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Invaluable treasures

Today is not about the unsung heroes of our nuclear programme, but about three important books, one on the Quran and the other two on great Muslim personalities. Before commenting on the first book, here is a little more on the importance of the Holy Quran for humanity in general, and Muslims in particular. The Quran is the only Divine Scripture that is available to us in the same language, form, order, organisation of chapters and themes as it was revealed more than fourteen centuries ago.

No other book revealed earlier could be preserved in the same language and form. In fact, some of the languages in which some of the ancient scriptures were sent down have disappeared and are now history. However, today 1.5 billion Muslims all over the world recite the same Quran in the same Arabic language in accordance with the same rules of recitation laid down by the Prophet (pbuh). Millions of believers have even committed the long text of this Divine Book by heart, word for word.

All these things are unmistakable signs of the divine origin and authenticity of the Quran, which has been revealed to the final Prophet (pbuh) as the Last Book of Divine Guidance. A Muslim who recites the Quran and reflects upon its life-affirming spirituality and is inspired by its morally stirring message feels by instinct that this Book is no ordinary book. It is a Divine Book. It is the living evidence of Allah – His Unity and Oneness, His Omniscience and Omnipotence. He/she testifies in heart and soul, mind and intellect that the Quran is a miracle. However, is it enough to appreciate the extraordinary nature of this Book and affirm its miraculous status which is without parallel in history?

To find an answer to this question, I invite readers to turn to a recently published book written by my dear and learned friend, Professor Justice Dr Muhammad al-Ghazali, senior-most professor at the Islamic Research Institute of the International Islamic University in Islamabad. This book, ‘Some Rhetorical Features of the Quran’, is the first comprehensive text elaborating upon the linguistic and literary wonders that make the Quran matchless, singular and peerless. The discussions within it reveal to the reader the depth of linguistic competence displayed in treating the topic of literary inevitability of the Quran in the light of the pioneering efforts of early Muslim masters of rhetoric.

These masters, who laid the foundations of a fully fledged discipline, provided evidence for the literary miracle of the Quran. They essentially answered the questions: When the Quran issued an open challenge to its audience to produce even a single verse similar to it, then how exactly was this challenge meant? Did it mean that the Quran contained verses indicating significant traits of the natural world that were to be discovered by scientists centuries later? Or did the challenge mean that this Book spoke of the genesis of mankind and their eschatological end in great detail? Or did it mean that it provided a complete, balanced and comprehensive moral programme and an elaborate social code that at once catered to the collective as well as to the individual aspects of human reform and rectitude?

After raising all these questions and discussing their answers, these early Muslim masters of stylistics and rhetoric concluded that the real miracle of this Book lay in its inimitable literary excellence, which is beyond human power to emulate. This is why, they noted, the Arabs, well-known for their exceptional skill in eloquence and flowery oratory, were overpowered by it.

In this book we are introduced to this essential aspect of the Quran’s miracle, as explained by the great early masters of linguistics. It explains, in clear terms, those standards of literary evaluation that were lai   d down by them in the light of which it is possible to examine any literary product of poetry and prose and then to appreciate the world of difference between them and the Quran. The fundamental criteria that has been identified as the touchstone for comparison between divine and human speech is that in the Quran every statement, narration, assertion, exclamation, portrayal, query, answer, dialogue, expression, omission and elaboration comes in absolute conformity to the requirements set by context and situation.

The great masters – early exponents of the Quran and its literary merits – paused and pondered on the 6666 verses and found each of them to meet the above criteria. They demonstrated that the difference between human and Divine speech is as infinitely wide as between the Creator and His creatures, as said by the Prophet (pbuh).

The above-mentioned book was beautifully published by the Islamic Research Institute, International Islamic University, Islamabad in 2014. Incidentally, Prof Dr M Al-Ghazali is a prolific writer with extensive knowledge of comparative religion, sociology, Islamic history, Hadith, etc. He has good command over English, French, Arabic, Persian and Urdu and has written many books and articles on Islam, the Quran, Islamic jurisprudence, etc. Allah karey zaur-e-qalam aur ziada.

The two other books under review here are both by my friend, Syed Mahmood Khawar. They cover the lives of two of our most renowned personalities and are titled ‘Exemplary Ruler – Tipu Sultan’ and ‘The Pillar of Wisdom and Grace: Nawab Muhammad Ismael Khan’.

Who does not know of that great Muslim warrior and hero, Tipu Sultan of Mysore? Son of the brave Sultan Haider Ali, he fought against the British to protect Indian independence but unfortunately, due to the treachery of the Nizam of Deccan and the Marhattas, failed to achieve his goal. Had they joined hands with Tipu Sultan, British dominance in the Subcontinent would have ended almost 215 years ago. Khawar has done an excellent job by writing this book. It will help us all, especially the younger generation, learn about our valiant heroes and the treachery of some of our own people. This book has been published by Paramount Books (Pvt) Ltd, Karachi.

The second book is about Barrister Nawab Muhammad Ismael Khan, a great veteran of the Pakistan Movement and close and trusted associate of Quaid-e-Azam. It is a collection of articles by various dignitaries of Pakistan disclosing aspects of Nawab Sahib’s life. He belonged to an educated, well-off family. He obtained the degree of Barrister from England and, though a close friend of Motilal and Jawaharlal Nehru, opted to work for Pakistan. He was one of the staunchest supporters of Quaid-e-Azam and always gave pragmatic advice. This book is a must read for students of Pakistan Studies. It has been published by Paramount Publishing Enterprises, Karachi.

Syed Mahmood Khawar is a prolific writer and has written many books on various topics. Email: dr.a.quadeer.khan@gmail.com

Dr. A. Q. Khan, "Invaluable treasures," The News. 2014-12-29.
Keywords: Social sciences , Social aspects , Islamic teachings , Humanity , Hadith , Quran , Prophet (PBUH) , Syed Mahmood Khawar , Tipu Sultan , Sultan Haider Ali , Jawaharlal Nehru