, has also guaranteed the
success and happiness of society.
Guidance in the form of social law is mentioned by God in LXXX:19-20,
"From a drop of seed He creates him and proportions him. Then makes
the way easy for him. " This making of life easy for him is an
indication of the social guidance which he has given to man in the form
of laws and instructions.
The Intellect is not Sufficient in Guiding Man towards Respect of
the Law
The guidance we are considering here is that which emanates from the
wisdom of the Creator; this wisdom has created man and alloted him his
goal of well-being just as it has assigned a path and goal to all creation.
This goal of happiness and well-being is the path of self-fulfilment based
on correct behaviour in a social setting. It is clear that, of necessity,
there can be no inconsistencies or shortcomings in the work of the Creator.
If, at times, one cannot discern His aim or it seems hidden from normal
perception, it is not through lack of reason or cause on the part of God,
but rather that the cause is linked to other causes which obscure the one
in question. If there were no hindrances to a clear perception of the causal
chain of events, two given actions would never appear inconsistent or contradictory
to the harmony of creation. Nor would the work of the Creator appear (as
it sometimes does to those whose perception is hindered by the intricacy
of the causal chain of events), inconsistent and imperfect.
Guidance towards the law, whose function is to remove differences and
conflict between individuals in society, is not a matter for the intellect
since it is this very intellect which causes man to dispute with others.
It is the same intellect which incites man to profit at the expense of
others and to preserve, first and foremost, his own interest, accepting
justice only when there is no alternative.
The two opposing forces, one causing difficulties and one doing away
with them, are qualities of man's character; they do not obviously exist
in the Creator: the countless daily transgressions and violations of the
law, in effect, all result from those who use their intellect incorrectly;
they themselves are the very source of their own difficulties.
If the intellect was truly a means of removing wrong action from society
and was itself a trustworthy guide to man's well-being, it would recognize
the validity of the law and prevent man from violating it. The intellect's
refusal to willingly accept what is obviously given for the well-being
of man is confirmed when we realize that its acceptance of a society based
on just laws is only out of necessity. Without this compulsion, it would
never accept to know the law.
Those who transgress the law do so for many reasons: some oppose it
without fear, because their power exceeds that of the law; others, because
they live outside the reach of the law, through deceit or negligence on
the part of the authorities; others are able to invent reasons which make
their wrong actions appear lawful and acceptable; some make use of the
helplessness of the person they have wronged. All, however, find no legal
obstacle in their wrong aims; even if an obstacle appears, their intellect,
rather than guiding them to an acceptance of the law, renders the obstacle
right and ineffective.
From these examples we are left in no doubt that the intellect, far
from controlling, restricting or guiding man, merely uses its influence
to its own purpose. We must include, therefore, that it is incapable of
guiding man towards a social law which guarantees the rights, freedom and
well-being of all the members of society.
God says in chapter XCVI:6-7 "Indeed man truly rebels when he
thinks him self independent. " The independence referred to here
includes the independence of those who imagine that they can claim their
rights through other than the path of legality.
The Only Way to Guidance is that of Revelation
Man, like the rest of creation, naturally seeks his own well-being and
happiness as he lives out his life. Since, by his very make-up, he has
a variety of natural needs, he has no alternative but to live in society
in order to fulfill these needs; his own well-being and search for the
fulfillment of his natural character takes place in the wider framework
of society's well-being.
Thus the only acceptable pattern of existence, regulated by a comprehensive
law common to all people, is the one which guarantees both the well-being
of society and of the individual in a balanced and just fashion. It is
also clear that man, like the rest of creation, must endeavour to achieve
his well-being and undertake whatever preparation is necessary for achieving
this by allowing himself to be guided by his Creator.
It is but a logical next step in our analysis to say that any guidance
from the Creator must be towards this comprehensive law, common to all
and, at the same time, in accord with the individual's well-being. Intellect
is not enough to guide man to the law since it does not always decide in
favour of cooperation with others nor in favour of the common good.
The path, the way, which fits perfectly the requirements of man is the
way taught by the Prophets and messengers of God. It is the way brought
to them by God through revelation and established as undeniably true and
valid, by the example of their own lives and their intimate knowledge and
contact with God.
The Revelation of the Qur'an
In chapter II:213, God says, "Mankind was one community and God
sent (to them) prophets as bearers of good news and as warners and revealed
to them the book with the truth that it may judge between mankind concerning
that in which they differed." Here we under- stand "one community"
to mean a society at peace, its members living without dispute or difference.
After a period of time, men differed with one another and as a result God
sent the prophets.
Again He says in IV:163-165, "Indeed We have inspired you as we
have inspired Noah ... Messengers of good news and a warning in order that
mankind might have no argument against God after the Messenger. "
Intellect alone does not make man accountable to God and this is why he
must be awakened to the reality of his inner condition by other means.
The first of the above-mentioned verses recognizes the way of revelation
and prophecy as the only way of removing differences between men. The second
shows revelation and prophecy to be the complete and absolute proof to
mankind of the truth of God's message.
Some Questions Answered
Question: By using the premise that the intellect cannot prevent violation
of the law and the wrong action of man in general, you are declaring the
necessity of imposing a law or, as you say, "guidance" towards his own
well-being; that is, you are demanding that we place our trust in revelation
and in prophethood rather than in the intellect.
The truth is, however, that the laws and instructions of revelation
are also ineffective in that they cannot prevent violation of the law,
of the Shari'ic law or divine code; in fact, man's acceptance of this code
is even less than his acceptance of the civil code. What can you reply
to this?
Answer: To point out the way is one thing and to follow it is another.
The Creator has taken upon himself to guide mankind to a law under which
he can achieve his well-being; He has not taken upon himself to stop mankind
from infringing upon the law nor of compelling men to follow the law. We
have investigated above the problem of man's infringement of the law, not
to prove that the intellect is deficient or incapable of preventing wrong
action but, rather, to show that it usually does not decide in favour of
the law or of cooperation with society.
As we have pointed out, the intellect only follows the law out of necessity;
if it perceives that obeying the law and restricting one's personal freedom
brings less benefit than disobedience, then it will not follow the law
nor stop others from transgressing.
The acceptance of the way of the revelation, however, always brings
with it an obedience to the law. By accepting the code of behaviour revealed
by the prophets, one entrusts one's judgement to God who, with his boundless
power and knowledge, constantly watches over man; only He can reward good
deeds or punish bad ones in an absolutely just and unbiased way. God says
in chapter XII:40, "The decision rests with God only," and
in chapter XCIX:74, "And whoever does an atom 's weight of good will
see it then and whoever does an atom 's weight of bad will see it then.
"
Likewise, He says in XXII:17, "Indeed God will decide between
them on the day of Rising, Indeed! God is witness over all things, "
and in II:77, "Are they unaware that God knows that which they keep
hidden and that which they proclaim." In XXXIII:52 we read: "And
God is watcher over all things. "
From these verses it is clear that the divine din of Islam, which has
been given to man through revelation, is not capable of preventing transgression
of the law any more than the civil law drawn up by men. The machinery of
the civil law appoints officials and employees to control and inspect the
action of man and also imposes a system of punishment for his offences;
this method only works when the law is strong and the crime is discovered.
The divine din is superior to man-made laws or social orders in that
control over man is carried out in a very special way, namely, through
the vigil of the angels. Moreover, the divine din obliges in every man
and woman to enjoin the right and forbid the wrong. All men, without exception,
are instructed to watch over the action of their fellow men and to be guardians
of the law.
It is only belief in a divine order which contains and defines action
outside the limits of good and bad and within the reality of the Day of
Reckoning to come. Most importantly, the Lord of the world and of all the
unseen world is aware of man's every action and is present with him everywhere
at every moment.
Like the civil codes drawn up by man, there is also in the divine code
a corresponding system of punishment for every sin, both in this world
and on the day of reckoning after death. Unlike the civil code, however,
the divine law guarantees that no man will escape from judgement and punishment,
if punishment is warranted. As proof, the reader is urged to follow what
is written in chapter IV: 59, "Obey God and obey the messenger and
those of you in authority" and, in XI: 71, "And the believers,
men and women are protecting friends one to another; they enjoin the right
and forbid the wrong."
Likewise, we may study LXXXII:1-12 when God says, "Indeed there
are guardians above you, generous and recording, who know (all) that you
do" and, also in XXXIV:21, "And your Lord (O Muhammad) takes
note of all things. "
A Second Question: It has been argued that the intellect does not always
decide in favour of respect for the law. Is this not inconsistent with
what is contained in the saying of the Imams which states that God has
given two proofs to his servants, the outward and obvious one being that
of His Prophet, and the inner and hidden one being that of the intellect
of man? How are we to understand this statement in the light of how the
intellect has been described?
Answer: Without exception, man's intellect is concentrated on securing
benefit and avoiding harm. Whenever it accepts to cooperate and share in
society's activity, it is, as we have seen above, seeking its own benefit.
This need is often felt by those who wish to profit from others or seek
to control others by using their wealth. For such men there is nothing
prohibiting them from pursuing their illegal action; their intellect will
pot decide in favour of the law nor forbid transgression of the same law.
If, however, the source of compulsion (as is understood in the light
of divine revelation) is from God, then the effect on man is totally different.
God's watching over man's action, His punishment or reward of bad or good
action, admits of no negligence, ignorance or incapacity. The intellect,
which recognizes the existence of God, cannot refuse the law. It will always
decide in favour of that which revelation demands of man.
Thus the intellect of a believing man will recognize the importance
of the revelation over any personal matter. God say in XIII:33 "Is
He who is aware of the deserts of every soul as he who is aware of nothing;"
and, in LXXXVI:4, "No human soul but has a guardian over it"
and, LXXIV:38, "Every soul is a pledge for its own deeds."
The Path of Revelation is Protected Against Mistakes
The path of revelation is part of the Creator's programme. He never
makes mistakes, neither in His Creation nor in the system of belief and
the laws of the shari'ah, which are delineated for man through revelation.
God says in LXXII:26-28, (He is) the knower of the unseen and
he reveals His secret to no one exccpt to every messenger He has chosen
and He makes a guard go before him and a guard behind him, that He may
know that they have indeed conveyed the message of the Lord. He surrounds
all their doings and He keeps count of all things.
From this we understand that the prophets and messengers of God must
be infallible both in receiving the revelation and in preserving it against
alteration and attack. They are as instruments at the disposal of the Creator's
wisdom. Were they to make an error in receiving or teaching the message
of the revelation or be led astray by the whispering of evil persons, were
they themselves to commit wrong or deliberately change the message they
had to deliver, then the wisdom of God would be unable to perfect its programme
of guidance.
God confirms in chapter XVI:9 that He is in total control of man's guidance
by means of his messenger, "And God's is the direction of the way,
and some (words) do not go straight."
The Hidden Reality of Revelation
The reality of revelation is hidden from us. What is clear is that the
aim of the programme of life, outlined for man by the Creator, cannot possibly
have been put together by the intellect; there must be another way of understanding,
of perceiving, (other than through reflection and thought), by which man
learns-of the duties incumbent on him and his fellow-men. This understanding
may only be encompassed by the path of revelation.
There are, however, only a limited number of men who possess this kind
of understanding since receiving revelation requires an understanding based
on purity, sincerity and freedom from all corruption and bad thoughts.
It requires men whose spiritual qualities do not change; men who are psychologically
balanced in their judgements and who possess real depth of understanding.
It must be admitted that these qualities are rarely to be found amongst
men.
The Prophets and messengers mentioned in the Qur'an are men of precisely
these qualities. The Qur'an does not mention their number; it only names
a few (namely Adam, Nuh (Noah), Hud, Salih. (Methusaleh), Ibrahim (Abraham),
Lut (Lot), Isma'il (Ismael, Ishmael), Alyasa' (Elisha), Dhu al-Kifl (Ezekiel),
Ilyas (Elias), Yunus Jonah), Idris (Enoch), Ishaq (Isaac), Ya'qub (Jacob),
Yusuf Joseph), Shu'ayb, Musa (Moses), Harun (Aaron), Da'ud (David), Sulayman
(Solo- mon), Ayyub (Job), Zakariya' (Zacharias), Yahya (John), Isma'il
Sadiq al-Wa'd, 'Isa (Jesus) and Muhammad; others are indicated but not
named).
We, as ordinary men, do not share at all their qualities and so we cannot
taste the reality of their perception. Prophecy, as an experience, remains
unknown for us. Moreover, few of the past revelations have reached us and
we have only a limited view of the reality which is revelation and prophecy.
It may be that what has reached us in the form of revealed books is exactly
as the revelation we are familiar with, that is the Qur'an.
Nevertheless, it is possible that other revelations (complete- ly unknown
to us) may have contained information and instructions of which we have
no knowledge.
How the Qur'an was Revealed
Qur'anic revelation, according to the Qur'an itself, is an utterance
on behalf of God to His Prophet; the Prophet received the speech of God
with all his being, not just by way of learning. In XLII:5 1-52 God says,
And it was not to be for any man that God should speak to him unless
(it be) by revelation or from behind a veil or (that) we send a messenger
to reveal what He will by His leave. Truly He is exalted, wise. And thus
We hare inspired in you (Muhammad) a spirit of Our Command. You did not
know what the Book, nor what the Faith was. But We have made it a light
whereby We guide whom We will of our slaves. And truly you surely guide
to a right path.
On comparison of these two verses we discover three different ways of
divine utterance. Firstly, God speaks without there being any veil between
Him and man. Secondly, God speaks from behind a veil: like the tree on
the Tur mountain from behind which Moses heard God speaking. Thirdly, God's
speech is brought to man by an angel who had previously heard the revelation
from Him.
The second of the two verses above show that the Qur'an has reached
us by means of the third of three possible ways. Again God says in XXVI:
192-5, "(A revelation) which the Faithful Spirit (Gabriel) has brought
down upon your heart, that you may be (one) of the warners, in plain Arabic
Speech," and in chapter II:97 "Who is an enemy to Gabriel!
For it is he who has revealed (this book) to your heart."
From these verses we understand that the Qur'an was transmitted by way
of an angel named Gabriel, or the "Faithful Spirit"; and
that the Prophet received the revelation from him with all his being, all
his perception and not merely by listening. The verse says "on your
heart," which in Qur'anic terms means perception or awareness.
In LIII: 10-11 we read, "And He revealed to His slave that which
He revealed. The heart did not lie (in seeing) what it saw;" and
in XCVIII:2 reception of the revelation is indicated as a reading of "pure
pages" by God's messenger.