Does It Matter to Us That Harvard University Praises the Quran?
Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah, dear guests.
Do we care if Harvard praises the Quran?
Today, a news item has spread stating: "Harvard University ranks the Quran as the best book for justice." I wonder, how true is this news and what is its significance?
The Truth Behind the Misleading News
Firstly, the news is not true. Rather, simply, at the entrance of Harvard University, there are various quotations about justice from Christianity, Islam, and sayings of philosophers and celebrities like Nelson Mandela. Among these quotations was a translation of a verse from Surah An-Nisa. The verse is the saying of Allah the Almighty: {O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of them both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed, Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted} [An-Nisa: 135].
This verse has been written and hung at the entrance of one of the colleges for a long time. This fact was published under a completely misleading title, unfortunately. The title: "The Quran is ranked as the best book for justice." You enter the news, read it, and you do not find any reference to this ranking as the best book for justice, but rather a discussion about the quotation we mentioned from the verse of Surah An-Nisa.
However, unfortunately, this news, which was published a week ago, was picked up by some Arabic newspapers and some personalities and some honorable brothers who took it and published it without paying attention. Some published it under the title: "A new study from Harvard University ranks the Quran as the best book for justice."
The Quran Does Not Gain Its Authenticity from Human Praise
Firstly, my brothers, it is very painful that we Muslims have reached the point where we seek someone to tell us: "Yes, your book is correct and it is a book of justice." The Quran, my friends, does not gain its authenticity from human praise. Allah the Almighty says: {But Allah witnesses to what He has sent down to you; He has sent it down with His knowledge. And the angels witness [as well]. And sufficient is Allah as Witness} [An-Nisa: 166].
You will say to me: "But non-Muslims do not believe that it is the book of Allah, so how do you tell them that Allah testifies to His book?" I say to you: When Allah the Almighty says: {But Allah witnesses to what He has sent down to you}, what does it mean? It means that Allah testifies to the truth of His book by what He has placed in this book of evidence. That is, the Quran carries evidence of its truth within it, and it does not need testimony from Harvard University or from a president or from Cambridge or from Oxford or from others.
The Nature of Harvard's Quotation of the Noble Verse
Secondly, my brothers, when Harvard wrote the translation of this verse at one of its entrances, it did not write it as the speech of the Lord of the Worlds, which no falsehood can come from before it or from behind it, a revelation from the Wise, the Praiseworthy. Rather, it wrote it as one of the quotations that some people believe in. And it wrote the verse under a saying of the Christian theologian Augustine, along with dozens of quotations from various people. Therefore, we Muslims do not care if any speech from the speech of Allah is included among human judgments and sayings.
The Danger of Building Faith on the Opinions of Others
Thirdly, dear guests, suppose that one day Harvard said about the Quran that it is the best book for justice. So what? And then what? And what does it mean? And why should we care about this? As a Muslim, do you build your faith on what Harvard says? Is a group of humans in Harvard the ones who judge and decide whether the book of Allah is in the first, second, third, or tenth rank?
Well, if you build your certainty in your religion on such news, or even if you say: "No, no, I do not build my certainty on this news, but honestly, it increases my faith." What will be your condition, sir, if one day Harvard puts a Hindu or Buddhist book in the first rank and lowers the rank of the Quran? Or if Harvard published a study criticizing Islamic rulings, saying that they are not just or humane? What will you do? Will you apostatize? Will you leave your religion? Will you doubt your religion?
The Politicization of Academic Institutions
Fourthly, my brothers, the excessive enthusiasm for such news is as if we consider Harvard and other academic institutions to be impartial, neutral, and scientifically credible entities. This, of course, is completely false. Universities are politicized, and experimental science (science) is politicized, and social studies are politicized, especially all of this is politicized, especially in matters related to morals, the stance on Islam, ideologies, and so on. And we have proven this in many episodes of the Journey of Certainty, such as the episode "Science Fraud: Homosexuality as an Example."
Western Values and Their Stance on Islam
Fifthly, my brothers, now the absolute supreme values of the West are freedom and equality, and they do not allow absolute freedoms. So do not expect them to consider the Quran as the top-ranked according to their false standards, which we have shown to be false in many instances.
Testimonies of Enemies: Between Fairness and Sabotage
Sixthly, dear guests, someone might say: "We are happy from the perspective of: and the favor is what the enemies testify to." Be completely assured, dear guests, that fair testimonies about Islam come as guarantees from individuals, not as studies or announced results from major institutions. And even the testimonies of individuals are often sabotaged, containing praise for a person like the Prophet, peace be upon him, as a smart, influential, and leading person. The hidden message is that he was able to gather followers around him through the strength of his personality and the intensity of his persuasion, not because of the divinity of his message, not because Islam is true.
Such hidden messages are very clear in the words of people like the writer Karen Armstrong in the documentary "Muhammad: The Legacy of the Prophet" (Muhammad: The Legacy of the Prophet). It was completely clear that she wanted to convey to the people the message: Muhammad is great, Muhammad is smart, Muhammad is a charming personality. And a prophet? Of course not, he is not a prophet. Therefore, Islam attracted followers and convinced people not because it is the religion of Allah or because it agrees with fitrah, but because of the strength of Muhammad's personality.
Well, have you heard of the book written by the Jew Michael Hart titled "The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History" (The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History). Who is the first person? Muhammad, peace be upon him. And we, as Muslims, are happy, imagine Michael Hart, the American Jewish writer, says about our Prophet that he is number one. What does it mean, my dear? And then what does it mean? And why are you so happy?
Do you know that this Michael Hart is the same one who in 2007 or 2009 (now I forget, honestly, but it means after writing his book for a long time) called for a conference to protect the Jewish-Christian heritage of the United States from the influence of other groups such as Muslims. The conference was held under the title: "The Jewish-Christian Heritage of America and European Identity." Come on, participants, share with words how we can protect this Christian-Jewish identity in order to push the Jewish agenda in the American identity.
The Quran's Warning Against Being Misled by Others' Opinions
Seventhly, dear respected audience, when you build your faith on what others say about your religion, they can shake it with the old known plan that the Quran has revealed: "And a party of the People of the Scripture said, 'Believe in the morning of what is revealed to the believers and disbelieve at the end of it so perhaps they will return'" [Al-Imran: 72].
Listen, if you build your faith on what these people say, then they will start with studies, resonant phrases, and emotional talk. You will feel relaxed, your morale will rise: "Look people, look at our great Islamic world, our great Quran!" Then they will criticize your Islam and your morale will collapse, your faith will collapse. "Believe in the morning of what is revealed to the believers and disbelieve at the end of it so perhaps they will return."
My hope, brothers, is that we do not pay attention to what others say about our religion? We should not spread these news without verification, so that the atheists laugh at us and shake people's faith. They did not say: "Look at how the Muslims lie to defend their religion?"
Unfortunately, I remember one day I was at the Texas Medical Center where I was working on my research in America. I entered a chapel in the Methodist Hospital, and there were booklets in the chapel's library, including a book about Islam and what others say about Islam. I picked up the booklet and browsed it. Among the painful things written was: "An Indian man said..." then praise for Islam. God is great! We have reached the point of searching for some Indian man, some Sri Lankan man, a man in the jungles of Africa or South America or Alaska or the frozen continent of Antarctica, where there are no inhabitants as far as I know, searching for anyone to praise our Islam. God is great, people, God is great! Where is the pride in Islam?
I am deeply hurt when news spreads: "Such and such an American singer has converted to Islam!" Ah. Then the singer's companion (the singer himself does not bother to respond to these claims) his personal companion says: "No, he did not convert but expressed his sympathy with Muslims and their rights." God is great, people, we have reached this point! And by God, this is a sad thing, and by God, this is a sad thing, people.
Pride in Islam
So let us be proud of our Islam, and remember the words of Allah the Almighty: "And whoever is guided is only guided for [the benefit of] his soul. And whoever is misguided is only misguided to its detriment. And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. And we will not punish until we have sent a messenger" [Al-Isra: 15]. We remember His words: "O mankind, you are the poor to Allah, and Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy. If He wills, He can take you away and bring a new creation. And that is not difficult for Allah" [Fatir: 15-17].
Be proud of your religion, brothers. Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.