IDEA 57
What the Qur’an Does NOT Contain
Falsehood does not approach it from before it or behind — a revelation from someone Who is Sagacious, Laudable. (Q41:42)
Many newcomers to the Qur'an approach it from behind, i.e., with various preconceptions of what it should contain. These prejudices have been loaded onto their mental shoulders without their even realizing what they are carrying. Consequently, their hearts and minds are shut and bolted so firmly that they never realize that it is GOD -- their GOD -- Who is knocking on their spiritual door with the herbal verses and injections of Divine Intelligence that could cure their deafness.
Here are some items that you will not find in your local Qur'anic pharmacy. You can cross them off your list right now.
* A long list of bullet-point generalities like this one
* Visual or mnemonic aids such as maps, charts, or diagrams
* Aids to silent reading, such as paragraphs or punctuation, except for verse and chapter endings
* Capital letters or any means of emphasizing some words over others
* Poetic or literary effects unrelated to the main message, i.e., rhetorical flourishes or verbal beauty for beauty's sake
* Humour or any form of entertainment
* A consistent or logical progression of ideas within chapters or from one chapter to the next
* The kinds of formal proof favoured by logicians and philosophers, such as syllogisms
* Elaborate metaphysical theories that cannot be stated in a line or two
* Comprehensive definitions or discussions of abstract topics that require more than an average adult's mental faculties to understand
* Any mention of existence, essence, attribute, form, or material -- basic concepts in Greek philosophical discourse at the time of revelation
* An orderly set of principles by which to formulate a conclusive theory in epistemology, ethics, politics, aesthetics, psychology, or in any of the physical sciences, such as biology, geology, or astronomy
* The possibility of biological life on other planets or in other cosmic entities
* The possibility of human travel by physical means beyond this Earth
* A series of narratives that form one nearly continuous historical arc, such as what we find in the Bible
* Detailed depictions of the life and times of any prophet
* Calendrical dates or exact geographical locations, except a few indisputable reference points, such as the Sacred Mosque
* Descriptions of specific esoteric practices such as meditation, lucid dreaming, breath control, or energy healing
* Specific remedies for health or hygiene, except one reference to honey
* Techniques or discoveries that would explicitly contribute to economic progress
* Scientific facts sufficiently precise to be measurable and thus verifiable by modern science
* Detailed prescriptions for various aspects of Islamic jurisprudence, such as how to perform ritual worship or the pilgrimage
* Definite rules on how to conduct the tasks of government, diplomacy, and warfare
By excluding all these (and many more, but this should suffice for now), AL-LAH is inviting us to concentrate on what is most important for readers of any era in any place on Earth. These are, in short:
* Who GOD is
* Who you the reader are
* What He has provided and/or offered you
* What you can and/or should do for Him
* What life in this world is like, in general terms applicable to nearly everyone (exceptions being those who have no chance to respond, such as souls who are taken in the womb or in infancy)
* What constitutes a healthy, blessed community in the sight of GOD
* What we can expect to experience in the Everafter, depending on our beliefs and deeds here
This list, of course, could be expanded in so many different ways without much effect upon these foundational themes of the Qur'an.
The question for us now is: 'How are we utilizing the Qur'an to eliminate our preconceptions of what we should be getting from it while heightening our appreciation of what was intended for us in it?' Or, in other words, 'How are we modifying our life and attitudes so that the contents of the Qur'an constitute our primary focus and standard of judgement?'
We may be looking for other things, either in the Qur'an or elsewhere, and finding what seems to satisfy our wants. The Qur'an, meanwhile, is telling us not only what we really want but, more importantly, what we really need. And that, ultimately, is what I have reiterated in Ideas Inspired by the Qur'an: "If AL-LAH is all you have, you have it all."
Download the PDF version for free at Ideas Inspired by the Qur’ān – Mont Redmond complete version, or purchase a hard copy at Ideas Inspired by the Qur’an: Redmond, Mont: 9781738842506: Books – Amazo
