Extract from Maulvi Jahangir s book

Themes of the Holy Quran

We shall study three basic themes of the Quranic verses. These are 1. 2. 3. Allah in Himself his status Allah in His relation to His Creation Allah in relation to His Messengers

Allah in Himself
The Holy Quran describes and elaborates details about the nature and attributes of Allah. It deals with this theme in a remarkable, concise and convincing manner. Usually certain symbolic expressions and parables have been used for this purpose. For example, Surah An Nur describes Allah as a 'light', Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the Glass as it were a brilliant star: lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the East nor of the West, whose Oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things. (Nur : 35) Moreover the Quran mentions a vast range of attributes of Allah that can not be possessed by His creation. Sura Hashr (59) as , Allah is He, than whom there is no other god the sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace (and Perfection). the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory to Allah! (High is He) above the partners they attribute to Him. (23) He is Allah the Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of Forms (or Colours). To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names: whatever is in the heavens and on earth, declare His Praises and Glory: and He is the exalted in Might, the Wise. (24) Another oft repeated theme is that of Allah's Unmatchable power, Verily, when He intends a thing, His command is "Be" and it is! (36:82)

Allah in His relation to His Creation

The Holy Quran is replete with descriptions of Allah's relationship with His creation. First of all, it teaches about the status of Allah, that there is none to be worshipped except Him. It declares, Allah! There is no god but He! (Verse of the Throne; 2: 255) It also teaches that only to Him is all praise due. He Alone is the Sustainer and to Him all creation will be brought back on the Day of judgement. Many passages and verses endorse the dependence of mankind on the Lord of the Worlds (Surah An-Nas). Man is helpless and utterly lost without his submission to the King of Mankind. It is He who has provided for all the things that mankind needs to survive in this world. Also an important theme is the significance of learning and knowledge as seen in the very first revelation to the Holy Prophet e(Sura Alaq 1 to 5) This is supported by another verse of Sura Qalam, By the Pen and that which they write.. The Quran also stresses on the need of developing and strengthening our relationship with Allah by identifying Him and then worshipping none except Him. This is the most important theme of the Quran because it is intimately linked with the individual and collective salvation of man. Allah's worship wards off any form of possibility of shirk (associating partners with Him) and shirk has been declared as the only unpardonable sin. It says: Being true in faith to Allah and never assigning partners to Him: if anyone assigns partners to Allah he is as if he had fallen from heaven and been snatched up by birds or the wind had swooped (like a bird on its prey) and thrown him into a fardistant place (Sura Hajj: 31) Also it states: O you who believe! fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam. (Ale Imran:102) Finally, the Quran categorically warns about bringing an end to world by the Almighty Allah. Section 30 of the Quran has devoted several full surahs to this important theme. For example, al-Inshiqaq, al-Takwir, al-Infitar and Al-Qariah all give detailed description of Qiyamah

Allah in relation to His Messengers

As far as Allah's Messengers (Rusul)e are concerned, the Quran has also dealt with this important theme as well. A number of surahs give narrations of His selected Messengerso while many have been named after different Prophetic Messengers. They include Nuh (71), Ibrahim (14), Hud (11), Yusuf (12), Younus (10) and Muhammad (47). Surah Nuh mentions Nuh as Allah's Messenger and his duties as well: We sent Noah to his People (with the Command): Do warn your people before there comes to them a grievous Penalty." (Nuh:1) There is also a description of special prophetic signs granted to Prophet Musau, 'Isau and otherso. For example about Musau: Move your hand into your bosom, and it will come forth white without stain. (Surah al-Qasas) About Jesusu the Quran says: Then will Allah say: 'Jesus son of Mary! Recount my favour to you and to your mother. Behold! I strengthened you with the holy spirit, so that you spoke to the people in childhood and in maturity. Behold! I taught you the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel. And behold! You make out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by my leave, and you breathe into it and it becomes a bird by my leave, and you heal those born blind, and the lepers, by my leave. Also it outlines the mission of a messenger It is He Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth, that he may proclaim it over all religions . (Surah AsSaff:9) Most importantly, the Quran declares the finality of the Holy Prophete by terming him as the seal of Prophets in this verse: Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of Allah, and the Seal of the Prophets: and Allah has full knowledge of all things. (Ahzab: 40)