The Qur'an: Its Reading, Collection and Preservation in the American Muslim

THE KORAN: THE READING COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION IN HISTORY

By: Abu Al-A'la Al-Maududi

Extract (fragments) of the book "Basic Principles for Understanding the Quran" published in 1986 in Madrid, by the Islamic Centre in Spain and the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs of Kuwait. The book and served as introduction entitled "The Meaning of the Quran," a monumental work by the same author.

The same text, expanded and revised, is also available in the book "Learn the Qur'an", published in 2006 in Riyadh by International Islamic Publishing House.

THE KORAN: A BOOK ONLY

Before beginning the study of the Koran, we must remember that it is a unique book (without it), completely different all conventional books, information, ideas and arguments on specific issues in accordance with literature. Therefore, a layman is bewildered at not finding the items advertised, chapters and selections according to a conventional order, or treated separately. By contrast, the different aspects of life are treated in a completely different way. The Koran is beliefs, moral instructions, statutes and laws, warns the disbelievers, calls upon human beings to embrace the Islamic faith.

Exposes teachings of historical events, admonishes, announces the good news, and all mixed in a beautiful way. The same theme is repeated in different ways and a question follows another without any apparent connection. Sometimes a new theme appears in the middle of another without obvious reason. The speaker and the speaker and the leadership to manage, change unexpectedly. Historical events are not presented as historical texts to the way the human historian. The treatment of the problems of philosophy and metaphysics differs from the sacred texts by humans to these substances. The man and the universe are considered in a different language to that used in the natural sciences. It is also original in its approach to solving the problems cultural, political, social and economic.

principles and mandates of the law are treated in a manner totally different from sociologists, legislators and jurists. The moral is proclaimed and preached in a way that is unparalleled in all the literature on the subject.

Therefore, the unsuspecting reader sees the Qur'anic text with preconceived ideas, and finding none conventional incoherent mystify and judges, without order or continuity in their verses on the subject. As a result of this lack of initiation into the text of the Koran, his critics are hesitant to draw fallacious and absurd objections. It sometimes comes to disturb some of his modern followers, to get rid of doubts, take refuge in foreign considerations. Elude the elucidation of the matter developed amazing speculations, for reassurance. Sometimes trying to create artificial connections between the verses and come to accept even conception-forged by the detractors that there is coherence and order on the issues, and therefore isolated verses out of context give rise to confusion in assessing their significance.

This happens when the reader does not take into consideration unnoticed as the unique and unparalleled revelation of God in the Qur'anic verses and Suras.

To penetrate the Quranic revelation, all preconceived ideas about style, method and order, and the design of what should be a book of "religion" should be dissolved. Without prejudice may penetrate into its essence and draw enrich your soul with a unique and priceless treasure. [...]

Precious

aids will unravel the truth Quranic knowledge of their true nature, its central idea, the goal and theme. Also, the style, terms and methods, environment and circumstances (historical context) must be taken either to penetrate present their evidence. [...]

COLLECTION

God to reveal the Qur'an enacted the provision for the preservation of the message-of any misrepresentation, for their survival.

As verses and suras were revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him), were written by scribes in date palm leaves, bark, bones, etc., beautifully kept. In addition, countless followers copied these texts for the devotion and many believers to recite memorized in your prayers. While many companions of the Prophet (BYP) they memorize the entire Quran, his collection was carried out after death of the Prophet (BYP). In armed clashes that occurred as a result of a furious wave of apostasy, many of the companions of the Prophet (BYP) who had memorized the Quran, fell. That was how Abu Baker (may God be pleased with him)-successor to the Prophet considered it vital to preserve the Qur'an, recorded in writing in a book to preserve it intact.

Zaid ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) was devolved for the momentous task of copying the Revelation contained in the Koran. Their suitability and competence had already been consecrated by the Prophet (BYP) and Zaid often acted as his amanuensis, and was one of the companions (sajaba) who knew the Koran by heart, and had witnessed the entire Quran recitation by Muhammad (BYP) to the Angel Gabriel (peace of God be upon him).

The text corpus of the Holy Quran was done with the cooperation of the companions of the Prophet (BYP) who had memorized the Quran in full or fragmented. This historic and sacred task was carefully performed by taking all appropriate measures to avoid distorting the Revelation: checking all parts, word by word, comparing and verifying all the text to be certified for authenticity, since all the Revelation was written under the dictation of the Prophet (BYP) and its control by Muslim scribes.

The compiled text of the Quran in its entirety was kept in the house of Jafsah (C), the daughter of Omar (C) and one of the wives of the Prophet (BYP), and proclaimed that any Muslim could get true copy of the Koran or to compare if the person already had a manuscript copy of the text of your property. In the compilation of the Quran followed the same order as the Prophet (BYP) had established. The order of the chapters (suras) is as authoritative as the text Zaid wrote. No basis to assume that the current order of the suras is after the death of the Prophet (BYP) and not according to that followed by Muhammad (BYP). And we refer to the fact that the Prophet (BYP) recited the entire Quran every month of Ramadan before the angel Gabriel (P), but during the last Ramadan of his life, the Prophet (BYP) recited it twice to fully the angel Gabriel (P) and Zaid (C) attended the second reading. It is therefore evident that Zaid (C) followed this order of the Prophet (BYP).

Imam Malik explains: "The Koran was compiled in the order in which the companions of the Prophet (BYP) heard him recite." Moreover, in several paragraphs, the Qur'an is described in the book of Revelation. One example is the sura "Muzzamil" (one of the first revelations of Mecca), where God commands the Prophet (BYP): "Recite the Qur'an in order" (73:4). This shows that since the beginning of Revelation, God had established it was meant to be a book with a predetermined order by the Creator of the Universe. [...]

PRESERVATION MESSAGES REVEALED

[...] Through the ages, God sent at all times and all peoples, a total of 124,000 prophets, and through them revealed 104 books, whose knowledge and legislation was summarized in three: The Torah, the Gospel and the Psalms. Finally, God sent the Seal of the Prophets (BYP) and through him, revealed the sum of knowledge and the law of all previous revelations, the Koran, which incorporated the beauty of the previous messages were surpassed in perfection and glory.

Because messages above were directed at a particular time, these were not permanent or lasting. Thus Almighty Allah, not guaranteed to be retained unchanged. Neither ordered all memorize. The task of conserving the researchers took some of the nations that receive them.

But for the last message, God granted their conservation and did not trust the work to humans. God said: "Verily We have revealed the Quran and We will assuredly guard it. (Quran 15:9).

If you look at today's world, both East West will find countless people who have memorized the Koran, to the point that if someone wanted to change a single letter from him, a young boy, a housewife or an old woman could fix and identify where the error or tampering. Not to mention the scholars who have memorized it and understand its deeper meanings. [...]

UNIVERSALITY OF THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM

The Quran states beyond doubt, be a guide for humanity.

entire Qur'an addresses humanity and if it relates to local items, native or belonging to the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula is because there in that environment, in context and historical circumstances in which the Prophet (BYP) was to begin his sermon, it was obviously necessary to form the first embryo or the card first community of Muslims who, when transformed, transform your mindset and community, and as Muslims were taking the message to their fellow human beings without discrimination of color, nationality, borders, etc.

Clearly, the fact that the Koran denounces and condemns blasphemous beliefs stigmatize the deviant behavior of a particular community, and present arguments relying on the material resources of the environment or the Arabs can not, at all, a circumstance justifying the claim of those who argue that it is a local preaching.

No religion, philosophy, lifestyle or religion to expose from the beginning to the end of their doctrine without reference to specific examples of circumstances and capable of moving the souls of those who receive the message. [...]

If one wishes to know the solution of a certain Koranic human problem, you should first make a study the literature on the subject both ancient and modern, and write basic subjects. You should also make use of the research done so far on the problem and to illustrate their points of interest. Then they should study the Koran in order to find the answers to these issues. From my own personal experience I can say that when you study the Koran with the aim of investigating any problem, find answers for it even in those verses that one had overlooked without ever imagined were there. [...]

interpretation of the Koran

[...] While it is true that the Quran strongly condemns those who distorted the word of God, in no way opposed to the healthy difference of opinion in the interpretation of its mandate, provided that:

Hague agreement as regards the essential principles of Islam, despite their divergent views, and

be united within the beliefs and the Muslim community.

The Koran disapproves any disagreement or involves carrying deification or vanity or perversion, or may lead to sectarian fighting and causing schisms or creating sects.

While there, since the beginning of Islam, differences among the scholars who interpreted the principles of faith, even among the companions of the Prophet (BYP) and his followers not were consistent with one voice with respect to the commands and prohibitions, not only among the performers of recent times, we should note that this discrepancy from a healthy, critical and objective interpretation is essential for healthy and prosperous, and source of wisdom and a community living and thinking smart.

We emphasize putting out that type of divergence condemned in Islam is destroying the community that nurtures, distorting and disintegrating values \u200b\u200band therefore Muslim society. This divergence is a pathogen, not a sign of health but of disease.

These two kinds of differences of interpretation can be more fully illustrated by the following:

Suppose that two scholars, who agree in principle that only God and His Messenger merit obedience and that the Quran and authentic Sunnah of the Prophet (BYP) are the only sources of authority to determine all applicable laws and regulations, they may differ in detail or decision of a case where none of them make your decision a criteria of Islam and declare that the other is outside the Islamic community for the fact disagree with your opinion. Can present their own arguments in defense of his views before the court, if it is a court case, or to the community council, if it's their business. Then, one of the two different views prevail, or both shall be admitted. But it should be noted especially that can not be allowed any difference in the principles fundamentals of Islam, or considerations, principles or rules that may lead to the formation of a new community (as with the Shi'a). For example, it is wrong for a scholar or a lawyer or a governor, to develop an opinion on any subject (God and His Messenger to consider basic) and declare that it is a fundamental principle of Islam (such as sects declaring the Imamate Chias as "fundamental principle" of Islam), and then denounce those who differ from him as missing (as, indeed, do Chias to declare out of Islam who do not accept the "infallibility" of their imams), and then basis in this, proceeded to form another "Muslim" with their own followers and proclaimed: "This is the true Muslim community" and all those outside of it are doomed to hellfire (statements that can be seen in various documents Chias doctrinal sects and other cults like coranitas). Therefore, if you are a Muslim, come and join her, because if you do, you're not Muslim. This is the kind of difference of opinion that the Qur'an condemns. [See The Shi'a is not Islam, http://mensajesenlaruta.blogspot.com/2009/11/el-chiismo-no-es-islam.html ].

On the first type of discrepancy, there were several examples during the time of the Prophet (BYP). The Messenger of God (BYP) not only allowed, but spoke well of them, approving those demonstrations as a healthy thing that intelligent people of the community was thinking and researching (this type of sound disagreement arose the four schools of jurisprudence Islam: Maliki, Jambalí, Janafí and Chafia, all right and all of them within Ajlul Sunna).

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE STUDY OF THE KORAN

[...] People

encouraged by the diverse goals and purposes try to learn or to learn through the essence of Islam Quran. It is not possible, therefore, provide a general guide that suits all purposes. Anyway, to those who want to understand and penetrate in his message for the solution of human problems, we offer some guidelines that can help meet their needs and ignore their problems.

essential requirement for the full knowledge of the Qur'an, should be considered with a mind free of preconceived ideas, objective and impartial. A clear mind free of prejudice can animated a sincere desire for knowledge, understand the message contained in the Koran.

A superficial reading can only give an uncertain, superficial and wrong. The real knowledge requires sustained attention, repeated considerations, consistent analysis and a deep meditation and stopped. Only then may eventually include the unfathomable treasures of the Koran. [...]

And every question patiently strive to find the answer in successive readings made with the aim of understanding the Quran.

Slowly from general to detailed, you will discover the spirit of Islam and unravel. The only way to know right from wrong, permissible and forbidden, as recommended and failed, to the perfection of man and his salvation and eternal bliss.

The Quran is a guide to the top, whose ultimate goal is the perfection of man, to win the bliss in the hereafter. The Koran was revealed to the Prophet (BYP) to encourage people to constructive action within the framework of God's standards for organized under an Order which the rules come from the Creator of the Universe. [...]

To experience and understand what happened during the revelation of the Koran, to evaluate the singular importance of the events that marked that event, it is obviously not able to learn that reality a mere recitation of its chapters (suras) and verses (verses).

To This demands the acceptance and performance, which is living under the rules of Islam. It should be an awareness, active and vigilant. Only then, the faithful can meditate and feel what happened in Mecca, Taif, Jabach ... and will pass through Bader representing fire, Ujod, Junaina, Tabuk, etc. [...] Thus, the Quran offers us the chance to enter their spirit even if we can not fathom the full meaning of their vocabulary. The same formula applies to their mandates, requirements, and moral teachings concerning the economy, culture, and all rules of human life, and as is evident, all this wealth of knowledge and experience can not be learned if not implemented. It is therefore obvious that individuals and human communities that discarded the Islamic rule of life, can not understand its meaning or even soak in spirit. [...]

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