God has created us and He wants us to be appreciative to Him for our own sake. So, He only knows how we can be appreciative to Him, and has given us the ways and the tools to do that. If we use His given ways and tools, there is a guarantee of our safe return to Him. Thus, in all our circumstances, what should we expect is His guidance to ensure our safer return keeping in mind that we already missed two chances in the heavenly life while He has granted us another, which is the last chance on the earth to attain and get back with the eternal peace and contentment.
God guides the believers to a straight path
God’s guidance is the true guidance (2:120 and 6:71) and He guides those to a straight path who believe in His guidance sent down to us (22:54). He increases the guidance of those who are guided (19:76) and has made it clear that we cannot guide anyone we love while He is aware of the guided ones (28:56). When both Adam and his wife transgressed in Heaven, were granted the last chance on the earth to be redeemed and asked them to wait for His guidance to come and follow it not to go astray (2:38, 20:123-124):
[2:120] Neither the Jews nor the Christians be pleased with you (prophet), unless you follow their religion. Say, “Indeed, God’s guidance is the true guidance.” And if you had followed their desires after what has come to you of the knowledge, there is not a protector nor a helper for you against God.
[6:71] Say: “Can we call on other than God what cannot benefit us nor harm us, and we can turn back on our heels after God has guided us?” Like the one whom the devils have enticed to confusion in the earth, he has friends who call him to the guidance: “Come to us!” Say, “God’s guidance is the true guidance, and we have been commanded that we submit to Lord of the worlds.”
[22:54] And that it may know those who have been given the knowledge that it is the truth from your Lord, so they believe in it, then it may be humble their hearts to it. And indeed, God is surely a Guide of those who have believed to a straight path.
Note: We must know that Quran is the truth from God that we must believe and be humble our hearts to it to take initiatives to be guided to a straight path.
[19:76] And God increases guidance of those who have accepted guidance, and the everlasting good deeds are better for reward with your Lord and are better for return.
Note: Here is an indication of the gradual growth of our souls through contribution of our good deeds.
[28:56] Indeed, you (prophet) cannot guide whomever you love. But God guides whomever He wills, and He is Knower of the guided ones.
Note: Even though it comes in reference to the prophet but it is also applicable to anyone of us who may advocate the truth while its acceptance or rejection depends on God as He knows what is in everybody’s heart and who deserve guidance.
[2:38] We said, “Go down from here all. So when guidance comes to you from Me, then whoever has followed My guidance, then there is no fear for them, nor do they grieve.”
[20:123] He said, “Go down from here all, one of you is an enemy to other. So when guidance comes to you from Me, then whoever has followed My guidance, then he will not go astray, nor will he suffer.
[20:124] “And whoever has turned away from My remembrance, then indeed, for him there is a straitened life, and we will gather him blind on a Day of the Resurrection.”
Note: Those who follow God’s guidance will be rewarded while those who turn away from His guidance will be punished, and this is the system that we inherit as children of Adam and that if we do not follow His guidance, we will go astray to suffer.
Quran is a guidance for the people
God has assigned many attributes to the Quran, and guidance is one of them, which is very crucial for us to understand our religion as well as for getting into the Hereafter upon successful completion of our journey on earth. The English word, “guidance” and its Arabic counterpart is “Hudan” has occurred 85 times in the Quran in different contexts. The number of occurrences out of 85 times that “Hudan” is used as an attribute of the Quran or strictly and directly referring to the Quran happens to be 19 times and the occurrences are found in the following verses of the Quran:
[2:2] That scripture wherein there is no doubt, is a guidance (hudan) for the righteous.
[2:97] Say, “Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel, then you know that he has brought it (Quran) down into your heart, in accordance with God’s will, confirming what was before it, and a guidance (hudan) and good news for the believers.”
[2:159] Indeed, those who conceal what we sent down of the clear proofs and the guidance (al-hudaa) from what after we had made it clear in the scripture for the people, are whom God curses, so curse them the cursers.
[2:185] Ramadan which is a month has been revealed in it the Quran as a guidance (hudan) for the people, clear proofs of the guidance and the statute book. So whoever among you has witnessed the month, then he should fast in it, and whoever has been ill or on a journey then the prescribed number from other days. God wishes ease for you, and He does not wish hardship for you that you may complete the prescribed number, and that you may glorify God through which He has guided you so that you may appreciate.
Note: This verse has clearly described that Quran has not only been given us as a clear guidance but has also indicated the objective of its giving to be grateful to God for His such giving through fasting in the month of Ramadan in addition to study, understand and follow it.
[3:138] This is a proclamation for the people, and a guidance (hudan) and an enlightenment for the righteous.
[6:157] Or you would say: “If the scripture was sent to us, we would have been better guided than they!” The clear proof has come to you from your Lord, and a guidance (hudan) and mercy. Who is more wicked than he who denies God’s revelations and turns away from them? We will punish those who turn away from our revelations with the painful retribution for what they turned away.
[7:52] And indeed, we have provided them with a scripture, which is detailed with knowledge, a guidance (hudan) and a mercy for a people who believe.
[7:203] And when you do not have any miracle for them, they say: “Why have you not made it?” Say: “I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord. This is with enlightenments from your Lord, and a guidance (hudan) and mercy for a people who believe.”
[10:57] O people, there has come to you a direction from your Lord, and a healing for what is in your hearts, and a guidance (hudan) and mercy for the believers.
[12:111] In their history, there is a lesson for the people of intelligence. This is not a fabricated Hadith but a confirmation of what was before it, and a detailed explanation of all things, and is a guidance (hudan) and mercy for a people who believe.
[16:64] And we did not send down the scripture to you except that you may clarify to them in which they disputed, and a guidance (hudan) and mercy for a people who believe.
[16:89] And the day we will raise a witness in every community from among themselves, and bring you as a witness of these people. And we sent down the scripture to you as a clarification of everything, and a guidance (hudan) and mercy and good news for the submitters.
[16:102] Say: “The Holy Spirit (Gabriel) has brought it (Quran) down with the truth from your Lord to strengthen those who believe, and as a guidance (hudan) and good news for the submitters.”
[27:2] A guidance (hudan) and good news for the believers.
[27:77] And indeed, it is certainly a guidance (la’hudan) and mercy for the believers.
[31:3] A guidance (hudan) and mercy for the good doers.
[41:44] If we had made it a non-Arabic Quran, they would have said, “Why have not its verses been explained in detail?” Is it non-Arabic or Arabic? Say, “It is for those who have believed, is a guidance (hudan) and a healing but those who do not believe, there is a deafness in their ears while for them there is a blindness to it. Those are being addressed from faraway.”
Note: Quran has been revealed in Arabic to make it clear to understand and follow to be a guidance and a healing for those who believe, and the language would not be an issue or concern for them while the disbelievers will be deaf and blind to it.
[45:11] This is a guidance (hudan). And those who disbelieve in the revelations of their Lord, for them there is a punishment of painful condemnation.
[45:20] This provides enlightenments for the people, and a guidance (hudan) and mercy for those who are certain.
Quran is a reminder for the world
The English word, “reminder” and its Arabic counterpart is “dhik’run” has occurred 31 times referring to the Quran or the scripture to mean the reminder. The number of occurrences out of 31 times that “dhik’run lil’`aalameen” is used as an attribute of the Quran specifically referring it to be a reminder for the world happens 4 times in the following verses of the Quran:
[12:104] And you do not ask them any reward for it; it is not but a reminder for the worlds (dhik’run lil’`aalameen).
[38:87] It is not but a reminder for the worlds (dhik’run lil’`aalameen).
[68:52] And it is not but a reminder for the worlds (dhik’run lil’`aalameen).
[81:27] It is not but a reminder for the worlds (dhik’run lil’`aalameen).
Note: It has been repeated 4 times in the Quran referring to it that it is a reminder for the worlds.
Mathematical confirmation
There are 2 distinct sets of verses in the Quran that participate in the mathematical confirmation. One set of 19 occurrences in the 19 verses across 11 suras dealing with the Quran to be a guidance of people even specifying for submitters, believers and righteous, and the other set consisting of 4 verses across 4 suras dealing with the Quran to be a reminder of the worlds. If the relevant sura and verse # are added, the sum is a multiple of 19 => 2242 = 19 x 118 (See table below for details):
Note: Participation of both sets in the mathematical confirmation is an interpretation of the commandment from God that the Quran is a guidance for the people as well as a reminder for the worlds that we must follow it without any doubt to stay in a straight path to see our success in the Hereafter.
Conclusion
God’s guidance is the true guidance and He guides the believers to a straight path what has been even confirmed when He sent Adam and his wife down to earth on the event of their transgression in Heaven for another chance. Thus, those who follow His guidance will be rewarded while those who turn away from His guidance will be punished. This is the system that we inherit as children of Adam and that if we do not follow His guidance, we will go astray, and that may be a known fact to many.
God has given us Quran and has assigned it many attributes including 4 of His own attributes such as honorable, wise, glorious and great as well as mentioning it a revelation from Him and a confirming scripture to stay in a straight path. The other common attributes of it are guidance, reminder, messenger, warner, bearer of good news, mercy and healing for the believers. However, its role as a guidance and a reminder is very important for all of us so that we can make our all efforts to understand and follow it to stay in a straight path leading a righteous life according to His teachings as given in it. The Quran has completed the God’s religion correcting, updating and restoring the parts of those practices that had been distorted over the period of time down the generations up to prophet’s time. In addition, Quran being the final scripture, God’s laws and teachings are updated through it to fit them for all generations of people until the end of the world. On the other hand, it was coded with information and instructions to facilitate, even any distortion of those practices down the generations after its revelation to be detected and restored back.
The Gabriel brought down the Quran with truth, enlightenments and detailed explanation of everything to be a guidance for people and a reminder for the world. Thus, Quran to be our guidance is a treasure of our knowledge, and we may reveal a new information from it every time if we study, examine and inquire into it to address our concerns and questions at all times until the end of the world. Since it has been confirmed from the review of pertinent verses that the Quran is a guidance for the people as well as a reminder for the world, we must soften our hearts to accept it a guidance of God without any doubt and follow it to stay in a straight path to see our success in the Hereafter.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (3/10/2017).