Chapter 3: How to make use of the narrations in al-Qur’an?

Benefiting from the narrations of the Prophets

Further there will be explanation on how we could make use of the narrations and histories of the Prophets prior to Prophet Muhammad Shalallahu 'alaihi Wassalam. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala reveals these histories not for amusement but to be taken lessons from. Allah says:

There is, in their stories, instruction for men endued with understanding.

It is not a tale invented, but a confirmation of what went before it,

- a detailed exposition of all things, and a guide and a mercy to any such as believe.

[Yusuf 12:111]

There are three lessons that could be taken from the histories of the Prophets:[1]

1) Learning how to invite people to Islam (da’wa).

Inviting people to Islam is not merely by directly inviting that person but it should be done based on knowledge, with wisdom and broad vision. From the histories of the Prophets we could learn few ways of inviting people to Islam that are beneficial. The followings are few examples:

a) Giving priority to Tawheed (Oneness of God):

Not a messenger did We send before thee without this inspiration sent by Us to him:

“that there is no god but I; therefore worship and serve Me”

[al-Anbiya’ 21:25]

Therefore when we invite people to Islam, priority is not given to the matters of rulings in Islam such as giving up alcohol, circumcision and coverings the body accordingly but to the matter of tawheed to the only true God that is Allah.

b) Using good manners while inviting people to Islam, such as using soft and mild words:

 “Go, both of you, to Pharaoh, for he has indeed transgressed all bounds.

But speak to him mildly; perchance he may take warning or fear (Allah)."  

[Ta-Ha 20:43-44]

Look at how Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala trained Prophet Moses and Aaron when sending them to Pharaoh, a mean leader and a transgressor in his infidelity. Allah did not ask them to use harsh words, “But speak to him mildly…”.

If towards Pharaoh, Allah required good manners in inviting him to Islam, thus surely the same requirement should be applied to others when inviting them to Islam.

c) Not hoping for immediate success:

Look again at verses 43-44 of Ta-Ha above. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala ends them with “perchance he may take warning or fear (Allah)” and not “may he believes instantly”. From these words of Allah, a lesson could be taken that when inviting people to Islam, never hope for immediate success. Give them time to think it over and analyse themselves.

d) Make du’a to Allah:

When Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala sent Prophet Moses to invite Pharaoh to Islam, Prophet Moses make du’a to Allah, asking for ease in doing the invitation:

 (Moses) said: "O my Lord! expand me my breast; Ease my task for me;

And remove the impediment from my speech, So they may understand what I say:

And give me a Minister from my family, Aaron, my brother;

Add to my strength through him, And make him share my task”

[Ta-Ha 20:25-32]

This is a lesson to us as to always make du’a to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala that our invitation will be fruitful.

e) To identify own weaknesses in inviting people to Islam:

Still referring to verses 25-32 of Ta-Ha above, we could also learn a lesson that those who invite people to Islam successfully are those who always analyse and identify their weaknesses in their invitation. The success of the invitation is not burdened or contingent on the people who are being invited to Islam but on those who are doing the invitation.

In the above verse, Prophet Moses identified two of his weaknesses that are choosing the right and appropriate words when inviting and difficulties that would be faced by him if he were to do it alone. For the first weakness, Prophet Moses made du’a to Allah so that “…And remove the impediment from my speech, So they may understand what I say…”. For the second weakness, Prophet Moses asked that his next of kin Aaron to be his companion in doing his invitation.

Therefore when we are faced with obstacles in doing invitation to Islam, never condemn the people who are being invited. Never indict them as stubborn, hard-headed, getting no guidance from Allah and so on. On the contrary we should blame ourselves and analyse as well as improve the way we do our invitation.

2) Attaining tranquillity and strength in holding up to the truth.

In histories of our Prophets we observed that they were ill-treated in various ways by their own people. Such cruelties faced by these Prophets were entirely due to the truth that they held on to and conveyed. All these are notified by Allah Azza wa Jalla with the intention to give tranquillity and strength to us that it is natural that the truth is always responded with negative reactions from the society. Allah says:

All that we relate to thee of the stories of the messengers,

- with it We make firm thy heart: in them there cometh to thee the Truth,

as well as an exhortation and a message of remembrance to those who believe.

[Hud 11:120]

Rejected were the messengers before thee:

with patience and constancy they bore their rejection and their wrongs,

until Our aid did reach them: there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah.

Already hast thou received some account of those messengers.  

[al-An‘aam 6:34]

Consequently never give up or feel weak to hold on to the truth and conveying it.  The earlier Prophets had also encountered the same challenges. It is not the truth if it is not trailed by erroneousness that battles against it. Hence embrace your heart and strengthen your willpower as the earlier Prophets ‘alaihimussalam did.

3) Rectifying the histories of the Prophets.

As an example, people who believe that “all religions are the same” claimed that Jew, Christian and Islam are the same because it is the religion of Prophet Abraham ‘alaihissalam. This claim is wrong as emphasised by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala:

Abraham was not a Jew nor yet a Christian; but he was true in Faith,

and bowed his will to Allah's (Which is Islam), and he joined not gods with Allah.

Without doubt, among men, the nearest of kin to Abraham,

are those who follow him, as are also this Prophet and those who believe:

And Allah is the Protector of those who have faith.

[Ali Imran 3:67-68]

Such are few examples that could be given in the frame allowed, on how to make use of the narrations and histories in al-Qur’an. Without doubt these examples do not incorporate all the benefits and lessons that could be taken from them. What important is that all the narrations and histories, each has its own benefits and lessons and will be discovered by anyone who study it conscientiously.

Before going to the next chapter, the author would like remind all readers that narrations and histories in al-Qur’an are enough as revealed by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala. What beneficial has been told while what not beneficial has been left out on purpose. Hence there is no need for us to add our own stories where the sources are unknown or non-authentic. Among the stories are; when sent down to earth, Adam and Eve were separated and were reunited at Jabal Rahmah, Prophet Noah’s ark was as big as such and such and was made of such and such wood, Prophet Joseph eventually married to Zulaikha and so on.

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CHAPTER 3 : CONTENTS

Hafiz Firdaus Abdullah