Page 53 - A Call for a Turkish-Islamic Union

Allah's revelation of the Qur'an to the Prophet
Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)

fourteen centuries ago, together with the morality of
Islam, taught the violent, barbaric, and ignorant people of
the region peace, reason, and civilization.
At the beginning of the seventh century, Arabia was
one of the world's most disordered places. Many tribes
lived on these lands, and each of them worshipped a dif-
ferent idol. They would declare war on each another,

shed much blood, and even kill children for their mis-
guided beliefs and idols. Their belief system exalted ruth-
lessness, hate, and violence instead of love, compassion,
and kindness. Women were considered lower beings, and
the poor and the slaves were ruthlessly exploited.
This dark and bloody world changed entirely with
the arrival of Islam and its moral codes. Although the
Arabs were the first to join Islam, many other nations
soon embraced the light brought by its morality. The

Qur'an's revelation enabled Muslims to achieve un-
equalled progress in science, culture, thought, and art.
With the revelation of the Qur'an's first verse, the people
of the region, who until this event had been stuck in a vi-
cious circle of dark ignorance and bloody violence, were
invited to read and think for the first time:

Recite: In the Name of your Lord Who created, cre-
ated man from a clot of congealed blood. Recite:
And your Lord is the Most Generous, He Who
taught by the pen, taught man what he did not
know. (Surat al-'Alaq: 1-5)