The Qur’ān is dismissive of people who argue about God, “without knowledge, without any true guidance, and without any scripture to enlighten them.” (22:8, 31:20) According to Moulana Abdur Rahman Keelani, knowledge refers to observation and experiment, guidance to ratiocination, and illuminating scripture to what has been heard and recorded. (Tayseerul Qur’ān, Urdu, Vol. III, p.141). Moulana Maudoodi rightly thinks that “hudan” or guidance refers to the instructions given by a (Prophet or) guide, who has observed the reality himself. (Tafheemul Qur’ān, Urdu Vol. IV p.21). The Scripture, therefore, is the most highly reliable source to learn about all aspects and attributes of God, because it is given to us through a qualified guide and its statements stand the test of rationality.
For example, it is stated in The New Testament that God is one and Jesus is His Messenger. “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (St. John 17:3) God sends His Messenger. The Qur’ān says, “There is no God other than Allah” (47:19) and that “Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger” (48:29) and that Allah “has sent for the Messenger with the Guidance and the True Religion,” (61:9) and that the Qur’ān reflects Allah’s knowledge, “Whatever He has revealed to you He has revealed with His knowledge”. (4:166) The Qur’ān appeals to its readers to observe within and without for God’s signs and urges them to ponder over its verses (4:82) and not to keep their hearts locked. All the three ways of securing information about God enumerated above are thus encompassed in the Qur’ān.
Unlike other written works, a scripture is given to an individual, particularly picked and trained by God through His Messenger – Angel. God reserves His right to extend His grace to whomsoever He likes for discharging the duties of a Prophet. (62:4) A scripture is not authored by the one who gives it but by God. “Indeed (We) sent down with them (the Messengers) the Book.” (57:25)
The Book given to Moses is “Guidance and Light” (The Qur’ān, 5:44) The Book given to Jesus is “Guidance and Light”. (ibid., 5:46) The Scriptures are sent for implementation. (5:66) The Prophet was expected to deliver the Qur’ān fully. (5:67) No scripture is delivered to every Tom, Dick and Harry. Though the scriptures are given to different Prophets in their respective mother-tongues (14:4) and different laws may be promulgated, (Hebrews, 7:12) there is unity in diversity among them and so they constitute one Book.
How this unity is highlighted both in content and style will be dealt with in the following paragraphs. God takes the initiative to introduce Himself to His devotees.
1. There is a cluster of His names.
The Spectator, the One who permits, the Supporter, the One who experiences, the Great Lord, and the Supreme Self. (Gita, 13:22, Swami Chidbhavananda’s translation)
The Imperishable, the Indefinable, the Unmanifest, the Omnipresent, the Unthinkable, the Unchangeable, the Immovable, the Eternal. (ibid, 12:3)
The Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Law-giver, the Lord is our King: he will save. (Isaiah, 33:22)
Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty. (I Chronicles, 29:11)
He is Allah: there is no other God than Him; the Knower of the unseen and the manifest, He is the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. He is Allah: there is no other God than Him: the King, the Holy, the All Peace, the Giver of security, the Overseer, the Most Mighty, the Overpowering, the All-Great. Exalted be He from whatever they associate with Him. He is Allah, the Planner, Executor and Fashioner of creation. His are the names most beautiful. (The Qur’ān 19:22-24)
Allah is Most Appreciative, Most Forbearing. He knows that which is beyond the ken of perception as well as that which can be perceived. He is the Most Mighty, the Most Wise. (ibid 64:17, 18)
2. All forms of devotion are to be dedicated to God alone.
Sacrifice to Me; prostrate before me; so shall you come to Me. (Gita, 18: 65)
So offer Prayer and Sacrifice to your Lord alone. (Qur’ān, 108:2)
“Say: Surely my Prayer, all my acts of worship (including ritual sacrifice) and my living and dying are only for Allah, the Lord of the whole universe.” (ibid, 6:162)
“Prostrate yourself and come closer (to God).” (ibid 96:19)
3. There are five themes in a Scripture.
The Prophet (May Allah bless and greet him) said: There are five themes in the Qur’ān – Halal, Haram, Mohkam, Mutashabih and Amthal. So, what is permitted should be treated as halal, what is proscribed should be treated as haram, act in keeping with Mohkam (that section of the Qur’ān which deals with belief, law, etc.) and believe in Mutashabih (that section of the Qur’ān which deals with the invisible objects like heaven, hell, majestic Throne of God, kursi, etc.), without much probing, and draw a lesson from Amthal (historical narratives of the decline and fall of nations). (Rah-e-Amal, Moulana Jaleel Ahsan Nadwi, p.24) What is true of the Qur’ān is mostly true of other scriptures too.
4. The one theme about God that engages the scriptures is the question whether we can see Him.
You cannot see Me with these eyes of yours; I give you divine sight; behold my Supreme Yoga.” (Gita, 11:8)
“And he said, Thou canst not see my face; for there shall no man see me and live.” (Exodus, 33:20)
“(Jacob): I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved.” (Genesis, 32:30)
“I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up.” (Isaiah, 6:1)
“The heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.” (Ezekiel, 1:1)
“Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God.” (Matthew, 5:8)
“In my flesh shall I see God.” (Job, 19:26)
“God the blessed and only Ruler….whom no one has seen or can see.” (I Timothy, 6:15, 16)
“Without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews, 12:14)
“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (St. John 14:9)
“Never can you see Me. However, behold this mount; if it remains firm in its place, only then will you be able to see Me.” (Qur’ān, 7:143)
“No visual perception can encompass Him, even though He encompasses all visual perception. He is the All-Subtle, the All-Aware.” (ibid., 6:103)
Conditional negativity in the answers is worth noting.
5. The treatment meted out to the Messengers of God by the denigrators is a part of the contents.
“But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets until the wrath of God arose.” (II Chron, 36:16)
“Was there ever a Prophet your fathers did not persecute?” (Acts, 7:52)
The New Testament describes how the Jewish priestly class resorted to conspiracies and hostilities against Jesus Christ in his lifetime and put him on the way to the cross.
“Never did a Messenger come to the nations that preceded them but they said,” (He is) a sorcerer or a madman.” (51:52) “Let not their words grieve you. Surely We know all things about them, what they conceal and what they reveal.” (36:76) The Makkans persecuted him to such an extent that the Prophet (May Allah bless and greet him) had no other option but to migrate to Medina.
6. Every scripture backs the claim of the Messenger to whom it is revealed.
“He sent prophets to them to bring them again unto the Lord.” (11 Chronicles, 24:19)
“The one whom God has sent speaks the words of God; to him God gives the Spirit without limit.” (St. John, 3: 34)
The Qur’ān testifies: “Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger.” (48:29) “Surely Allah conferred a great favour on the believers when He raised from among them a Messenger to recite to them His Signs (verses), and to purify them, and to teach them the Book and Wisdom.” (3: 164) The Qur’ān announces to the Prophet: “Surely, you are on the Straight Way.” (43:43) “Surely you are directing people to the Straight Way.” (42:52) “You are certainly on the most exalted standard of moral excellence.” (68:4) “Do put your trust in Allah for you are on the manifest truth.” (27:79) “We have sent you forth as nothing but mercy to people of the whole world.” (21:107) “Surely, there is a good example for you in the Messenger of Allah, for all those who look forward to Allah and the Last Day and remember Allah much.” (33:21)
What the Prophet’s enemies think of him is not at all important; what Allah thinks of him is indeed important.
7. The Scriptures discuss life after death, heaven and hell.
“Hell is verily the lot of the family and family – destroyers through caste – admixture; for, their ancestors fall deprived of manes-cakes and libations.” (Gita, 1:42)
Arjuna’s dejection is described as asvargyam, i.e. heaven–excluding.
“A warfare that comes unsought as an open gateway to heaven.” (Gita, 2:32)
“Slain you will gain heaven, victorious you will enjoy the earth.” (ibid, 2: 37)
“He, liberated from evil, shall attain the auspicious regions of the righteous.” (ibid., 18:71)
“The worship of the paramatman is the righteous path. He who follows this dictum achieves the best of worlds where there is perpetual happiness.” (Rig Veda, Books for All, New Delhi, p.30).
8. Imagery of light
All scriptures stress the imagery of light.
“God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” (I John, 1:5)
“God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light.”(I Timothy, 6:15, 16)
He is the Creator of light too, “And God said, Let there be light; and there was light.” (Genesis, 1:3)
“John was a lamp that burned and gave light.” (St. John, 5:35)
“I have come into the world as a light.”(St. John, 12:46)
The Qur’ān uses this imagery of light too.
“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.” (24:35)
“O Prophet, We have sent you forth as a witness,… as one who calls people to Allah by His leave, and as a bright, shining lamp (or sun).” (33:45) His mission is to “bring forth” mankind from every kind of darkness into light.” (14:1) Compare Acts, 26:18.
The Qur’ān is light too. (See 5:174, 7:15, 57:28). “There has come to you from Allah a (new) light and a perspicuous Book.” (5:15) “So believe in Allah and in His Messenger and in the Light that We have sent down.” (64:8)
The believers will be granted light in the hereafter. (See 57:12) They will pray, “Our Lord, perfect for us over light and forgive us.” (66:8)
The Gita (11:12) makes use of the imagery of light for God. “If the splendour of a thousand suns were to blaze forth all at once in the sky, that (phenomenon) would be like the splendour of that Mahatman.”
“The Light of all lights, He is said to be beyond darkness.” (Gita, 13:7)
(to be concluded)