the life changing effect of the qur’an

the qur’an says:

“verily this qur’an leads to that which is most right…”

[qur’an 17:9]

the qur’an is a book for all of mankind that is meant to reform the individual and even the society. it changes the individual that is devoid of guidance and improves an individual if he is already on the straight path.

before the prophethood of muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) the arabs were heavy drinkers of alcohol, engage in tribal battles and even bury their female babies alive. yet, when one studies the history of the qur’an, one finds that within a span of twenty years, due to the miraculous effect of the qur’an, was able to change almost all the arabs and non-arabs in the arabian peninsula and bind them into a brotherhood of faith and love that was so strong that if any part of the brotherhood would anguish, the whole brotherhood was affected negatively.

 these people became leaders of the world and cornerstones of a great civilization whose influence would remain for centuries...

this effect lasted long after muhammad’s (peace and blessings be upon him) death. we see this in the following passage:

the sterling character and qualities of the muslim soldiers were once praised by a roman officer in these words: “at night you will find them prayerful; during the day you will find them fasting. they keep their promises, order good deeds, suppress evil and maintain complete equality among themselves”

another testified thus: “they are horsemen by day and ascetics by night. they pay for what they eat in territories under their occupation. they are first to salute when they arrive at a place and are valiant fighters who just wipe out the enemy.”

and a third testified: “during the night it seems that they do not belong to this world and have no other business than to pray, and during the day, when one sees them mounted on their horses, one feels that they have been doing nothing else their whole lives. they are great archers and great lancers, yet they are so devoutly religious and remember god so much and so often that one can hardly hear talk about anything else in their company”

ibn kathir, bidayyah wa nihayyah pg. 53