The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam — Page 28
22 when the world had been thoroughly corrupted. As God Almighty has said: ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ 23 Corruption has spread over land and sea. This means that the People of the Book, as well as those who had no experience of revelation, had all been corrupted. The purpose of the Holy Quran was to revive the dead, as is said: 24 اِعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللهَ يُحْيِ الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا Know that Allah is about to revive the earth after its death. At that time the people of Arabia were steeped in barbarism. No social pattern prevailed and they took pride in every type of sin and misconduct. A man married an unlimited number of wives, and they were all addicted to the use of everything unlawful. They considered it lawful to marry their mothers, and that is why God Almighty had to prescribe: حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أُمَّهُتُكُمْ 25 That is, today your mothers are made unlawful for you. They ate carrion and some of them were even 23. Corruption has appeared on land and sea (The Holy Quran, ar-Rum 30:42) 24. Know that Allāh is now quickening the earth after its death. (The Holy Quran, al-Hadid 57:18) 25. Forbidden to you are your mothers, (The Holy Quran, an-Nisa' 4:24)