Prominent Features of the Qur’an

(June 4, 2021)

My dear respected brothers and sisters! The topic of today’s khutbah is a reminder to me and you about some of the prominent features of the Qur’an – the last and final revelation sent down for guidance of humanity to the last and final Messenger of Allah - Muhammad (S).  Without a doubt, the most salient feature of the Qur’an is that it is Allah’s speech.  

لا يَأْتِيهِ الْبَاطِلُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلا مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنْزِيلٌ مِنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ

“Falsehood cannot approach it from before it or from behind it. It is a revelation from One who is Wise and Praiseworthy.” (Fussilat, 41:42)

The Qur’an is divine, yet so close and tangible to read and reflect upon, making it a blessing for us.

كِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِيَدَّبَّرُوا آَيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ

“This is a blessed Book, which We have revealed to you, so that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding take heed.” (Saad, 38: 29)

The Prophet (S) said: “The Qur’an has the distinction over all other speech that Allah has over His Creation.” The very fact that the Qur’an is the speech of Allah is a sufficient distinction in itself and obviates the need of any other special distinction. However, for the purpose of today’s khutbah, let me point out few other remarkable qualities of Allah’s Book.

The first of these distinctive features is that the Qur’an has been perfectly preserved. Allah says: 

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ

“It is certainly We Who have revealed the Reminder, and it is certainly We Who will preserve it.” (an-Hijr, 15:9)

The Qur’an was revealed over 1400 years ago. It had been committed to memory by many Companions of the Prophet (S), and by succeeding generations of millions of Muslims of various nationalities across the world, and will be continued to be memorized and preserved till the end of times.   

Since the revelation of the Qur’an in the Arabian Peninsula, Islam has spread to every nook and corner of the world, crossing all boundaries. The living language and style of the Qur’an remains easy for anyone to understand and ponder. Allah tells us four times in Surat al-Qamar,

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآَنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍ

“And We made the Qur’an easy to learn. Do any of you wish to learn?” (al-Qamar, 54:17).

The enduring idioms, metaphors, and parables address the whole breadth of society, from the lay person to the scholar. The Qur’an continues to be as relevant to our community today, and will remain so till the end of times as it was for the Bedouin tribes of Arabia.

We know that the Qur’an is the word of Allah (SWT). This belief forms a fundamental part of our faith. Moreover, the Qur’an is a sign for mankind in every true sense. It is filled with verses that draw our attention to the sky above us, the earth beneath us, the trees around us, the sun, the moon, the rain, to all that we can never live without but often take for granted. The Qur’an eternally reminds us that we ought to recognize our Creator’s stamp on every single thing, big or small, surrounding us.

إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّأُولِي الْأَلْبَاب

“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the day and night there are signs for those who understand.” (Aal ‘Imran, 3:190)

The Quran is a miracle, a blessing, a healer, a mercy and a reminder among its many other attributes. The Qur’an’s miracle essentially lies in its guidance for those who are mindful of Allah. It takes each one of us from ignorance and heedlessness towards enlightenment and salvation. With the spread of Islam, classical Arabic became a prominent language of scholarship and religious devotion as the language of the Qur’an. Refuting the claims of many who attribute the Qur’an to a human authorship, Allah (SWT) challenges humanity: 

فَلْيَأْتُوا بِحَدِيثٍ مِّثْلِهِ إِن كَانُوا صَادِقِين

“Then let them produce something like it, if they are truthful.” (at-Tur, 52:34)

No human being has ever been able to construct anything like the Qur’an or even its few verses. No prose in Arabic or any other language has come near to the eloquence and beauty of Allah’s words. The grammatical precision, the rhythmic eloquence and the phonetic beauty that is consistent throughout the Qur’an is something that has never been matched. The Qur’an lies far beyond the productive capacity of man and is truly a timeless miracle sent to us from Allah (SWT).

أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآَنَ وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِنْدِ غَيْرِ اللَّهِ لَوَجَدُوا فِيهِ اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرًا

“Do they not then reflect on the Qur’an? Had it been from anyone other than Allah, they would have certainly found in it many inconsistencies.” (an-Nisa, 4:82)

The Qur’an is a book of instructions from our Creator. It is an instruction manual for leading life. Why should we not take heed of the best book of lessons, given to us by Allah (SWT) so that we conduct ourselves correctly in every matter? Allah (SWT) says: 

الرَّحْمَنُ () عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآَنَ () خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ () عَلَّمَهُ الْبَيَانَ

“The most merciful has taught the Quran. He created man, and taught him clear expression.” (ar-Rahman, 55:1-4)

The most merciful tells us of the immense reward awaiting us for the good that we have done so that we can work towards it. He warns us of the bad outcome seeking to surround us for the bad that we have done so that we can keep away from it.

Allah (SWT) is our Creator. He knows our nature best and acknowledges that we are prone to make mistakes. He shows us the course of action to follow by taking lessons from the stories of His prophets and messengers and other stories in the Qur’an. Allah (SWT) tells us in Surat al-Hashr, 

لَوْ أَنزَلْنَا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَىٰ جَبَلٍ لَّرَأَيْتَهُ خَاشِعًا مُّتَصَدِّعًا مِّنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ وَتِلْكَ الْأَمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُون

“Had We sent down this Qur‘an upon a mountain, you would indeed have seen it humbling itself and breaking asunder out of fear of Allah. We cite such parables to people that they may reflect.” (al-Hashr, 59:21)

The parable means that if a huge creation like a mountain had the sense and knowledge that it had been made responsible and accountable, like man, before Allah Almighty, for its deeds, it would have trembled from the fear of it. But how heedless, senseless and thoughtless is man, who understands the Qur’an, and has known the whole truth through it, yet he is neither seized by any fear nor feels worried as to what answer he would make to Allah about the responsibilities that have been placed on him. Now let us ask ourselves. Do our hearts tremble and grow humble upon hearing Allah’s spoken word? Do our lives revolve around the teachings of the Qur’an? Do we take the Qur’an to play this pivotal role in our lives?

The Qur’an can only be a true blessing and a mercy to us if reading the Qur’an strengthens our faith, and motivates us toward goodness. The Qur’an repeatedly reassures and motivates those who follow the truth and gives much relief and hope to those who keep turning to Allah (SWT). May Allah make us among them, ameen.

أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ وَلِسَائِرِ المُسْلِمينَ وَالمُسْلِمَاتْ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهْ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ 

الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين

Brothers and sisters! Let me conclude by reminding myself and you that there are certain obligations that we have toward the Qur’an. We need to firmly believe that the Qur’an is the Book of Allah and the source of guidance for all of humanity. We need to read it regularly with proper etiquette.  We need to understand what we read. We need to follow its teachings and then finally we need to convey its message to others. It is our responsibility to read and understand the Qur’an as a book from our Creator who really wants to guide us, who really wants to take us away from all forms of distress, and who is more merciful to us than our own mothers. Allah (SWT) says: 

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاءٌ لِّمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِين

“O mankind, there has to come to you a lesson from your Lord and healing for what is in the hearts and guidance and mercy for the believers.” (Yunus, 10:57)

After the demise of the Prophet (SAW), the responsibility of conveying the message of the Qur’an falls upon the shoulders of his Ummah. In his farewell sermon, the Prophet (SAW) said, “Those who are present should convey (Allah’s Message) to those who are not.”  He also said, "Convey from me even though it be a single verse (ayah).” And we have the authentic hadith that says:

‏ خَيْرُكُمْ مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ وَعَلَّمَهُ‏

"The best among you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it."

The Prophet (S) said: “No people gather in a house from Allah’s houses, to recite Allah’s book and study it together, except that tranquility descends upon them, mercy envelopes them, the angels surround them, and Allah (SWT) mentions them to those that are with Him…”

May Allah have mercy upon us by means of the Qur’an; and may He make it a source of light, guidance, and mercy for us. May He remind us from the Qur’an that which we have been made to forget, and teach us from it regarding which we are ignorant. May He bless us with its recitation, and may He make it a proof for us and not against us on the Day of Judgment. Allahumma Ameen.

• Next