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Questions Pertaining to the Qur’an

No matter how you look at it, you are most likely to find that this book, this most amazing Al-Qur’an, is a book unlike any that you may have ever read or seen in your entire life. And here are some reasons why.

1. What other book in the world do you know that begins with the words that mean “In the name of God, the most loving and merciful, the most loving and merciful”?

   Those words not put there by the readers, admirers, advocate or devotees of that book, but by that book itself? That means there simply is no other book like that anywhere in the world.

   This is not to knock or attack all the other books, especially those books that people treat with special reverence, but merely to recognize a simple fact about that book, the Qur’an. And make discovery of that fact the starting point and the signpost for our future research and investigation.

2. What other book in the world do you know whose every chapter but one begins with the words that mean “In the name of God, the most loving and merciful, the most loving and merciful”? And that means all of its 114 chapters – with the exception of the 9th chapter.

3. Have you ever come across a book that makes cleanliness of body an absolute requirement of not only human life in general but also for touching and handling that book itself? A book that requires you to take a bath and be formally clean every time you touch, open and read from it?

   I am not saying there aren’t other books like that. All I am saying is if any of those books themselves says that, as distinct from the admirers and followers of the book saying those things.

4. A book that requires you to first go through the careful washing of your hands and face before you touch, open and read from it. And this going back 1400 years before the American Society of Microbiology (ASM) discovered the benefits of hand-washing in the 1990′s?

5. A book that teaches you to seek God’s protection from the Devil, every time you begin to read it?

6. A book, as I said earlier, that begins in the name of God, the most loving and merciful, the most loving and merciful?

7. A book in which the third word from the beginning is: “The Most Merciful and Loving One“?

8. A book in which the fourth word from the beginning also is : “The Most Merciful and Loving One“?

9. A book whose very first introduction of God is the “Most Merciful and Loving one“?

10. And whose second introduction of God also is the “Most Merciful and Loving one“?

11. A book 113 of whose 114 chapters begin with the words “In the name of God, the most merciful and loving, the most merciful and loving“?

    And the remaining one of whose 114 chapters also has in it the words “In the name of God, the most merciful, the most merciful” (27:30)?

12. A book whose very first words mean “All praise is due to God“?

13. A book whose very first characterization of God is “Master of the Worlds“?

14. A book that is from 1400 years ago, and whose frame of reference is not a village, a town, a tribe, a region or race, but what it calls the “Worlds,” all the worlds – in plural?

A Loving, Merciful and Forgiving God

15. A book in which God Almighty himself calls himself “The Most Merciful and Loving” close to 200 times?

16. A book in which God refers to himself as “The Most Forgiving, The Most Merciful and Loving” over 50 times?

17. In which God’s second most frequently used name is “The Most Merciful and Loving One“? A name that God uses almost like his nickname.

18. In which God himself uses his second name “The Most Merciful and Loving One” no less than 50 times?

19. In which God’s own direct references to his unbounded love and quality of mercy are nearly 10 percent of the total words of the entire book?

A Chapter Called “The Opening”

20. Have you ever seen or read a book that is from 1400 years ago and that begins with a chapter called “The Opening”?

21. That begins with content and passages that are anything like the content and passages of the beginning or opening chapter of the Qur’an?

22. That has as one of its chapters a chapter like the opening chapter of the Qur’an?

23. A book that has a prayer like the opening chapter of the Qur’an?

24. A book that is from 1400 years ago, and that addresses people based on their belief and behavior, and not based on their race, region, tribe, occupation, nationality or gender?

A Book from 1400 Years Ago

25. Have you ever seen or read a book that is from 1400 years ago, and that repeatedly calls itself “A Book“?

    That refers to itself as “The” book?

    That calls itself “A Blessed Book“?

    That calls itself “A Wise Book“?

    That calls itself “A Noble Book“?

    That refers to itself as “That” book?

    I am not talking about its admirers and followers attributing all these honorific names and titles to that book, but that book itself using them to refer to itself on its own.

26. A book that begins its second chapter by declaring that it is indeed “that” book – Dhaalikal Kitab?

    It is that eternal and everlasting book. The book that everyone needs and everyone has been promised and waiting for. It is the book that is guaranteed to guide and help humanity out of its troubles in every age and place.

27. A book from 1400 years ago that calls itself “The Reading“?

28. That calls itself “The Writing“?

29. That claims, without ambiguity, reservation or prevarication, that it is for all “people”?

30. A book from 1400 years ago that expects, asks and tells everyone to read? That makes literacy a universal requirement for all human beings by commanding everyone everywhere to read.

31. That strongly and repeatedly urges its readers to reflect upon its contents? And upon the universe and reality around them?

32. That invites humanity to think and to observe? That makes observation, logic, analysis and understanding the foundation of human belief?

    A book from 1400 years ago that actually faults humanity for its poor observation, logic, analysis and reasoning?

    That chides people for not reflecting upon its amazing qualities, claims and teachings as if people had padlocks on their hearts?

33. A book in which God Almighty commands the Prophet, Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam, to go and tell everyone: “I am the most forgiving, loving and merciful of all”?

34. A book in which in the same breath God also says go tell my people that my punishment is the most terrible and painful of all?

35. In which God Almighty says he made everything on earth for you?

36. In which God Almighty says he made the sky and the planets and the sun and the moon for you?

37. In which God Almighty says he made night and day to suit your needs?

38. In which God Almighty tells people he made the rivers and the oceans for their use?

A Book Called “Light”

39. Have you ever held in your hand a book that calls itself “The Light“?

40. A book from 1400 years ago that says that it is a cure for all that ails the human hearts?

41. A book that calls itself the standard of truth? That refers to itself as the great distinguisher between right and wrong, between truth and falsehood?

42. A book that claims that it contains no doubt or error?

    A book without error? What kind of a book could it be? How likely is such a book, when every other book in the world has error? Even the most important and carefully edited treatises on science do. So much so that what we call science is an endless process of reducing that component of error in human knowledge and understanding.

A Challenge to Skeptics

43. Have you ever read a book from 1400 years ago that repeatedly challenges the skeptics to produce an imitation like it – all of it?

44. Or to produce even 10 chapters like it?

45. Or to produce just one single chapter like it?And openly says go and call whomsoever you want to help and assist you in that effort?

46. A book that says repeatedly that it is a direct revelation from God?

47. A book in which God says that he shall protect and preserve his revelation forever?

48. A book that fearlessly claims that it is immune to corruption and falsehood from any direction?

49. A book that pushes the frontiers of inter-faith harmony, peace and coexistence to superhuman limits by claiming that it came to confirm the essential truth of all the divine books revealed to all the prophets of God everywhere in earlier times?

50. A book that actually lists by name a number of the earlier Biblical prophets whose work and mission it validates and confirms: Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job, David, Solomon, Jesus and others – May God Almighty bless them all?

The Male-Female Dynamic

51. When did you last read a book that asserted 1400 years ago that male-female relations were based on reciprocity of caring, compassion and respect?

52. A book that, 1400 years ago, described the male-female genders as each other’s garment?

53. That claimed 1400 years ago that women have rights – just like men have rights?

54. That proclaimed, 1400 years ago, that women have rights, just like they have obligations and duties?

55. A book that 1400 years ago gave women parity with men in rewards and obligations?

56. That, 1400 years ago, gave women the right to own property?

57. That, 1400 years ago, gave women the right to inheritance?

58. That, 1400 years ago, gave women the right to seek divorce?

59. That, 1400 years ago, gave women the right to choose the men they would like to marry?

60. That, 1400 years ago, made marriage the norm and made divorce permissible and lawful for men as well as for women?

Amazing Chapters

61. Did you ever read a book that is from 1400 years ago and that contains a chapter called “Divorce“?

62. And also a chapter called “The People”?

63. A book, from 1400 years ago, that contains a chapter called “The Women“? And yet has no chapter called “The Men“?

64. A book that uses Arabia as its backdrop and its launching point and yet has no chapter called “The Arabs“?

65. Nor a chapter called “The Kings”?

66. Nor a chapter called “The Nobles”?

67. Nor a chapter called “The Priests“?

68. And yet a book – from 1400 years ago – that contains a chapter called “The Pen“?

69. And another chapter that it calls – in 7^th Century Arabia – by the most improbable name of “Shura”?

Power to the People and Freedom of Faith and Expression

70. That book uses that term Shura to stand for a most amazing and revolutionary concept that means power-sharing and self-governance among all segments of a society – of a people. It is a concept that involves the exchange of input, views and opinions on the part of all people as the basis of all power relations and structures among human beings.

71. Did you know that that book, thus, 1400 years ago, took all power and privilege – hereditary or otherwise – from the kings and the nobles, and gave it to “The People”?

    Nothing like that ever happened in this world before. Not until the time of Milton, Locke, Paine and Jefferson – more than 1000 years later – did “the people” of the world even entertain a possibility like that.

72. Did you know that this was the book that introduced the world, 1400 year ago, to the ideas of freedom of faith, freedom of conscience, freedom of belief and freedom of expression? That it was this most amazing Al-Qur’an that said clearly in its pages that no faith should ever be forced on any one? That people should be free to choose the beliefs they want?

    So, did you ever read a book like that? Did you ever think or suspect that there was indeed a book like that that you could read and in which you could check out some of these things for yourself?

    Don’t you think if ever there is a book like that, we all owe it to ourselves to read that book and see what it has to say?

A Book that Out-Christians Christians

73. Ask yourself if you ever in your life read a book that came into this world 1400 years ago and which contains a chapter called “Mary“?

    A chapter in which that book talks most tenderly and respectfully of Mary, the virgin mother of Jesus, may God Almighty bless them both.

    When did you last read such a book?

74. A book that contains a chapter called “The House of ‘Imran’” or “The Family of Imran” – a reference to the family of Jesus and his mother Mary (May Allah bless them both)?

Miracles across Time and Space

75. Did you ever read a book that is from 1400 years ago and which you felt you can very well refer to as a Book of Miracles?

76. A book, for example, in which God tells us that he made “every living thing out of water“? Or that he brought life out of water? Or that water is the origin of life? Or that life emerged out of water?

77. A book from 1400 years ago in which God tells us that originally heavens and earth were “fused together” and then God “sundered” them apart?

78. A book from 1400 years ago in which God tells us that the sky was once “smoke and gas“?

79. A book from 1400 years ago in which God tells us that the sun is “a flaming source of light and radiation?

80. A book from 1400 years ago in which God tells us that the moon is “a gentle reflection of borrowed light”?

81. A book from 1400 years ago in which God tells us that he made “everything in pairs”?

82. And then ask yourself if this could mean the male-female pair that together is the secret to life on earth?

83. Or the pair of positive-negative charges that together provides power and electricity to the world?

84. Or the pair of 1-0 that together constitutes the key to our world of computers?

85. Ask yourself if you ever read a book from 1400 years ago in which God tells us that reality is in “constant flux”?

86. A book from 1400 years ago in which God tells us that “heavenly bodies are in perpetual motion”?

87. In which God tells us that each celestial object is “swimming in its own orbit”?

88. A book from 1400 years ago in which God tells us that it is not good for the sun to “overtake the moon”?

89. A book from 1400 years ago that repeatedly underscores the vastness and limitlessness of space?

90. A book from 1400 years ago that says “if all the trees in the world were converted into pens and all the seas used as ink, with seven more seas added to them, there will still be no complete accounting of God Almighty’s universe”?

91. A book from 1400 years ago that contains a chapter called “Time“?

92. And all this in a book, mind you, in which God is the one telling us all these things, in his own words, and not human beings of any kind, claiming to speak for God.

93. A book that claims to be direct Godspeak, if you will, and not human speech attributed to God by individuals purporting to be holy or specially inspired.

94. In other words, have you ever read a book in which rather than people talking to you about God, God himself speaks to you about you, directly and without an intermediary, and about himself?

    Consider this: In most other books you may have read, it is the writer of the book who would claim that God said this or that. It is the writer of the book who would attribute things to God.

    But not that book, the Al-Qur’an.

    In the Qur’an, it is not a human source claiming that God said something, but God himself saying: This is God, your lord and master, speaking to you!

    There is a huge difference. It is a difference that no one can miss.

    That is why, I submit to you, you must read this book. This most amazing Al-Qur’an. No matter who you are or where you are or what you do or don’t do. For, there is no other book quite like it.

    That is why it is only fair that you ask yourself if you have read a book like that.

    Think, think and think some more. See if you ever did read a book like that or if you can even get hold of a book like that to read – other than this most amazing Al-Qur’an.

    You will find that most likely you have not and most likely you will not. Again, this is not to attack or insult any other book, but only to point out the obvious: that there is perhaps only one book like that in the world. And you owe it to yourself to read that book.

A Complete Code for Human Life

95. Ask yourself if you have ever read a book that is from 1400 years ago and that offers human beings a complete code of conduct by which to live, not only for that particular age, time and place but for all times, places, cultures and societies?

    You probably have read books, ancient or modern, that offer some wonderful ideas to improve the human condition. But those are likely to be mostly limited in their scope both in terms of what they cover as well as in relation to modern times and their complex requirements.

    But not so this book, this most amazing Al-Qur’an. Not only does it cover practically every significant aspect of human life, but its core principles and teachings are valid and relevant for all times and places.

96. Did you know that 1400 year ago this book required people to write down all their loan arrangements in the form of contracts?

    You must read this book because in this book God tells you what you should or should not do in order to make your own life as well as everyone else’s life better – right here in this world as well as in the next world.

97. Did you know that in this book God tells you that the best course to follow is the straight path, which he calls Siraat Mustaqeem?

98. Did you know that in this book God tells you that you must pursue the middle path in everything?

99. Did you know that in this book God tells you to avoid extremes in all things?

100. Did you know that in this book God tells you to avoid extremes in such worldly matters as spending your own wealth? And he calls spendthrifts and prodigals “the brothers of the devils”?

101. Did you also know that in this book God tells you to avoid extremes even in such other-worldly matters as what most people call “worship” or “religion“?

102. Did you know that in this book God tells us to forgive one another, for forgiveness is always the better, nobler alternative?

103. You must read this book because this is the book in which God tells you “Call me and I shall respond!“

104. Because it is the book in which God tells you “Think of me and I shall think of you. Talk about me and I shall talk about you!”

105. Because it is the book in which God tells you “Thank me and I shall give you more!”

106. We must all read this book because it is the book in which God tells us to always say something better and nicer to and about others.

107. Because it is the book in which God tells us to say “Peace!” and turn and walk away from foolish people.

108. Because this is the book in which God tells us to shun all kinds of social ills – such as backbiting which he says is like cannibalizing our own dead brother?

109. We must all read this book because this is the book in which God tells us not to harbor suspicions and bad thoughts about others?

110. In which God tells us not to spy on one another?

111. We must all read this book because it is the book in which God Almighty talks to each one of us directly, personally and without an intermediary.

     When did we ever read a book quite like that?

A Book Whose Motto Is Truth

112. All truth-loving people must read this book – we must all read this book – because the motto, the main mission of this book is truth – plain, simple and open truth.

113. Because it is a book in which God tells us to tell the truth and to stand up for fairness and justice, even if it be against our own best interests. And even if it be against our own parents and relatives.

114. Because it is a book in which God tells us that those who accept him must be moderate and middle-of-the-road people.

     When did any of us ever read a book like that?

A People Raised Up for Other People

115. You must read this book – this most amazing Al-Qur’an - and we must all read this book, because in this book God tells those who follow this book that they are created for all of humanity. And not just for themselves. That they are created for the whole world. And not just for their own tribe, nation, society or people.

     I don’t think there is quite another book like it in the world, do you?

     Every law and constitution in the world, and practically every book in the world, tells its followers to love, honor, cherish and defend its own people – their own kind. Whereas this book, the amazing Al-Qur’an, which is God’s own law and constitution for the entire world and for all of humanity, tells its followers to love, defend, cherish and honor everyone else – all people.

     That they have been raised up, and they exist, for the sake of the whole world, and for the sake of all other people in the world.

     There really isn’t another book quite like it in the world. That is why you owe it to yourself to read this book. This amazing Al-Qur’an. Regardless of who you are and what you do.

Setting Humanity Free

116. Have you ever read a book that with one stroke set humanity free from the millennial bondage of the original sin?

117. Have you ever read a book, from 1400 years ago, in which God says it was Adam, the man – and not Eve, the woman – who disobeyed God in the Garden and was the cause of our exile from Paradise?

118. A book in which God says that he forgave Adam when Adam repented?

119. That says that God sent a messenger into the world whose mission it is to bring people out of all kinds of darkness into light?

120. That says that God sent a messenger into the world who is a mercy to all the worlds?

121. That says that God sent a messenger into the world who goes after good, beautiful, nice and pure things and makes them lawful for people, and who then goes after evil, bad and impure things and tries to keep people away from them by making them unlawful?

122. Did you know that in this book, in this most amazing Al-Qur’an, God says his mercy is for everyone and everything?

123. And that his punishment is limited to the ones he has good reason to punish?

124. In which God says that he will not allow even an iota of good anyone does to go unrewarded?

125. Did you know that this book abolished 1400 years ago what people today call “religion“?

126. That this book completely, irrevocably and forever abolished the role of clergy in human life?

A Concept Called “The People”

127. Ask yourself when you ever read a book, from 1400 years ago, that introduces to the world an all new concept called “People”?

128. A book, from all those centuries ago, that uses that concept – “The People” – to stand for all human beings with no exceptions or exclusions whatsoever? When did you last read such a book? Is that a question worth asking? Is that a question you should be asking yourself?

     Because that is precisely what that book – the Al-Qur’an – did. It gave the world the concept of “The People” that included all of humanity without leaving out anyone – male or female; slave or free; old or young; white or black; king or commoner.

129. And then ask yourself when you last read a book which is from 1400 years ago and which contains a chapter whose beginning word is: Read – a common command to all of humanity; to all “The People.”

130. When did you ever read a book that is from 1400 years ago and in which God asks “The People” directly to worship him and pray to him?

131. A book from 1400 year ago in which God addresses people directly as “O People!“?

132. A book from 1400 years ago in which God uses the gender-neutral expression Annaas – The People – to refer to all of humanity and not “Mankind” the gendered, male-centered expression that the rest of the world uses?

133. A book from 1400 years ago in which God uses the gender-neutral expressions Annaas – The People – no less than 240 times?

134. A book from 1400 years ago which uses the gender-inclusive expression Al-Insaan – The Human – and not “The Man,” as did every other book until recently?

135. A book from 1400 years ago that uses that gender-inclusive expression Al-Insaan – The Human – no less than 65 times?

136. A book from 1400 years ago that uses the gender-inclusive expression Al-Ins for humanity – not “Mankind” – close to 20 times?

Biblical References

137. Did you ever read a book in which God tells Mary, mother of Jesus, God bless them both, that he had purified and exalted her above the rest of the world’s women?

138. In which God says that Jesus was like Adam (May Allah bless them both): God miraculously created both of them without a father?

139. In which God says that Jesus miraculously spoke to the elders of the community as an infant in the arms of his mother?

140. A book that is from 1400 years ago, and which provides a most insightful and sympathetic review of some of the most central figures and teachings of the Bible?

141. A book that is from 1400 years ago, and whose story of the Fall of Man completely exonerates the woman from blame?

142. Whose version of the Fall of Man completely absolves humanity from the burden of the Original Sin?

143. Which declares that no human being can be responsible for the doings of another human being?

144. Which sets Jews completely free of any guilt or culpability in the supposed crucifixion of Jesus, may God bless him.

A Book Full of Daily Miracles

145. When did you last read a book in which God says that he and his angels are continually blessing you?

146. A book that is read and recited at least 17 times a day, every day, by hundreds of millions of ordinary people around the world?

147. A book whose reading and recitation around the world goes on around the clock and does not ever stop?

148. A book that is committed to memory from cover to cover by hundreds of thousands of ordinary people around the world?

149. A book that is recited from memory, completely from cover to cover, in hundreds of thousands of mosques around the world during nightly prayers in the month of Ramadan?

150. A book that is widely read and recited on a daily basis by hundreds of millions of ordinary people around the world outside formal prayers?

151. That actually forms the basis for a great deal of belief and behavior for more than a billion Muslims around the world?

152. That has consistently been the predictor and lodestar of human progress in the world for the past 1400 years?

153. A book in line with whose teachings the world has been systematically changing for the past 1400 years?

154. A book that for the past 1400 years the rest of the world has been catching up to a little bit at a time?

155. A book that contains these and other equally amazing facts and yet which came out of the mouth of an “Unlettered Man” – as the Bible calls him?

156. That claims that God sent this “Unlettered Man” to educate the world.

157. A book from 1400 years ago that talks about its being a “Book” – and yet the land where this book came from did not have any books, writings, schools or libraries?

158. A book from 1400 years ago, that talks about teaching the human being through the medium of “The Pen” – and yet the land where this book came from was famous as being the land of an “Unlettered People“?

159. Well, did you ever read a book like that? Do you even know that a book like that exists in reality? And it is none other than that book, the most glorious Al-Qur’an?

Don’t you think you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of that book and read it – today?

Don’t you think we all do?

END

© 2007 Syed Husain Pasha

Dr. Syed Husain Pasha is an educator and scholar of exceptional 
talent, training and experience. He can be reached at DrSyedPasha [at] 
AOL [dot] com or www.IslamicSolutions.com.