The Moral Values of The Qur'an

Introduction

The moral values of the community we live in are rather distorted. These moral principles which are the products of selfish passions and the greed of people, yield then to selfishness, arrogance, sarcasm, rudeness and cruelty. People believe that, in order to improve their living standards they have to cheat or deceive others.

However, these are not the values that Allah has determined for the human beings He created. The Qur’an orders people to be dignified, modest, trustworthy, kind, faithful, mature and responsive. The Qur’an even describes the way we should walk:

"Turn not your face away from men with pride, nor walk in insolence through the earth. Verily, Allah likes not each arrogant boast" (Surat al-Luqman, 31:18)

On that account, duty of a believer is to apply these superior principles that Allah has decreed.

Yet, today believers live in a miscreant community where these divine ethics have beendeserted. For that reason, they have to be extremely careful against the perpetrating effects of this perverted and primitive culture. They must continuously judge themselves within this community not to be affected by their degenerated culture, and to be able to apply the moral values of the Qur’an.

This brochure has been prepared to help believers not to forget the basic teachings of the Qur’an, which they should always keep in mind.

In the following pages, these moral principles and prayers that are likely to be forgotten by the believers will be examined in the light of related verses of the Qur’an.

The Moral Values of The Qur'an
(01 - 04)

1. Just Estimation of Allah

The Qur’an informs us of the true attributes of Allah:

“Allah! There is no god but He, the Living, the Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in His presence except as He permits? He knows what (appears to His creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as He wills. His Throne does extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory).” (Surat al-Baqara, 2:255)

“Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them; the decree continues to descend among them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all things in (His) knowledge.” (Surat at-Talaq, 65:12)

However, most people not perceiving Allah as He is described in the above verses, cannot comprehend His eternal power and greatness. They believe in superstitions that they have made up themselves, and think that Allah is somewhere far off in the universe, and rarely interferes in “earthly matters”. The limited understanding of these people is mentioned in the Qur’an, in  (Surat al-Hajj, 22:74). “No just estimate have they made of Allah: for Allah is He Who is strong and able to Carry out His Will.”

Having a thorough grasp of the extent of Allah’s power is the first link in the chain of belief. True believers leave behind them the distorted vision of Allah prevailing in their community, and deny these perverted beliefs by saying: “There were some foolish ones among us, who used to utter extravagant lies against Allah.” (Surat al-Jinn, 72:4)

The faithful believe in Allah in the way the Qur’an describes. They examine the signs of Allah in both external and internal worlds, and thus begin to understand the great art and power of Allah.

But if the believers happen to overlook Allah and fail to ponder deeply on Him and on His Creation, they may start to be influenced by immoral beliefs particularly at times of difficulty. Allah mentions this as a potential risk in the verse of  (Surat Aal-e-Imran, 3:154), about the believers who gave up during the war, and “who were anxious on their own account, thought wrongly of Allah, the thought of ignorance. ”

A believer would never like to make such a mistake, therefore he should free his heart from everything that appertains to the beliefs of the ignorant, and accept this real faith with all his heart in the way the Qur’an describes.

2. Fearing Allah as much as One Can

 To fear Allah is the beginning of all. The more one fears Allah, the more superior does one become in the presence of Allah. The Qur’an gives the examples of the prophets, with whom the believers can compare themselves so that they may understand that they really can increase their fear of Allah.

Allah wants people to fear Him to the greatest possible extent. Various ways of showing reverence for the Almighty can be found, for example; spending in Allah’s way, doing good deeds, taking the prophet as an example, obeying him, being attentive to the rules of Allah etc.

“So fear Allah as much as you can; listen and obey and spend in charity for the benefit of your own soul. Those saved from the covetousness of their own souls, are the ones that achieve prosperity.”  (Surat at-Taghabun, 64:16)

“O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.”  (Surat Aal-e-Imran, 3:102)

3. Destiny

Nothing in the universe is accidental. As it is stated            in the Qur’an: “He regulates all affairs” (Surat ar-Ra’d, 13:2). In another verse it is said: “Not a leaf falls but with His knowledge.” (Surat al-Anam, 6:59). It is Allah Who creates and directs all the events; how they will begin and how they will end. It is again Allah Who determines every movement of every star in the universe, every state of every living thing on Earth, the way one will live, what one will say, what one will encounter, as expressed in the verses:

“Verily, We have created all things with Qadar  (Divine Preordainments of all things before their creation)” (Surat al-Qamar, 54:49)

“No misfortune befalls on the earth or in yourselves but is inscribed in the Book of Decrees, before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah.“ (Surat al-Hadid, 57:22)

The believers should be aware of this great reality,and in consequence, should never act ignorantly as those who deny it. Having understood that life is just “following destiny”, they never become disappointed or feel afraid of anything. They become confident and firm as the Prophet Muhammad, who told his companion, “Be not sad, surely Allah is with us.” (Surat at-Tawba, 9:40) when the latter was apprehensive about being found in the cave by the idolaters who wanted to kill them.

4. Putting Trust in Allah

Since Allah is the only decision-maker, every happening is in favor of the believers: everything has been planned for the benefit of religion and for the believers' life in the hereafter. Believers can refer to their past experience to see that there is a good for them at the end of every event. For that reason, believers put their entire trust in Allah. He is the one and only Protector. What a believer should do is to behave as Allah wants him to: fulfilling his responsibilities but depending on Allah for the outcomes. The following verses express this mystery, which is unknown to unbelievers.

“... for those who fear Allah, He (ever) prepares a way out. And He provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine. And if any one puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is (Allah) for him. Verily, for all things has Allah appointed a due proportion.” (Surat at-Talaq, 65:2-3)

“Say: ‘Nothing will happen to us except what Allah hasdecreed for us: He is our Protector: and in Allah let the believers put their trust.’” (Surat at-Tawba, 9:51)

What the believers should say to the unbelievers is also stated in the Qur’an:

 “And why should we not put our trust in Allah while He indeed has guided us our ways. And we shall certainly bear with patience all the hurt you may cause us, and in Allah (alone) let those who trust, put their trust. (Surah Ibrahim, 14:12)

In another verse, it is said:

“If Allah helps you, none can overcome you; and if He forsakes you, who is there after Him that can help you? And in Allah (alone) let believers put their trust.” (Surat Al-e-Imran, 3:160)

The Moral Values of The Qur'an
(05 - 08)

5. Pondering

In the Qur’an, it is stated that the unbeliever is one who neither recognizes nor appreciates the signs of Allah. The distinguishing mark of a believer is his ability to see those signs and proofs. He knows that these are not created in vain, and can realize the power and great art of Allah everywhere and find ways to revere Him. He is one of those men of sense, who "celebrate the praises of Allah, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth, (and say):

'Our Lord! not for naught have You created (all) this! Glory be to You! Give us salvation from the penalty of the Fire.' ” (Surat Aal-e-Imran, 3:191)

At various points in the Qur’an, expressions like, “will you not take heed?”, “...there is a sign for thinking men,” lay stress on the importance of pondering upon the signs of Allah. Allah has created an endless list of subjects for reflection. Everything wesee and sense in the heavens and on the earth and in between is indeed a manifestation of Allah’s creativity and, as such should be food for thought. One of the verses gives the example of these divine blessing of Allah:

“With it He produces for you corn, olives, date palms, grapes and every kind of fruit: verily, in this is a sign for those who give thought.” (Surat an-Nahl, 16:11)

Let us think for a moment of one of the above mentioned items: the date palm. The tree, as is well known, grows up from a seed out of the earth. From this tiny seed (a seed is not even 1 cubic centimetre in size), arises an enormous wooden mass of 4-5 metres long and hundreds of kilograms in weight. The only thing that the seed can use while constituting this great mass is the earth in which it is buried.

How can a seed know how to form a tree? How can it "reason" to decompose the necessary substances in the soil to create wood? How can it predict the required shape and structure? This last question is especially important, because it is not an ordinary wooden piece that emerges from the seed. It is a complex living organism with roots for assimilating substances from the earth, with veins and with branches that are perfectly organized. A human being has difficulty in drawing even a picture of a tree, while on the contrary a simple seed can produce such an extremely complex object by merely using the substances in the soil.

This observation concludes that a seed is extremelyintelligent and wise, even more so than we are. Or to be more precise, there is an amazing intelligence in what a seed does. But what is the source of that intelligence? How can it be possible for a seed to have such intelligence and memory?

No doubt, this question has a single answer: the seed is created by being endowed with the ability to form a tree, that is, it is programmed so in advance. Every seed on earth is encompassed by Allah and grows within His knowledge. In one of the verses it is stated:

“With Him are the keys of the unseen, the treasures that none knows but He. He knows whatever there is on the earth and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but with His knowledge: there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth, nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered), but is (inscribed) in a record clear.” (Surat al-An'am, 6:59)

It is Allah who creates the seed and causes it to spring forth as a new plant. In another verse it is said:

“It is Allah Who causes the seed-grain and the date-stone to split and sprout. He causes the living to issue from the dead, and He is the one to cause the dead to issue from the living. That is Allah: then how are you deluded away from the truth?” (Surat al-An‘am, 6:95)

The seed is merely one of the numerous signs that Allah has created in the universe. If men begin to think not only with their minds but also with their hearts, and ask of themselves, the questions “why” and “how”, they will be able to understand that all of the universe is the proof of the existence and power of Allah.

6. Being Careful

As we stated at the beginning, Allah created the  universe to show the signs of His Creation. However, the unbelievers cannot understand this fact since they do not have the ability to “see” this divine purpose. As the Qur’an expresses it: “They have eyes with which they do not see.” (Surat al-Araf, 7:179). With their materialistic vision, they do not have the wisdom and comprehension to grasp this important reality.

Believers are quite different from this “blind” category, because they realise and accept that the whole universe is created by Allah with a certain aim and wisdom. This belief is the first step of faith. As faith and wisdom increase in parallel with each other, they will begin to be able to identify every detail of Allah’s Creation.

In the Islamic tradition, progress in faith is in three steps: ilm-el yakin (being informed), ayn-el yakin(seeing), and Hakk-el yakin (experiencing).

An example of rain is given to explain these steps. There are three stages in acknowledging that it rains. In the first stage (ilm-el yakin), while someone sits in his home, with his windows shut, somebody coming from outside tells him that it rains, and he believes him. The second stage, ayn-el yakin is the stage of eye-witnessing. The person goes to the window, opens the curtain and sees that it rains. In the stage of Hakk-el yakin, he opens the door, goes out of the house, and there he is; "in" the rain.

Being careful is a prayer in action to proceed from the stage of ilm-el yakin to the stage of ayn-el yakin and even more. 

Seeing the signs of Allah and not being “blind” like the unbelievers, require a high degree of concentration. In the Qur'an, the believers are called to observe and notice the signs of Allah around them and this is only possible by being careful:

“See you the seed that you sow in the ground?Is it you that cause it to grow, or are We the Cause?” (Surat al-Waqia, 56:63-64)

“See you the water which you drink? Do ye bring it down (in rain) from the cloud or do We?” (Surat al-Waqia, 56:68-69)

And Allah states in another verse that the blind could not be held equal to the seeing and asks "Will you then consider not?" (Surat al An'am, 6:50)

One should train oneself to recognize the signs of Allah and should always keep them in mind. Otherwise, the mind will start to wander, jumping from one topic to another, wasting time in thinking about useless things. This is a kind of unconsciousness; you cannot control your mind when you lose your concentration in Allah. You cannot focus on a subject. Indeed, you cannot conceive the truth behind events, nor can you ever have the competence to affect the course they take. On the contrary, your mind is directed by stray happenings. You are “bewildered” all the time, which is not the attribute of the believer, but of the unbeliever.

“... if anyone assigns partners to Allah, it is as if he had fallen from heaven and been snatched up by birds, or the wind had swooped and thrown him into afar-distant place.” (Surat al-Hajj, 22: 31)

Believers, on the other hand, are the ones who direct their minds better to perceive Allah, and who try in better ways to serve His religion. They free their minds from any vain thoughts, and whenever they become aware of the appeal of Satan, they rescue themselves, just as is described in the Qur’an;

“Verily, those who are the pious, when an evil thought comes to them from Satan, they remember Allah, and (indeed) they then see (aright)”.(Surat al-A’raf, 7:201)

Therefore, the believers should be careful to keep their minds free of useless thoughts, and never lose the thread of what is happening around them, they should always be on their guard.

7. Goodness in All

All things are created with wisdom and with an ulterior purpose. In consort with this ulterior purpose, there are benefits for the believers in all happenings. Because Allah is on the believers’ side and does not let them down.

Encounters in life may at first seem unfavourable for the believers. However, one should understand that even seemingly dire events, for example, a plot of hatched against them by the unbelievers, will ultimately turn out well for them. Allah will sooner or later let them savour His beneficence so, believers should be completely sure that there is goodness in all.

There are many examples of this kind of situation in the Qur’an; the life of Yusuf (Joseph) is one of the most remarkable. In his childhood, Yusuf had been thrown down to the bottom of a well by his brothers. He was later rescued and then accused and imprisoned, even though he was innocent. For a person withoutfaith, these incidents may be thought of as the greatest misfortunes. Nevertheless, Yusuf  always kept in mind that these could only happen under Allah’s direction and that all would certainly turn out for the better. And this proved to be true. Allah turned the “disasters” to good account; Yusuf was released from prison and in time became one of the governors of that land.

The situation with Yunus (Jonah) was no different. He fled to a laden ship, where, to retain his place, he drew lots. When the draw proved unfavourable, he was thrown into the sea where he was swallowed by a gigantic fish. The Qur’an informs us that he was rescued and was sent to a “nation a hundred thousand men or more,” only because he had glorified Allah.

“Had he not been of them who glorify Allâh, He would have indeed remained inside its belly (the fish) till the Day of Resurrection. But We cast him forth on the naked shore while he was sick, And We caused a plant of gourd to grow over him. And We sent him to a hundred thousand (people) or even more. And they believed; so We gave them enjoyment for a while.” (Surat as-Saaffat, 37:143-148)

All these examples given in the Qur’an teach us that the events which seems to be a “misfortune” are not really so for the believer. If he puts his trust in Allah, seeks refuge in Him and asks help only from Him, then nothing will be a matter of regret for him. Allah does create certain difficulties, but they are only to put man to the test and to strengthen believers’ loyalty and faith.

The opposite holds true for the unbelievers. Nothing in this life can be good for them. Things that strike them as delightful or pleasant are indeed “misfortunes”, and these will increase their torment in the Hereafter. Anything that they achieve unjustly is entered in their record, and for this they will ultimately be responsible. On this score the Qur’an records Allah’s commandments:

“And let not those who covetously withhold of that which Allah has bestowed on them of His Bounty think that it is good for them. Nay, it will be worse for them; the things which they covetously withheld shall be tied to their necks like a collar on the Day of Resurrection. And to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth; and Allah is Well­Acquainted with all that you do.” (Surat Aal-e-Imran, 3:180)

8. Death is near

The members of the profane society are basically  ignorant, negligent and shallow. Their lives are not based on common sense or logic. On the contrary, they live with vain and false beliefs, and follow conjectures that end with fallacies. One of these is their belief about death. They believe that death is something even not to be thought about.

What they really expect is to escape from it by ignoring it. By not thinking about it, they believe that they can elude it. But this is just like the ostrich who puts her head in the sand in order to escape from the danger. Ignoring danger does not make it disappear. On the contrary, the person at risk will certainly encounter danger, but without having made any preparations for it, will, in consequence receive a much bigger shock— unlike the believers who ponder on and prepare themselves for this important reality, the truth of which has been experienced by all thepeople who have ever lived. Allah, therefore, admonishes the unbelievers in the following verse:

‘The death from which you flee will surely meet you, then you will be sent back to (Allah), the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, and He will tell you the things that you did.” (Surat al-Jumua, 62:8)

Death is not a “disaster” which should be forgotten, but an important lesson that teaches people the real meaning of life. It should therefore be the subject of profound thought. The believers ponder deeply on that great reality with sincerity and wisdom. Why do all people live for a period of time and then die? All created beings are mortal, and this shows that they are powerless and unable servants of Allah. Allah is the only owner of life; all creatures have come to life by Allah’s Decree and will ultimately die by Allah’s Decree. On this the Qur’an declares:

“All that is on earth will perish: But will abide (Forever) the Face of your Lord,- full of Majesty, Bounty and Honour.” (Surat ar-Rahman, 55:26, 27)

Everyone will die, but none can predict where and when that will be. Nobody has any guarantee that he will be alive the next minute. Therefore believers should behave as if they are to die at any moment. Thinking about death will help believers increase their sincerity and fear of Allah and they will always remain conscious of what awaits them.

In the Qur’an, the significance of keeping death in mind is expressed in the following verse:

“We granted not to any human being immortality before you, then if you die, would they live forever? Every soul shall have a taste of death: and We test you by evil and by good by way of trial. To Us  you will be returned.” (Surat al-Anbiya, 21:34-35)

The Moral Values of The Qur'an
(09 - 12)

9. The Never-Ending  Attempts of Satan

When Allah created Adam and commanded the angels to prostrate themselves before him, they all prostrated themselves except Satan, who thenceforward was cursed. Satan’s response was to ask Allah for a reprieve till the Day of Resurrection. This was so that he would have the opportunity to make people transgress. Once reprieved by Allah, he committed himself to a course of action intended to derail mankind:

“He said: ‘Because You have sent me astray, surely I will lie in wait against them (human beings) on Your Straight Path. Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, and You will not find most of them as thankful ones’” (Surat al-A‘raf, 7:16-17)

“ ’I will mislead them, and I will create in them false desires; I will order them to slit the ears of cattle, and to change the nature created by Allah.’ Whoever, forsaking Allah, takes satan for a friend, hath of a surety suffered a loss that is manifest.” (Surat an-Nisa, 4:119)

One who is unaware of the menace of Satan, cannot protect himself against him and can easily be deceived by him. Therefore, believers should be fully alert to Satan, as is commanded in the Qur’an:

“Verily Satan is an enemy to you: so treat him as an enemy. He only invites his adherents, that they may become Companions of the Blazing Fire.” (Surah Fatir, 35:6)

Those who should be the most cautious about Satan are the believers, because it is they who are Satan’s actual targets. There is no need for him to try to make the unbelievers transgress; because they have already turned out to belong to his own army. He, therefore, strives to the utmost to weaken the believers so as to prevent them from serving Allah. That is why believers are particularly warned against Satan:

“O you who believe! Follow not Satan’s footsteps: if any will follow the footsteps of Satan, he will (but) command what is shameful and wrong: and were it not for the grace and mercy of Allah on you, not one of you would ever have been pure: but Allah doth purify whom He pleases: and Allah is One Who hears and knows (all things).” (Surat an-Nur, 24:21)

As Allah says in the Qur’an, true believers will not be affected by the activities of Satan. But those who are weak and heedless may be easily influenced by his delusions. Never should we forget that Satan is ceaselessly striving to promote evil. Believers should always be on their guard and keep Allah in mind at all times.

10. The Soul is Prone to Evil

Another enemy that we should guard against is within ourselves. Allah has inspired in people both good and evil. The evil inspiration in us always works for Satan. The Qur’an explains the two sides of our souls:

“By the soul and Him Who perfected it in proportion and inspired it to understand what is right and wrong for it. Truly he succeeds that purifies it. And he fails that corrupts it!” (Surat ash-Shams, 91:7-10)

People should be aware of this evil in themselves and always be on guard against the danger. Denying this evil side of our souls will not help us to escape from it, and we should try to purify it as is laid down in the Qur’an.

Believers should never, therefore, claim that they are entirely pure, but be wary of the vain provocation of their souls. The admission of Yusuf (Joseph): ‘“Nor do I absolve my own self (of blame): the (human) soul is certainly prone to evil, unless my Lord bestows His Mercy: but, surely, my Lord is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful,”’ (Surah Yusuf, 12:53) should always be borne in mind as a good example of the appropriate attitude.

People should carefully watch out for the foibles of the soul and do good and practice self-restraint, as in another verse it is averred that “men’s souls are swayed by greed.” (Surat an-Nisa, 4:128) What that greed may lead men to, is also stated in the Qur’an. It was the soul of one of Adam’s sons that prompted him to murder his brother: “The (selfish) soul of the other led him to the murder of his brother: he murdered him, and became (himself) one of the lost ones.” (Surat al-Ma’ida, 5:30). It is the same propensity to evil that made Samiri lead Moses’ people astray in his absence. Samiri says “...thus did my soul suggest to me.” (Surah Ta-Ha, 20:96)

The only way to attain salvation is by curbing the evil of the soul:

“Those saved from the covetousness of their own souls, they are the ones that achieve prosperity.” (Surat al-Hashr, 59:9)

“And as for him who fears to stand in the presence of his Lord and forbids the soul from low desires, the Garden will be his home.” (Surat an-Nazi’at, 79:40-41)

The struggle with one's soul is the biggest struggle for a believer. The believer has to check upon himself to decide which of his emotions and wishes are acceptable and which are evil. He has to stand against the evil instigations of his soul such as selfishness, jealousy, arrogance and greed. 

Our souls shall cause us to entertain vain desires and passions. They whisper to us that we will be satisfied when we gain more money, and to have a higher status. However, these pleasures never satisfy the believer in any real sense. The more money we have, the more we will want to have. In many ways, our souls will lead us to act just like insatiable wild animals.

Our souls can only be satisfied if we devote ourselves to Allah, and not to our own shallow desires. We are created to be the servants of Allah: “...for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.” (Surat ar-R’ad, 13:28). Nothing else can give peace and satisfaction.

That is why only true believers have completely satisfied souls, because they keep themselves away from evil, guard against the depravity of their souls and dedicate themselves to Allah.

“To the righteous soul the Almighty will say: 'O soul, in (complete) rest and satisfaction! Come back to your Lord, well pleased (yourself), and well-pleasing unto Him! Enter you, then, among My devotees! Enter you my Heaven!' " (Surat al-Fajr, 89:27-30)

11. Being Chosen by Allah

If we cannot determine our physical appearance,  neither can we determine our destiny. It is only Allah Who determines the birth of a man, his community, his family and the experience he will have throughout his life. It is again Allah Who inspires in us wisdom and good sense.

Even our faith in Allah does not depend on our own characteristics. Again it is Allah, the One and Only, Who grants us faith. He is the One Who guides, teaches and trains. As Musa (Moses) said in reply to a question put by Pharaoh:

“Our Lord is He that gave to each thing its form and nature and further, gave guidance.” (Surah Ta-Ha, 20:50)

Therefore, believers are the ones who have been singled out for Allah’s favour:

“Your Lord creates and chooses as He pleases: no choice have they (in the matter)” (Surat al-Qasas, 28:68)

Those who go to hell are the people who fully deserve it, because they have rebelled against Allah Who created them and in feeling the wrath of Allah, they receive their just deserts. As for those who are admitted to paradise, Allah grants them His blessings and forgives their sins.

The believers must understand how wonderful it is to have been chosen by Allah, and must be grateful and praise Allah with all their hearts for what He has given them in His munificence. They should appreciate that they have been chosen from among millions of people and that they are the few blessed servants of Allah to be selected and set apart from a community whose members face perdition. The entire conduct of the believers should reflect the honour of this great privilege. Allah describes those who face perdition thus:

“By (the Token of) Time. Verily man is in loss. Except those who have faith and do righteous deeds, and recommend one another to truth, and recommend one another to patience” (Surat al-‘Asr, 103:1-3)

Is there a higher honour than that of being rescued and exalted above all others by the Lord of the Universe?

12. Prayer

In one verse, the importance of prayer is stated thus:

“Say: My Lord would not care for you were it not for your prayer“ (Surat al-Furqan, 25:77)

Prayer is the way to call on Allah; indeed, it is one of the most important characteristics that distinguish a believer from an unbeliever. Prayer is a significant indicator of one's faith in Allah.

Most of the people may think that there is no divine control on the universe and everything is interacting independently. However, what they do not know is that every soul in the heavens and on the earth has already submitted to Him; there is no creature whose destiny is not determined by Allah and who is not obedient to Him. When He decrees a thing, He only says, “Be,” and it is (Surat al-Baqara, 2:117).

The unbelievers do not understand this substantial fact and spend their whole life by trying to affect this universe made up of imaginary matters. The believers, on the other hand, learn this great mystery of the universe from the Qur’an. They are aware that the only way to obtain the things they want is to ask them from the One Who controls them. They know that Allah is the Creator and Director of all things:

“When My servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calls on Me: Let them also listen to My call, and believe in Me: That they may be led aright.” (Surat al-Baqara, 2:186)

However, it should also be understood that Allah's answering to prayers is not necessarily gibing all that is wanted from Him. For man is ignorant and he “prays for evil as he prays for good; for man is ever hasty.” (Surat al-Isra, 17:11) So Allah answers to all our prayers, but sometimes gives what is wanted, and sometimes not, since it is in truth, "evil". The way we should pray is also defined in the Qur’an: with humility and in private, in all sincerity, having hope but also fear of Allah in our hearts, and with strong concentration:

“Call on your Lord with humility and in private: ...., call on Him in fear and hope: for the Mercy of Allah is always near to those who do good.” (Surat al-A‘raf, 7:55-56)

In another verse it is said that “the most beautiful names belong to Allah: so call on Him by them” (Surat al-A‘raf, 7:180)

Our prayers are actually a matter of confessing our weakness while showing our gratitude towards Allah. Abstaining from prayer shows arrogance andrebellion against Allah. Allah states in His book:

"Call on Me; I will answer your prayer: but those who are too arrogant to serve Me will surely find themselves in Hell - in humiliation!”(Surat al-Ghafir, 40:60)

Calling on Allah is both a prayer and also a great blessing. This very simple act of making a request is the key to attaining all physical and spiritual objectives.

The Moral Values of The Qur'an
(13 - 19)

13. Repentance and  Seeking Forgiveness

Two of the most repeated names of Allah in the Qur’an are, “Compassionate” and “Merciful”. Allah is very truly merciful to His servants and does not punish them at once for their sins:

“And if Allah were to seize mankind for their wrong-doing, He would not leave on it (the earth) a single moving (living) creature, but He postpones them for an appointed term and when their term comes, neither can they delay nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment).” (Surat an-Nahl, 16:61)

By reprieving them, He gives wrongdoers time to ask for forgiveness and to repent. No matter how important the sin one commits, one always has the opportunity to be forgiven if one repents and behaves righteously:

“When those who believe in Our signs come to you, Say: ‘Peace be on you: Your Lord has written Mercy for Himself, so that, if any of you does evil in ignorance, andthereafter repents, and amends (his conduct), then surely He is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.’ ” (Surat al-An‘am, 6:54)

Repentance also includes an appeal for support and strength from Allah to help the wrongdoers not to repeat the same misdeeds. The form of repentance accepted by Allah is one that is followed by good deeds:

“And whoever repents and does good has truly turned to Allah with an (acceptable) conversion” (Surat al-Furqan, 25:71)

Sometimes an individual may commit the same sin as a result of his soul’s provocation, even after repentance. But this is not an excuse for him not to repent again. He may repent for his evil deeds all throughout his life. And it should be remembered that, it will not be accepted only if one repents when death comes and one begins to dread one’s fate in the Hereafter.

“Allah accepts the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and repent soon afterwards; to them Allah will turn in mercy: for Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom."(Surat an-Nisa, 4:17)

"Of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil, until death faces one of them, and he says, ‘Now I have repented indeed’, nor of those who die rejecting Faith: for them have We prepared a punishment most grievous.” (Surat an-Nisa, 4:18)

Another verse calls all the believers to salvation:

Allah, so that you may attain Bliss.” (Surat an-Nur, 24:31)

14. Patience Till Death

People are created impatient, and, as a result, make various mistakes. However, religion requires everyone to be patient for the sake of Allah. Believers, in particular, should patiently await the great salvation that Allah promised. This is how the believers are commanded in the Qur'an: “Be patient for the sake of your Lord” (Surat al-Muddaththir, 74:7). Patience is indeed one of the most important qualities in the struggle to reach Allah; it is the virtue one should cultivate in order to be closer to Him.

“O you who believe! Persevere in patience and constancy; vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other; and fear Allah; that you may prosper.” (Surat Aal-e-Imran, 3:200)

In the community of the ignorant, the real meaning of patience is mixed up with endurance. However, endurance has a very different message which is forbearing against pain or distress. Yet, patience isentirely different as described in the Qur’an. This difference can only be comprehended by the believers. The perseverance of the believer is for gaining the pleasure of Allah. Therefore, if gives delight to the believers, whilst “endurance” gives only annoyance and distress to the unbelievers. The Qur’an expresses this as:

“Seek (Allah's) help with patient perseverence and prayer: It is indeed hard, except to those who bring a lowly spirit.” (Surat al-Baqara, 2:45)

Another verse from the same surah emphasizes the glad tidings to be given to those who are patient in the face of obstacles or difficulties.

“Be sure we shall test you with fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere, who say, when afflicted with calamity: ‘To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return.’” (Surat al-Baqara, 2:155-156)

Patience is such a superior characteristic that it can increase the strength of the believers. Allah reveals in below verse how strength may increase with respect to patience:

“For the present, Allah has lightened your (burden), for He knows that there is a weak spot in you: But (even so), if there are a hundred of you, patient and persevering, they will vanquish two hundred, and if a thousand, they will, with the leave of Allah, vanquish two thousand, for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.” (Surat al-Anfal, 8:66)

Patience is, moreover, a quality that subsumes all the other positive characteristics described in the Qur’an. A person may be modest, humble, generous, obedient or devoted; but only when he combines these virtues with patience, will they be of worth. It is the patience shown in the prayers and the attributes of believers, that makes them acceptable.

Patience pervades the whole life of the believers, who obey the decree: “Be patient for your Lord’s sake” Finally, Allah takes their souls and rewards them with His Paradise. Angels at the gates bid welcome to the righteous, saying:

“Peace be on you for that you persevered in patience: Now, how excellent is the final home!”. (Surat ar-Ra’d, 13:24)

15. Support by Allah

In profane society, people develop their characters according to the power or status they possess. For the individual to be self-confident, he must be either very rich or famous, or beautiful or handsome. Being the son or daughter of a “respected” man is also an important reason for self-confidence in a purely ignorant community.

However it is quite a different matter for the believers. This is because the believers rely for support on no one but Allah, attach no importance to any of the worldly criteria that the unbelievers follow.

Allah is always the supporter of the believers. He never lets them down in the face of opposition from the unbelievers. “Allah has decreed: ‘It is I and My messengers who must prevail’ ”(Surat al-Mujadila, 58:21), so the messengers and those who follow them will triumph with this great support. Allah guarantees:

“If they intend to deceive you, Allah is sufficient for you. He it is Who has strengthened you with His help and with the believers.” (Surat al-Anfal, 8:62)

It should never be forgotten that it is only Allah who strengthens and improves the believers and enables them to succeed. It is not enough just to depend on physical cause and effect. These can achieve nothing, except being prayers in action. Of greater avail is verbal prayer, for it is in response to prayer, that Allah produces the desired results. That is why the believers have to rely solely on the support of Allah.

As a result, they become so courageous and confident as to challenge the world. They become too strong to be affected by any negative thought or action. Musa (Moses), who did not lose heart while all his people transgressed, said: “If you show ingratitude, you and all earth together, yet is Allah free of all wants, worthy of all praise.” (Surah Ibrahim, 14:8) .

Musa was that confident and fearless, because he was certain that Allah and His support were always with the believers. Allah had once revealed to him:“Fear not! for you indeed have the upper hand.”(Surah Ta-Ha, 20:68)

Musa’s attitude should definitely be an example to all the believers. For Allah has promised to protect and support not only Musa and other messengers, but all believers—every one them—against the unbelievers, and lead them to triumph. As stated in the Qur’an;

“...never will Allah grant to the unbelievers a way (to triumphs) over the believers.” (Surat an-Nisa, 4:141)

The believers are responsible for merely maintaining their devotion to Allah and being good servants of Him. When this is the case, they will have nothing to fear.

“O you who believe! Guard your own souls: If you follow (right) guidance, no hurt can come to you from those who stray; to Allah is your return, it is He that will show you the truth of all that you do.” (Surat al-Maida, 5:105)

Unbelievers can never do harm to the righteous. All plans and plots made against the believers will be useless. In the verse below, this mystery is explained:

“Mighty indeed were the plots which they made, but their plots were (well) within the sight of Allah, even though they were such as to shake the hills!” (Surah Ibrahim, 14:46)

While unbelievers plot against believers, in reality Allah "draws them near to destruction by degrees from whence they know not." (Surat al-A’raf, 7:182). They suppose that they are superior to the believers and can easily beat them. However, Allah is on the believers’ side and His Power, Glory and Greatness are manifest to them. The Qur’an expresses this truth, which cannot be comprehended by the hypocrites, as follows:

“They are the ones who say, ‘Spend nothing on those who are with Allah’s Messenger, to the end that they may disperse.’ To Allah belong the treasures of the heavens and the earth; but the Hypocrites understand not. They say, ‘If we return to Medina, surely the more honourable will expel therefrom the meaner.’ But honour belongs to Allah and His Messenger, and to the Believers; but the Hypocrites know not.”(Surat al-Munafiqoon, 63:7-8)

This is definitely an unchangeable rule. Believers, in accordance with the verse, “O you who believe! Take your precautions...” (Surat an-Nisa, 4:71), shall always be careful and cautious of unbelievers, but feel the comfort of the above divine rule.

Allah explains the same rule in another verse:

“Those who reject Allah, hinder (men) from the Path of Allah, and resist the Messenger, after Guidance has been clearly shown to them, will not harm Allah in the least but He will make their deeds of no effect.” (Surah Muhammad, 47:32)

16. No Desperation for the Believers

There are two kinds of hopelessness. The first kind             arises when confronted with difficulties or obstacles. Such should not be the conduct of a believer. He should always keep in mind that Allah has promised to give support to the believers. The Qur’an states that Allah is sufficient for the believers and that He has strengthened the believers with His Aid.

The second kind of despair is more dangerous, which is giving up hope of Allah’s mercy after making a mistake or committing a sin. Because this may lead to the thought that Allah will not forgive one’s sins and that one will necessarily go to hell. But this idea—a mere apprehension—is quite the opposite of what we are taught by the Qur’an. Indeed, Allah forgives the sins of all those who sincerely repent. It is never “too late” for seeking refuge in His mercy. Allah addresses His servants thus:

“O my Servants, who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Surat az-Zumar, 39:53)

Despair is the temptation of Satan. Satan tries to influence believers by demoralizing them and thus dragging them down to commit more serious mistakes. His aim is to lead the believers to suspect their own faith and sincerity, to make them think that they are “fakes”. If a person falls into this trap, he will start to lose his self-respect and consequently his faith and will go on to commit bigger sins after that first mistake.

In such a state of mind, believers should immediately seek refuge in Allah, think only of Qur’an’s teachings and immediately develop a new frame of mind. The Qur’an describes what the believer must do in such cases.

“And if an evil whisper comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge with Allah. Verily, He is All-Hearer, All-Knower.” (Surat al-A’raf, 7:200)

If the individual is sincere in his faith in Allah, Allah forgives him even if he has made mistakes or committed sins. Furthermore, even if he has been insincere for a long time, he still has the chance to repent. It is just a trick of Satan that makes him give way to despair. For Allah is the One Who shows eternal mercy and justice and the One Who promises victory and His Paradise to the believers. The advice of Yakub (Jacob) should be a guide for all the believers:

"...never give up hope of Allah’s Soothing Mercy: truly, no one despairs of Allah’s Soothing Mercy, except those who have no faith.” (Surah Yusuf, 12:87)

17. Evaluating Everything from the Point of View of the Qur’an

The aim of life for a believer is solely that of being a servant of Allah. People are not created to fulfil their vain desires and greed, or to pursue their passions; the one and only reason for our creation is to serve Allah.

The way to achieve this is by taking the Qur’an as our unique guide. We should give all our attention to applying every decree of the Qur’an. Our target should be to observe every decree of the Qur'an as much as possible.

We can see from the Qur’an that the responsibility of the believers rests not only on decisive verses, such as those on regular prayers, fasting or hajj but also on prayers that require interpretation. For instance, in one verse believers are urged to “invite (all) to the Way of their Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious” (Surat an-Nahl, 16:125). The believers can understand this “wisdom and beautiful preaching” by both applying the Qur’an’s general logic and manner, and also their own wisdom and understanding.

There are many other responsibilities that require wisdom and understanding. For example, the Qur’an describes various models of communities, and informs us of the way we should treat those different kinds of people. And what should be said to those people is  mostly mentioned in the Qur’an in the verses beginning with, “Say...”.

The verses that advise believers how to behave are clearly described in the Qur’an. But if these precepts are to be applied to daily life, instant recognition of their true significance is a must. At this point, it is the wisdom and understanding of the believers that help.

The Qur’an describes various kinds of people, such as believers, Christians, Jews, hypocrites and pagans. We must learn the concerned verses very well, because what actually should be done is to identify those kinds of people in our society and act towards them as the Qur’an commands. This is inevitable for being a “living Qur’an”.

Moreover, believers should realize that all the people around us undoubtedly belong to one or more of the categories of people described in the Qur’an. All the people exist to form the society described in the Qur’an and none is created in vain:

“Not for (idle) sport did We create the heavens and the earth and all that is between!” (Surat al-Anbiya, 21:16)

However, it is not only the people around us that are described in the Qur’an. In fact, everything that we see and everything that happens are indeed reflections of what is written in the Qur’an.

“Soon will We show them our Signs on the horizons, and in their own souls, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the Truth. Is it not enough that your Lord witnesses all things?” (Surah Fussilat, 41:53)

The whole universe consists of signs of Allah. Just like a painting presents its painter to the on-lookers, just like every detail on this painting shows the brush prints of the painter, all the universe and every detail of this universe exist to present Allah, the Creator of all things. The more believers realize this fact, the more will they recognize Allah and painstakingly obey all His decrees. As one comprehends that life with all its details, is actually a “sign” as defined in the Qur’an, one will relate everything at every stage of one’s “daily life” to the values of the Qur’an.

Everything takes place in accordance with the destiny Allah has determined and therefore, everything has a purpose. What believers should do is interpret each event in the light of the Qur’an and react in the way the Qur’an prescribes. For example when encountered with something “vain” and idle, the believer should pay no heed to it. But the fact is; this vain thing is already created so that the believer pays no heed to it. The believers should interpret every happening according the perspective of the Qur’an. So, they actually must develop their culture and characteristics in conformity to the Qur’an, how Allah decrees. In order to achieve this, they must leave all they have attained from their ignorant past and society. They should decide what to do in every circumstance by depending on the interpretation and logic of the Qur’an, because, the words of Allah show them the way to handle each situation. As it is said in the Qur'an, it was sent down to us as a Book “explaining all things” (Surat an-Nahl, 16:88).

18. Allah knows the  secrets of all hearts

The most basic characteristic of the unbelievers is their insincerity. They are insincere to Allah, to other people and even to themselves. Although when they behave warmly to people in the face for the sake of their interests, they can easily feel at the same time hatred or jealousy for them. As a matter of fact, their insincerity is also to their own selves. Although they clearly witness the wrongness and evil of their deeds, they push this reality back into their subconscious and act as if they were entirely perfect and right.

At the basis of this insincerity there lies the assumption that nobody will know about the secret thoughts they have in their hearts. So, the quilty may act as if they were not so, despite their sins or wrong doings. Actually, in an ignorant society, people really do not know what the actual thoughts of others are, and they never consider that Allah knows all thethoughts and secrets of all hearts. The subconscious mind is also included in this knowledge, even if the individuals do not themselves know what lies there. Allah states this fact in the following verses:

“He knows what is in the heavens and on earth; and He knows what you conceal and what you reveal: and Allah knows well the secrets of all hearts.” (Surat at-Taghabun, 64:4)

“Whether you hide your word or publish it. He certainly has full knowledge of the secrets of all hearts. He is the One that understands the finest mysteries and is well-acquainted with them.” (Surat al-Mulk, 67:13-14)

Nobody, therefore, can speak outside the knowledge of Allah, for He is the One Who has full knowledge of the secrets of all hearts. In the Qur’an this fact is revealed as:

“Do you not see that Allah knows all that is in the heavens and on earth? There is not a secret consultation between three, but He makes the fourth among them, - nor between five but He makes the sixth- nor between fewer nor more, but He is in their midst, whersoever they be. In the end will He tell them the truth of their conduct, on the Day of Judgment. For Allah has full knowledge of all things.” (Surat al-Mujadila, 58:7)

This being so, it is not possible to hide anything from Allah. Allah knows not only all the deeds but also all the thoughts of all people, including those of their subconscious, which they are largely unaware of. This is emphasized in the following verse:

“It was We Who created man, and We know what darksuggestions his soul makes to him: for We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.” (Surah Qaf, 50:16)

In these circumstances, the eventual behavior of the believers should be complete sincerity and modesty before Allah. Since Allah has created and alreadyknows all beings, it is insensible to act in an artificial manner before Allah. One should sincerely uncover all one’s weaknesses, faults, wrongdoing and defects in one’s faith to Allah, and ask for His help and mercy.

The prophets are the best examples for their sincerity to Allah. The Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) prays to Allah and says “Show me, Lord, how You will raise the dead.” And when Allah replies: “Have you no faith?” he says ”Yes, but just to reassure my heart.”(Surat al-Baqara, 2:269) This is how the believers confess their weaknesses to Allah and ask for forgiveness only from Him. Similarly, when Allah commands the Prophet Musa (Moses): “Go to Pharaoh!” he says, “O my Lord! I have slain a man among them,and I fear lest they slay me,” (Surat al-Qasas,28:33) and asks for help and strength from Allah. This honesty of the Prophets to Allah show how the believers should behave.

Before one comprehends that one is weak and dependent upon Allah, one cannot attain characteristics like strength, modesty, faith and courage by only pretending to possess them, because “...man was created weak” (Surat An-Nisa, 4:28) in order to understand his weaknesses before Allah. Therefore, one should be very truthful and devoted to Allah and expose all one’s faults and sins to Him before asking for forgiveness.

19. The Temporary Life in this World

Man is placed on earth only for a very short time. There, he will be tested, trained and then passed over to the Hereafter where he will stay forever. The possessions and blessings of this world, although created similar to their originals in Heaven, actually possess many defects and weaknesses. For they are only intended to make man remember the Hereafter.

However, the unbelievers are not capable of comprehending this fact, so they act as if the things of this world are their sole objectives. Yet, this is wholly deceptive, since, the entirely temporary and defective favours of the world are far away from satisfying man who is created for the beauties of eternal perfection. Allah describes how the world is a temporary place full of deception:

“Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, andrivalry in respect of wealth and children, as the likeness of vegetation after rain, thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller; afterwards it dries up and you see it turning yellow; then it becomes straw. But in the Hereafter (there is) a severe torment, and (there is) Forgiveness from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure, whereas the life of this world is only a deceiving enjoyment.” (Surat al-Hadid, 57:20)

Just as it is told in the Qur’an, all of the ignorant people live only for a few objectives such as riches and children and mutual boasting among themselves. In another verse the goods and chattels of deception in the world are thus described:

“Fair in the eyes of men is the love of things they covet: Women and sons; Heaped-up hoards of gold and silver; horses branded (for blood and excellence); and (wealth of) cattle and well-tilled land. Such are the possessions of this world’s life; but in nearness to Allah is the best of the goals (to return to). Say: Shall I give you glad tidings of things Far better than those? For the righteous are Gardens in nearness to their Lord, with rivers flowing beneath; therein is their eternal home; with companions pure (and holy); and the good pleasure of Allah. For in Allah’s sight are (all) His servants” (Surat Aal-e-Imran, 3:14-15)

The life of this world is extremely rudimentary and lacking in worth when compared to the eternal life in the Hereafter. To express this, the original Arabic word for the “world” has the connotation of a “scanty, crowded, dirty place”. People consider that their 60-70 year long life on this earth will be long and a satisfying one. Yet, in a very short time death comes and all areburied in their graves. As a matter of fact, as death comes closer one realizes how short a time he has stayed in this world. On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will question the people.

“He will say: ‘What number of years did you stay on earth?’ They will reply: ‘We stayed a day or part of a day: but ask those who keep account.’ He will say: ‘You stayed but a little-if you had only known! Did you think that We had created you in jest, and that you would never be brought back to Us?’ ” (Surat al-Mumenoon, 23:112-115)

Denying Allah and disregarding the Hereafter, in the life-long pursuit of worldly greed will mean eternal punishment in Hell-Fire. Those who conduct themselves in this way are described in the Qur’an as “people who buy the life of this world at the price of the Hereafter”. For them Allah decrees:

"Their penalty shall not be lightened, nor shall they be helped.” (Surat al-Baqara, 2:86)

Another verse states:

“Those who rest not their hope on their meeting with Us, but are pleased and satisfied with the life of the present,, and those who  heed not Our Signs; their abode is the Fire, because of the evil they earned.”(Surah Yunus, 10:7-8)

Those who forget that this world is only a temporary place for trial and who are not careful of Allah’s Signs, but are satisfied only with the worldly play and amusements of this life, assume them as their own, and even deify them will surely deserve the grevious penalty. The Qur’an describes the status of such people:

“Then, as for him who transgresses all bounds, and prefers the life of this world, then surely the hell, that is the abode.” (Surat an-Naziat, 79:37-39)