Miracles of the Quran Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Miracles of the Quran - Essay Example It was revealed piecemeal to him in twenty three years, starting from when he was forty, till he died at the age of sixty three. The book was not compiled during his lifetime, with many Muslims memorizing it by heart; some years afterwards, a lot of these memorizers, or Hafiz, were killed in battle, therefore, the Muslim Caliph Usman decided to get it compiled. The compilation of Quran in its present form was, hence, done under the Caliphate of Usman. The Muslims believe that the Quran is the direct word of God. They believe that the angel Gabriel, or Jibra’eel, came to the Prophet Muhammad and revealed the word of God to him, which the latter disseminated amongst his followers. Muslims further believe that the word of God, the Quran, is revealed to be a source of guidance and direction for all humanity. The fact that they consider it the last revelation of God to mankind further stipulates that Muslims consider this to be the last guidance sent to man from God. This entails t hat they spend their lives trying to live according to the edicts of the Quran, and trying to bring their lives as close to the commands of the Quran as possible. The Muslims consider this to be a book from God for a multiple of reasons. One reason, as is put forward in the Quran itself, is that such a book, with its poetic and miraculous nature could never be produced by man. In the second Chapter, or Surah, of the Quran (the Cow, or Al-Baqarah), it is said â€Å"And if ye are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time to Our servant, then produce a Sura like thereunto; and call your witnesses or helpers (if there are any) besides Allah, if your (doubts) are true† (verse 23). Furthermore, the Muslims believe that there have been miraculous claims in the Quran that are further testament to it being the word of God. These include various predictions or prophecies in the Quran that were later fulfilled. One such prophecy relates to the body of the Pharaoh (the Phara oh said to have oppressed the Jews); when relating the story of his death, God thus speaks to the Pharaoh in the Quran â€Å"This day shall We save thee in the body, that thou mayest be a sign to those who come after thee! but verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs!† (10: 92). The mummified body of a Pharaoh in an Egyptian Museum in Cairo is said to have been that of the same Pharaoh, thus the Quran’s prophecy regarding his body being preserved has proven to have come true. Further, a few years after the Byzantines had been defeated by the Persians completely, a revelation of the Quran said â€Å"The Roman Empire has been defeated – In a land close by; but they, (even) after (this) defeat of theirs will soon be victorious – within a few years†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (60: 2-4). This seemed impossible as the Byzantines had incurred heavy losses and the Empire seemed to be at the brink of total annihilation, however, a few years after this revelation, t he Persians were, indeed, defeated by the Byzantines. Moreover, in Chapter 48 of the Quran, a prophesy is given regarding the taking of Mecca: â€Å"†¦ye shall enter the Sacred Mosque, if Allah wills, with minds secure, heads shaved, hair cut short, and without fear†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (27). Some time afterwards, Mecca was indeed conquered by Muhammad and his followers, and they did enter the Sacred Mosque, or Kaaba, in the same condition described herein. Also, there have been some statements in the Quran that have been recently proven to be scientifically accurate. For example, when a verse of the Quran says â€Å"By the Firmament which returns (in its round)† (86: 11) and â€Å"