Quran: The Eternal Truth
The
Prophet Moses, born in Egypt in the 15th century B.C., was chosen by God to be
His messenger. In those days, Egypt was under the dynastic rule of the Pharaohs,
who were idolaters. The Prophet Moses encountered two of the kings of this
dynasty: one was appointed to be his guardian by God, while the other was one
with whom he came into confrontation during his missionary struggle.
When
Moses presented the Divine Message of Truth before the latter Pharaoh, he turned
against him. To prove the genuineness of his Prophethood, the Prophet Moses
showed the miracle of his rod turning into a serpent. Pharaoh said that it was
mere magic, and that his people too could perform such feats. So Pharaoh ordered
all the magicians of Egypt together on the occasion of a national festival in
order to nullify the miracle of Moses by demonstrating their superior skills in
magic. At the appointed time the most renowned magicians from all over the
country duly gathered in the royal court. When the Prophet Moses arrived, he not
only surpassed the performance of the court magicians with further miracles, but
he also made a very significant speech, a part of which is as follows:
“What
you have brought is deception. Surely God will render it vain. God does not
bless the work of the evildoers. By His words He vindicates the truth, much as
the guilty may dislike it’ (10:81-82).
What
the Prophet Moses said at that time was in fact a proclamation of God’s
eternal verdict. In the present world man has been granted freedom so that he
may be put to the test. In consequence, untruth has had the opportunity to mar
the human condition. But this rise of falsehood is only a temporary phase, for
the system of the world is so perfect that it does not accept untruth for long.
After a period of time, it rejects all falsity. It is truth and truth alone
which will endure.
This
law of God was manifest in ancient times just as it is manifest today. That is
why, in the time of the Prophet Moses, the sorcery of the magicians was set at
naught by the miracle granted to Moses. This phenomenon of truth finally
conquering untruth has been repeated many times throughout the ages in different
forms. In present times God has ordained this through human knowledge itself,
advances in knowledge and science having made it possible to prove with finality
the unassailability of divine Truth. With the revelation of the Quran, the
events that were to unfold found expression in these words:
“We
will show them Our Signs in all the regions of the earth and in their own souls,
until they clearly see that this is the truth. Does it not suffice that your
Lord is watching over all things?” (Qur’an, 41:53).
The
commentator, Ibn Kathir has explained this verse in these words:
“Soon
We shall make manifest the truth of the Qur’an through the external arguments
of reasoning.”
This
verse of the Qur’an needs to be looked at in the context of posterity. These
are the words of a Being before whom are ranged not only the generations of that
time, but all succeeding generations.
Addressing
itself to all the peoples of the present, past and future, this verse declares
that whatever is presented in its own times on the basis of revealed knowledge,
will in the future have its authenticity proven by advances in human knowledge
itself. What is merely a matter of assertion today will become a confirmed
reality tomorrow.
This prediction of the Qur’an has been proved true in the fullest sense. In ancient times when the magicians countered Truth with magic, God demolished their magic. In present times when the case for atheism was projected without its having any basis in truth, God made all the arguments in its favor vanish into thin air. By the same token, whatever is raised up against Truth will in like manner be demolished, —as has happened in all ages. God’s word, its veracity intact, will be perpetuated, for all time to come.