All men of God seek their Creator in the stillness of solitude. For many years, before he received the
Divine call, the Prophetsa would seek God on solitary retreats to a cave called Hira, in the surrounding
Mountains of Mecca, where he would stay for days at a time. On one fateful day in the year 610, when
the Prophetsa was on one of these spiritual retreats he received his first revelation from God. In all its
awe and majesty, that encounter was the beginning of the Qur’an. In the 1400 years since its revelation,
the Quran is universally accepted as being unaltered – not a dot of it has changed; a miraculous
distinction that religious scholars of all stripes testify to.
“Verily, We Ourself have sent down this Exhortation, and most surely We will be its Guardian” (15:9)
For 14 centuries, its recitation has mesmerized people from all around the world.
“Therein, verily, are Signs for a people who reflect” (13:4)
It is the most recited book in the history of mankind as over 1 billion Muslims recite its verses every
single day, in all 5 daily prayers. The scope of its subject matter has awed researchers from hundreds of
fields throughout the ages, as its verses cover every area of human life, as well as the universe around
us, from the earth we live on, to the planets and beings beyond it; from embryology to astronomy, and
so forth.
It is a message of mercy: “My mercy encompasses all things” (7:157)
A message of forgiveness: “Allah would not punish them while they sought forgiveness” (8:34)
A message of hope: “So verily, with the hardship, there is a relief.” (94:6)
A message of equality: “Allah rewards the believing men and women” (33:36)
It grants freedom of religion to all and is categorical about freedom of consciousness: “There is no compulsion in religion.” (2:257)
It is universal in its concept of the divine: “All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds”. (1:2)
Ultimately, a book of this nature and composition, of this emotion and depth, of this spirituality and magnanimity, is not a manual of ideology. It is a scripture of spirituality. It is not a manifesto for militants–
it is a guide for the seeker; for those in search of God and becoming at one with the Creator and with creation; who wish to fulfill the rights of God and man; who seek peace in their hearts and peace on earth.
