Quran’s Role

The Prophet of Islam used this peaceful method to bring about a revolution in which so little blood was shed that it can be called a bloodless revolution. Thus, a new thinking movement emerged in history— not based on violence, but based on non-violence. This movement continued, and finally in the 20th century, the idea of peaceful struggle was accepted around the world. The Quran contains many verses that emphasize reflection and thought (tafakkur wa tadabbur). That is, people are urged: Think. Use your mind. Discover the secrets of the heavens and the earth. The Quran opened people’s closed minds. It replaced blind following with rational thinking. People’s mental horizons expanded. On one side, their minds awakened, and on the other, they began to uncover the hidden laws of the universe and make use of them. This intellectual revolution started in Makkah, spread to Madinah, then to Damascus, followed by Baghdad. It flourished further in Spain, and eventually reached different parts of Europe, until its influence extended across the entire world. The Quran has left a deep imprint on the intellectual history of humanity. The truth is, without including the Quran, the intellectual journey of humanity and the history of its development cannot be fully understood. All India Radio, New Delhi, 24 September 1996.