Qur'an: Key to Total Development

[bamalli]

The Holy Qur'an, the Divine Word of God the Almighty, functions in a holistic system approach to development for man's complete peace and prosperity both in this world and in the Hereafter.

It is the most comprehensive and perfect guidance to all mankind in all walks of life and in all situations. It identifies the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) as the universal Messenger of God to all mankind. The Messenger of God serves as the best model for the whole of humanity toward the right path. One very important Divine Revelation that the Holy Qur'an brings to all nations is the belief in the Unity or Oneness of Allah, the Almighty God.

To cast away the doubts of mankind (of the Qur'an's divine nature), Allah repeatedly stresses that He was the One Who revealed it to the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS). Its authenticity is unquestionable, leaving no doubts as to its purity, originality and totality of its text. Allah protects it from any form of corruption. In content, nature, tone and style, none can produce even few lines similar to it. In short, it is magnificently unique in many ways, reflecting the divinity of its Author.

Every man who seriously reads the Holy Qur'an will realize that it is the Word of God. Even non-Muslim scholars affirm its divine nature. Indeed, no one deserves to be the Author of the Holy Qur'an, except God. This is the fact that every rational thinking man should reflect and ponder upon himself. For verily, the Holy Qur'an appeals and enlightens man to the Truth - all for man's complete guidance toward the perfect way of life, that is Islam.

If the United Nations Organization is sincere in its goal to work for the full development of human personality then it should play an active role in redirecting education to offer courses on Islamic Studies or at least a comprehensive study of the Holy Qur'an.

Such very important subjects should be taught by Muslim professors and never by non-Muslims, for objective presentation of the divine teachings. Likewise, it should ban the publication of books and other reading materials which distort Islamic teachings, especially the Divine Word of Allah. This will protect man from falsehood and at the same time guarantee him freedom to search for the Truth.

Verily, the Holy Qur'an is the true undistorted Word of God and that the Truth is from Him. Man's promising future lies upon the Holy Qur'an being the Divine Word of God.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Muslim countries should help other countries of the world to develop in the field of Islam. They should support various Islamic organizations to be active world-wide in propagating the Truth.
More of their international aid to various states should come in the form of Islamic education (both formal and informal).
They should establish madrasahs (religious institutions) and schools that integrate Islamic and Arabic Studies into the curricula in different parts of the world. More international Islamic Universities should be founded in various continents of the world. Scholarships should be extended to deserving students taking up Islamic Studies. Islamic libraries for the general public should be built in addition to the construction of more Mosques in different countries.

More copies of the Holy Qur'an should be translated in other languages. Ahadith (Traditions of Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )] and Islamic books and literature written by Muslim scholars should be sent if possible to all libraries and distributed free to interested readers.

Radio and television programs on understanding the Holy Qur'an and other aspects of the Islamic Teachings should be made accessible to all, wherever possible. More conferences, seminars and lectures on Islam should be conducted where non-Muslims are invited to attend to clarify their doubts and misconceptions about Islam and the Divine Word of Allah.

Muslims all over the world should strictly observe and practice the teachings of the Holy Qur'an and that of the Prophet's Ahadith. They should be guided by the Divine Word of Allah not merely in words and in thoughts but wholeheartedly in deeds and in actions. In this way they could help correct the misconceptions of non-Muslims about Islam.

They should bear in mind that most non-believers of the Faith usually associate the behaviour of the Muslims with Islam. They tend to generalize the unrighteousness done by one or a few non-practicing Muslims with the whole Muslim Ummah (community of Muslim believers).

Knowing that not all Muslims are literate enough to read and understand the Holy Qur'an even in its translations to other languages, efforts should be made by the governments of the different countries (including non-Muslim states) to provide proper Islamic education to them. By making them religious Muslims, they could be great assets both to their respective nations and to the world as a whole.

Muslim scholars and those who have imbibed deep knowledge of Islam should be steadfast in sharing with others what they know, particularly that of the Divine Word of Allah. Muslim and non-Muslim intellectuals who lack knowledge of the Holy Qur'an should find time to read it over and over again. They have been reading numerous books all through their lives, yet they ignore to read the most important Book, the Holy Qur'an.

Truly, the Holy Qur'an is the Divine Word of God which certainly guides us to the complete and perfect system of life for our own total development.

[Summarized from: Holy Qur'an: The Book of Guidance]