Quran’s Role

eventually spread across the known world. Because the movement began with knowledge, all other good things followed naturally. The second key message the Quran emphasised was freedom of thought. At that time, for thousands of years, the world had been under the rule of royal dictatorships. People were forced to think like their kings and accept their views as the final truth. This rule of force had closed the doors of human development for centuries. Growth in knowledge and thinking is only possible when people have the freedom to reflect and form their own opinions—and this freedom was absent in ancient times. The Quran (2:193) refers to this system of forced thinking as a fitnah (a great trial). It made it a duty for those influenced by the Quran to stand against such systems and to work towards building one based on intellectual freedom. This revolution was also achieved through the influence of the Quran. The Quran created an atmosphere where every person was free to use their mind. Even an ordinary person could speak openly against a ruler or caliph. This marked the beginning of a new intellectual process in history, which, step by step, brought the modern era of freedom of thought. Before the revelation of the Quran, nature was regarded as sacred and held in reverence. People believed it should only be worshipped or respected, not explored or altered.