QURAN - THE SACRED BOOK OF ISLAM The Only Preserved Scripture

As we learn from the scriptures, all the previously revealed books had been sent by God so that man might be informed of the nature of his life. The Quran, the last of the revealed books, endorses all the revealed books which preceded it. But this endorsement applies to them only in their original, pristine versions. The religious scriptures preceding the Quran were — as is claimed by their followers — divine in origin. But from the point of view of academic authenticity they have lost their original credibility. This is due to alteration, deletion and interpolation. According to the Quran, the only authentic version of God’s message to mankind is that revealed by Him to His final Prophet. The study of the Quran tells us that it is individual-based rather than system-oriented. That is, the actual target of the holy book is to change the thinking of the individual. Changing the system is not the Quran’s direct objective. For the system is subservient to the individual and not vice versa. That is why the utmost emphasis is placed on inculcating right thinking in man. Yet, it is not the method of the Quran to set out everything in advance, in detail. It rather encourages individuals to think for themselves along the proper lines, so that they may discover for themselves the great truths of life. In educational terminology this is called the discovery method. Islamic teachings can be summed up under two basic headings — believing in One God and worshipping Him alone; regarding all human beings as equal and according equal rights to all. In brief, monotheism and justice for all — the Quran enshrines these basic teachings, dealing with them in their abstract and practical forms, but for a detailed application of their wisdom, one must go to the Hadith (the sayings and deeds of Prophet Muhammad). As far as social life is concerned, the essence of Islamic teaching is that God has granted freedom to everyone. This freedom in itself demands that people should lead their lives with proper restraint. For if freedom is exercised without restraint, it will inevitably result in friction, outright clashes and the descent of society into chaos. Social equilibrium can be maintained only if conscience prevails over Social equilibrium can be maintained only if conscience prevails over the ego.