بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
The Holy Quran is God’s last and complete Book. The Almighty Allah has revealed this Book in a lofty manner:
وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِّكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ
And We have revealed the Book to you explaining clearly everything, and a guidance and mercy and good news for those who submit[1].
وَلاَ رَطْبٍ وَلاَ يَابِسٍ إِلاَّ فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ
Nor anything in the world either wet or dry, that is not kept recorded in the self-evident Book[2]
All things have been mentioned in the Holy Quran. But, the Almighty has not revealed the Quran in isolation; rather He has appointed a teacher for it.
وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
We have revealed the Quran to you so that you could tell the people what has been revealed to them and so that perhaps they will think.[3]
At another place, it is mentioned:
وَمَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ إِلاَّ لِتُبَيِّنَ لَهُمُ الَّذِي اخْتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ
We have sent you the Book for no other reason than to settle their differences and to be a guide and mercy for those who believe.[4]
In the light of these verses, it becomes clear that though the Holy Quran contains all knowledge, everyone cannot access it. We have to refer to the divine teacher, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) who will guide us as to where the information is located. Or those persons whom the Prophet of God (s.a.w.a.s.) has given a stature equal to the Quran.
Allah has appointed a teacher of the Quran along with the Book so that people do not interpret it according to their whims. Or when they cannot find a matter due to their Lack of knowledge, they do not deny its existence in the Quran.
The translation of the Quran itself is a momentous task, but delving into the depths of its implications and realities is the work of ‘رَا سِخُوْنَ فىِ الْعِلْمِ ’ (the entrenched ones in knowledge).
If we ponder over the verses of the Holy Quran and their exegesis in the light of traditions after this brief preface, we find the mention of Imam Mahdi (a.s.) in diverse ways. Continue reading
MAHDAVIYAT 