| Answer: My understanding is that it is wrong to expect
from the Qur’an that it would comment on each and every ideology of the world
that was in existence at the time of its revelation. Although the Qur’an is a
book of guidance from the Almighty for all times to come, He has talked in it
about the issues that were directly relevant to the immediate environment of
Prophet Muhammad (sws). The basic purpose and the direct subject matter of the
Qur’an was the successful completion of Prophet Muhammad’s divine mission of
ensuring the earthly dominance of the ideology brought by him in the Arabian
Peninsula:
It is He Who
has sent His Apostle with Guidance and the Religion of Truth that he may
proclaim it over all religion even though the Pagans (al-Mushrikun) may detest
it.” (61:9)
We, therefore, find that the religious problems associated
with the people who were his immediate addressees have been directly discussed
in the Qur’an.
The Jews and Nasarah (Christians settled in the then Arabia)
have been talked of in detail in it because these two religious communities were
directly confronted by the Prophet (sws). We don’t find mention in the Qur’an of
the beliefs that were not held by the Christians of Arabia, even though they
were very much found in other Christians of the world. For instance, we don’t
find in the Qur’an the mention of the belief that Jesus (sws) died at the cross
for the sins of mankind. Likewise, the polytheists of the Arabian Peninsula have
been directly addressed in the Qur’an, while Hindus, Buddhists and other
religious groups have not been directly addressed for the same reason.
It would have been against the interests of the immediate
purpose of the Qur’anic mission of enabling the religion of Allah to prevail
over all other religions of the Arabian peninsula had the Qur’an talked about
the other religions of the world theoretically. It was the duty of the Muslims
of the later times to derive the understanding from the Qur’anic verses to find
correct approach towards other religions too in the light of what the Qur’an has
mentioned regarding the people of the Arabian society. Indeed there is enough
material available in the contents of the Qur’an to enable Muslims to form
correct opinions about all the important religious matters man confronts even
today. As for the detailed solutions on these matters, the Almighty wants us to
use our intellect which He has given to us to find out solutions to them.
Courtesy:
http://www.islamicissues.info/qa_question.php?qid=275 |