The Qur’an is undoubtedly the Word of Allaah. A great dispute occurred regarding this issue between the Mu’tazilites and the Ahl As-Sunnah, and many of the Ahl As-Sunnah were harmed because of it. From among those who were harmed was Imaam Ahmad (Rahimahullaah), the Imaam of the Ahl As-Sunnah, about whom some scholars said: “Verily Allaah protected (or supported) Islam through Abu Bakr (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) on the Day of Ar-Riddah (apostasy) and through Imaam Ahmad on the day of the distress.” [Reported by Al-Maqdisi on the authority of ‘Ali ibn al-Madini in his book “The distress (trial) of Imaam Ahmad”]
The trial was that Al-Ma’moon would compel the people to say that the Qur’an was created. He also used to try the scholars and kill them if they did not agree with his claim. Many of the scholars said that the Qur’an was created under compulsion, based on the opinion that if a person is compelled to say a word of Kufr while his heart is at rest with faith, he is forgiven. Others said the words while intending a different meaning; referring to the creator of the Qur’an and changing the meaning of the words.
However, Imaam Ahmad and Muhammad ibn Nuh (Rahimahullaah) refused to do that. They both said: “The Qur’an is the Word of Allaah which was sent down and uncreated.” They said that compulsion in this particular circumstance was not an excuse to say that which is contrary to the truth, because the stance is a stance of Jihaad and compulsion entails forgiveness if the issue is personal. However, if the issue is related to maintaining the Shari’ah (law) of Allaah, it is obligatory to offer one’s neck as a sacrifice to defend and protect the Shari’ah (law) of Allaah.
There are many evidences that prove that the Qur’an is the Word of Allaah:
1) Allaah says in Surat At-Tawbah (9:6):
وَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ اسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّىٰ يَسْمَعَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ
“And if anyone of the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah) seeks your protection then grant him protection, so that he may hear the Word of Allaah (the Qur’an).”
Shaikh As-Sa’dee (Rahimahullaah) said: “This verse provides clear proof for the view of the Ahl As-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah, who say that the Qur’an is the uncreated Word of Allaah, because He is the One Who Spoke it and attributed it to Himself, and it highlights the falseness of the view of the Mu’tazilites and those who followed this view that the Qur’an was created.” [Tayseer Al-Kareem]
“Kalaam-Allaah” Allaah affixed the Word to His Noble Self, which proves that the Qur’an is the Word of Allaah. And the Word is an attribute of the One Who spoke it, therefore, it is uncreated because all of Allaah’s Attributes are uncreated.
2) Another evidence that the Qur’an was uncreated is Allaah’s Statement in Surat Al-A’raaf (7:54):
أَلَا لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالْأَمْرُ ۗ
“Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment.”
Allaah distinguished the creation from His commandment, and the Qur’an is a command of Allaah, as Allaah says in Surat Ash-Shura (42:52):
وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ رُوحًا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا
“And thus We have sent to you [O Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)] Ruhan (an Inspiration, and a Mercy) of Our Command.”
The creed of the Ahl As-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah regarding the Qur’an is that it is the Word of Allaah; it was sent down and not created; it started from Allaah and it will return to Him.
3) Another proof that the Qur’an is the Word of Allaah is in Surat Al-Baqarah (2:75):
أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا لَكُمْ وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
“Do you (faithful believers) covet that they will believe in your religion in spite of the fact that a party of them (Jewish rabbis) used to hear the Word of Allaah [the Taurat (Torah)], then they used to change it knowingly after they understood it?”
This is said in the context of Allaah’s Statement:
“Do you (faithful believers) covet that they (the Jews) will believe in your Religion.”
A part of them, i.e. Jewish rabbis used to hear the Word of Allaah. Some interpreters say “Word of Allaah” refers to the Qur’an. This accordingly proves that the Qur’an is the Word of Allaah. It may also be interpreted to mean the Speech of Allaah with Musa [Moses (‘Alayhis-salaam)] when he chose out of his people, seventy of the best men for Allaah’s appointed time and place of meeting. So Allaah talked to Musa and they heard Him, then they changed it knowingly after they understood it.
4) The fourth evidence that proves that the Qur’an is the Word of Allaah is Allaah’s Statement in Surat Al-Fat’h (48:15):
سَيَقُولُ الْمُخَلَّفُونَ إِذَا انْطَلَقْتُمْ إِلَىٰ مَغَانِمَ لِتَأْخُذُوهَا ذَرُونَا نَتَّبِعْكُمْ ۖ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُبَدِّلُوا كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ۚ قُلْ لَنْ تَتَّبِعُونَا كَذَٰلِكُمْ قَالَ اللَّهُ مِنْ قَبْلُ ۖ فَسَيَقُولُونَ بَلْ تَحْسُدُونَنَا ۚ بَلْ كَانُوا لَا يَفْقَهُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
“Those who lagged behind will say, when you set forth to take the spoils, ‘Allow us to follow you,’ they want to change Allaah’s Words. Say: ‘You shall not follow us; thus, Allaah has said beforehand.’”
Allaah mentions their worldly punishment: When the Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and his companions set out to collect the spoils, for which there was no fighting involved, those who lagged behind asked to be allowed to join them and have a share of it, intending thereby to change the Word of Allaah, as He decreed punishment for them and that only believing companions should get a share of these spoils, in both religious ruling and the divine decree.
There is another proof for Allaah’s saying in the verse when He says:
“thus, Allaah has said beforehand.”
The Qur’an is sent down from Allaah
There are many verses that prove that the Qur’an was sent down from Allaah. Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat Al-An’aam (6:155):
وَهَٰذَا كِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ مُبَارَكٌ فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَاتَّقُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
“And this is a blessed Book (the Qur’an) which We have sent down.”
هذا is a demonstrative pronoun that refers to the Qur’an
كتاب (Book) i.e. written; because it is written in the Preserved Tablet, written in records in the hands of scribes (angels), and in the Mus-haf which is in our hands.
مبارك A blessed Book.
The Qur’an is blessed because it is a healing for diseases which are in the breasts. If one recites it with contemplation and reflection, the heart will be cured from its sicknesses. Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat Al-Isra’ (17:82):
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
“And We send down from the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism and act on it).”
– It is blessed when following it; through it one’s outward and inward deeds are reformed.
– It is blessed in its impacts and effects.
– It is blessed in that a person gets ten good deeds by reciting one letter from it. This is from the blessings of the Qur’an that one attains abundant goodness through it.
This verse proves that the Qur’an is sent down, and it being sent down from Allaah proves that it is the Word of Allaah.
Allaah (Ta’ala) also says in Surat Al-Hashr (59:21):
لَوْ أَنْزَلْنَا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَىٰ جَبَلٍ لَرَأَيْتَهُ خَاشِعًا مُتَصَدِّعًا مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ وَتِلْكَ الْأَمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
“Had We sent down this Qur’an on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder by the fear of Allaah. Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that they may reflect.”
Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat An-Nahl (16:101-103):
وَإِذَا بَدَّلْنَا آيَةً مَكَانَ آيَةٍ ۙ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يُنَزِّلُ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ مُفْتَرٍ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
“And when We change a Verse [of the Qur’an, i.e. cancel (abrogate) its order] in place of another, and Allaah knows the best of what He sends down, they (the disbelievers) say: ‘You [O Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)] are but a Muftari! (forger, liar).’ Nay, but most of them know not.”
قُلْ نَزَّلَهُ رُوحُ الْقُدُسِ مِنْ رَبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ لِيُثَبِّتَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ
“Say [O Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)] Ruh-ul-Qudus [Jibreel (Gabriel)] has brought it (the Qur’an) down from your Lord with truth, that it may make firm and strengthen (the faith of) those who believe and as a guidance and glad tidings to those who have submitted (to Allaah as Muslims).”
وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا يُعَلِّمُهُ بَشَرٌ ۗ لِسَانُ الَّذِي يُلْحِدُونَ إِلَيْهِ أَعْجَمِيٌّ وَهَٰذَا لِسَانٌ عَرَبِيٌّ مُبِينٌ
“And indeed We know that they (polytheists and pagans) say: ‘It is only a human being who teaches him [Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)].’ The tongue of the man they refer to is foreign, while this (the Qur’an) is a clear Arabic tongue.”
These verses are comprised of the following benefits and lessons:
1- The abrogation of one verse of the Qur’an by another (in wording or ruling) is the Action of Allaah and not the Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). The Qur’an was sent down from Allaah and He knows best what He reveals. He replaces one verse with another by His knowledge.
2- Ruh-ul-Qudus [Pure Spirit, i.e. Jibreel (‘Alayhis-salaam)], the angelic Messenger who is to be declared above any fault, betrayal or ills, brought the Qur’an down from the Lord of the Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) in truth, and it contains truth in its stories, commands, and prohibitions. So there is no way that anyone can criticize it on a sound basis, because once it is known that it is the truth, it is known that all that contradicts it is false.
3- One of the greatest benefits behind revealing the Qur’an is to keep those who believe firm and strengthen them, and as a guidance and glad tiding for the Muslims.
4- The Qur’an was revealed in an eloquent Arabic speech. It is clear in itself and clarifies for others. It explains real facts in the best and clearest of phrases, in the most straightforward manner. Thus, all people should follow it, accept its rulings and receive it with approval, joy, and happiness.
The Impact of believing that the Qur’an is the Word of Allaah
If we know that Allaah has spoken with the Qur’an, then this obliges us to glorify this Qur’an, honor it, act upon what it consists of commands, abandon all what has been mentioned in it of prohibitions and warnings, and believe in all what it has brought of news about Allaah and His creatures, the earlier and later.
Sources:
Belief in Allaah by Shaikh ‘Umar Al-Ashqar
Sharh Al-Aqeedah Al-Wasitiyyah by Shaikh ‘Ibn ‘Uthaimeen (Rahimahullaah)
Tayseer Al-Kareem by Shaikh As-Sa’dee (Rahimahullaah)
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