What Matters Does the Qur'an Clarify?

What Matters Does the Qur'an Clarify?
By Bahram Samiei
The Holy Qur'an clarifies a great number of subjects. In fact, not all the Qur'anic revelations have been understood as yet. But as time goes by, theological, intellectual, scientific, and historical evidence contributes to a better understanding of these revelations by mankind. The following points are just a few examples:

(Tawhid) - The Oneness of God, the Exalted and
His Divine System
The following Qur'anic Verses are self-explanatory in defining the concept of Tawhid.]
"Say: He Allah, is one. Allah is He on Whom all depend. He begets not, nor is He begotten. And none is like Him.” (112:1-5)
"O followers of the Book! indeed Our Apostle has come to you making clear to you much of what you concealed of the Book and passing over much! indeed, there has come to you light and a clear Book from Allah. With it Allah guides him who will follow His pleasure into the ways of safety and brings them out of utter darkness into light by his will and guides them to the right path.”. (5:15-16)
"This is a sufficient exposition for the people and that may be warned thereby, and that they may know that He is One God and that those possessed of understanding may mind.” (14:52)
“And Allah has said: Take not two gods, He is only one God; so of Me alone should you be afraid.” (16:51)

The Unity of All Divine Religions;
Islam As A Concept
The concept of Islam - submission to the Will of Allah - is nothing new. It existed well before the development of Islam as a religion. The following Verses clarify that this concept was preached by all the major Prophets of Allah. This is a proof of the Unity of all Divine religions, even though they are differently named by mankind.
"When his Lord said to him, Be a Muslim, he (Ibrahim) said: I submit myself to the Lord of the worlds. And the same did Ibrahim enjoin on his sons and (so did) Yaqub. O my sons! surely Allah has chosen for you (this) faith, therefore die not unless you are Muslims." (2:131-32)
"But when Isa (Masih) perceived unbelief on their part, he said: `Who will be my helpers in Allah’s way? The disciples said: “We are helpers (in the way) of Allah: We believe in Allah and bear witness that we are submitting one’s.'" (3:52)
"O ye who believe! bow down and prostrate yourselves and serve your Lord, and do good that you may succeed. And strive hard in (the way of ) Allah, such a striving as is due to Him; He has chosen you and has not laid upon you any hardship in religion; the faith of your father Ibrahim; He named you Muslims before and in this, that the Apostle may be a bearer of witness to the people; therefore keep up prayer, and pay the poor-rate and hold fast by Allah; He is your Guardian; how excellent the Guardian and how excellent the helper!" (22:77-
This Verse has many important points but the one we need to concentrate on is: "It is He Who has named you Muslims, both before and in this (revelation)." This very clear and strong statement makes Islam distinctly different from all religions of the world in which people coin a name for their religion, normally after the person whom they follow. But when it comes to Islam, Allah the Exalted clearly says that He Himself selected this very profound name, for all His revelations, either before or during the time of Muhammad (SAW).
"And when Ibrahim and Ismail raised the foundation of the House: Our Lord! accept from us; surely Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing.' Our Lord! and make us both submissive to Thee and (raise) from our offspring a nation submitting to Thee, and show us our ways of devotion and turn to us (mercifully), surely Thou art the Oft-Returning (to mercy), the Merciful." (2:127-28)
"Sure the (true) religion with Allah is Islam, and those to whom the Book had been given did not show opposition but after knowledge had come to them, out of envy among themselves; and whoever disbelieves in the communications of Allah then surely Allah is quick in reckoning." (3:19)
The above Verses clearly confirm that Islam as a concept which existed from the early days of the religion of Allah, the Exalted, but it took centuries before this concept finally culminated as a religion by His Will through Muhammad (SAW), and the most appropriate name, ISLAM, was explicitly selected by Almighty Allah for his religion (din).
“Ibrahim was not a Jew nor a Christian but he was (an) upright (man), a Muslim, and he was not one of the polytheists.” (3:67)
"Say: We believe in Allah and what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq, Yaqub, and the Tribes, and what was given to Musa and Isa and the Prophets from their Lord; we do not make any distinction between any of them, and to Him do we submit. And whoever desires a religion other than Islam, and in the Hereafter, he shall be one of the losers." (3:84-85)
These passages clearly indicate that Islam as a concept goes back to the early days, and that this concept of total submission to Allah the Omnipotent has also been preached by other prominent messengers of Allah, the Exalted preceding the last Prophet (SAW).
It is significant to realize that in the entire Qur'an, the singular form "din" (religion) appears about 70 times but the plural form "adyan", not one single time. This clearly shows that there is only one din before Almighty Allah.

Islam As A Religion
Now let us see how this concept of Islam (submission to the Will of Allah) finally culminates in the form of a religion called "ISLAM". The Qur'an says:
"... This day have those who despaired of your religion, so fear them not, and fear Me. This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a Religion.." (5:3)
It is quite remarkable that in this very last perceptive revelation to Muhammad (SAW), Allah, the Omnipotent declares, emphatically, that the Religion founded from the early times and gradually augmented by various prophets is now perfect, is named ISLAM and is chosen for humankind. This verse was revealed when the Holy Prophet (SAW) was returning from what was to be his last pilgrimage (hajj). On that occasion he stopped at a place called Ghadir Khom and declared Imam Ali (AS) as his successor. All of the people who witnessed the Prophet’s (SAW) declaration also paid allegiance to Imam Ali (AS). This perceptive wahy (revelation) ends, only 81 days before the Last Prophet (SAW) leaves this world.

Islam As A Single Ummah (Community):
"And surely this your religion is one religion and I am your Lord, therefore be careful of you to Me." 23:52
"Surely this Islam is your religion, one religion (only), and I am your Lord, therefore, serve Me. And they broke their religion (into sects) between them: to Us shall all come back." (21:92-3)
In his well-known English translation of the Qur’an Yusuf Ali, writes:
"Allah's message was and ever is one; and His Messengers treated it as one. It is people of narrower minds who come later and trade on the earlier names that break up the message and brotherhood (Ummah) into jarring sects and tribes." (See p. 843, No. 2750)
The Islamic Ummah is one only in Exalted Allah's view. All the boundaries and differentiations are our own makings. These Verses and the translator's footnotes tell us about the Unity of Allah's Word from the beginning to the end, the Unity of His religion, mankind, and the entire universe.

The Universality of Islam
The Holy Qur'an says:
"And We have not sent you but to all mankind as a bearer of good news and as a Warner, but most men do not know.” (34:28)
This is a very clear statement of the Universality of Allah's Religion (the concept and religion of Islam). There are more Qur'anic Verses to follow, for example:
"Certainly We sent Nuh to his people, and he said: O my people! serve Allah, you have no god other than Him, surely! I fear for you the chastisement of a grievous day.'" (7:59)
"And to Ad (We sent) their brother Hud. He said: O my people! serve Allah, you have no god other than Him; will you not then guard (against evil)?” (7:65)
"And unto Madyan We sent their brother Shuayb. He said: O my people! Worship Allah. You have no other god but Him." (7:85)
"And to the tribe of Thamud (We sent) their brother Salih. He said: O my people! serve Allah. You have no god other than Him.” (7:73)
"And certainly We raised in every nation an apostle saying: Serve Allah and shun the Shaitan.” (16:36)
"And We sent Nuh to his people, so he remained among them a thousand years less fifty...." (29:14)
"And (We sent) Ibrahim, when he said to his people: Serve Allah and be careful of (your duty to) Him; This is best for you, if you did but know:” (29:16)
Every Prophet was sent unto his own nation for their guidance, but the message of the Last Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is general for all mankind. Again the Qur'an says:
"Say: O people! surely I am the Apostle of Allah to you all ... .” (7:158)
"And it is naught but a reminder to the nations." (68:52)
Therefore, it is obvious that Allah's Religion had entered a universal level by the time Islam was introduced as a way of life (Din) and that the Holy Qur'an is a Book of Guidance for all mankind, in all places and for all times.

Confirmation of Previous Revelations
The Holy Qur'an says:
"He has revealed to you the Book with truth, verifying that which is before it, and He revealed the Tavrat and the Injeel aforetime, a guidance for the people, and He sent the Furqan.” 3:3)
"Naught is said to you but what was said to the Apostles before you... ." (41:43)

Correction of People's Misunderstanding and Misbelief
The Holy Qur'an again says:
"And they say: Allah has taken to Himself a son'. Glory be to Him; rather, whatever is in the heavens and the earth is His; all are obedient to Him." (2:116)