The Qur’an: A Divine Translation of the Book of the Universe
تَبَارَكَ ٱلَّذِی جَعَلَ فِی ٱلسَّمَاۤءِ بُرُوجࣰا وَجَعَلَ فِیهَا سِرَ ٰجࣰا وَقَمَرࣰا مُّنِیرࣰا
Most Auspicious is He Who created lofty towers in the sky and placed a lamp in it, and the luminous moon.
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِی جَعَلَ ٱلَّیۡلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ خِلۡفَةࣰ لِّمَنۡ أَرَادَ أَن یَذَّكَّرَ أَوۡ أَرَادَ شُكُورࣰا
And it is He Who created the alternation of the night and day for one who wishes to remember or intends to give thanks.
Surah Al-Furqan 61-62
The verses of Surah Al-Furqan show that the universe is a book of Allah that manifests His names and attributes, and that the Qur’an is a translation of this book that explains its meanings and purposes. The Qur’an invites us to read this book with the light of faith and reason, and to appreciate the wisdom and mercy of Allah in His creation. The Qur’an also warns us not to be deceived by the apparent causes and effects in the universe, but to recognize the true cause and effecter behind them, who is Allah, the Lord of all worlds.
"The Qur'an is an eternal translation of the great book of the universe and the everlasting translator of the various languages in which the Divine laws of the universe's creation are inscribed." (The Words, p. 388)
This is a quote from Said Nursi, a Turkish Islamic scholar who wrote a commentary on the Qur’an called The Words. The quote expresses his view that the Qur’an is a divine revelation that explains the meaning and purpose of the universe and its laws. He believes that the Qur’an is not only a book of words, but also a book of signs that reflects God’s attributes and names. The Qur’an describes the universe as a creation of God that is full of signs (ayat) that testify to His oneness, power, wisdom, and mercy. The Qur’an invites humans to observe and reflect on the natural phenomena and the order and harmony in the universe. God through His Creative activity has made Himself known to us. He has shown us His attributes and His names. He has shown us His power and His wisdom. The Qur’an is a divine discourse that addresses both the intellect and the heart. It is a revelation that invites us to contemplate the signs of God in ourselves and in the world around us. It is a divine commentary on the signs of God in the universe and in the human soul. It is a guide to understanding the meaning and purpose of existence. The Qur’an is a translation into human language of the eternal speech of God that is written with His beautiful names on the pages of the universe.
