The Wrappings of Gratitude

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
ِ

In the Name of Allah Most-Compassionate, Most-Merciful

Many people think that the Qur’an is a book of law, and others consider it a book of guidance, both are correct, however, there is another way to understand the Qur’an, which presents it in its proper context. In order to begin to gain true benefit from the Qur’an it is necessary to understand what it is, and the term understanding denotes that a judgement must be formed before one can proceed to gain learning from it. About one-tenth of the Qur’an deals specifically with legal matters, laws which can be directly applied in governance. So what does the remaining nine-tenths deal with? They deal with principles. The majority of the Qur’an presents ideas, understandings, concepts and principles, all of the ideas and more, that humanity requires in order to live in the best possible manner.

Thus predominantly principles based, these principles are timeless, eternal, not susceptable to change, but able to be interpreted in multiple ways that allows for differentiation without conflict, thus encouraging diversity of thought and tolerance. And it is tolerance which is the essential, the core thesis, behind the principles the Qur’an presents. However, just because only a small portion of the Qur’an deals specifically with law, it does not mean it should not be considered as a book of law, because when the ideas and principles of the Qur’an are combined they speak of the existence of a higher law. This law not only guides mankind, but does so to the highest standards, according to the highest values, enabling man to reach the highest virtues and become his highest self. Thus to become the best of who we have been created to be, according to the vision with which God created us, requires us to understand the only book able to do this, a book that speaks of higher laws, a sign of the existence of the One that gave us those laws, laws that inspire us to be the higher us.

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءكُم بُرْهَانٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكُمْ نُورًا مُّبِينًا

“O mankind! verily there hath come to you a convincing proof from your Lord: For We have sent unto you a light (that is) manifest”. (Quran, an-Nisa 4:174)

اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابًا مُّتَشَابِهًا مَّثَانِيَ تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ يَشَاء وَمَن يُضْلِلْ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ

“Allah has revealed (from time to time) the most beautiful Message in the form of a Book, consistent with itself, (yet) repeating (its teaching in various aspects): the skins of those who fear their Lord tremble thereat; then their skins and their hearts do soften to the celebration of Allah’s praises. Such is the guidance of Allah: He guides therewith whom He pleases, but such as Allah leaves to stray, can have none to guide”. (Quran, az-Zumar 39:23)

The Qur’an not only refers to the metaphysical and higher laws required for State governance and the noble characteristics of those that would live in such a State, but also directs their attention upwards towards the heavens, to consider the higher laws that govern space and time and all manner of heavenly bodies. These laws have not been created by human, the laws of maths and physics and discovered, never created, which is another proof of the existence of a Creator that created both the laws, and also human that possess the intellects to understand those laws. So that if there were any doubt as to the Originator of the laws we possess on earth, one need only cast a glance towards the heavens, and with an enquiring heart and open mind, can observe laws that dictate the motion of the entire universe.

خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ يُكَوِّرُ اللَّيْلَ عَلَى النَّهَارِ وَيُكَوِّرُ النَّهَارَ عَلَى اللَّيْلِ وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِي لِأَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى أَلَا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفَّارُ

“He created the heavens and the earth in true (proportions): He makes the Night overlap the Day, and the Day overlap the Night: He has subjected the sun and the moon (to His law): Each one follows a course for a time appointed. Is not He the Exalted in Power – He Who forgives again and again?” (Quran, az-Zumar 39:5)

Thus in summary, the Qu’ran is a book of words, those words convey meanings, those meanings form principles and ideas, and those ideas speak in a higher language. They speak of a higher law, and that higher law speaks of a Creator above His creation, guiding His creation to everything that is higher and nobler, so that along the upward journey one may find the One to whom all existence is owed.