The Holy Quran is the greatest gift of Allah to mankind. Its purpose is to guide humanity to a straight path, awaken the human conscience, and enlighten the human mind. Its instructions are aimed at the general welfare of human beings.
Allah speaks of the Quran as a spirit of life and as a light by which His servants are guided to the straight path. He says:
“. but We have made the (Quran) a light, wherewith we guide such of Our servants as We will.. (42: 52)
It is the actual word of Allah and it is beyond human imagination to produce anything like it. Some of the Holy Prophet’s PBUH contemporaries were the greatest masters of the Arabic language, but they could not produce anything like the Quran either in content or in style. The Quran says:
“If the whole of mankind and Jin were to gather together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support.” (17: 88)
Allah has perfected His religion for all mankind with the revelation of this Book. He says:
“..This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.”” (5: 3)
The Holy Quran is a complete and comprehensive Book, clearly defining the permitted and forbidden, the lawful and the unlawful as the Quran itself confirms:
“. .. Nothing have We omitted from the Book..”(6: 38)
And also:
….And We have sent down to thee a Book explaining all (16: 89)
The Quran is spiritual guidance for man, his system of law, his code of ethics, and above all, his way of life. It embraces all walks of life and covers the entire field of human affairs, whether spiritual, intellectual, political, social, or economic. It is a code that has no boundaries and barriers of time, place, or nation.
One of the major characteristics of the Quran is that in its wisdom there is a moving force that provokes the mind and stirs, as is evident from the fact that when the Holy Prophet PBUH first started to preach, his only power was the Quranic wisdom through which he attracted people to Islam.
The Quran characterizes moderation, and harmony between the material and spiritual, the individual and collective. The Quran pays attention to all the needs of man and deals with them in such a way as to help him realize the noble objectives of his being. Because of this approach of moderation, the Quran calls the Muslims, a ‘middle nation’ and the best people, evolved for mankind, to enjoin the right and forbid the wrong. (3: 110)
This unique Book enjoys the distinction of being authentic, pure and original both in its contents and order, a quality that no other book of any kind can claim. It stands today as it first came down, over 1400 years ago, and shall always remain to be so as Allah has promised to safeguard it from any violations in its purity: “We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption)” (15: 9)
