Holy Qur’an: The Panacea for Mankind

And We send down of the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy o those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism and act on it), and it increases the Zalimun (polytheists and wrongdoers) in nothing but loss.
And when We bestow Our Grace on man (the disbeliever), he turns away and becomes arrogant (far away from the Right Path). And when evil touches him, he is in great despair.
Say (O Muhammad, peace be upon him, to mankind): Each one does according to his Shakilatihi (i.e. his way or his religion or his intentions), and your Lord knows best of him whose path (religion) is right. (Al-Israa , 17:82-84)

There is certainly a cure and a blessing for those whose hearts are full of faith. Such hearts brighten up and become ready to receive what the Quran imparts of grace, reassurance, and security. There is in the Quran a healing power that cures obsession, anxiety, and hesitation. It establishes a bond between believers hearts and God. This bond imparts inner peace to believers as they experience a feeling of security in God s protection. They are happy and satisfied with what they receive from God and contented with their lot in life. Anxiety, hesitation, and obsession are all terrible to experience. As the Qur an dispels all these, it is indeed a blessing for true believers.

In the Quran we have a cure from greed, envy, and evil thoughts. All these cause sickness of the heart and mind, leading to debility and utter ruin. As the Quran cures these, it is a tool of grace bestowed by God on those who truly believe in Him.

The Quran also provides a cure from deviant thoughts and feelings. It protects the mind from going far astray, while allowing it complete freedom within its fruitful pursuits. It stops the mind from wasting its energy over what is devoid of use. It lays down for it a sound approach that ensures good and useful results. The same principle applies to the human body, ensuring that its resources are utilized for what is useful and fruitful, steering human beings away from the suppression of natural desires or indulgence without restraint. Thus it ensures a healthy body. In this again we see that the Quran is a means of God s grace that is bestowed on believers.

There is also in the Quran a cure for social ailments that weaken the structure of society and destroy its peace and security. Under the social system established by the Quran, society enjoys perfect justice in peace and security. This is again a further aspect of grace bestowed through the Quran.

However, the Quran ( . . . and it increases the Zalimun in nothing but loss … . Al-Israa , 17:82). They make no use of the cure it provides or the blessings it brings about. They look with dismay at the believers as they feel proud to be among the followers of the Quran. In their stubborn arrogance, the evildoers persist with their corrupt and unjust methods. Yet in this life, they are defeated by the followers of the Quran, which makes them losers.

When man is left to his own devices, without the cure and blessing of the Quran, and without consistent restraint of his whims and desires, he moves between two extremes: when he enjoys good fortune, he is arrogant and ungrateful, and when he experiences hardship he is given to despair.

Blessings and good fortune lead to arrogance unless one remembers where they come from and give thanks to God who bestowed them. On the other hand, when people are afflicted by difficulty and hardship, they are easily lost in despair unless they trust in God and hope to receive His grace. It is when one truly relies on God that one feels that hardship will give way to what is better.

The surah then states that everyone and every camp acts according to the path it follows. The final verdict on methods and actions is left to God alone as explained in Surah Al-Israa 17: 84. In this statement we have an implicit warning as to the results of approaches and deeds. Hence, everyone needs to heed the warnings and strive to follow the path of divine guidance which is available to all