Quran - from the top down
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peace all,
I kept meaning to start this thread ages ago, so here it is.
Basically, from all our studies, if we could list the important concepts/rules/messages in The Quran, starting from the most important.
I think this might be beneficial to get a good grasp of The Quran, and help put everything in context. I personally find it helpful when determining meanings.
This is not an exhaustive or formal list. Knowledge is a continual process of learning/change.
For me, number 1 has to be the theme of oneness.
One God, one origin, one return, one people, one message, one truth, one goal etc. This for me, is by far the central message.
Two Being true to oneself or to know oneself. I am often amazed that many times The Quran cites natural phenomena, our characteristics, our reason, universal principles/truths, stories about us, asks us to reflect so many times etc. It truly is a message about us, and it is from One that knows us best. That is why I feel it is very important to approach life/god/quran etc with an inner compass purity, because when this is pointing in the right direction, finding the path is a whole lot easier.
Three, I would say the law of requital. Which basically means you get what you give. You will get from life/god/quran/betterment what you put in. This is fair and a just balance.
etc.
Please share your thoughts.
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I have made a list of about 50 rules that are found in the Qur'an. It is not put in the right order yet, but these are the things that i came across
http//deenrc.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/the-quranic-rules-of-interpretation-arnold-yasin-mol-2008.pdf
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Next concept/idea/theme I'd put in the list is probably
This life is a self-testimony.
Usually someone testifies or brings evidence against someone else, but in this life, your actions etc are your own testimony against yourself, your actions are your evidence. That is why in some places in The Quran it will say your hands will testify what you've done etc This is a just approach because it puts it completely upon the individual, you provide your own evidence, you are in complete control, your actions are your own responsibility, you will be held to account once the evidence is weighed up etc. -
Peace
Forgiveness. It's there for the taking, but no one wants to take it thinking they have no need of it. It kind of lends to pride and ignorance, what? Do not walk the earth in your arrogance? There is also a way to go about it. You should probably avoid repeating your mistakes.
Joe
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Peace,
Great thread bro!
Somewhere between 1 and 3, or maybe in the spaces, must be gratitude, imo. It is the single most humbling experience one can endure - and it is mentioned frequently throughout the text in various forms and angles. And for me, gratitude ties directly to Joe's contribution of forgiveness.Also self-improvement/development. Obviously, the direct effect of applying all concepts mentioned would lead to self-improvement/development, but I believe there is also a distinct concept in and of itself that entails working towards increasing one's knowledge, experience, health, and spiritual progression.
Peace,
Tay -
Peace be upon you,
The first was already stated...PEACE.
The root S-L-M is what the description "muslim" and "islam" are all about, and Peace is what we all strive for because it is the basis for happiness, which is the primary urge in all humans.
Next, Oneness...everything is One..no object appears without it being from the same original "substance". All of us are the same molecules, only in a different configuration. Life is an interplay of this one substance. "you" and "I" are not different really, yet on the lowest level we are, but w know that level very well already, so we must travel up to the hieghts.
Next, Knowledge..not belief but knowledge
Next, Your power to handle the toughest of adversities through living the correct Godlike behavior.
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Peace,
According to Hans Kng, in his "Islam Past, Present & Future", the Bedouins had no concept of individuality. The individual was nothing on his own. All the aspects of his life was to be determined by the tribe. The individual had to dedicate himself completely, uncritically and uncompromisingly to the tribe for protection, if he were to survive. The Quran changed this paradigm, and introduced individuality. Every man to himself, and every man responsible for his own deeds. Loyalty was now not towards another unjustly exalted human being, but towards that which made every life equal. The individual didn't need to sell himself to the tribe for protection, for god was the ultimate protector. He could now be sincere to himself and his belief, and rest assured that "god is the friend of the righteous"(4519). For more see Hans Kngs book, pg. 152. (Thanks for recommending it, Arnold Yasin!)
If there is no individual, there is no islam.
Nadeem
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peace Tay,
I was thinking of where to slot in gratitude and similar themes. I did consider it under the general heading of 'the law of requital' as the relationship of thanks has a reciprocal element, but its also distinct.
And for betterment, I was also thinking where to put it. I like the theme of "self-actualisation".
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Wa ilaihe al masir.
We are us. I am I, but also I am going to become something else, closer to Him. He loves me, I exist out of his mercy and He is my destiny. I am safe, I aslam, recognize that He is my destiny, that I only exist because He loves and that I will only exist for love. I love Him, so so much, so much. I only existe for Him, even when I am lost and do not know that I love him... and that drives me nuts, because without His love I am nothing, I go mad and become a devil. El masir... I must get there, where love only lives. He gave me a book for that and a mind to read it, to discern, al furqan, I must spend my life thinking, judging weighing things against other things, having the courage to see and tread always further, and become all the time someone closer to him, that I may get to know Him, the one that loves me, who is my destiny, forever, forever...
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I think next on the list for me would be The Quran's "hikma/wisdom/judgement".
Not only does The Quran contain specific laws and limits, it also contains hikma/wisdom/judgement, that if understood correctly, one can apply it to every situation, including those not specifically encountered in The Quran.
I often used to wonder why The Quran contained so much info, so many stories, laws etc. when I thought having a few basic rules would do, but what I didn't factor in was that The Quran is meant to cover all situations in life and if you think about it, trying to cover all situations in life is impossible, so the only way to deal with this is to give oneself a grounding in hikma/wisdom/judgement. Not to mention people learn in different ways thus it does have different delivery techniques in the way it teaches us.
