Wednesday, May 7, 2014

The Everlasting Miracle (Translation)

Translated from Arabic to English by Abu Abdullah

The Quran: A Miracle
The Quran is a miracle of the Messenger (PBUH); Allah (SWT) sent it down on him in stages with respect to the events. The wisdom behind this was to strengthen (belief) in the heart of the Messenger (PBUH) and in the hearts of the Believers and to make its memorization easy for them. The Most High said: “And the disbelievers say why does the Quran not be sent down all at once; this is so as to strengthen with it your heart; and so that it is recited with a good recitation” [Chapter: The Criterion; Verse: 32]

Other Miracles
There were other miracles associated with the Messenger (PBUH) including the splitting of the moon and gushing forth of water from between his fingers. Likewise, there were miracles associated with messengers before him, like the staff which was a miracle of Musa (AS) and the female camel which was a miracle of Saleh (AS). These miracles ceased to exist with those associated with them and what remained were their narrations for lessons of warning (to future generations). As for the everlasting miracle of the Messenger (PBUH), it is the Glorious Quran and it will remain intact till the Day of Judgment. The Most High said: “Certainly We sent down the Reminder and certainly We are protecting it”[Chapter: Al Hijr; Verse: 9].  The Quran challenged mankind and jinn to bring something similar to it, but they could not. The Most High said: “Say if Mankind and Jinn combine to bring something similar to this Quran they cannot produce something similar even if they help each other”[Chapter: The Night Journey; Verse: 88]

The Miracles of the Quran
The Quran is miraculous in its methodology, its words and its meanings. There are many matters that signify the miracles of the Quran. Whatever modern science presents as new knowledge, it confirms these miracles. Some of these miracles: that the Quran brought forth a lot of the history of previous nations. Likewise, it included a large degree of information and knowledge that was never known to Mankind from before.  In addition, Quran came with knowledge that corrected beliefs of people, their worship, their social, political and economic lives. The Most High said: “And We sent down on you the book which is an explanation of everything” [Chapter: The Bee; Verse: 89]

Descent of the Quran
The Quran was sent down in stages on the Messenger (PBUH) with Gabriel (AS) as an intermediary. The Most High said: “He sent down with it the Trustworthy Spirit. On your heart so as you become a Warner.  In clear Arabic tongue”. [Chapter: The Poets; Verses: 193-195]

The Makkan and Madani Quran
Quran is categorized as Makkan and Madani. The Makkan Quran is that which was sent down before the Migration (Hijrah), even if it was sent down outside Makkah. As for the Madani Quran; it is what was sent down after the Migration (Hijrah), even if it was sent down inside Makkah. The Makkan chapters came down mostly short so as to make their the propagation of Islam, the Day of Judgment, the stories of the Prophets and previous Messengers (AS) and so on. The Makkan Quran comprises of about two thirds of the Quran. As for the Madani Quran, it came with mostly long chapters and verses, and covered new subjects such as the obligations, the law, the social rights and holy war, etc.

Collecting and Recording the Quran
It took 23 years for the Quran to come down and the Messenger (PBUH) had writers who wrote it down. Whenever there descended on him a verse or verses he commanded them to write it and he said to them put these verse or verses in chapter so and so. The Quran was not collected in a single collection during the life of the Messenger (PBUH). The first time the Quran was collected in a single book was during the time of the first khalifa, Abu Bakr As Siddique (RA) in the 12th year of the Hijrah, after the Battle of Yamama against the apostates, in which 70 companions were killed who were recitors and scholars. This collection remained with Abu Bakr (RA) during his lifetime then it was transferred to Khalifa Umar Bin Khattab (RA) and when he died, it was protected by his daughter, Hafsa (RA) who presented it to Khalifa Uthman Bin Affan (RA) when he requested it from her. Then the Quran was copied during the reign of Uthman (RA) who ordered the collection of the Quran in one book, fearing the loss of it due to the differences of what was in the hands of the people from its versions after almost a tribulation happened between the Muslims in the battles. He ordered making copies from it and sent them to all the countries and kept a copy with himself which is called the Mushaf Al Imam.