CHAPTER 2
The Magnificence of the Qur’an’s Aims, Legislations, and Stories
This Chapter Consists of Three Parts:
Part One: The Magnificence of the Qur’an’s Aims
Part Two: The Magnificence of the Qur’an’s Legislations
Part Three: The Magnificence of the Qur’an’s Stories
PART 1
The Magnificence of the Qur’an’s Aims
This Part Consists of Five Sections:
Section One: Correcting People’s Beliefs and Outlook on Life
Section Two: Removing Difficulties from People’s Lives
Section Three: Confirming the Dignity of Man and the Sanctity of Human Rights
Section Four: Promoting Strong Family Morals, and Doing Justice to Women
Section Five: Bringing Happiness to Human Beings in Both this World and the Hereafter
Every book has one or more aims; for instance, one can say that the aims of a diet book are to teach people how to lose weight and to make people feel better about themselves. Without a doubt, the Noble Qur’an has aims. The aims of the Qur’an are not literally enumerated in any single part of the Qur’an, but they are clearly discussed in several of its chapters (Soorahs). Simply put, the aims of the Qur’an are the things it intends to achieve, realize, or bring about.
One might ask, if the Qur’an’s aims are not listed anywhere in the Qur’an, how do we know them? The answer to this question is simple: We know them because, even though they are not listed in the Qur’an, they are clear to anyone who contemplates and reflects on the meanings of the Qur’an. Therefore, a good student of the Qur’an knows, for instance, that one of the aims of the Qur’an is to teach man how to achieve ultimate happiness in both this world and the Hereafter; and that another one of its aims is to establish, through its legislations and laws, justice on earth. In this section, I will focus on five important aims of the Qur’an.
Section one:
Correcting people’s beliefs and outlook on life
Without a Book to guide them, people will not necessarily develop correct beliefs about their Creator or their purpose in life. The Qur’an was therefore revealed in order to correct people’s false beliefs and to inform them about what their beliefs should be. In regard to beliefs, the Qur’an strove to educate people about three issues in particular:
1) At-Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism)
From its beginning until its end, the Qur’an repudiates polytheism and invites people to worship the One True God: Allah (sp). Having promoted the message of Islamic Monotheism — or True Monotheism – the Qur’an distinguishes between the final destinations of Islamic Monotheists and of polytheists, with the former going to Paradise, and the latter, to the Hellfire. The topics of Monotheism and polytheism are the dominant themes of the Qur’an; that should not be surprising, since the Qur’an considers polytheism to be the greatest crime that any human being can commit. Allah (sp) said:
“Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases.” (Qur’an 4: 48)
What polytheism truly means is a fall by man from a station of divinely appointed mastery over the world to a station of slavery and servitude to created beings – whether it be to inanimate objects, plants, animals, people, stone idols, or otherwise. Allah (sp) said:
“So shun the abomination (worshipping) of idol, and shun lying speech (false statements) – Hunafa lillah (i.e. to worship none but Allah), not associating partners (in worship etc.) unto Him and whoever assigns partners to Allah, it is as if he had fallen from the sky, and the birds had snatched him, or the wind had thrown him to a far off place.” (Qur’an 22: 30, 31)
The call to Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism) is the most important common feature of the messages of all Prophets, peace be upon them, for every single Prophet that was sent to mankind called upon his people to:
ُ “Worship Allah! You have no other Ilah (God) but Him.” (La ilaha ill Allah: none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). (Qur’an 7:59)
The Qur’an also pointed out that the relationship between man and the One True God is direct; or in other words, every individual must invoke and pray to his Lord directly, without going through any intermediaries. Allah (sp) said:
وَ“And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge).” (Qur’an 2:186)
He (sp) also said:
“And your Lord said: ‘Invoke Me, (i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islamic Monotheism)) (and ask Me for anything) I will respond to your (invocation).’” (Qur’an 40: 60)
2) Correcting Beliefs about Prophethood
First, the Qur’an made it clear that human beings need Prophets and Messengers (st) in order to learn about and follow the truth:
“Mankind were one community and Allah sent Prophets with glad tidings and warnings, and with them He sent the Scripture in truth to judge between people in matters wherein they differed.” (Qur’an 2: 213)
Second, Allah (sp) pointed out the main duties of Prophets (st):
“Messengers as bearers of good news as well as of warnings” (4: 165).
The Qur’an is clear about the role of Prophets and Messengers leaving no room for doubt about their status in the universe: They are neither gods nor the sons of gods, but are simply human beings that are the recipients of divine revelation. Allah (sp) said“Say (O Muhammad ): I am only a man like you. It has been inspired to me that your Ilah (God) is One Ilah (God - i.e., Allah).” (Qur’an 18: 110)
And because they are human beings and not gods, Prophets do not have the power to guide the hearts of men; their duty is simply to convey their message, and then the power to guide or misguide is in the hands of Allah (sp) alone. Allah (sp) said:
“So remind them (O Muhammad ), you are only one who reminds, You are not a dictator over them.” (Qur’an 88: 21, 22)
In regard to the misconceptions people have about Prophets (st), Allah (sp) first quoted some of the doubts that were raised by polytheists and then refuted them. For instance, Allah (sp) related that the disbelievers of past nations said:
إ“You are no more than human beings like us” (Qur’an 14:10) Then Allah (sp) refuted that claim by saying:
مۡ “Their Messengers said to them: “We are no more than human beings like you, but Allah bestows His Grace to whom He wills of His slaves.” (Qur’an 14:11)
In another example, Allah (sp) related that the disbelievers said:
“Had Allah willed, He surely could have sent down angels.” (Qur’an 23:24)
Yes, if angels inhabited the earth, Allah (sp) would have sent down to them an angel as a Messenger; but because human beings inhabit the earth, it is only fitting that a human Messenger should be sent to them. Allah (sp) said:
“Say: If there were on the earth, angels walking about in peace and security, We should certainly have sent down for them from the heaven an angel as a Messenger.” (Qur’an 17: 95)
3) Correcting Beliefs about Faith in the Hereafter
Just as they were misguided about issues that pertained to True Monotheism, almost all people who were alive when the Prophet (s) was sent to mankind had false beliefs regarding the Hereafter. The People of the Book, having distorted the books that were revealed to their Prophets (st), had misguided notions about the Hereafter; for instance, the Jews felt that, among mankind, they alone would enter Paradise; or that, even if they would be punished for a day, they would then enter Paradise. As for the polytheists of Arabia, they did not even believe in resurrection after death.
Because of the many false notions people held about the Hereafter, the Qur’an relied on various approaches to establish in people’s hearts true beliefs about what happens after we depart from this world.
Since the people of the Quraish disbelieved in resurrection after death altogether, Allah (sp) presented various proofs to establish both the possibility and the inevitability of life after death; for instance, Allah (sp) said:
يۡهِ “And He it is Who originates the creation, then will repeat it (after it has been perished), and this is easier for Him.” (Qur’an 30: 27)
Allah (sp) pointed out to disbelievers that, if there would be no resurrection after death, life on earth would be futile and the creation of man would have been lacking in purpose – both of which are contrary to the infinite wisdom of Allah (sp). There is a purpose to life; evildoers and good-doers cannot be treated equally with death and no ultimate justice. Another world must exist in which every man — both the evildoer and the good-doer – will be rewarded for his actions. Allah (sp) said:
“Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?” (Qur’an 23:115) And in another Verse, Allah (sp) said:ِ
“And We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them without purpose! That is the consideration of those who disbelieve. Then woe to those who disbelieve (in Islamic Monotheism) from the Fire! Shall We treat those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, as Mufsidun (those who associate partners in worship with Allah and commit crimes) on earth? Or shall We treat the Muttaqun (the pious ones) as the Fujjar (criminals, disbelievers, wicked, etc.)” (Qur’an 38: 27, 28)
There is much discussion in the Qur’an about the Hereafter: about the Day of Resurrection and its terrors; about the book of each man, which contains in it every single one of his deeds, be it small or large; about the scale that weighs the deeds of men; about the period of accountability, during which no man shall be wronged in the least, and during which no man will be called upon to bear the evils of another man; about Paradise and its bliss; and about Hellfire and its torment.
Regarding the Hereafter, the Qur’an also corrected the false notion that the false gods of polytheists ill intercede for them, or that so called ‘saint’ will intercede for the People of the Book. Intercession will occur only by the permission of Allah (sp); it will only be on behalf of True Monotheists; and a specific instance of intercession can occur only if Allah (sp) is pleased with it.65
Section Two:
Removing Difficulties from People’s Lives
Life is a test: Human beings are called upon to perform certain religious duties, and those that perform them achieve success in both this life and the Hereafter; those who don’t perform them fail, and depending on the duty they neglect to perform, their final destination can be eternity in the Hellfire. Certain religious duties can be difficult for certain people to perform; after all, man, as Allah (sp) of course knows, is weak. Allah said:
خ“And man was created weak” (Qur’an 4: 28)
One of the main features of Islam is that, in it, Allah (sp) legislated laws that are meant to remove hardships and difficulties from people’s lives. Some of those legislations might be seemingly difficult, but they take human ability into consideration to such a degree that believers love to apply them, and they do so with dedication and without becoming tired in the process.
Removing hardships was a function of every single Prophet (s). Allah (sp) said:
“There is no blame on the Prophet (s) in that which Allah has made legal for him. That has been Allah’s way with those who have passed away of (the Prophets of) old.” (Qur’an 33: 38)
This Verse means: To make matters easy for people has been Allah’s way with previous Prophets as well.
Ease and leniency are two of the most salient features of Islamic Law. Allah (sp) said:
“Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you.” (Qur’an 2:185)
In another Verse, Allah (sp) said:
“Allah does not want to place you in difficulty.” (Qur’an 5: 6)
And one of the Qur’anic supplications of believers is as follows:
65 Kaifa Nata’aamul Ma’al-Qur’an Al-Adheem (pgs. 83-88), and Al-Wahyee Al-Muhammadee (pgs. 108-116).
“Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us (Jews and Christians); our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear.” (Qur’an 2: 286)
Allah (sp) has made Islam a religion that is in harmony with the innate nature of man. And man, by his very nature, likes ease, and turns away from harshness; hence the wisdom behind the leniency of Islam’s laws. Allah (sp) said:
“Allah wishes to lighten (the burden) for you; and man was created weak.” (Qur’an 4: 28)
Allah (sp) intended Islam to be a religion whose laws can be applied by all peoples of all eras; to make that possible, it was necessary to make easy for people the application of Islam’s laws. The ease and leniency of Islam’s laws has a great deal to do with the spread of Islam throughout the world.
Throughout the teachings of Islam, there are many instances of laws that are explicitly made easy in order to remove hardships from Muslims. And in the Qur’an, there are two kinds of Verses that deal with the issue of removing hardships from Muslims. First, Verses that promised the legislation of laws that feature the quality of making matters easy for people; for instance, Allah (sp) said:
“And We shall make easy for you (O Muhammad (s)) the easy way (i.e., the doing of righteous deeds).” (Qur’an 87: 8)
In this Verse, Allah (sp) gave the Messenger of Allah (s) and his people glad tidings of a Shariah (set of religious laws) that is just, upright, and easy to follow.
And second, Verses that dealt with making specific legislations easier for people to follow, either by removing hardships in their entirety, or by lightening the burden of a given religious duty. An example of the former is mentioned in this Verse:
“There is no blame on those who are weak or ill or who find no resources to spend in holy fighting (Jihad), if they are sincere and true (in duty) to Allah and His Messenger. No ground (of complaint) can there be against the Muhsinun (good-doers). And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Qur’an 9: 91)
An entire group of people, because of their circumstances, are completely absolved from the responsibility of fighting in war, as long as they are sincere to Allah (sp) and His Messenger (s). And an example of the latter is found in this Verse:
“And when you (Muslims) travel in the land, there is no sin on you if you shorten your Salat (prayer) if you fear that the disbelievers may attack you.” (Qur’an 4: 101)
If people find themselves to be in the circumstances that are described in this Verse, they are not completely absolved from the duty of performing prayer; nonetheless, prayer is lightened for them: instead of performing four units for the Zuhr prayer, for instance, they only have to perform two. The Shariah is filled with examples of legislations whose main feature is removing hardships from people: If a person is ill during the month of Ramadan, he may make up his fast at a later date; if a person is traveling during Ramadan, he too may make up his fast at a later date; if a person is on the verge of starving, he may eat food that is otherwise unlawful in Islam; if a person is ill to the degree that it is difficult for him to pray standing up, he may pray sitting down; if a person does not have the means to
travel to Makkah, Hajj is not compulsory upon him; and so on from the many merciful legislations of Islam. Thus it is clear that, through His infinite Wisdom, Allah (sp) decreed laws that are in harmony with reality and that take the innately weak state of man into consideration; as such, Allah (sp) did not decree any law that man is incapable of performing. And this is from the greatness, generosity, and mercy of Allah (sp).
Section three:
Confirming the Dignity of Man and the Sanctity of Human Rights
First: Confirming the Dignity of Man
When human beings associate partners with Allah (sp) or perpetrate evil deeds, they debase themselves, lowering themselves from their original position of honor and dignity. In the Noble Qur’an, Allah (sp) reminds mankind that He has conferred honor and dignity upon them. From the very beginning of human life, Allah (sp) has conferred honor upon human beings, creating Adam (p) with His own Hand, blowing into him with His Rooh, and granting him and his children a degree of authority on earth. Allah (sp) honored man to such a degree that even the angels were taken aback, not understanding why man deserved such honors or why they themselves were not the recipients of those honors. Allah (sp): said:
“And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels: Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generations after generations on earth. They said: ‘Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood, while we glorify You with praises and thanks (Exalted be You above all that they associate with You as partners) and sanctify You.’ He (Allah) said: I know that which you do not know.” (Qur’an 2:30)
In another Verse, Allah (sp) said:
“And indeed We have honored the Children of Adam, and We have carried them on land and sea, and have provided them with At-Tayibat (lawful good things), and have preferred them above many of those whom We have created with a marked preference.” (Qur’an 17: 70)
In another Verse, Allah (sp) said:
“See you not (O man) that Allah has subjected for you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, and has completed and perfected His Graces upon you, both) apparent (i.e., Islamic Monotheism, and the lawful pleasures of this world, including health, good looks, etc.) and hidden (i.e., One’s Faith in Allah (of Islamic Monotheism) knowledge, wisdom, guidance for doing righteous deeds, and also the pleasures and delights of the Hereafter in Paradise, etc.)” (Qur’an 31: 20)
Having completed His Graces upon mankind, and having subjected for them whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, Allah (sp) censured those human beings who were unthankful
to him – and who turned the very inanimate objects that were meant to serve their needs into false deities, whom they worshipped instead of Allah (sp). Allah (sp) said:
“And from among His Signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon, Prostate not to the sun nor to the moon, but prostate to Allah Who created them, if you (really) worship Him.” (Qur’an 41: 37)
Man, by his very nature, is honorable and dignified. But then instead of acting with dignity by following the commands of Allah (sp), many men lower themselves – and in essence strip themselves of their dignity – by blindly following creatures who are weak like themselves. Allah (sp) said:
“And they will say: Our Lord! Verily, we obeyed our chiefs and our great ones, and they misled us from the (Right) Way.” (Qur’an 33: 67)
A specific group of human beings were conferred with special honors; they were the People of the Book, and Allah (sp) blessed them by sending them Prophets, peace be upon all of them, and divinely revealed Books. Having been raised by Allah (sp) to a special status of honor and dignity, they lowered themselves to the basest of depths by disobeying their Prophets (st) by killing some of them – and later on by taking their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah (sp). Allah (sp) said:
“They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allah, and (they also took as their Lord) Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary), while they (Jews and Christians) were commanded in the Torah and the Injeel (Gospel) to worship none but One Ilah (God - Allah).” (Qur’an 9: 31)
They even made the claim that Jesus (p) invited people to worship him, a claim that Allah (sp) refuted in this Verse:
“It is not (possible) for any human being to whom Allah has given the Book and Al-Hukm (the knowledge and understanding of the laws of religion, etc.) and Prophethood to say to the people: Be my worshippers rather than Allah’s.” (Qur’an 3: 79)
Second: Confirming the Sanctity of Human Rights
Today, ‘Human rights’ is a slogan that is chanted by everybody; and it is championed by countries that are the greatest violators of human rights in the world. The very human rights that are extolled today were guaranteed by Islamic law over fourteen centuries ago.
In the Noble Qur’an, Allah (sp) established the right of every human being to life, as long as one does not perpetrate a crime that warrants the punishment of death. Allah (sp) said:And kill not anyone whom Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause (according to Islamic law).” (Qur’an 6: 151).
Allah (sp) accorded every individual the right to privacy in his home; in Islam, therefore, no one has the right to enter an individual’s home without his permission. Allah (sp) said:
“O you who believe! Enter not houses other than your own, until you have asked permission and greeted those in them, that is better for you, in order that you may remember. And if you find no one therein, still, enter not until permission has been given. And if you are asked to go back, go back, for it is purer for you.” (Qur’an 24: 27, 28)
Allah (sp) gave each man the right to earn lawfully derived wealth and guaranteed, through laws that protect the citizens of a Muslim country, the safety of his life and of his wealth. Allah (sp) said:
“O you who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves unjustly except it be a trade amongst you, by mutual consent. And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you.” (Qur’an 4: 29)
Furthermore, Allah (sp) forbade slander and defamation; no one in Islam has the right to smear the character of another individual. And every individuals honor and dignity are deemed sacrosanct in Islam. Allah (sp) said:
“O you who believe! Let not a group scoff at another group, it may be that the latter are better than the former, nor let (some) women scoff at other women, it may be that the latter are better than the former, nor defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames.” (Qur’an 49:11)
Allah (sp) also gave every individual, both male and female, the right to get married:
“And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect.” (Qur’an 30: 21)
And Allah (sp) granted every person the right to produce offspring:
“And Allah has made for you wives of your own kind, and has made for you, from your wives, sons and grandsons.” (Qur’an 16: 72)
Not only did Allah (sp) give parents the right to produce offspring, He (sp) also gave babies, even while they are in their mothers’ wombs, the right to live. It is for this reason that Allah (sp) repudiated the practice of burying one’s daughters alive, a practice that was rampant during the pre-Islamic days of ignorance. Allah (sp) said:Kill not your children because of poverty – We provide sustenance for you and for them.” (Qur’an 6: 151)
In another Verse, Allah (sp) said:
“And kill not your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you. Surely, the killing of them is a great sin.” (Qur’an 17: 31)
And in yet another Verse, Allah (sp) said:
“And when the female (infant) buried alive (as the pagan Arabs used to do) shall be questioned. For what sin she was killed?” (Qur’an 81: 8, 9)
In the Noble Qur’an, Allah (sp) gave rights to every member of society, especially to the weak and poor, to whom He (sp) allotted a portion of the wealth of the rich and prosperous:
“And those in whose wealth there is a known right, for the beggar who asks, and for the unlucky who has lost his property and wealth, (and his means of living has been straitened)” (Qur’an 70: 24, 25)
In another Verse, Allah (sp) said:
“Take Sadaqah (alms) from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it.” (Qur’an 9: 103)
And Allah (sp) gave the individuals of a society the right to live in an atmosphere that is free of evil and lewdness. As a result of having that right, individuals are charged with the duty of repudiating evil whenever they see it being perpetrated out in the open. Allah (sp) said:
“And incline not toward those who do wrong, lest the Fire should touch you, and you have no protectors other than Allah, nor you would then be helped.” (Qur’an 11:113)
The right to live in a society in which evil is not rampant results in a duty to eradicate evil, a duty that is binding on every individual. If the members of society do not fulfill the duty of promoting good and repudiating vice, they become like the people that are mentioned in the following Verses:
“Those among the Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by the tongue of Dawud (David) and ‘Issa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). That was because they disobeyed (Allah and the Messengers) and were ever transgressing beyond bounds. They used not to forbid one another from the Munkar (wrong, evildoing, sins, polytheism, disbelief, etc.) which they committed. Vile indeed was what they used to do” (Qur’an 5: 78, 79)
Allah (sp) elevated human rights to the level of obligatory duties. Anyone can voluntarily give up his right to something, but no one can abandon an obligatory duty. Thus, in the Noble Qur’an, Allah (sp) raised human rights from the level of optional to that of sacrosanct.66
Section Four:
Promoting Strong Family Morals, and Doing Justice to Women
First: Promoting Strong Family Morals
One of the aims of the Qur’an is to promote the formation of righteous Muslim families; the family, after all, is the primary pillar of an upright and righteous society. Obviously, the first stage of forming a family is marriage, which Allah (sp) enumerated as being one of His signs – just as the creation of the heavens and the earth, for instance, is one of His signs. Allah (sp) said:
“And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect.” (Qur’an 30: 21)
In this Verse, Allah (sp) pointed out the three pillars of a sound marriage: finding repose in one’s spouse, mutual affection, and reciprocal mercy. So strong is the bond of marriage that Allah (sp) termed the connection between husband and wife ‘a firm and strong covenant’:
“And they have taken from you a firm and strong covenant.” (Qur’an 4:21)
In the Qur’an, Allah (sp) describes the level of closeness that should exist between husband and wife:
“They are Libas (i.e. body cover, or screen, or Sakan (i.e., you enjoy the pleasure of living with her - as in Verse 7: 189) for you and you are the same for them.” (Qur’an 2:187)
66 Kaifa Nata’aamal Ma’al-Qur’an Al-’Adheem (pgs. 89-94) and Al-Wahyee Al-Muhammadee (pgs. 173-177).
And importantly, Allah (sp) made clear one of the main goals of marriage: producing righteous offspring. Allah (sp) said:
“And Allah has made for you wives of your own kind, and has made for you, from your wives, sons and grandsons.” (Qur’an 16: 72)
By informing Muslims about one of the supplications of His righteous slaves, Allah (sp) instills in each Muslim a sense of what his attitudes and goals should be when he goes about the business of forming a family:
“Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders for the Muttaqun (pious ones).” (Qur’an 25: 74)
If husband and wife are to bond together in mutual harmony, Allah informs us, they must be of the same religion. It is for this reason that, in the Noble Qur’an, Allah (sp) forbade Muslim men from marrying disbelieving women, and Muslim women from marrying disbelieving men:
“And indeed a slave woman who believes is better than a (free) Mushrikah (idolatress, etc.), even though she pleases you. And give not (your daughters) in marriage to Al-Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah and in His Messenger (s)) till they believe (in Allah alone) and verily, a believing slave is better than a (free) Mushrik (idolater, etc.), even though he pleases you. Those (Al-Mushrikun) invite you to the Fire, but Allah invites (you) to Paradise and Forgiveness by His Leave, and makes His Ayat (proofs, evidences, Verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) clear to mankind that they may remember.” (Qur’an 2: 221)
Allah (sp) ended this Verse by explicitly stating the wisdom behind the prohibition: Disbelievers invite their spouses to the Hellfire, whereas a righteous believing person invites his or her spouse to Paradise
and to forgiveness from his Lord.
The exception to this rule involves a marriage between a Muslim man and a woman from the People of the Book – a Jew or a Christian. This kind of marriage is permissible because a woman from the People of the Book believes in a religion that was originally revealed by Allah (sp). Although her beliefs are corrupted, and although she is in fact a disbeliever, she at least, in a general way, has faith in Allah (sp) and the Hereafter. For this reason Allah revealed the Verse:
“The food (slaughtered cattle, edible animals, etc.) of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them. (Lawful to you in marriage) are chaste women from the believers and chaste women from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) before your time, when you have given their due Mahr (bridle money given by the husband to his wife
at the time of marriage), desiring chastity (i.e., taking them in legal wedlock) not committing illegal sexual intercourse, nor taking them as girlfriends.” (Qur’an 5: 5)
Why then, one might ask, is a Muslim man allowed to marry a Jewish or Christian woman, while a Muslim woman is not allowed to marry a Jewish or Christian man? The answer to this question requires from us that we understand a man’s role in a marriage: a man is stronger than his wife, and he is the leader of his household. Now, in a marriage between a Muslim man and a Jewish or Christian woman, it is not feared that that woman’s rights will be violated, since her husband acknowledges the original truthfulness of her religion and of the original version of the Book she follows. A Jewish or Christian man, on the other hand, does not acknowledge the truthfulness of his Muslim wife’s religion, nor does he accept the fact that the Book she follows – the Noble Qur’an - has a divine source; furthermore, he doesn’t even accept the fact that the Prophet (s) she follows was sent by Allah (sp). It is therefore likely that he will have little respect for her, that he will not treat her properly, that she will not be able to practice her religion in his presence – or, what is worse, that she will convert to his religion. Based on these reasons, it is prohibited in Islam for a Muslim woman to marry a disbelieving man, regardless of whether that man is an idol worshipper, an atheist, a Christian, a Jew, or otherwise.67
Second: Doing Justice to Women and Freeing Them from the Oppression of Pre-Islamic Ignorance
Among the more important aims of the Qur’an was doing justice to women and freeing them from the shackles of pre-Islamic ignorance and tyranny. For prior to the advent of Islam, women were oppressed, humiliated, slave-like in the treatment they received, and treated as mere objects. This was the condition of women not just in Arab societies, but among all of the nations of the world. Even among the People of the Book, women were not treated in an honorable manner. Then, with the advent of Islam and the revelation of the Qur’an, Allah (sp) gave women all of the rights that He (sp) gave to men. The only difference between men and women was that women were given roles and duties that were in keeping with their feminine nature. And even regarding those roles and duties, the laws of Islam still taught the importance of honoring women and showing mercy and compassion towards them.68 With clear-cut legislations in the Qur’an, men were no longer able to wrongfully harm, misuse, or debase women. Women were given similar rights to men not as a way of compromise, but because they are just as much human beings as men are, and human beings are innately honored and dignified. And they were further treated with honor because they are the sisters, daughters, wives, and mothers of believing men, and because they are active and important members of a prosperous and righteous Muslim society.69
The Qur’an does Justice to Women
The Qur’an gave women all of their divinely decreed rights; in fact, one of the seven long chapters of the Qur’an was named “The Women Chapter”, and in it Allah (sp) affirms many important rights for womankind, rights that a woman could not even have dreamed of prior to the advent of Islam. Among the ways in which the Qur’an did justice to women and gave them their rights are the following:
1) In the pre-Islamic days of ignorance, women were deemed burdens upon a family, so whenever a daughter was born to a married couple, it was an occasion of immense sadness. It was even common for men to bury their daughters alive. After the advent of Islam, Allah (sp) revealed Verses in which He forbade the vile practiced of burying daughters alive; for instance, He (sp) said:
67 Kaifa Nata’aamal Ma’al-Qur’an Al-Adheem (pgs. 89-94).
68 Al-Wahyee Al-Muhammadee (pg. 216).
69 Al-Wahyee Al-Muhammadee (pg. 112).
“And when the news of (the birth of) a female (child) is brought to any of them, his face becomes dark, and he is filled with inward grief! He hides himself from the people because of the evil of that whereof he has been informed. Shall he keep her with dishonor or bury her in the earth? Certainly, evil is their decision.” (Qur’an 16:58, 59)
But the Qur’an, as well as the sayings of the Prophet (s), went beyond that, instilling in Muslims not a sense of shame when a daughter is born to them, but a sense of pride and honor and happiness. In various AHadeeth, the Prophet (s) promised great rewards for those who properly raise daughters and instill in them Islamic values.
2) The Qur’an explicitly gave women the right to own property and, as with their male counterparts, to earn lawfully derived wealth. Allah (sp) said:
For men there is reward for what they have earned, (and likewise) for women there is reward for what they have earned, and ask Allah of His Bounty.” (Qur’an 4:32)
3) Even regarding minor injustices that were perpetrated against women during the pre-Islamic days of ignorance, the Qur’an did justice to women and gave them what was rightfully theirs. For example, prior to the advent of Islam, men would keep good quality meat exclusively for themselves, and share poor quality meat with their female relatives. Regarding this vile practice, which they falsely ascribed to Allah (sp), Allah (sp) said:
“And they say: ‘What is in the bellies of such and such cattle (milk or fetus) is for our males alone, and forbidden to our females (girls and women, but if it is born dead, then all have shares therein.’ He will punish them for their attribution (of such false orders to Allah). Verily, He is All-Wise, All-Knower.” (Qur’an 6:139)
4) Like men, women can achieve honor with Allah (sp) when they act righteously. Allah (sp) said:
“O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honorable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa (i.e., piety, righteousness, etc.).” (Qur’an 49:13)
5) Before Allah (sp), women and men are the same, in that superiority is achieved only through piety and righteousness. So whenever a woman performs a good deed for the sake of Allah (sp), she can be certain to receive a reward for it from Allah (sp). Allah (sp) said:
“So their Lord accepted of them (their supplication and answered them, Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female. You are (members) one of another,” (Qur’an 3: 195)
6) The Qur’an guarantees women the right to inherit wealth from their deceased relatives:
“There is a share for men and a share for women from what is left by parents and those nearest related, whether, the property be small or large – a legal share.” (Qur’an 4: 7)
7) The Qur’an guarantees women the right to take bridle-money from their husbands; in fact, in the Qur’an, Allah (sp) commanded men to pay bridle-money to their wives; therefore, the payment of bridle-money is not optional, but compulsory:
“And give to the women (whom you marry) their Mahr (obligatory bridle-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage) with a good heart.” (Qur’an 4:4)
8) The Qur’an forbade men from wrongfully taking wealth from their wives:
“O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will” (Qur’an 4:19)
And in another Verse, Allah (sp) said:
“But if you intend to replace a wife by another and you have given one of them a Cantar (of gold, (ie., a great amount) as Mahr, take not the least bit of it back, would you take it wrongfully without a right and (with) a manifest sin”. (Qur’an 4: 20)
9) The Qur’an strictly forbade men from mistreating women during periods of marital strife; a husband should either keep his wife and treat her properly or set her free in a just and merciful manner. Allah (sp) said:
And when you have divorced women and they have fulfilled the term of their prescribed period, either take them back on a reasonable basis or set them free on a reasonable basis. But do not take them back to hurt them, and whoever does that, then he has wronged himself.” (Qur’an 2: 231)
10) The Qur’an exhorts men to be generous to their wives even after they become divorced; this means that he should give her a reasonable amount of money, all the while taking into consideration both his means and circumstances, and her vulnerable position as a divorced woman. Allah (sp) said:
“And for divorced women, maintenance (should be provided) on reasonable (scale). This is a duty on Al-Muttaqun (the pious ones).” (Qur’an 2: 241)
And elsewhere in the Qur’an, Allah (sp) said:
“So give them a present, and set them free, (i.e., divorce) in a handsome manner.” (Qur’an 33:49)
11) The Qur’an granted pregnant divorced women spending money. Addressing husbands who divorce their wives, Allah (sp) said:
“And if they are pregnant, then spend on them till they deliver.” (Qur’an 65: 6)
12) Regarding a woman who breastfeeds a baby she had with her divorced husband, the Qur’an orders the husband to pay her wages for her services:
“Then if they give suck to the children for you, give them their due payment.” (Qur’an 65: 6) In short, it is patently clear that no religion or religious book gives women anywhere near the quantity and quality of rights that the Qur’an gives to women. Manmade laws strip women of their dignity and either distort their nature by forcing them to assume male characteristics or turn them into mere sex objects. In the past few hundred years or so, a group of Western scholars who are known as Orientalists have dedicated their lives to studying Islamic civilization and to analyzing and passing judgment on our beliefs, practices, and ways. Without a doubt, Muslim scholars need to study, analyze, and write about Western civilization in the same way. If a group of Muslim scholars embark upon such a task, I am certain that they will disabuse anyone who believes in Western values of the false notion that the Western system of law has given women an unprecedented level of freedom, rights, and dignity. From a sociological point of view, the statistics and findings of those scholars would truly be appalling, and would, among other things, have to do with the following: The percentage of single mothers in the West who have to struggle to raise their children on their own; the percentage of young women who, in order to make a living, have to sell their bodies in one way or another; the number of women who are raped each year; and, most importantly, the percentage of Western women who suffer from extreme levels of depression. As for the Qur’an, it does more than simply give rights to women; it provides them with a chance for ultimate happiness; it raises them to a status of true honor and dignity in society: For in Islam, women, like their male counterparts, are thinking honorable beings who are fully accountable for their actions, and who will be fully rewarded in the Hereafter for their deeds.
Section Five:
Bringing Happiness to Human Beings in Both this World and the Hereafter
One of the primary aims of the Qur’an is to guide mankind to the truth. Allah (sp) said:
“Say: Verily, the Guidance of Allah (i.e., Islamic Monotheism) that is the (only) Guidance.” (Qur’an 2: 120)
In every unit of Prayer that a believer performs, he asks his Lord to guide him to the Straight Path:
“Guide us to the Straight Way.” (Qur’an 1: 6)
The point here is that, if a person follows the guidance of the Qur’an, he does not ‘fall into distress and misery’:
“Then whoever follows My Guidance shall neither go astray, nor fall into distress and misery.” (Qur’an 20:123)
And the opposite of misery is happiness; therefore, a guided person is a happy person; and just as the Qur’an aims to guide people, it also aims to bless them with happiness – which is a concomitant of guidance – in both this world and the Hereafter. In fact, the concepts of guidance and happiness are juxtaposed in many Verses of the Qur’an; for example, Allah (sp) said:
“Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e., Paradise in the Hereafter).” (Qur’an 16:97)
This Verse explicitly states that, if a person believes and performs good deeds – and that occurs as a result of being guided — he will achieve happiness in this world: “We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision).” Similarly, it states he will achieve ultimate happiness in the Hereafter: “And We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e., Paradise in the Hereafter).”
Happiness in this Life
Happiness, contrary to the false notions of most human beings, is not achieved once one gets the best things in life: the best food and drink, the most expensive clothing, an unlimited supply of cash, and beautiful wives. Happiness, it must be understood, is not equivalent to moments of fleeting pleasure; it is, rather, a sustained and long-term feeling that permeates ones soul and heart.
These days, people seek happiness in worldly possessions and pleasures. Consider, for instance, the pleasure of sexual intercourse: It is fleeting in that it goes as quickly as it comes, and, if performed in an unlawful manner, is followed by a period of guilt and remorse. Similarly, food is a momentary pleasure that, if consumed extravagantly, is followed by heartburn and other ailments. Truth be told, Non-Muslims often seek happiness in alcohol or drugs; yes, those who consume alcohol and drug users describe moments of euphoria, but those moments are followed by long periods of misery and dejection. Every worldly pleasure and enjoyment has one thing in common: it is fleeting and momentary. Happiness, on the other hand, is sustained and long-term. It is interesting to note that two of the main pleasures that human beings enjoy – sexual relations and food — are in some cases enjoyed to a greater degree by animals.
No, worldly pleasures cannot bring happiness. And the world has witnessed empirical evidence which proves that worldly prosperity, if it is not coupled with guidance, leads to misery. That evidence is the lives of men and women in today’s developed nations, nations whose citizens have more and eat more than ever before. Unparalleled levels of richness are, sadly, matched by unparalleled levels of drug use, alcohol addiction, misery, and clinically diagnosed depression. Each individual citizen is searching out for happiness, but, being far away from true guidance and looking for it in the wrong
places (alcohol, illicit sex, food, cigarettes, drugs, etc.), is unable to find it. Allah (sp) informed us about their misery and warned us against becoming deluded by their ostensible prosperity:
“So let not their wealth or their children amaze you (O Muhammad), in reality Allah’s Plan is to punish them with these things in the life of this world” (Qur’an 9:55)
The Qur’an teaches us that happiness in this life has nothing to do with physical and sensual pleasures, but with what is hidden in our hearts – a sustained feeling of peace, contentment, and happiness. That the yardstick of happiness is measured by the state of our hearts is a message that is given in more than one Verse of the Qur’an; for instance, Allah (sp) said:
“He it is Who sent down As-Sakinah (calmness and tranquility) into the hearts of the believers, that they may grow more in faith along with their (present) faith.” (Qur’an 48: 4)
And in another Verse, Allah (sp) said:
“Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.” (Qur’an 13:28)
Verily, we ask Allah (sp), the Almighty, to make us among those who are blessed with happiness both in this life and in the Hereafter; and to make us among those who are described in the Saying of Allah (sp):
و And those who are blessed and made happy, they will be in Paradise, abiding therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord will, a gift without an end.” (Qur’an 11: 108)
The preceding was a brief discussion of five of the Qur’an’s aims; in fact, there are many others. Here is a summary of some of the more important aims of the Qur’an (some I haven’t mentioned yet and others are taken from the preceding discussion):
1) Correcting People’s Beliefs: The Qur’an achieves this aim by guiding people to the realities of this universe, and to truths about its Creator, its beginning, its end, and much of what happens in between.
2) Teaching People how to Worship Allah (sp): This aim is achieved by teaching human beings how to purify and nourish their souls through the sincere performance of prayer, fasting, and other acts of worship.
3) Promoting Good Manners: The Qur’an accomplishes this aim by encouraging people to adopt noble characteristics and by warning them not to take on evil and base ones.
4) Promoting the Development of a Righteous Society: The Qur’an achieves this aim by instructing Muslims to do the following:
- Become united, erasing all forms of allegiance that are not based on religion, such as allegiance that is based on tribal ties or nationalism:
وَإِهَٰAnd verily! This your religion (of Islamic Monotheism) is one religion, and I am your Lord, so keep your duty to Me.” (Qur’an 23:52)
- Realize that all human beings are the same; they are all of the same family, sharing the same father (Adam (p)) and the same mother (Hawwaa (sh)); no race of people is better than another race; instead, superiority is achieved only through merit – ones level of piety and righteousness.
- Treat one another equally, with the understanding that everyone is equal before Allah (sp) and therefore everyone – regardless of race, gender, age, or status – should be treated equally before the law; and there are no exceptions to this rule.
5) Promote the Formation of a Just Society: The Qur’an achieves this aim by pointing out the virtues of being just and trustworthy; by promoting mutual love and mercy in society; by discouraging people from adopting evil characteristics, such as treachery, lying, untrustworthiness, cheating, and so on.
6) Establishing an Economically Prosperous Muslim Society: The Qur’an achieves this aim by calling upon Muslims to be neither miserly nor extravagant in their spending ways, but instead moderate and reasonable. Also, the Qur’an commands Muslims to spend their wealth on noble causes and to give each person what is rightfully his.
7) Guaranteeing the Well-Being of Women: The Qur’an accomplishes this aim by conferring honor upon women and by guaranteeing all of the rights that she deserves as an individual, as a citizen, and as a Muslim.
8) Making Muslims Militarily Capable of Taking on their Enemies: The Qur’an aims to protect Muslims from external threats and to promote the spread of Islam throughout the world. These aims can be achieved only if Muslims are militarily capable of defeating their enemies. Therefore, the Qur’an calls upon Muslims to be prepared for war as a nation, to fight for the betterment of mankind and upon Sound principles, to be merciful in war, and to honor the treaties they enact with other nations.
9) Waging War against Slavery: The Qur’an promoted an end to slavery in many ways, the most important of which was promising a great reward to those who free slaves. Allah (sp) even declared that the act of freeing a slave atones for various sins.
10) Giving People the Freedom to Make Decisions for Themselves: The Qur’an accomplishes this aim by making it forbidden to force people to believe in Islam. Allah (sp): said:
“There is no compulsion in religion.” (Qur’an 2:256)
And elsewhere in the Qur’an, Allah (sp) said:
“So remind them (O Muhammad ), you are only one who reminds, You are not a dictator over them.” (Qur’an 88: 21, 22)
