Quran (Koran)

Answer 1

No. It is holy for Muslims.

Qur'an is Muslims holy book. refer to question below.

Answer 2

No. The Qur'an is the holy book of Islam. Jews do not believe that Mohammed prophesied and therefore the Qur'an has little relevance to Jews. (This would be similar to how the Christians view the Hindu Vedas.) The Jewish Holy Books are comprised of the Torah and the remainder of the Jewish Bible or Masoretic Old Testament.

Major beliefs are:

• faith in and follow of the five pillars of Islam
• belief in the six faith articles
• following morals and teachings of Quran and prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Refer to question below for more information.

Praise be to Allaah.

The Qur'aan is the word of the Lord of the Worlds, which Allaah revealed to His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), to bring mankind forth from darkness into light:

"It is He Who sends down manifest Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) to His slave (Muhammad) that He may bring you out from darkness into light

[al-Hadeed 57:9 - interpretation of the meaning]

Allaah has told us in the Qur'aan the stories of the earlier and later generations and the creation of the heavens and the earth. He has explained in detail what is halaal and what is haraam, the basics of good manners and morals, the rulings of worship and dealings with others, the lives of the Prophets and the righteous, and the reward and punishment of the believers and disbelievers. He has described Paradise, the abode of the believers, and He has described Hell, the abode of the disbelievers. He has made it (the Qur'aan) an explanation of all things:

"And We have sent down to you the Book (the Qur'aan) as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for those who have submitted themselves (to Allaah as Muslims)"

[al-Nahl 16:89 - interpretation of the meaning]

The Qur'aan explains the names and attributes of Allaah and what He has created. It calls us to believe in Allaah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers and the Last Day:

"The Messenger (Muhammad) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say,) 'We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers' - and they say, 'We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the return (of all)'"

[al-Baqarah 2:285 - interpretation of the meaning]

The Qur'aan describes the Day of Judgement and what will happen after death - the resurrection, the gathering, the judgment and being brought to account. It describes the Cistern, the Siraat (bridge over Hell), the Balance [in which deeds will be weighed], the blessings and torment, and the gathering of mankind on that great Day:

"Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). Surely, He will gather you together on the Day of Resurrection about which there is no doubt. And who is truer in statement than Allaah?

[al-Nisaa' 4:87 - interpretation of the meaning]

The Qur'aan calls us to examine and ponder the signs of Allaah in the universe and the verses of the Qur'aan:

"Say: 'Behold all that is in the heavens and the earth'"

[Yoonus 10:101 - interpretation of the meaning]

"Do they not then think deeply in the Qur'aan, or are their hearts locked up (from understanding it)?"

[Muhammad 47:24 - interpretation of the meaning]

The Qur'aan is the Book of Allaah for all of mankind:

"Verily, We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (this Qur'aan) for mankind in truth. So whosoever accepts the guidance, it is only for his own self; and whosoever goes astray, he goes astray only for his (own) loss. And you (O Muhammad) are not a Wakeel (trustee or disposer of affairs, or guardian) over them"[al-Zumar 39:41 - interpretation of the meaning]

The Qur'aan confirms the Books which came before it, the Tawraat (Torah) and Injeel (Gospel), and it is a witness over them, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (this Qur'aan) in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it and Muhaymin (trustworthy in highness and a witness) over it (old Scriptures)"[al-Maa'idah 5:48]

After the Qur'aan was revealed, it became the Book for all of mankind until the Hour begins. Whoever does not believe in it is a kaafir who will be punished with torment on the Day of Resurrection, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"But those who reject Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), the torment will touch them for their disbelief (and for their belying the Message of Muhammad)"[al-An'aam 6:49]

Because of the greatness of the Qur'aan and the signs, miracles, parables and lessons contained therein, in addition to its eloquence and beautiful style, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"Had We sent down this Qur'aan on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rent asunder by the fear of Allaah. Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that they may reflect"[al-Hashr 58:21]

Allaah has challenged mankind and the jinn to produce something like it, even one soorah or one aayah, but they could not do that and will never be able to do that, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"Say: 'If the mankind and the jinn were together to produce the like of this Qur'aan, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they helped one another'"[al-Israa' 17:88]

Because the Qur'aan is the greatest of the heavenly Books, the most complete, the most perfect and the last of them, Allaah commanded His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to convey it to all of mankind, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

"O Messenger (Muhammad)! Proclaim (the Message) which has been sent down to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His Message. Allaah will protect you from mankind" [al-Maa'idah 5:67]

Because of the importance of this book and the ummah'sneed for it, Allaah has honored us with it. He sent it down to us and has guaranteed to preserve it. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur'aan) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption)" [al-Hijr 15:9]

Source: From Usool al-Deen al-Islami by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri

Answer is also located at Islam Q & A (http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/10197/)

{(Remember) when the angels said, "O Mary, God gives you good news of a word from Him (God), whose name is the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, revered in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near (to God). He will speak to the people from his cradle and as a man, and he is of the righteous." She said, "My Lord, how can I have a child when no mortal has touched me?" He said, "So (it will be). God creates what He wills. If He decrees a thing, He says to it only, 'Be!' and it is."} (Quran, chapter 3, verses 45-47)

Jesus was born as miracle by the word and command of God. This command is, as said in Quran, the same command that had brought Adam into being with neither a father nor a mother. God has said in Quran:

{The case of Jesus with God is like the case of Adam. He created him from dust, and then He said to him, "Be!" and he came into being.} (Quran, chapter 3, verse 59)

During the prophetic mission of Jesus (peace be upon him), Jesus performed many miracles. God tells us that Jesus said:

{I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. I make for you the shape of a bird out of clay, I breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by God's permission. I heal the blind from birth and the leper. And I bring the dead to life by God's permission. And I tell you what you eat and what you store in your houses....}

(Quran, chapter 3, verse 49)

Muslims believe that Jesus was not crucified. They believe that the enemies of Jesus (peace upon him) plotted and planned to crucify Jesus. However, God miraculously saved Jesus and raised him up to Him (to God). God, the all Powerful and the all Capable, put the likeness of Jesus (peace upon him) over another man. The enemies of Jesus (peace upon him) thought that the this other man is Jesus and they took him and crucified him. God has said:

{...They said, "We killed the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of God." They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but the likeness of him was put on another man (and they killed that man)... } (Quran, chapter 4, verse 157)

It is worthy to emphasize that both Jesus (peace upon him) and Mohamed, or may be spelled Muhammad, (peace upon him) came to mankind to call for worshiping only and the only one God. Neither of them nor Moses came to change the basic doctrine of the belief in one and only God. This doctrine that was brought by earlier prophets; including Noah, Abraham, Isac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, ..., Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them all). Both Jesus (peace upon him) and Muhammad received the revelation from God to confirm and renew the doctrine of worshiping one (and only one) God with no partner, no son, no father, no companion, no associate, and no equivalence.

Muslims believe in all God Prophets (May peace be upon them all). They do believe in Hazrat Jesus Christ (AS) as a Prophet. He is also called by the Name of Messiah in the holy Qur'an. He was miraculously born to Virgin Marry (AS). He performed many miracles by will and support of God. Jews turned against him and tried to get him crucified at the hand of the Roman Governor, but Almighty God raised him alive to the Heavens. He will descent from heavens before Qiyamat (or the Resurrection Day). He will marry, have children, die a natural death, and will be buried near the grave of the holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SAW). He will rise up on the Day of Judgment with him. Anybody who claims that he is Jesus Christ and has descended from heaven is not a Muslim. He is a false prophet sent by Satan as there have been many false claimants of prophet-hood before this time. However, Muslims don't believe in him as the SON of Almighty God. Muslims consider it the Greatest, Severest and Unpardonable sin to associate parents, off-spring, or Associate with Almighty God. Allah (or God in English) is the Sole Creator, Sustainer, Provider and Ruler of all the creation.

The Quran, or Koran, is a single book that Muslims believe was written in heaven and revealed to the prophet Muhammad by the angel Gabriel. Nevertheless it contains material concerning events in the life of Muhammad, so presumably some, if not all, of the Quran was put together by Muhammad or his successors. This book is not in narrative form like the biblical books, but consists of snapshots that assume prior knowledge of the Bible. Whereas the Torah covers the Jewish creation myths, ethnic legends and religious laws, the Quran covers material in the entire Bible, both Old Testament and New Testament. Like each book of the Bible, it is divided into chapters, known as surahs. The surahs are not written in the same order as reported by Muhammad, but with one exception in descending order by length of the text. Inconsistencies are resolved on the basis that later revelations abrogate earlier surah with which they conflict, so it can be useful to know the approximate chronological order of the texts.

The proper greetings words are:

• Assalamu Aleikom (that means in English Peace be upon you), or
• Assalamu Aleikom WA Rahmatoh Allah (that means in English Peace and Mercy of Allah be upon you), or
• Assalamu Aleikom WA Rahmatoh Allah WA Barakatoh (that means in English Peace and Mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you).

The reponding words are:

• Wa Aleikom Assalam (that means in English Peace be upon you, too), or
• Wa Aleikom Assalam WA Rahmatoh Allah (that means in English Peace and Mercy of Allah be upon you, too), or
• Wa Aleikom Assalamu WA Rahmatoh Allah WA Barakatoh (that means in English Peace and Mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you, too).

The proper phrase is "Assalamu 'alaykum," which means "Peace be upon you."

The traditional response is WA alaikum assalam, which means "and on you be peace."

Muslims greet each other by saying salam alaykum meaning peace be upon you and then the person repies by saying WA alaykum salam meaning and peace be upon you

well me myself as a Muslim we say as a Islamic universal greeting

'asalamu alaykum' which means 'may the peace and blessings of Allah [god] be upon you'well me myself as a Muslim we say as a Islamic universal greeting

'asalamu alaykum' which means 'may the peace and blessings of Allah [god] be upon you'

The earth is mentioned in the Quran about 450 times! The Quran devotes many verses to the signs of God on the earth. Because we live on this planet, we are supposed to look for signs of its Creator. Also, scientists know about our beautiful planet more than any other object in the universe. They are on hand to experiment directly, to interpret the evidences and to draw conclusions. The verses of the Quran that describe the earth are quite astounding. As in the case of any other scientific miracle, these verses are scattered throughout the Quran. They are presented in the context of spiritual enlightening for someone who looks around for the signs of Allah.

Mountains

Mountains affect life on earth in many ways. Apart from the obvious mineral, forest, agricultural, and recreational resource values, they have a significant influence on climate, economy, and history. Humans enjoy the glorious scenery of mountains, and many sometimes feel humbled in front of these gigantic structures. How and when did they form? What are they for? What is the mechanism of keeping them on the earth's crust, in spite of their huge weight?

The first question is answered by geologists, who presented three ways of forming mountains:

• By crustal uplift, that is, folding, faulting, or arching of the earth's crust.

• By differential erosion or land sculpturing.

• By volcanic activities.

The Creator of the mountains reveals:

Surah 78, Ayah 6-7 "Have we not made the earth as a wide expanse, and the mountains as pegs?

Allah states that the mountains are similar to pegs or wedges. A peg is used to fasten things so they cannot move, like the peg that is used to fix the ropes of a tent. Or, you can imagine the crust of the earth as a carpet, and the mountains as the nails that hold the carpet in place. It is now known that the crust of the earth is much deeper under the mountains, which indicate the existence of a root system under high mountains. According to recent measurements, the depth of a mountain's roots can reach 40 miles underground, while the highest known mountain reaches only 5.6 miles above ground.

The similarity between mountains and pegs is quite obvious. Pegs sink underground by the force of a hammer, while mountains sink underground by the force of gravity. Pegs hold and fix the tent. Mountains hold and fix the earth's crust. The thickness of the fabric of a tent is small compared to its size. The crust of the earth is no more than 1 percent of the radius of the earth. Therefore, one can conclude that describing the mountains as pegs is a perfect description. Muhammad used to worship Allah in a cave in a mountain near Mecca, but he certainly did not take measuring instruments to get information about the underground structure of the mountains. There is just no way that Muhammad could have established this description on his own. No one can explain the mountains with such accuracy except the Designer and Creator of the mountains themselves.

The balance and the stability of mountains are also explained in the Quran as follows:

Surah 16, Ayah 15 "And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you."

Surah 21, Ayah 31 "And We have set on earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with them."

Think about the similarity of the above verses! Other verses in the Quran also give the same meaning (Surah 31, Ayah 10; Surah 79, Ayah 32). When the meaning of a verse is repeated like that, then this is an invitation to mankind to take these words and examine them carefully. It should be also an invitation to scientists to examine each verb, each noun, and each letter in the scientific verses of the Quran, since that could well direct them to an explanation to an existing fact. The Arabic verb that describes the standing of the mountains indicates stability of ships in the sea as they dock alongside a pier. Ships in this case do not go down because of the upward buoyant force that acts upon the ship. This upward buoyant force is equal to the downward gravitational force; hence the ship stays in equilibrium. The choice of the Arabic verb that indicates the stability of mountains, and its similarity to docking ships, is just beyond human comprehension.

In another Ayah, Allah states that the mountains move:

Surah 27, Ayah 88 "Thou see the mountains and think them firmly fixed, but they shall pass away as the clouds pass away. (Such is) the artistry of Allah, who disposes of all things in perfect order: for he is well acquainted with all that ye do."

In the above Ayah, Allah states clearly that mountains move like clouds. However, people think that mountains are firmly fixed to the earth. So if the mountains move, so does the earth. This is an obvious reference to the motion of the Earth, and this information was not available in the seventh century.

What do you think of Muhammad's knowledge about mountains, ships, Archimedes' principle, density of the earth, density of mountains, and motion of mountains and earth? If you think that he knew about any of these subjects, then he must have been a great geologist. But if you think that he had no information about these subjects, then it must be considered factual that the Quran is the authentic Words of God.

Earthquakes

Humans stand helpless in front of a devastating earthquake. All the wealth and power of a human cannot help avoid the consequences of any natural catastrophe. In this case, all people are equal, and earthquakes do not differentiate between poor or rich, powerful or humble, or sick or healthy. A violent earthquake is a terrifying experience in its suddenness and its power of destruction to shake or uproot the strongest buildings. With all our amazing technologies and power to solve complicated equations, yet no scientist is capable of predicting the place and time of the next earthquake.

The immediate cause of earthquakes is fracturing of crustal rocks. The earthquake map of the earth shows a strong concentration around the whole Pacific Ocean, in the middle of Atlantic Ocean, south of Europe in the Mediterranean Sea, and in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Statistics show the extent of destruction and consequences of major earthquakes in highly populated areas. In most cases earthquakes last from few seconds to one minute and half. But the suddenness of the earthquakes and their short time still represent a major puzzle to seismologists.

The Glorious Quran addresses the subject of earthquakes in many places, and one chapter has the earthquake as its title, Surah 99:

Surah 99, Ayah 1-2 "When the earth is shaken to her utmost convulsion (earthquake), and the earth throws her burden (weights) from within."

The above Surah refers to the tremendous earthquake and the uprooting that will take place when the present order of the world is dissolved and the new world of Justice and Truth takes its place. The sign used is that of an earthquake which will shake our present material and phenomenal world to its very foundation. This overwhelming event, before the Day of the Judgment, will be a bigger and more far-reaching convulsion than any earthquake we have ever known.

Will humans remember the frightful events of the Day of Judgment? Will they continue to neglect the purpose of their creation? How long will they persist in discrediting God and attach human attributes to Him? How long are they going to keep arguing about His Existence and His Unlimited Power? How long are they going to ignore the Quran and the message of Muhammad? Can't we look at earthquakes and other natural catastrophes in their right prospective? Read what Allah says:

Surah 22, Ayah 1 "O mankind! Fear your Lord! For the convulsion (earthquake) of the Hour (of Judgment) will be a terrible thing."

The Spherical Earth

At a time when it was held that the earth was fixed at the center of the world, and that the sun moved around the earth, the Quran approached the motion of the earth by the above-mentioned Ayat of mountains, and by the following Ayat about day and night:

Surah 31, Ayah 29 "Seest thou not that Allah merges Night into Day and he merges Day into Night"

Surah 39, Ayah 5 "He created the heavens and the earth in true (proportions). He makes the night overlap the day and the day overlap the night"

The above two Ayat provide interesting material on the process of interpretation and especially on winding the night upon the day and the day upon the night in the second Ayah. The literal Arabic text for the verb "to overlap" above is "to make a sphere." This is an astounding use of this verb that refers to the earth as a sphere.

Astronauts have seen and photographed what happens from their space ships especially at great distances from the earth. They saw how the sun permanently lights up (except in the case of an eclipse) half of the earth's surface that faces the sun, while the other half is in darkness. The earth then turns on its axis, and the light from the sun stays the same, so that an area of another half a sphere is subjected to light. The light makes one revolution around the earth's surface in twenty-four hours. This perpetual rotation of night and day is quite clearly described in the above Ayah. It is easy to grasp this notion in the present time and age, because we know the solar system and the orbit of the earth.

Further to the above reflection on the sequence of night and day, one must also mention, with quotation of some Ayat from the Quran, the idea that there is more than one east and one west. For example, God refers to Himself as:

Surah 70, Ayah 40 "Lord of Easts and Wests"

Surah 55, Ayah 17 "Now I do call to witness the Lord of the two Easts and the two Wests."

Anyone who carefully watches the sunrise and sunset knows that the sun rises at different points in the east, and sets at different points in the west, according to the season. Each of the points of the east and the west are limited between two extreme points for the east and the west. The two extreme points of the east and the west are those that are referred to in the above second Ayah. Allah swears by the Lord of the two easts and the two wests. He swears by His Creation, and whatever He swears with represents an object of great significance. That is why keeping all the points of the east and the west between two limits represents one marvelous Creation of the Lord of everything.

The Earth's Atmosphere

In addition to many Ayat specifically related to the sky, the Quran contains many passages dealing with phenomena that occur in the atmosphere. The comparison between these Ayat and the present scientific data proves without any shadow of doubt that the Quran is the authentic Words of God.

It is a known fact that discomfort is experienced by man in high altitude, which increases the higher one climbs. As altitude is increased, the atmospheric density and pressure decrease. Humans cannot survive, or at least be comfortable, for a long period of time in atmospheric conditions higher than 8,000 feet. It has been also established that most humans could not survive atmospheric conditions equivalent to altitude of about 40,000 feet for more than a very short period of time. This experience is expressed in the Quran as follows:

Surah 6, Ayah 125 "Those whom Allah willeth to guide, He open their chests to Islam: Those whom He willeth to leave straying, He make their chests close and constricted as if they had to climb up in the skies"

Some commentators explain the above Ayah as related to the will of God to guide one to the Truth. The above Ayah also means that in spiritual and physical worlds, there are laws of justice, mercy, grace, penalty, etc., which work surely as anything we know. If, then, a man refuses the guidance of God and becomes a rebel, then with each step he goes further and further astray, and his pace will be accelerated. He will scarcely be able to take a spiritual breath, and his recovery, in spite of Allah's mercy that he rejected, will be difficult as if he had to climb up to the skies.

Electricity and Lightening

Electricity in the atmosphere is a result of lightening and hails as referred to in the following Ayat:

Surah 24, Ayah 43 "Seest thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap? - Then wilt thou see rain issue forth from their midst. And He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail: He strikes therewith whom He pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases, the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight"

Surah 13, Ayah 12-13 "It is He Who doth show you the lightning, by way both of fear and of hope: It is He Who doth raise up the clouds, heavy with (fertilizing) rain! Nay, thunder repeateth His praises, and so do the angels, with awe: He flingeth the loud-voiced thunder-bolts, and therewith He striketh whomsoever He will. Yet these (are the men) who (dare to) dispute about Allah, with the strength of His power (supreme)!"

Clouds form from existing water vapors in the atmosphere. As the height of the clouds increases, water vapors are then condensed into raindrops, hail, and freezing rain, due to the motion of air currents inside the clouds. Small raindrops move up and down in the cloud, until they become bigger and heavier. When their weights exceed the aerodynamic forces, rain falls down. Some clouds exceed high mountains reaching a height of 6,500 feet. They look dark and usually produce rain, hail, or freezing rain.

The verb "join" in the above first Ayah indicates assembling or overcoming repulsion due to the different electrostatic charges that exist in these high clouds. It is not known exactly how electrostatic charges form in the clouds, because some clouds may have positive charges at the top, negative charges in the middle, and positives charge at the bottom. With these different charges, the significance of the word "join" can be seen in spite of the repulsive forces between positive and negative charges.

The description of high and heavy clouds in the first Ayah is accurate. This Ayah also shows a relationship between forming hailstorms and lightening. Moreover, it indicates that hail is quite a local phenomenon. You see hail on one street while on the neighboring one, there is no sign of it! Sparks between positive and negative charges cause lightening. The temperature at the spark may reach 1,000 degrees, and that expands the air rapidly causing the air to explode as in a thunderstorm.

Heavy thunderstorms and hailstorms are quite frightening. There is no telling of what may happen to any person or any property during these storms. It may be that someone may remember his Creator during these frightening moments. It fascinating that thunder, that sends shivers to our hearts due to its suddenness, praises the glory of Allah, while some people deny His existence!

you brother in islam: Hassibullah Anwary