In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Praise be to God, The Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds; Most Gracious, Most Merciful; Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee alone do we worship, and from God alone do we seek for aid, help and assistance. Guide us in the right path; the way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) Is not wrath, and who go not astray (Qur’an 1: 1 – 7).
Almighty Allah declares in Qur’an 3:102 – 104: “O ye who believe! fear God as He should be feared and die not except in a state of Islam. And hold fast all together by the rope which God (stretches out for you) and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude God’s favour on you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love so that by His grace ye became brethren; and ye were on the brink of the pit of fire and He saved you from it. Thus, doth God make his signs clear to you: that ye may be guided. Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong; they are the ones to attain felicity.”
Beyond the compulsory fast in the ninth lunar month, Ramadan, for the believers, a major purpose of the spiritual month is the revelation of the Holy Qur’an. God Almighty declares in Holy Qur’an 2:185: “Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur’an as a guide to mankind also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So, every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting but if anyone is ill or on a journey the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later. God intends every facility for you, He does not want to put you to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful”.
The Holy Qur’an is the seal of all the 104 scriptures sent at different times in world’s history through some of the 124,000 Prophets and Messengers sent to the people. “Say, [O believers], “We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants and what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him”. (Quran 2:136).
It is narrated from Abu Dharr that one day, he asked the Messenger of Allah (S), Prophet Muhammad (SAW): ‘How many prophets are there in all?’ He replied: ‘One hundred and twenty-four thousand (124,000).’ He then asked: ‘How many of them were messengers? He replied: ‘Three hundred and thirteen’. He asked: ‘Who was the first of them?’ He replied: ‘Adam’. He asked: ‘Was he a messenger or a prophet? He replied: ‘Yes, Almighty Allah created him with His own hands and blew His spirit into him’. At that moment, the Holy Prophet (S) said: ‘O Abu Dharr, there were four from the Syriac prophets: Adam, Sheeth, and Ukhnuh, who is also called Idris and who was the first to write and Nuh. Four of them were Arabs: Hud, Salih, Shuaib and your prophet, Muhammad. The first prophet among Bani Israel was Musa and the last of them was Isa and they were in all six hundred prophets’. Abu Dharr asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah (S), how many heavenly scriptures descended? He replied: ‘One hundred and four (104), of which Almighty Allah revealed to Sheeth fifty scrolls, thirty on Idris and twenty on Ibrahim. He also revealed Taurat, Injeel, Zabur and Quran. Five great divine prophets brought new sets of laws (Shariah) and they are known as Ulul Azm prophets. They were: Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa and Muhammad (S)’. Ismail Jofi narrated from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) that he said: ‘The Ulul Azm prophets are five in number: Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa and Muhammad (S)’.
We do not have detailed information about the names of all the prophets. In books of history also, only some of their names are mentioned. In the Holy Qur’an, twenty-six of them are mentioned by names: They are: Adam, Nuh, Idris, Hud, Salih, Ibrahim, Lut, Ismail, Al-Yasa, Zulkifl, Ilyas, Ayyub, Yunus, Ishaq, Yaqub, Yusuf, Shuaib, Musa, Harun, Dawood, Sulaiman, Zakariya, Yahya, Ismail the keeper of his word, Isa and Muhammad (S). (Qur’an 40:78; Biharul Anwar, Vol. 11, Pg. 32).
Meanwhile, the revelation of the Holy Qur’an in the Night of Power (Laylatul QAadr), just as other Holy Scriptures is germane and peculiar to Ramadan. And what is unique about the Qur’an than other Holy Books is that it has been revealed as “…as a guide to mankind also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong)” (Q. 2:185). It has come as the Law, as the constitution for mankind, and as guidance to separate the truth from falsehood; right from wrong; good from evil; and accuracy from discrepancies (Q.86:11 – 14). More so, all other Scriptures had been lost and altered by their adherents (Q. 3:78; 2:79).
Thus, the Holy Qur’an has been revealed to correct all the falsehood that had been written as God’s words in the Psalm, Torah and Gospel given respectfully to Prophets David, Moses and Jesus. God declares in Quran 27:76 – 78, “Verily this Qur-ān doth explain to the children of Israel, most of the matters in which they disagree. And it certainly is a guide and a mercy to those who believe. Verily thy Lord will decide between them by His Decree: And He is Exalted in Might, All-Knowing”.
The purpose for the revelation of the Holy Qur’an in the month of Ramadan is to serve as the seal of all Holy Books, sent to the entire mankind, and to correct controversies, and as mercy and guide to humanity in all generations till eternity. Allah says in Qur’an 16:64 – 65: “And We sent down the Book to thee for the express purpose, that thou shouldst make clear to them those things in which they differ, and that it should be a guide and a mercy to those who believe. And God sends down rain from the skies, and gives therewith Life to the earth after its death: Verily in this is a sign for those who listen”.
It is amazing how God Almighty has revealed the Holy Qur’an in 114 chapters in a well-guarded seal of all scriptures, that can never be editioned, reviewed, or corrected or imitated till eternity (Q. 15:9; 41:42; 85:21-22). Apart from being the Message of God sent as a mercy and a guide to all the worlds, it is the Scripture to be read and studied with honour and dignity as preserved tablets without crookedness therein, and which cannot be tampered with till eternity (Q. 2:121; 17:82; 18:1-2; 75:16-18; 80:13-16; 81:26-29).
May Almighty Allah give us the knowledge of Islam and accept our acts of worship in Ramadan. Ameen.
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