Allah the Almighty, Who created the heavens and the earth, the visible and the invisible, the living and the nonliving creatures out of nothing, created them all in their proper places based on wisdom in accordance with His name al-Hakim. The creation of humankind, ashraf al-makhluqat (the most honorable creature), at whose service the earth and the heavens, the Sun, and the Moon were placed, is also based on many wisdoms. Humanity, which was made superior to other beings by their intellect and willpower, has also become a responsible being thanks to these qualities. The world of life began for humankind with Prophet Adam, who was given the task of rendering the earth prosperous, which is humankind’s responsibility. Since the time of Prophet Adam, who was not only the first human being but also the first prophet, Allah (swt) has shown humankind the path of guidance, taught them the truth, and prevented them from going astray through the teaching of the prophets He has sent them and the divine books He has revealed. Our Prophet Muhammad (saw) was sent as the last member of the chain of prophets, and the Holy Qur’an was sent as the last divine book.
The most essential characteristic of the Qur’an, the word of Allah, is that it is a guide for humanity, leading to “the most upright” in accordance with the truth: “Surely this Qur’an guides to what is most upright, and gives good news to the believers— who do good—that they will have a mighty reward.” (Isra, 17:9) The “most upright” emphasized in this verse has been explained in terms of the religion of Islam, the most correct path, the best deeds, righteous deeds, etc. (Maturidi, Ta’wilat Ahl al-Sunnah, 7/11- 12; Zamakhshari, Al-Kashshaf, 2/651) The most upright is first and foremost the religion of Islam, that is, its basic teachings of the true faith and good deeds. The Qur’an gives glad tidings of great reward to believers who have strong faith and righteous deeds and draws attention to what is necessary for people to find the truth by informing them that Allah has prepared a severe punishment for those who do not believe in the Hereafter (Isra, 17:10) (Kur’an Yolu, 3/465). Thus, the Qur’an warns people against wrongdoing by pointing out what is wrong and wants them to reach the most upright path by pointing out what is right.
In addition to the quagmire of shirk (polytheism) in which the society that was the first addressee of the Qur’an found itself, many moral and social weaknesses such as oppression and injustice, the strong oppressing the weak, women and slaves being considered worthless, etc., are examples that show that this society literally went astray. Just as Allah the Almighty sent prophets and books whenever humanity went astray, He also sent this society the Qur’an to guide them to the most upright path. As the last divine book, the Qur’an will continue to enlighten, guide, and direct people until the Day of Judgment.
The Holy Qur’an is a book that brings people out of darkness into light with its principles and guidelines for faith, morality, and other areas of life (Ibrahim, 14:1). Each of the names of the Qur’an is an expression of this fact. As it is stated in the verse, “This is an insight to humanity - a guide and a lesson to the God-fearing” (Al-i ‘Imran, 3:138). It is “al-Bayan” that explains the truths, “al[1]Hidayah” that guides those who have taqwa (piety), and “al-Maw’iza” that gives advice. It is “al-Furqan” that distinguishes between truth and falsehood, right and wrong, halal and haram (Furqan, 25:1). It is “al-Nur” that illuminates the path of people and protects them from straying into darkness (Ma’idah, 5:15; Araf, 7:157). It is “al-Dhikr” that explains the truth to people and reminds them of what happened to previous societies so that they can take an example from them (Hijr, 15:9). Besides all these, the Qur’an is “ar[1]Rahmah” in every aspect (An’am, 6:157; A’raf, 7:52 et al).
When we examine these characteristics in the Qur’an itself about the nature of the Qur’an, we see that it is a book of guidance that illuminates the path of humankind, shows the way, sets sound measures, and helps them in their march in the course of life (Halis Albayrak, Tafsir Usulu, Sule Publications, 1998, p. 70). Thus, clearly being able to benefit from the guidance of the Qur’an depends on one’s relationship with the Qur’an. For this, one must first believe that it is the word of Allah. Subsequently, it is essential to strive to read, understand, and live by it. If we do not read and understand the Qur’an and reflect its principles in our lives, we will not be able to benefit from its wisdom and guidance, its advice and reminders, or its mercy and healing. The Qur’an, which is one of the two basic sources that the Prophet Muhammad (saw) entrusted to us and declared that we will never stray from the straight path if we follow it (Muwatta, Qadar, 3), will only lead us to the most upright state in this way. Just as the Qur’an brought its first addressees out of darkness into the light and transformed the Age of Ignorance into the Age of Bliss, this was only possible by understanding and living, without hesitation, by the universal messages of the Qur’an addressed to all ages. Today, to eliminate corruption in every aspect of life and address problems related to faith, humankind must adhere to the principles of the Qur’an, guiding them towards the most upright state, fostering the healing of the heart, and embodying mercy in every aspect. The happiness of humankind, both in this world and the Hereafter, hinges on embracing this reality.
