How relevant is the Quran to my life? (Surat Yūnus, 10:57)

O mankind! There has indeed come to you an advice from your Lord, and a cure for that which lies within breasts, and a guidance, and a mercy for the believers. (Surat Yūnus, 10:57)

This verse from Sura Yunus is addressed to mankind as a whole and lays out four functions of the Quran. In a sense, we can say that it is the Quran self-defining what its role is:  

The verse says that the Quran:
1. Is a maw‘idhah which has several meanings: A maw’idhah is a piece of wise advice, a reminder to do good that is done gently, with care and concern.
• It is a reminder to stay away from evil.
• It is the kind of advice that affects the heart of the listener or has the potential to affect receptive hearts

2. It is a Shiffaun: A cure for what is in the chests.
• A cure for the diseases of the heart such as doubt, jealousy, hypocrisy and all sorts of spiritual and emotional ailments.
• Imam Ali (as) said that it contains a cure for the biggest diseases, namely unbelief, hypocrisy, revolt and misguidance. (Nahjul Balāgha, Sermon 176) 

There is a beautiful tradition from Imam Musa Al-Kadhim (as) which says “If everyone from the east and west were to perish, I would not fear loneliness were the Qur’an with me”, suggesting that it is potentially healing for one of the most significant ailments of modern society which is loneliness.

3. It is Huddan: a clear guidance on the path as it lays out the outcomes of different actions and paths that we may take.
• Imam Ali (as) says that “no one will sit beside this Quran but that when he rises he will achieve one increase or one decrease – increase in his guidance or a decrease in his (spiritual) blindness”. Imam Ali (as) (Nahjul Balāgha, Sermon 176)

4. It is a Rahma: A mercy because it enables us to reach our full potential, and it shows us the resources to achieve our purpose on this planet. It is also a mercy because it clearly shows us the potential outcomes of our actions while we are in the zone of action and can change direction if needed.

Scholars explain that the four functions of the Quran are stages in the nurture and training of the human being, the goal being to enable us to achieve our full potential and realize the purpose for which we were created: 

·       The first is an external reminder (advice),

·       The second an internal cleansing (healing, cure)

·       The third distinguishes the path to be followed (guidance)

·       The fourth is assistance on the path (mercy).

Reflection:

Given the roles and functions of the Quran as described by Allah (swt), we may want to ask ourselves “how relevant are these in our lives”?

Here are some reflection questions which may help us in assessing our relationship to the Holy Book:

Advice: Do any verses come to mind when I am struggling or confused about something in my life? Do I structure my life according to the advice given by the Quran? 

Healing: Do I use the verses to cure the dis-ease in my soul? Do I use it to purify my heart? Does it provide comfort when I am sad? Is it a companion in my loneliness?

Guidance: Do I use the Quran for guidance? Do I consult it when I need to make a decision about something? Does it guide my actions? Does it stop me from taking certain actions (even if I really really want to)? Does it encourage me to take action (even when I really really don’t want to)? Do I use it as a standard, a criteron and a filter to judge new trends, isms and all the confusions and conundrums that plague the world today?

Mercy: Am I in touch with His Mercy when I recite the Quran? How? Can I see that the verses of punishment and hellfire are an act of love from Him – to show me the consequences of my actions so that I can change course?

Over the next several days, let us explore some verses of the Quran with the specific intention of exploring how we can begin to live this timeless message in our modern lives inshallah.