A project paper for Islamic Worldview subject (UNGS 2030) on the topic "Al-Quran & Its Significance in Life "

1. THE ISLAMIC WORLDVIEW
(UNGS 2030)
TOPIC:
AL-QUR’AN AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN LIFE
SECTION: 07
LECTURER: MD YUSOUF ALI
STUDENTS NAME MATRICS NO.
1) AFIFAH NABILAH BINTI MOHAMAD SAFEI 1321976
2) BAI JING 1126260
3) LAN ZHENGYAN 1228762
4) NOR AINI BINTI SAPANI 1311756
5) YOMNA KHALED ELDEMERY 1412942

2. 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
NO. CONTENT PAGES
1. Introduction 3
2. The History of Qur’anic Revelation 4 - 7
3. The Nature of Qur’anic Revelation 7 - 9
4. The Relevance of Qur’anic Verse in the Modern Age 9 - 12
5. The Significance of Qur’an in Daily Life 12 - 13
6. The Qur’an and Modern Science 14 - 16
7. Conclusion 17
8. References 18

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INTRODUCTION
Al-Quran is a divine revelation that has reached us through or a Holy connection
starting from Allah to the Angel Jibreel to the prophet Muhammad S.A.W. the devine or
Quranic revelation is regarded by Muslim as the exact words of Allah. The revelation of Al-
Quran started in the month of Ramadhan where at that time prophet Muhammad S.A.W. was
in a cave called Ghar Hira’ and Jibreel AS continued to teach prophet Muhammad S.A.W the
passages of Al-Quran and then the revelation continued throughout the following 23 years of
the life of Rasulullah S.A.W until he passed away and at that point revelation of al-Quran was
complete.
On this topic “Al-Quran and Its Significance to the Life”, we will discuss about the
history of Quranic revelation, the relevance of Quranic verse in the modern age, Al-Quran and
its significance in daily life, the nature of Al-Quran and revelation, and Al-Quran and the
science.
We know that Al-Quran is the most important book for Muslims. Since it is then
should be treated with highest respect. We should realize that we are holding the words of
Allah in our hands.

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THE HISTORY OF QUR’ANIC REVELATION
The Tanzil of the Qur’an.
Literally, the term 'Tanzil' is derived from the Arabic word which is 'Nuzul'. Nuzul
means the descent or the movement of going down from high to a lower place. Technically,
Tanzil means the process of the revelation where the Jibril AS (Gabriel) came down to the
earth in order to deliver the verses of Qur’an to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) . The exact
nature of this 'Nuzul' and how Jibril (AS) actually brought the Qur’an with him are matters of
the unseen. Allah (SWT) chose not to clarify the details to us, perhaps because they involve
matters that may be difficult for humans to imagine or grasp.1
Qur’an was not revealed all at one time. In fact, different verses were revealed at
different times. Allah (SWT) could have revealed the whole Qur’an at one time if He wished
to do it, but that was not the case. Qur’an was revealed through three stages where the last
stages completed after 23 years since it is revealed in accordance to the events to guide
human.
The Stages of the Revelation
The Qur'an was decended from the Allah (SWT) through the Jibril (AS) to Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH). Qur’an was revealed in 3 stages:
Stage 1: Allah (SWT) had The Qur’an written before any creation. And Qur’an was put in
Lauh Mahfuz (the Preserved Slate) in the Seventh Heaven. This stage was mentioned in
Qur’an in Chapter 85, “But this is an honored Qur'an. [Inscribed] in a Preserved Slate.”2
1 http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/articles/107857/stages-of-the-revelation-of-the-quran
2 Qur’an [85:21-22]

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Stage 2: In this stage, the Qur’an was brought down by Jibril (AS) from the Lauh Mahfuz in
the Seventh Heaven to the First Heaven which is the sky and placed in the Baitul Izzah, the
Place of Power or Honor in the month of Ramadhan. It is indicated in the Qur’an that the
Qur’an was revealed in a single blessed of night in the month of Ramadhan which is called
the “Night of Power or Decree”. 3
Stage 3: This is the last stage of revelation where it was sent down from Baitul Izzah to
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) for human kind. It is lasted for about 23 years; in which the
Qur’an was sent down in response to the development of events and in accordance with the
sequences needed to complete the delivery of the Message. This stage was explained in the
Qur’an, “And [it is] a Qur'an which We have separated [by intervals] that you might recite it
to the people over a prolonged period. And We have sent it down progressively.”45
The First Revelation
In the third stage of revelation, the Qur’an was sent down to Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) through Jibril (AS). When Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was around forty years old,
he started to spend time in deep reflection. According to his beloved wife Aisyah (RA), the
idea of seclusion was bestowed upon him via vivid good dreams. He went to the cave of
Hira to worship the One God and contemplate life, the universe, and his place in this world. 6
On one night during Ramadhan, an angel named Jibril (AS) came to him and asked
him to read. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) told Jibril (AS) that he do not know how to read.
The angel repeated his command thrice and received the same confused and frightened
answer thrice, before revealing the first verse of Qur’an to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH):
3 Qur’an [44:2-4], Qur’an [97:1]
4 Qur’an [17:106]
5 http://islam580.blogspot.com/2012/02/stages-of-revelation-of-quran.html
6 http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/2665/

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“Recite in the name of your Lord who created. Created man from a clinging
substance. Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous. Who taught by the pen. Taught man
that which he knew not.”7
After this unexpected encounter, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) returned tremblingly to
his home where he asked his wife, Khadijah (RA) to conceal him, until some measure of
calmness had returned to him. As an Arab, he was familiar with all sorts of Arabic
expressions, with poetry and prose, but nothing bore resemblance to these verses which
means, he has heard something that he had never heard before. This Qur'an, became the first
and greatest miracle bestowed upon him. 8
The second revelation came when he was walking alone and Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) heard a voice from the heaven. When he looked up he saw Jibril (AS) wa sitting on
a chair, between the sky and the earth. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was afraid and ran home
seeking comfort and asking to be wrapped in blankets. The second revelation occurred at this
time which revealed this verse:
“O you who covers himself [with a garment], Arise and warn. And your Lord glorify.
And your clothing purify. And uncleanliness avoid”9
Throughout the next 23 years until some time before the death of Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH), the Qur’an was revealed in stages, according to the situations occured to answer and
guide human to go through the situations. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) read this verse in his
last sermon not long before his death:
7 Qur’an [96:1-5]
8 Muhammad Mustafa Al-Azmi, History of the Quranic Text [Pg 48]
9 Qur’an [74:1-5]

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“This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you
and have approved for you Islam as religion.”10
Some people believe that this verse is the last verse revealed to him but actually, there
is no valid source to confirm this view. 11
THE NATURE OF QUR’ANIC REVELATION
Revelation (Al-Why) is the word of Allah (SWT) that was delivered by His chosen
individuals which is called as His Messangers12. Through revelation, Allah (SWT) conveys
whatever knowledge that He wills to give in order to guide human according to the certain
situation. This is mentioned in the Qur’an as follow:
“And it is not for any human being that Allah should speak to him except by revelation
or from behind a partition or that He sends a messenger to reveal, by His permission, what
He wills. Indeed, He is Most High and Wise.”13
and
“Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], as We revealed to Noah and the
prophets after him. And we revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the Descendants,
Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the book [of Psalms].”14
In Islam, the Qur’an is considered as the revelation that was given by Allah (SWT) to
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) concerning the fundamentals of belief and action. According to
Islamic worldview, there is no record in history shows that Allah (SWT) descended or made
10 Qur’an [5:3]
11 http://www.quranicstudies.com/quran/the-last-verse-of-the-quran/
12 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wahy
13 Qur’an [42:51]
14 Qur’an [4:163]

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any radical transformation in His divine nature. In fact, the revelation has been transferred
through three forms; either through inspiration, or from behind the veil, or by sending an
angel. It was never been in the form of personl contact or incarnation.15
Universal Nature of the Qur’an
The Qur'an was sent down in order to guide the humankind to the true path. It is meant
for all humankind regardless of their nations, tribes, colors, religions and languages. Qur’an is
not directed towards any particular nation, such as the Arabs, or to a particular sect of
Muslims, but to non-Islamic societies as well as the Muslim nation as a whole. 16
The Qur’an is the pre-eternal speech of Allah (SWT). It covers all of the aspects of life
in which it has met all of the human’s needs for the past centuries and for the same reason, it
will also meet all of the human’s need in the future until the Day of Judgement. Therefore,
man really should accept the Qur’an, believe in it, read, understand and apply it in his life. As
long as he hold to the teaching and the way of the Qur’an, he will not stray away from the
right path.17 Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in a hadith:
"I have left two matters with you. As long as you hold to them, you will not go the
wrong way. They are the Book of Allah and the Sunna of His Prophet."18
1. The perfection of Qur’an: The Qur'an shows man the fundamentals of life and guide
him to achieve his goal on earth and in the hereafter. It covers all aspect of life and can
be used at all period of time.
2. The eternal quality of the qur'an: The perfection and completeness of the Qur'an
which covers all aspect of life without time limits prove that its validity is not
15 Abdul Kabir Hussain Solihu, Introduction to Islamic Worldview [pg 144]
16 http://www.islamicwisdom.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=187&Itemid=161
17 http://www.questionsonislam.com/question/will-you-explain-universality-quran-giving-examples
18 http://sunnah.com/urn/516070 [Book 46, Hadith 1628]

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restricted to a particular time or place, since anything perfect is in need of nothing to
complete it. Allah (SWT) said in the Qur’an:
“Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an and indeed, We will be its guardian.”19
3. Al-Qur’an as a self-contained proof: The Qur'an is composed of words and
meanings like any other book. However, when the situation of the text demands proof,
it explains itself using another verse.20
THE RELEVANCE OF QUR’ANIC VERSE IN THE MODERN AGE
In modern times we have become usual to live on our own as if God did not exist.
Many people feel that religion is no longer relevant, and that ancient books of religious
teachings have been replaced by modern books of science and progressive thinking. What
about the Qur’an? Has this book become outdated as have many others? Many areas of
investigation lead to the conclusion that the Qur’an remains relevant to the modern humans.
Using the tools of our progressive thinking we can see that the Qur’an is not the product of
human beings but a divine revelation.
The Qur’an as Part of Universal Order
The correlation between the findings of science in the past century and the Qur’an
highlights the importance of preserving the written word, emphasized in Islam because it
bridges space and time, providing inspiration and verification for those separated from direct
contact with the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W and his companions. It has also led some
scientists to take closer look at the Qur’an. Dr. Maurice Bucaille of the French Academy of
Science, author of 'The Bible, the Koran and Science' states that “It comes as no surprise to
19 Qur’an [15:9]
20 http://www.islamicwisdom.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=187&Itemid=161

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learn that religion and science have always been considered to be twin sisters by Islam and
that today, at a time when science has taken such great strides, they continue to be associated.
Furthermore, certain scientific data are used for a better understanding of the Qur’anic text.
What is more, in a century where for many scientific truth has dealt a deathblow to
religious belief, it is precisely the discoveries of science that, in an objective examination of
the Islamic Revelation, have highlighted the supernatural character of certain aspects of the
revelation." Islam encourages man’s search for knowledge to both enhance appreciation of the
cosmic order and enhance his capability to serve as a representative of Allah in governing the
affairs of the Earth. The Qur’an said: "And We made the sky a protected ceiling, but they,
from its signs, turned away." 21
Thus, important evidence seems to be emerging in the modern world that the Qur’an
contains revelation which transcends space and time, forming a part of the cosmic order to
guide the path of mankind and strengthen the bond between religion and science.
Qur’an as the Necessity and Important of Modern Exegesis
The modern world today is a period of intense activity, comparing to that of the
middle age, especially in the field of interpreting the Holy Qur’an. Muslims today are in the
stage to confront and come to terms with the civilization and culture of the west and the
modernity they have gifted to the whole world. This modernity consists of the European and
American Culture which is very much different from the traditional and mentality of Islam.
The first and the most important of these key concepts is “ Secularism” where the
sacred is separated from the social behavior and to even greater extent, radical secularism-
where are all aspect of life, from personal life to the stage of politics are separated from the
21 Qur’an [21:32]

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religion. The encounter of Muslim with this modernity compelled them to reread, revisit,
evaluate, and seek a better understanding of their own tradition and culture provided by the
Holy Qur’an and Sunnah, in an attempt to relate their culture to a reality and challenge the
modern culture of secularism.
Naturally, there was no appropriate way to understand the prospect of Islam in the face
of modernity than to look at the analyses and studies of the essential document on which the
whole of Islam is based “The Holy Qur’an”
Qur’an inspires man
The Qur’an inspires man to observe, experience, and investigate. It acknowledges
sense perception and experiential as rewarding. In short, the spirit of the Qur’an, unlike other
religions, is scientific. The Qur'an is a book of guidance to mankind and it inspires justice,
good manners, humility, honesty, sincerity, and all that is most righteous. Although the
Qur'an is a book of guidance for all humanity, however not everyone who reads it will get
guidance from it.
Qur’an reserves its guidance for those who sincerely seek it and approach it in the
appropriate way and with the right attitude. At the same time, the Qur'an urges and inspires
the believers to an ethic of action. It is a moral accountability for Muslims to struggle for
what is good and just. For Muslims, it is an obligation to enjoin good and forbid evil22. The
Noble Qur'an gives moral code for individuals as well as states. It gives the Law or Shariah
for the States as well.
The Glorious Qur'an addresses both the heart and the intellect. It educates; it inspires;
it heals. It shows the Path and it gives us the energy and motivation to follow it. No one can
22 Qur’an [3:104]

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go wrong who makes the Qur'an his or her guide. No one can succeed who ignores its
guidance.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF QUR’AN IN DAILY LIFE
"Islam is not rigid. The Qur’an provides answers to all the problems we face now, but
it has to be seen differently and not paralysed with the way were are taught to." Says Dr.
Mahathir Muhammad, a retired Malaysian politician who was the fourth Prime Minister of
Malaysia.
Not like other religions around the world and through the ages, Islam affects all of the
Muslims' daily life activities and guides them through the holy book Qur’an. Qur’an is
viewed by Muslims as the direct words of Allah (SWT). The shariah, or the laws of Islam, is
based on the Qur’an and the sunna, or the way Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) lived. The
Qur’an also has a significant cultural impact on the Islamic and The arabian arts. So
basically, One can see the effect of the Qur’an through all of thr Muslims' aspects of life.
Muslims recite the Qur’an every day at least five times during their prayers. Verses of
the Qur’an are also recited during Ramadan, the Fridays and other times throughout
Muslims' daily life.
The Qur’an also has a remarkable cultural influence on the Islamic and the Arabian
arts. One of the very impressive arts that Qur’an influences is calligraphy. Calligraphy is a
visual art related to writing. It is the design of letters and phrases with a broad tip instrument
or brush. Many of the calligraphists use the verses of the Qur’an to create beautiful paintings.
They even sometimes paint these verses inside the mosques or thr houses of some Muslims.
Some of the ancient calligraphies are kept in museums.

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The Qur’an stresses so much on how to treat other people in good manners, especially
one's parents and family members. Parents excert too much effort to raise us their kids to be
good citizens; however, you'd find that the youth in non-Muslim countries especially the
western countries like America leave their family houses around the age of 16. In the Muslim
countries, it is completely different; One should obey his or her parents and treat them in a
kind way. Allah (SWT) says in the holy Qur’an:
"And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful
to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, don't say to them a
disrespectful word, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour...23".
This is one of a couple of verses stressing on the way a Muslim should treat his
parents.
There is a story about a boy whose grandfather used to recite the Qur’an everyday.
The boy once asked him out of curiousity why he did so. The grandfather asked him to take a
bucket each day and fill it with water from a river nearby their house and come back home
with this bucket. However, the bucket had so many holes, so as soon as the boy would reach
home evryday, the bucket would be empty as all the water would have leaked out of the
holes. After a couple of days, the boy asked his grandfather with more curiousity why he
asked him to do so. The grandfather told him that even though the water is all lost everyday
by the time the boy reached home, but the bucket becomes cleaner and cleaner each day.
That is the same impact of the Qur’an on the heart. The Qur’an purifies the heart.
All in a nut shell, Qur’an is the guide to all of the Muslims. It tells them what is right
from what is not. Not only that it tells them how to worship Allah (SWT), but also how to
live and how to deal with others in good manners.
23 Qur’an [17:23]

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THE QUR’AN AND MODERN SCIENCE
We ,Muslims , claim than within the pages of the Qur'an, modern science can be
found. Everything from comets to astronomy, embryology to geology, all this and more are
claimed to be found in the suras and the verses of the Qur’an. We, Muslims, argue this
because prophet Muhammad (PBUH) could not have known science, so the Qur’an must be
devine.
Big Bang Theory
“Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a
joined entity, and We separated them and made from water every living thing? Then will they
not believe?”24
This verse of the Qur'an says that the earth and the skys (the whole universe) were
created from one thing where squeezed into a tiny volume called by the glorious Qur'an
"ratq". The verse of the Qur’an is so similar to what we hear of today as the "Big Bang
Theory" in modern science.
Limiter (1902;) first proposed a "cosmic egg". In 1940, George Gamow and Ralf
Alefer (1948) proposed that universe began in a colossal explosion. In the 1950s, the term
"Big Bang" was coined by Sir Fred Hoyle Hoyle, (1982). The "Big Bang" theory is a model
for the early development of the universe.
The main idea of it is that the universe is expanding. It suggests that at some moment
all of the space was contained in a single point, which is considered the beginning of the
unierse. It also suggests that at this point the universe was so dense and hot, and that by time
24 Qur’an [21:30]

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the universe cooled to allow the formation of subatomic particles including protons,
neutrons, and electrons.
Stages of Man’s Embryonic Development
In the holy Qur'an, Allah (SWT) apeaks about the stages of man's embryonic
development,
“We created man from an extract of clay. Then we made him as a drop in a place of
settlement, firmly fixed. Then we made the drop into an alaqah (leech/ suspended thing/ a
blood clot), then we made the alaqah into a mudghah (chewed-like substance)...”25
Literally the arabic word alaqah has three meanings: leech, suspended thing, or blood
clot. Leeches are segmented worms that belong to the phylum Annelida and comprise the
subclass Hirudinea. In comparing a leech to the embryo, at one of the very early stages of
pregnancy, we find similarity between the two. The embryo at this stage obtains nourishment
from the mother's blood, similar to the leech which feeds on the blood of others.
The second meaning of the word alaqah is suspended thing. The suspension of the
embryo in the womb of the mother very appropriately fits this description. The third meaning
of the word alaqah is the blood clot. We find that, according to modern science, the external
appearance of the embryo and its sacs is similar to that of a blood clot. This is due to the
presence of relatively large amounts of blood in the embryo during this stage. Also, during
this stage the blood in the embryo does not circulate until the end of the third week of
pregnancy. So the embryo at this stage is so similar to a blood clot.
The next stage mentioned in this verse is the mudghah stage. The arabic word
mudghah means "chewed-like substance". If one was to take a peice of gum and chewed it,
25 Qur’an [23: 12-14]

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and then compared it with the embryo at the stage right after the one in the first topic of the
alaqah, we would conclude that they would be almost identical because of the somites at the
back of the embryo that some what resemble the teeth marks in a chewed substance.
If we compare the facts in the holy Qur’an and its verses to modern scientific facts
and theories, we would find a lot of similarities. Not only this, but also we would not find
anything in the Qur'an against the modern science, which is a great proof that this book is
from God, because modern science didn't exist 1400 years ago.

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CONCLUSION
In conclusion, we can see that Qur’an is the last revelation that was sent down by
Allah (SWT) to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) for the mankind. In Islamic worldview, the
Qur’an is the main source of knowledge followed by the Sunnah. The content of the Qur’an
covers all aspects of life both in this world and in the hereafter. It is universal to all mankind
regardless of their nations, tribes, languages, colors and religions without any limit of time.
In this modern age, Qur’an is the base of the modernisation that man brings to the
community. What explained in the modern science has already been explained in the Qur’an
centuries ago proves that Qur’an is the real knowledge that came from Allah (SWT), not the
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) own words as what has been accused by the non-believers.

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REFERENCES
 http://islam580.blogspot.com/2012/02/stages-of-revelation-of-quran.html
 http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/2665/
 http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/articles/107857/stages-of-the-revelation-of-the-
quran
 Abdul Kabir Hussain Solihu, Introduction to Islamic Worldview [pg 144]
 http://www.islamicwisdom.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=187
&Itemid=161
 http://www.questionsonislam.com/question/will-you-explain-universality-quran-
giving-examples
 http://sunnah.com/urn/516070 [Book 46, Hadith 1628]
 Muhammad Mustafa Al-Azmi, History of the Qur’anic Text [Pg 48]
 http://www.quranicstudies.com/quran/the-last-verse-of-the-quran/
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wahy
 http://classroom.synonym.com/significance-quran-muslim-worship-7801.html
 http://muslimmatters.org/2014/03/23/muslimkidsmatter-the-importance-of-
incorporating-quran-in-our-daily-lives/
 http://www.slideshare.net/ammarajaved940/the-impact-of-holy-quran-in-our-
everyday-life
 http://quran.com (Qur’anic Verses)