This is why there is no "reference" section at the end of this book...
This is why there is no "reference" section at the end of this book; it mainly consists of ayat [^1] of the Glorious Qur'an, comments by my humble self, and a few authoritative scholars, as referenced in the text or endnotes. This writing is meant to take you through a gradual and systematic understanding of the Miraculous Book. Even those who are familiar with the Glorious Qur'an may find this treatise stimulating when they obtain a global overview of this Holy Guidebook for mankind.
The meaning of the Arabic word, Al‑Qur’an, is "The Reading, The Recitation (aloud) and The Collection". The Miraculous Qur’an has successfully created a new phase of human thought and has greatly affected the lives of millions of people the world over. While the Great Qur'an strictly prohibits the roots of all evils such as interest (usury), oppression, corruption, adultery, intoxicants, gambling, etc., it constantly reminds us of Divine mercy and compassion.
The Glorious Qur'an introduces the Hereafter as the ultimate residence of peace, serenity, security and permanence for those who follow the path of God, but of Hell‑Fire for those who do not. It leaves us totally accountable for our deeds in this world: either we end up in the Garden or in Hell. The most important feature of the Holy Qur'an is its purity; every word of it is the word of God the Exalted.
It is not a book written by Muhammad (SA), but as we shall see, the Glorious Qur'an is a collection of revelations, exactly as revealed to Muhammad (SA). He was specially chosen to be the "means" through which the words were revealed and recited. His own words (collected by his disciples and known as hadith (s) or tradition(s)) are distinctly different from the revealed words of God, as will be discussed later.
The Glorious Qur’an is a distinguished masterpiece of Arabic literature, unmatched throughout the life of humankind. The Great Book Itself challenges humankind to match it, and says "you cannot!" It is a great miracle that the Holy Qur’an has not been successfully challenged for over 1400 years. In fact God has taken it upon Himself to protect it, as it is mentioned in this Glorious Book Itself.
God gave miracles to all His prophets and apostles as proofs of their Divinity: Gone are the apostles, prophets and their‑miracles, except for the miracle of The Last Prophet, Muhammad (SA).