The Qur'an

Divine Revelation and Preservation

The Qur'an, considered by Muslims to be the literal word of God as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, stands as the cornerstone of Islamic faith and practice. Through authentic sources and historical accounts, we can trace the journey of the Qur'an from its divine revelation to its meticulous preservation over the centuries.

Divine Revelation:

According to Islamic belief, the Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years, beginning in 610 CE when Muhammad received his first revelation in the Cave of Hira near Mecca. Despite being illiterate, Muhammad was chosen by God Almighty as His messenger, tasked with delivering His message to humanity. The angel Gabriel served as the intermediary, teaching Muhammad the verses of the Qur'an, which he then committed to memory.

Preservation During Muhammad's Lifetime: 

During Muhammad's lifetime, various methods were employed to preserve the Qur'an. His stepson Zaid ibn Thabit, along with other scribes, meticulously recorded the revealed verses on various materials such as leaves, leather, and wood. These written records served as aids for memorization and reference. Additionally, many of Muhammad's companions memorized the Qur'an in its entirety, ensuring its preservation through oral transmission.

Al Qur'an il-Kareem

Challenges After Muhammad's Demise:

Following Muhammad's death in 632 CE, several wars (known as the Ridda Wars) were fought, resulting in the deaths of many Qur'an memorizers. Concerns arose regarding the potential loss of the Qur'an's complete text due to the deaths of those who had memorized it (Hufaaz). To address this issue, the caliph Abu Bakr, Muhammad's close companion and the first caliph of Islam, tasked Zaid ibn Thabit with collecting and compiling the scattered verses of the Qur'an into a single, standardized manuscript.

Compilation and Standardization:

Under the supervision of Abu Bakr, Zaid ibn Thabit embarked on the monumental task of compiling the Qur'an from the various written and oral sources. This compilation process involved gathering the scattered verses and organizing them into chapters (surahs) and arranging the chapters in the order dictated by Muhammad himself. The finished product, known as the "Ottoman Qur'an," served as the standard text of the Qur'an used in present-day Islam.

Preservation Through the Ages:

The Ottmani Qur'an served as the foundation for subsequent copies and translations of the Qur'an, ensuring its preservation and dissemination across the Muslim world. Over the centuries, Muslim scholars and scribes (Hufaaz) meticulously copied and transmitted the Qur'an, employing stringent measures to maintain accuracy and authenticity. Today, the Qur'an remains unchanged in its original Arabic text, revered by Muslims worldwide as the eternal and unaltered word of God.

The Qur'an's journey from divine revelation to meticulous preservation stands as a testament to the dedication and reverence of Muslims towards their sacred scripture. Through divine guidance and human effort, the Qur'an has endured as a timeless beacon of faith, guiding believers on their spiritual journey and inspiring countless generations with its profound wisdom and guidance.

Halal vs Haram

Halal and Haram represent fundamental concepts in Islamic teachings, encompassing a wide range of behaviors and practices beyond just dietary restrictions. While many non-Muslims may primarily associate these terms with food regulations, their significance extends far beyond that. Oblivious of its complexities, non-Muslims erroneously appear to be the Internet authorities on Halal and Haram, and in consequence  lead others astray through their own  inclinations devoid of knowledge. 

In Islamic belief, "Halal" denotes actions, behaviors, or items that are permissible or lawful and virtuous according to the teachings of the Qur'an and the Sunnah (the practices and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad). Conversely, "Haram" refers to actions, behaviors, or items that are prohibited or unlawful and sinful.

Regarding dietary guidelines, the Qur'an outlines specific prohibitions such as the consumption of pork, blood, animals that died of natural causes, and meat not slaughtered in the name of Allah. Compliance with these dietary laws is essential for Muslims, reflecting obedience to divine commands and respect for the sanctity of life.

However, the concept of Halal and Haram extends beyond food to encompass various aspects of life, including economic transactions, social interactions, and personal conduct. For instance, engaging in gambling and usury (charging interest) are considered Haram due to their detrimental effects on individuals and society. These prohibitions aim to promote fairness, justice, and ethical behavior within Muslim communities.

Furthermore, Islamic teachings emphasize the importance of intention and sincerity in actions. In cases of necessity, where one's survival is at stake, consuming forbidden items may be permitted to alleviate hunger, provided there is no intention to disobey God's commandments. An elaboration can be found in Surah Al-Maaida Verse 3.

Additionally, the Qur'an highlights the importance of seeking knowledge and understanding in distinguishing between Halal and Haram. It condemns blindly following one's desires or misleading others into committing prohibited actions. Hence, education and awareness play crucial roles in upholding Islamic principles and values.

To sumarise, Halal and Haram are central concepts in Islam, governing various aspects of life based on divine guidance. While dietary restrictions form a part of these concepts, their scope extends to encompass broader ethical, social, and economic considerations aimed at promoting righteousness, justice, and obedience to God's commands.

QUR'AN AND SUNNAH

QUR'AN AND SUNNAH

As mentioned in the previous blog installment, the Qur'an and Sunnah is the core of Islam. The Qur'an is the guidance sent by Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala to all of mankind and the sunnah is the implementation of all its ordinances by Prophet Muhammad SAW as a practical example to all of mankind. 

The Qur'an has several internal evidences which emphatically proves itself as revelation from Allah,  which also emphatically affirms that Prophet Muhammad SAW was sent as a mercy to all of mankind, as testified by the four verses below.

• And with the truth We have sent the Qur’a n down, and with the truth it has descended. And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a bringer of good tidings and a warner. [Surah Al-Isra - 17:105]
  
  
• And We have sent you (O Muhammad) not but as a mercy for the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists). [Surah Al-Anbiyah - 21:107]
  
  
• And We have not sent you, (O Muhammad), except as a bringer of good tidings and a warner. [Surah Al-Furqan - 25:56]
  
  
• And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except comprehensively to mankind as a bringer of good tidings and a warner. But most of the people do not know. [Surah Saba  - 34:28]

Some people may claim that this isn't real proof of prophethood, unless it can be proven that Allah revealed the Qur'an. So here are the Qur'an's irrefutable Internal  evidences.

The clearest internal evidence from the pages of the Qur'an  that proves it is from Allah, is its 1435 year old challenge has never been taken up by any who ever lived since its revelation or is currently alive. No to mention that  no one ever will or can.

But first;-

The Qur'an is captured (cast in stone) in absolutely perfect Arabic eloquence, without contextual or grammatical mistakes or ambiguity. Hence there is absolutely no other book anywhere on earth like it , making it unique in every respect. 

Several of the predictions in the Qur'an have come true, beside its scientific evidences have become globally known and have been corroborate by the relevant experts in their fields, saying that no one could have know these clear proofs except if it was revealed by God himself.

Al Qur'an says:- 

• Indeed, This  is a noble Qur’ an,  stored in a location well-guarded, protected; None touch it except the purified. [It is] a revelation from the Lord of the worlds. [Surah Waqi'ah 56:77-80]
  
  
• Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’ an? If it had been from [any] other than Alla h, they would have found within it much errors and contradiction. [An Nisa - 4:82]
  
  
• And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our Servant (Muhammad), then produce a S urah the like thereof and call upon your witnesses other than All ah, if you should be truthful.   But if you cannot – and you will never be able to – then fear the Fire, whose fuel is men and stones, ... [Surah Baqara 2:23]
  
  
• Or do they say, "He  (Muhammad) invented it"? Say, "Then bring ten S urahs like it that have been invented and call upon [for assistance] whomever you can besides All ah, if you should be truthful." [Surah Hud 11:13]
  
  
• Or do they say , "He (Muhammad) invented it?" Say, "Then bring forth a Su rah like it and call upon [for assistance] whomever you can besides Alla h, if you should be truthful." [Surah Yusuf 10:38]

The outcome of the challenge to produce one like it:-

In more than 1400 years not a single person has been able to produce a book like it, not ten chapters like it, not even one single chapter like it. No Arabic professor of linguist, nor teams of Arabic linguists  have though themselves capable of meeting this challenge let alone win it. 

The outcome of guarding it:-

The Qur'an has been guarded in the minds of men,  memorized by thousands of Muslims during the lifetime of Muhammad (peace be upon him) and then its memorization was passed down from teacher to student for generation after generation, from mouth to ear and from one nation to another to this present day. 

Today there are in excess of 10 millions of Hufaaz (protectors) of the Qur'an globally and most of the are non-Arab and neither is  Arabic their fist language. Besides virtually every Muslim globally has memorized some portion of the Qur'an in the original Arabic language even if its just one verse. 

This proves the veracity of its internal claims since challengers are not lining-up and the Qur'an cannot be changed because it is guarded by a global army on minds.

MAULANA GOOGEL

The World Wide Web better known as the Internet, with all its social-media tools, like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Black Berry Messenger etc, etc, have drastically changed the way we conduct our lives, to the point that many Truth Seekers and some misguided Muslims are seeking religious advice via the Google search engine, which has been jokingly named Mufti Googel by concerned Muslims.   

In the Name of Allah The Beneficent The Merciful

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
In the Name of Allah The Beneficent The Merciful

However, this website named "Moulana Google" was specifically setup to inform Muslims and Truth Seekers in general that answers about Islam are abundantly available on the Internet, but that these answers may not always be correct, and at times intentionally biased against Islam, to trick unsuspecting Muslims. There are 100's if not 1000's of web sites run by non-Muslims that specialize in subversion of Islam, with the sole purpose to disseminate propaganda and harmful perceptions about  Islam. 

Sites like Hub Pages, Helium and Squidoo and several others, invites their member writers, Muslim or not, to write on Islamic topics, the bulk of whom do their article research using Google, Yahoo and other search engines.  I therefore urge you to rather contact the Imams, Muftis, Sheikhs, Islamic scholars and Maulaanas at your local local Masjied for the correct answers to your questions, if not you could be Googling yourself  out of the fold of Islam.

Islam is a monotheistic religion of International appeal, constantly growing and currently boasting more than 1.2 billion adherents worldwide, all of whom accept and testify that Allah (SWT) is Rabb (God, Lord, Master, Sustainer,  Nourisher), and Muhammad (SAW) is His Nabiy (prophet and messenger).  This is more succinctly said by the first two  credal formulas of Islam called the Kalimah Thayyibah and Kalimah Shahadah in Arabic.

La-ilaha-illallah-muhammadur-rasullullah.
There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,
Muhammad is the messenger of Allah 

These kalimaat confirms that some among mankind believes in, and worships numerous deities but negates the fact these deities are even worthy. It emphatically highlights that Allah is the One supreme God who deserves your belief and who has the sole right to be worshiped. And conclude that prophet Muhammad (SAW)  is the servant and messenger of Allah (SWT).  

As Muslims we accept Muhammad (SAW) as the final messenger of Allah , which does not detract from the fact that Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac Jacob, Moses, Jesus, Zakariyah, Yahya (John the baptist) were all mighty messengers of Allah, some of whom were given previous revelations like  the Torah (old Testament), Injeel (New Testament), Zabur, (Psalms of David) in their original forms. 

As Muslims we make no distinction between the prophets since they all came with the same Message from Allah, preached since the creation Adam until the demise of Muhammad (SAW). But this Message  remains with us today in the form of Qur'an. As a whole, Muslims accept this Qur'an as revelation from Allah and accept Hadeeth (prophet traditions) as the narrations about Muhammad (SAW) compiled by his companions during and after his demise.

Ash hadu an la ilaha ill Allah wa ash hadu anna Muhammadar Rasul Allah
I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah
and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.

Living a life within the parameter allowed by the tenets of Qur'an and the Sunnah will bring about happiness and contentment in your life as of Muslims. During the last sermon of our beloved prophet Muhammad (SAW) he clearly stated that whosoever lives their life in conformity to Qur'an and Sunnan will never go astray and will have success in this life and the hereafter.