Nothing can be compared to the book known as the Quran. Millions have become Muslims upon simply hearing a verse from the Quran which no other book can be compared to it.
Unfortunately, still the majority knows nothing of it.
The Quran is the Final Revelation from the Creator to humanity. It was revealed in 610 CE to the last Prophet Mohammad and completed over a period of 23 years. These 23 years of revelation resulted in a book which comprised of 114 chapters and some 6000 verses. This book is the message of your creator that serves as the primary source of regulation for the life of mankind.
In the west, when the Quran is mentioned, people turn away with disgust; this is primarily due to the negative exposure from the media. It has resulted in many non-Muslims not even wanting to hear the name of this amazing book.
If people were to truly reflect upon this book, they would realize that nothing in this world is quite the same.
The following reasons will give an indication as to why this book deserves the attention of all humanity.
Preservation
The English critic of Islam, Sir William Muir wrote 200 years ago:” There is probably in the world no other book which has remained twelve centuries with so pure a text”.
As muslims, we have a verse that was revealed more than 1400 years ago when ALLAH said
: “Indeed it is We who have sent down the Quran, and indeed it is Us who shall preserve it.” (Surah 15:9)
These words have proved true to this very day. From the moment the first words were revealed to Mohammad, to this very day, every single letter and word of the Quran has remained unchanged.
Before Islam, all the revelations sent were not given this divine assurance. This is why we find that books like the Bible are riddled with interpolations and inaccuracies. It is well known that man has tampered with the Bible to the extent that annually different versions are produced to suit trends and desires. In fact this has been going on for so long that it is almost impossible to see what of the words of the Creator are left, if any.
With the Quran it is the exact opposite. The contents of this amazing book are stored in the hearts of millions of Muslims worldwide. Children, as young as 12, have memorized the entire book in its original language, Arabic. There is no other religious scripture on earth which is orally preserved in its original language by so many and over such a period of time, without having been tampered somewhere along the line. The Bible is a prime example of this. Many Christians believe that English is the divine language of the Bible. However Jesus spoke Aramaic. From Aramaic, his life-story was translated into Hebrew. From Hebrew it was translated into Greek. ; Then from Greek to Latin, and then finally from Latin to English.
There has not been a single vicar, priest or layman in recorded history that has even memorized the Bible in English, let alone the Aramaic. As Muslims we believe the Quran can only be in the language it was revealed in, i.e. Arabic. Anything else is a translation and not the divine words of the Creator.
The discovery of some ancient copies of the Quran from different places proves that there is not a single difference between what we have today and what was in existence 1,400 years ago. Thus Allah’s promise holds true.
No Mistakes
Man as a creature is fallible. For this reason anything which is produced by him will naturally have faults. With the Quran, such a notion cannot even be considered as it is from the One Who is Infallible. In fact Allah clarifies this matter beautifully when he says: “Do they not consider the Quran? Had it been from other than Allah surely they would have found much discrepancies within it” (Surah 4:82)
Throughout history many have tried to scrutinize and search the Quran for mistakes and errors. To this day no one has been able to bring a shred of proof showing that this book is not from Allah. Some Christians have even called it the work of the Devil because the book affected them so much when they read it. With other scriptures, contradictions, mistakes and absurdities are constantly present.
The Arabic Language
Upon hearing the recited Quran, you may be rather affected. Besides hearing the reciter of the prayer, you often hear some people sobbing and crying. So what is it that makes these people affected so much? It is nothing more than the beauty and eloquence of this book that moves millions to tears. This beauty is expressed in the language of the Arabs.
Allah says: “Indeed We have revealed this as an Arabic Quran so that you may understand.” (Surah 12:2)
At the time of the Prophet MOHAMMAD, three modes of expression were used. There was normal speech, the speech of the soothsayer and poetry. The Arabs were the masters of their language, and poetry was their cultural highlight. Arabic poetry is split into 16 categories, each separate from the other. When the Quran was proclaimed to the Arabs it amazed them beyond all limits. It was like nothing they had ever heard before. It did not fit into the 16 categories of poetry, nor was it the speech of a soothsayer, and it certainly was not normal speech. If it was not all these, then it could only be the word of Allah.
The eloquence and majesty of the early chapters of the Quran moved many to tears, and the beautiful Arabic Quran converted millions of Arabs in the Middle East. Not only did the Quran affect the lives of these Arabs, but it also transformed their culture. Even today, no serious study of the Arabic language is possible without reference to this book.
The reaction of some pagans was that they accused Muhammad (SAWS) of being a soothsayer and a madman. In order to silence them, Allah issued a challenge. At first he asked them to produce a book like the Quran. When it could not be done, Allah asked them to produce ten chapters like it. When this too could not be done Allah finally stated: “And if you are in doubt as to what We have revealed to Our slave, then produce a chapter like it” (Surah 2:23)
The smallest chapter in the Quran is only three verses long (Chapter 108). The pagans at the time of the Prophet MOHAMMAD could not even produce something as small as this, and since then no one else has completed this impossible task. All of this is in light of the fact that the Prophet Muhammad could not read or write, thus refuting those who say that the Quran was his own handiwork.
The Quran is the Final book of revelation. After it there will be no more. However, many have tried to deny this by producing their own new versions of the Quran. Among them have been the two false prophets, Musailima and Ghulam Ahmad. Many Chapters in the Quran are named after animals, such as the Ant, Spider etc. Musailima tried to copy this, and went about creating a chapter in his book called the Weasel. In Arabic it is called Al-Wabr and it hardly causes people to be struck in awe. On the other hand Ghulam Ahmed, the ‘British stooge’, claimed to receive revelation in cockney English. Such foolishness could never compare to the beauty of the Quran with its clear and beautiful Arabic language.
Science
Over the past few decades much interest has been shown in the scientific content of the Quran. Scientific data which has been discovered in recent times has been existent in this book for 1,400 years. In fact the very common origin of this universe is stated clearly by Allah, the Most High: “Do not the disbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together, then We parted them. And We made from water every living thing. Will they then not believe?” (Surah 21:30)
This parting of the heavens and the earth is more commonly known to scientists as the ‘big bang’. It is also a fact that life originated from water and that every living cell is composed of 85% water. Without water life is impossible.
The mountains of the earth, like icebergs, have roots going deep into the ground. This ensures that they will not topple with their extreme heights – this is known as ‘isostasy’. In this way the mountains are like the stakes which are used to anchor a tent. But this fact is already known to us when Allah says: “Have We not made the earth an expanse and the mountains stakes?” (Surah 78:6-7) and “Allah has cast into the ground mountains standing firm so that it does not shake with you” (Surah 31:10)
The embryological data which is found in the Quran is astounding. Allah describes the formation of a baby inside the womb from the very moment the sperm reaches the ovum, to its formation into a human. This data, which was only discovered about 30 years ago, has amazed many western scientists. Amongst them is Dr Keith Moore from the University of Toronto, Canada. Dr Moore is a recognized authority in embryological circles, with his university textbook being set as a standard text in many universities throughout the world. When Dr Moore was asked as to how this information in the Quran could be explained, he replied: “It could only have been divinely revealed”.
History
The Quran is a book of historical accuracy. One example of such an accuracy that has corrected the mistakes of many Christians and historians is the fate of the Pharaoh who drowned in the Red Sea whilst pursuing Moses. The Biblical story would have us believe that the matter ended when the Pharaoh drowned. But the Quran explains further. When he was drowning the Pharaoh confessed his faith in Allah. But it was too late, and Allah promised him: “This day We shall preserve you in your body, so that you may be a sign for those who come after you. But indeed many of mankind are heedless of Our signs” (Surah 10:92)
In 1898 the tombs of various pharaohs were discovered in the Valley of the Kings, in Egypt. In 1975 Dr Maurice Bucaille, an eminent French surgeon was allowed to examine the mummified bodies of Rameses II and the pharaoh who had pursued Moses – Merneptah. Dr Bucaille discovered that Merneptah had received very violent blows to several parts of his body and had suffered a massive heart attack. Amazingly, these are the results which occur when someone dies from drowning. Thus Allah had saved the body of the transgressing pharaoh as a sign for all humanity.
For those who say that Mohammad knew his history and wrote it in the Quran, the following shall prove otherwise. In the year 615CE the Roman army was defeated by the Persians. About this event Allah revealed: “The Romans have been defeated in the lowest land, but in a few years they shall be victorious again, within three to nine years. The decision of the matter, before and after, is only with Allah.” (Surah 30:24)
The words of Allah proved true as the Persians were defeated at the battle of Issus, 7 years later in 622CE. There is no possible way which Mohammad could have known (if he wrote the Quran) that the Romans would be victorious. In fact he also did not know that the ‘lowest land’ at which the battle was fought was literally that. The battle in 615CE was fought on the shores of the Dead Sea, the lowest point below sea level on earth, at 1,300ft.
A book with these credentials could only be from the Creator of the heavens and the earth.
The best credit of the Quran is made by the Almighty Creator Who said “… which has been revealed to you (O’ Muhammad) so that you may lead mankind out of the darkness and into the light” (Surah 14:1)
In short,
The Quran is the unique book. Because:
ï§ No other book can be entirely memorized by young children aged between 6-10 years but the Quran. You know why? Because Allah said five times in Surah 54:
“And We have indeed made the Quran an easy book to understand
and remember: then is there any that will receive admonition?”
ï§ No one on the earth can make any verse like that in the Quran.
ï§ When we read the Quran, even our skin becomes affected; you know why? Because Allah said (in Surah 39:23):
“Allah has revealed (from time to time) the most beautiful Message in the form of a Book, consistent with itself, (yet) repeating (its teaching in various aspects): the skins of those who fear their Lord tremble thereat; then their skins and their hearts do soften to the celebration of Allah’s praises. Such is the guidance of Allah: He guides therewith whom He pleases, but such as Allah leaves to stray, can have none to guide”.
ï§ We can recite any part or verse of the Quran many times in one setting and we feel something that we can not describe it. It is said that who tastes knows.
ï§ When we read the Quran we know that we will get rewarded in the after life for each letter we recite it.
ï§ No book on the earth has such criteria.
Prof.dr. Ibrahim Khalil
http://www.articlesbase.com/religion-articles/quran-is-the-unique-book-98176.html
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