Aslam

Praise be to Allah.The

Qur’aan is the word of the Lord of the Worlds, which Allaah revealed

to His Messenger Muhammad

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), to bring mankind forth

from darkness into light:

“It is He Who sends down manifest Ayaat

(proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) to His

slave (Muhammad) that He may bring you out from darkness into light

[al-Hadeed

57:9 – interpretation of the meaning]

Allaah

has told us in the Qur’aan the stories of the earlier and later generations

and the creation of the heavens and the earth. He has explained in detail

what is halaal and what is haraam, the basics of good manners and morals,

the rulings of worship and dealings with others, the lives of the Prophets

and the righteous, and the reward and punishment of the believers and

disbelievers. He has described Paradise, the abode of the believers,

and He has described Hell, the abode of the disbelievers. He has made

it (the Qur’aan) an explanation of all things:

“And We have sent down to you the Book

(the Qur’aan) as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and

glad tidings for those who have submitted themselves (to Allaah as Muslims)”

[al-Nahl 16:89 – interpretation of the meaning]

The

Qur’aan explains the names and attributes of Allaah and what He has

created. It calls us to believe in Allaah, His angels, His Books, His

Messengers and the Last Day:

“The Messenger (Muhammad) believes in

what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers.

Each one believes in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers.

(They say,) ‘We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers’

— and they say, ‘We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your forgiveness, our

Lord, and to You is the return (of all)’”

[al-Baqarah 2:285 – interpretation of the meaning]

The

Qur’aan describes the Day of Judgement and what will happen after death

– the resurrection, the gathering, the judgement and being brought to

account. It describes the Cistern, the Siraat (bridge over Hell), the

Balance [in which deeds will be weighed], the blessings and torment,

and the gathering of mankind on that great Day:

“Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has

the right to be worshipped but He). Surely, He will gather you together

on the Day of Resurrection about which there is no doubt. And who is

truer in statement than Allaah?

[al-Nisaa’ 4:87 – interpretation of the meaning]

The

Qur’aan calls us to examine and ponder the signs of Allaah in the universe

and the verses of the Qur’aan:

“Say: ‘Behold all that is in the heavens

and the earth’”

[Yoonus 10:101 – interpretation of the meaning]

“Do they not then think deeply in the

Qur’aan, or are their hearts locked up (from understanding it)?”

[Muhammad 47:24 – interpretation of the meaning]

The Qur’aan is the Book of Allaah for all

of mankind:

“Verily, We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the

Book (this Qur’aan) for mankind in truth. So whosoever accepts the guidance,

it is only for his ownself; and whosoever goes astray, he goes astray

only for his (own) loss. And you (O Muhammad) are not a Wakeel (trustee

or disposer of affairs, or guardian) over them”[al-Zumar 39:41 – interpretation

of the meaning]

The Qur’aan confirms the Books which came

before it, the Tawraat (Torah) and Injeel (Gospel), and it is a witness

over them, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book

(this Qur’aan) in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it

and Muhaymin (trustworthy in highness and a witness) over it (old Scriptures)”[al-Maa'idah

5:48]

After the Qur’aan was revealed, it became

the Book for all of mankind until the Hour begins. Whoever does not

believe in it is a kaafir who will be punished with torment on the Day

of Resurrection, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“But those who reject Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences,

verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), the torment will touch them

for their disbelief (and for their belying the Message of Muhammad)”[al-An’aam

6:49]

Because of the greatness of the Qur’aan and

the signs, miracles, parables and lessons contained therein, in addition

to its eloquence and beautiful style, Allaah says (interpretation of

the meaning):

“Had We sent down this Qur’aan on a mountain, you

would surely have seen it humbling itself and rent asunder by the fear

of Allaah. Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that

they may reflect”[al-Hashr 58:21]

Allaah has challenged mankind and the jinn

to produce something like it, even one soorah or one aayah, but they

could not do that and will never be able to do that, as Allaah says

(interpretation of the meaning):

“Say: ‘If the mankind and the jinn were together

to produce the like of this Qur’aan, they could not produce the like

thereof, even if they helped one another’”[al-Israa’ 17:88]

Because the Qur’aan

is the greatest of the heavenly Books, the most complete, the most perfect

and the last of them, Allaah commanded His Messenger Muhammad

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to convey it to all of mankind,

as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O Messenger (Muhammad)! Proclaim (the Message) which

has been sent down to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you

have not conveyed His Message. Allaah will protect you from mankind”

[al-Maa'idah 5:67]

Because of the importance

of this book and the ummah’s need for it, Allaah has honoured us with

it. He sent it down to us and has guaranteed to preserve it. Allaah

says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr

(i.e. the Qur’aan) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption)” [al-Hijr

15:9]