MUSLIMS AND THE CONCEPT OF REVELATION:

Muslims owe their religious faith to Muhammad, the messenger of God. One day the Prophet Muhammad himself replied to a question as to what is Faith and said:

"Thou shalt believe in the One God, in His angelic messengers, in His revealed books, in His human messengers, in the Last Day (or Resurrection and final judgement) and in the determination of Good and evil by God."

On the same occasion, he explained as to what signifies submission to God in practice, and what is the best method of obedience The highest degree of contact, the surest and the most infallible means of communication between man and his Creator, is called wahy by the Prophet Muhammad. This is not an ordinary inspiration, but a veritable revelation made to man from God - a celestial communication. Man is matter, but on the contrary, God is even above the spirit and therefore beyond all possibility of direct physical contact with man (Qur'an 6/103). God is omnipresent [ever present] and, as the Qur'an says "nearer to man than his jugular vein" [50:15]. Yet no physical contact is possible. Therefore it is a malak (lit. a messenger), that is, a celestial message-bearer (commonly translated as 'angel') who serves as an intermediary, or the channel of the transmission of the God's message to His human agent or messenger (i.e., the prophet). None except a prophet receives such a revelation through the intermediary of a celestial messenger. It ought to be remembered that, in Islam, prophet does not mean one who makes prophecies and predictions, but only an envoy of God, a bearer of Divine message intended for his people. As to the angel, it does not enter in the scope of our studies here to discuss whether it is a spiritual being, distinct from the material beings in the universe, or something else.According to the Qur'an, the celestial messenger who brought revelations to the Prophet is called Jibril (Jibrail, Gabriel), which etymologically means 'the power of God.' The Qur'an cites also Mikal (Mikail, Michael) without indicating his functions. The functionary in charge of hell is named Malik (lit. 'master' or 'owner'). It also speaks of other angels without name and without attributes, all of whom execute the orders of the Lord. The Islamic belief is that Jibril, also described in the Qur'an as "trustworthy spirit" (al-ruh al-amin), stands above all. In the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, as distinct from the Qur'an, we read that this celestial messenger, Jibril, did not always appear in the same form to the Prophet. The Prophet saw him sometimes like a being suspended in the air, sometimes in the shape of a man, sometimes like a being having wings, etc. In a narration preserved by Ibn Hanbal (1, 53 or No. 374), it is reported that one day in the presence of many people, an unknown person came and put some questions to the Prophet Muhammad, and then went away. Several days afterwards, the Prophet told his companions: "I am persuaded to believe that the person who put to me questions on that day was none other than Gabriel, who had come to teach you your religion; and never was I so tardy in recognizing him." It was so because he had come to examine the Prophet and not to communicate to him some message from God.

The way in which the revelation used to come could be deduced from the following reports in which the Prophet himself or his onlookers have described it: "Sometimes it came to me like the beating sound of the bell - and this is the hardest experience for me - and when that ceases, I retain well engraved in my memory all that it has said; but sometimes the angel appears to me in the shape of a human being and speaks to me and I retain what he says" (Bukhari). In the transmission of Ibn Hanbal, this same report reads: "I hear the beating sounds and thereupon I keep silent; there is not an occasion of the revelation to me when I do not fear that my soul will depart." His Companions relate their observations, "whenever a revelation came to him, a sort of rest (immobility) captured him." (Ibn Hanbal) Or, "whenever the revelation came to the messenger of God, he was overwhelmed and remained in this state a while as if he was intoxicated." (Ibn Sa'd) Or, "the revelation came to him in the coldest day, and when it ceased, the front of the Prophet perspired with (sweat falling as) pearls." (Bukhari) Or, "once when the moment (of revelation) arrived, he bent his head inside (a garment?), and lo, the face of the messenger of God had become red, and he snored; later the state vanished" (Bukhari). Or, "whenever the revelation came, he suffered therefrom and his face darkened." (Ibn Sa'd) Or, "when the revelation came to him, we heard near him like the humming sound of bees." (Ibn Hanbal and Abu Hu-aim) Or, "the Prophet suffered great pain when the revelation came to him, and he used to move his lips." (Bukhari) Another series of reports say that he then felt the weight of a great load, and said, "I saw the Prophet while he was on his camel when a revelation came to him. The camel began to foam with rage and twist its legs to the point that I feared that they would break with a crack. In fact sometimes the camel sat down, but sometimes it would obstinately try to stand, with legs planted like pegs all through the time of revelation, and this lasted until the state (of revelation) vanished, and sweat would fall from him like pearls." (Ibn Sa'd) Or, "the load almost broke the leg of the camel with a crack" (Ibn Hanbal). Zaid Ibn Thabit reports his personal experience of a certain day in the following words: "His leg lay on my thigh and weighed so heavy that I feared that my femur would break with a crack" (Bukhari). In another version, there is this addition: "... had it not been for the Prophet of God, I would have pushed a cry and taken away my leg." Other reports say: "The revelation came to him once while he was standing on the pulpit of the Mosque and he remained immobile." (Ibn Hanbal) Or, "he was holding a loaf of meat (during his meal) when a revelation came to him, and when the state ceased, the loaf was still in his hand" (Ibn Hanbal). At such an occasion, the Prophet sometimes lay on his back, sometimes the inmates even covered his face in respect with a piece of cloth, as the circumstance may be. Yet he never lost his consciousness nor control of his self. In the early times of the mission, he used to repeat aloud, during the course of the revelation, what was revealed to him, but while still at Mecca, he abandoned this habit of simultaneous repeating, but remained silent until the end of the state of revelation, and then he communicated the message of God to his secretaries to note (as is mentioned in the Qur'an 75/16): "Stir not thy tongue herewith to hasten it; upon Us the putting together and the reading thereof." And again (20/114): "And hasten not with the Qur'an ere its revelation hath been perfected unto thee and say: my Lord, increase me in knowledge." And when the Prophet returned to his normal state, he used to dictate to his scribes the portion of the Qur'an which had just been received by him, in order to publish it amongst the Muslims and to multiply the copies. In his al-Mab'ath wa'l-Maghazi (MS of Fes), Ibn Ishaq reports: "Whenever part of the Qur'an was revealed to the Messenger of God, he first recited it among men, and then among women."

Objective of revelation:
The whole Book of Quran that had been revealed on Prophet Muhammad is a an Instrument of instructions which has been issued to man in his capacity as God's vicegerent on earth to enable him to conduct his life's operations in such a manner he is able to obtain success in this world and the reward of eternal bliss hereafter.

The distinctive feature of teh Quran as a religious scripture lies in the undeniable fact taht it

"affirms and completes the total process of revelation which has come from teh Divine for the guidence of the human race"

The necessity of the revelation is attested by the facts of life,the very condition of teh finitude in which we find ourselves calls for Divine help.In a short span of life taht is ours, having regard to the limited range of our capabilities and powers of perception,it would be impossible for us without assistance from the Divine to understand our role here and to plan wise and intelligent action with a view to serving teh essential needs of our being.

DIVINITY AND SUPREMACY OF WAHY:

The Holy Quran claims to be book of Hidayah i..e, Guidence ,for man.It addresses itself by and large ,to the totality of mankind.Its message is relevant to different people living in different parts of the world.Not only this it's message is valid for all times to come .In other words it is not a book that will ever be out of date.There are numerous indications in the Divine Book itself which can enable a discerning and perceptive student to appreciate the truth of the claim of the Quran that it presents teh message of universal significance.

The Quran as a book of guidence must be regarded as an embodiment of the code of life which God,the Creator and Lord of the Universe has revealed for the "hidaya" of mankind.This revealed truth relating to the various aspects of human life has been shown to man through the process of revelation.This procedure has been consumated in the message that has been brought by the Prophet of Islam to mankind.It may be said that Islam itself provides for the education of the human race.In Islam religion has been perfected .That is another way of saying that with islam the age of new revelation has come to an end,and that the age of realization of the principles of revealed religions has been inagurated.That is why in all the earliest scripture refrences have been found to the advent of the Prophet of Islam.The Bible,for instance provides us with the reference of this revelation as Jesus had said,

"I have yet many things to say unto you,but ye cannot bear them now....He will guide you until all truth:for he shall not speak himself;but of whatsoever he shall hear,that he shall speak"

Further the New Testament bears testimony to this very truth:

"Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things,which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began"

The Holy Quran itself affirms this reference in chapter 61,verse 6,when it says,

"And that Jesus,son of Mary ,said,"O children of Israel ,surely i am the messanger of Allah to you verifying that which is before me of Torah and giving the good news of the messenger ,who will come after me ,his name being Ahmad."

This is the meaning of the fundamental tenet of islam which enjoins that the Prophet of Islam is the last Prophet.The HOly Quran thus embodies the final most communication from the Divine.After the Prophet of Islam came to mankind teh need for continuing the process of Divine communication itself has come to an end.This revelation or the Divine coomunication is supreme in the fact that it enables the human beings and the follower of Islam to understand the grand strategy for bringing about the moral and mental regeneration of mankind on earth.

THE CHOICE OF GOOD AND EVIL:

The very fact that the Quran claims itself to be a book of Guidence asssumes that it is not a book of Ten Commandments as is,for instance the Old Testament.The Prophet was called upon to purify the people,to teach them the book ,that is there destiny and to make them wise.He was to warn and to guide.The Quran unmistakably places the burden of making a choice between good and evil fully and squarely on the shoulders of man.It says,

" Have we not shown to you the two ways,the easy way and the difficult way".

The Quran further declares that nothing belongs to man except his effort.He is going to be judged by what he does here and now.This suggests that the Quran assumes the man to have reach the level where he is regarded as being capapble of choosing between right and wrong.The Quran is also called "al Furqan" which means it is the book which helps one to discrimminate between the scale of values,pointing out which acts are good,better,and best and which ones are bad,worse and worst.All this shows that God has revealed to the people the Divine Truth of the choice of right and wrong and it addresses to the people who can choose.

WAHY , SOURCE OF SUPREME KNOWLEDGE:

The message which Allah has revealed through His Prophet Muhammad demonstrates his followers the indispensibility of the teachings contained in the Quran.This message to the modern world is to take up one by one the present day standards of excellence.This excellence is associated with the values and ideals which are accepted and upheld by the enlightened sections of contemporay humanity.These present day set of values and ideals which is considered worthy by a civilized man to adopt and accept was revealed for the first time by Islam.Quran is surely a supreme source of knowledge as it teaches the equality,dignity and brotherhood of man.It advises to practice religious tolerence and provides dignity to the human beings without any exploitation and inequality among the individuals.It definately guides and teaches those principles which are necessary for the survival of mankind both physically and spiritually.

The revelations and teachings of Quran are accepted in principle by the whole world.The world swears its ideals and cherishes the values sponsered by it.No book in the world down the ages has been adored than the Holy Quran has been by the Muslims.The Quran is the best evidence that there is for all of us to believe that God exists,that Muhammad is His Prophet (PBUH).It is a Book of Hope in the sense that it presents to us the Image of our Maker who forgives us and protects us against our follies.Man needed to discover the word of God.Allah revealed,informed and guided the man about his Creator,his purpose of Creation,informs him of his place as the "best of Creation",provides him guidence to lead a fullfilling and rewarding life,tells him of the hereafter,teaches him the value of his fellow beings,makes everything else subservient to the criterion of Truth.In short it enabels him to be peace with himself,with the whole of the creation and with the Creator