Towards Understanding the Qur'an: Abridged Version of Tafhim Al-Qur'an: English/Arabic Edition (with commentary in English)

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This blending of teachings from different periods helps to provide an overall view and an integrated perspective of Islam, and acts as a safeguard against lopsidedness. Furthermore, a chronological arrangement of the Qur’an would have been meaningful to later generations only if it had been supplemented with explanatory notes and these would have had to be treated as inseparable appendices to the Qur’an. These messages explained how a healthy society, state and civilization could be established and the principles on which the various aspects of human life should be based. They also dealt with matters directly related to the specific problems facing the rvluslims. For example, how should they deal with the hypocrites (who were harming the Muslim community from within) and with the non-Muslims who were living under the care of the Muslim society? How should they relate to the People of the Book? What treatment should be meted out to those with whom the Muslims were at war, and how should they deal with those with whom they were bound by treaties and agreements? How should the believers, as a community, prepare to discharge their obligations as vicegerents of the Lord of the Universe? Having explained all this, the Lord of the Universe placed man on earth and communicated to Adam and Eve, the first human beings to live on earth, the guidance which they and their offspring were required to follow. These first human beings were not born in a state of ignorance and darkness. On the contrary, they began their life in the broad daylight of Divine Guidance. me, nor have I ever been unchaste?" (19:21) The angel said: "Thus shall it be. Your Lord says: 'It is easy for

and bones, shall we then be raised up again? (23:83) We were promised such things and so were our forefathers before us. him two sorts of kindred: by descent and by marriage. Your Lord is All-Powerful. 69 (25:55) And yet people worship deities other than Allah that can neithermany other benefits in them: you eat of them, (23:22) and are carried on them and also on ships. 23 (23:23) We sent Noah to his people, 24 and he said: "My people! Serve Allah; you have no god other than He. Do you have no fear?" (23:33) The notables among his people who had refused to believe and who Those who object to the present arrangement of the Qur’an appear to be suffering from a misapprehension as to its true purpose. They sometimes almost seem under the illusion that it was revealed merely for the benefit of students of history and sociology! This stage, like the preceding one, passed through various phases each of which had its peculiar problems and demands reveal messages to the Prophet. At times these messages were couched in the form of fiery speeches; at other times they were characterized by the grandeur and stateliness of majestic proclama­tions and ordinances. At times they had the air of instructions from a teacher; at others the style of preaching of a reformer.

His Mercy. Then We send down pure water 62 from the sky (25:49) that We may revive through it a dead land and give it for drink tome the Book and has made me a Prophet (19:31) and has blessed me wherever I might be and has enjoined upon me Prayer testify, swearing by Allah four times that the man was lying, (24:9) and a fifth time that the wrath of Allah be on her if the man be truthful

In the course of time, however, men gradually deviated from this true way of life and began to follow various erroneous ways. They allowed true guidance to be lost through heedlessness and negligence and sometimes, even deliberately, distorted it out of evil perversity. They associated with God a• number of beings, human and non­human, real as well as imaginary, and adored them as deities. the only object of his worship and adoration, to follow the guidance revealed by God, to act in this world in the consciousness that earthly life is merely a period of trial, and to keep his eyes fixed on the ultimate objective – success in God’s final judgement. Every other way 1s wrong. the glories of a great kingdom. 22 (76:21) They [i.e., the virtuous] shall be attired in garments of fine greenpainful chastisement to those who disbelieve. [9:4] In exception to those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity A fundamental knowledge of reality was furnished and miscon­ceptions commonly held by people in that regard – misconceptions which gave rise to wrong orientation in life – were removed. Its central theme is that concepts relating to God, the universe and man which have emanated from man’s own limited knowledge run counter to reality. The same applies to concepts which have been either woven by man’s intellectual fancies or which have evolved through man’s obsession with animal desires. The ways of life which rest on these false foundations are both contrary to reality and ruinous for man.