Taking The Quran as a Guide

Chapter 8: Allah Explains Everything in The Qur'an

We have sent down the Book to you making all things clear, and as guidance and mercy and good news for the Muslims. (Surat an-Nahl: 89)

To bring all people out of the darkness and into the light, Allah sent us the Qur'an to explain every issue and provide every solution. As we read:

We have sent down the Book to you making all things clear, and as guidance and mercy and good news for the Muslims. (Surat an-Nahl: 89)

On the other hand, Allah states: "We have not neglected anything in the Book – then they will be gathered to their Lord"(Surat al-An'am: 38).In the Qur'an, Allah explains everything in the most perfect, wise, and concise manner. This is a manifestation of Allah's Mercy to His servants. In the Qur'an, He informs us of the basic tenets of true faith, many issues related to life in this world and the next, the ideal morality for people of faith, and many other issues that guide humanity. Allah introduces Himself to us through the Qur'an, explains that He created everything from nothing, that He is exalted above anything, that He sees and hears secrets and what is even more concealed, and that He knows everything.

The Qur'an gives a detailed account of why and how man was created, the type of life that earns Allah's good pleasure, the forms of worship, a description of moral excellence, ways to remain mentally and physically healthy, and how to deal with problems, emergencies, and various people in society. It also contains signs of scientific facts, knowledge related to daily life, social problems, the Day of Judgment, Paradise and Hell, and many other issues. In other words, the Qur'an provides all of the basic knowledge that people may need at any time. As we read:

And thus We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an and have diversified thererin the warnings that perhaps they will avoid (sin) or it would cause them remembrance. (Surah Ta Ha: 113)

We have displayed throughout this Qur'an all kinds of examples for people, but most people spurn anything but disbelief. (Surat al-Isra': 89)

We have displayed throughout this Qur'an all kinds of examples for people. (Surat al-Kahf: 54)

In the Qur'an, Allah informs all people that they must comply unconditionally with His judgments, take Him as their sole friend and guardian, and make earning His good pleasure and Paradise their only goal in life. For those who live in compliance with the Qur'an, the Qur'an is the sole criterion and our Prophet's (saas) path is the only path worth following. The Qur'an informs us that true Muslims of all eras have abandoned their society's fallacious religion and turned to Allah and His commands. For instance, the Qur'an relates how the Companions of the Cave, a group of young believers, were condemned and threatened with death because they rejected their forefathers' religion and sought refuge in a cave (Surat al-Kahf: 13-16). Prophet Yusuf's (as) turning to Allah is an example of this:For I have left the religion of a people who clearly have no faith in Allah and are unbelievers in the Hereafter. I hold fast to the creed of my forebears Ibrahim, Ishaq, and Ya'qub. We do not associate anything with Allah. (Surah Yusuf: 37-38)

In the spiritual sense, abandoning society's fallacious religion means to separate oneself entirely from that religion's adherents. In other words, it means that a person has been entirely purified of his or her former form of worship, belief, value judgments, manner of reasoning, moral codes, customs and traditions, modes of behavior and lifestyle that conflict with the Qur'an, although their society still adheres to such things, and has embraced Allah's revelation as the basic point of reference.

Allah is pleased with Islam as a religion for His servants. For that reason, He sent down the Qur'an as a guide to them and set the life of our Prophet (saas) as an example. The only right and just path is Allah's path, as described in the Qur'an. All other paths are unjust and wrong, and are based upon bigotry, heresy, and conjecture. Therefore, people may hope to be treated well in Allah's sight, provided that they comply meticulously with His commands, perform good deeds to earn His good pleasure, and follow in our Prophet's (saas) footsteps.

As Allah informs us in the Qur'an, the Words of our Lord are "perfect in truthfulness and justice," and only those who adhere to the Qur'an and the Sunna of our Prophet (saas) can attain to the truest and most accurate knowledge. There is no "judge" other than Allah, as stated in the following verse:(Say), "Am I to desire someone other than Allah as a judge when it is He Who has sent down the Book to you clarifying everything?" Those We have given the Book know that it has been sent down from your Lord with truth, so on no account be among the doubters. The Words of your Lord are perfect in truthfulness and justice. No one can change His Words. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. (Surat al-An'am: 114-115)

Also, our Prophet (saas) said that it is the unique source to which all people should refer. We find some of his admonitions in the following prophetic traditions:

The Qur'an is a strong rope of Allah, meaning that it is a reliable means of linking with Allah and a firm charter of guidance. It is the straight path. The Qur'an is the clear truth that keeps thoughts from straying. (Tirmidhi)

The Messenger of Allah said: "These hearts become rusty, just as iron becomes rusty when water gets into it." Someone asked: "O Messenger of Allah, how can these be cleared?" He said: "A great deal of remembrance of death and recitation of the Qur'an." (Bayhaqi; Manzoor No'mani, Ma'ariful Hadith [Pakistan], 85.)

Rejoice, for verily this Qur'an – one part of it is in the hands of Allah and the other part is in your hands. Therefore, hold on to it, for you will never be destroyed nor go astray after it! (Musnad Ahmad).