The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page xxxiv
GENERAL INTRODUCTION of the Arabs", and "the God of the Hindus" are meaningless. But if God is One, why should we have so many different religions? Were they the product of the human brain? Was it because of this that every nation and every people worshipped its own God? If these religions were not a human product, how and why did this division come between religion and religion? If ever there was reason for this division, was it proper that the division should continue? Religion - Not a Product of Human Imagination As for the question whether these religions were the product of human imagination, the answer is certainly that they were not and this is for several reasons: Religions well established in the world reveal some distinguishing features: Firstly, according to all ordinary standards, the founders were men of slender means. They had no power or prestige. Yet they addressed themselves to the great as well as the small and in due course they and their followers rose from a humble to a high position in the world. This proves that they were sustained and supported by a great Power. Secondly, all founders of religions have been persons highly honoured and valued for the purity of their lives even by those who later, on the announcement of their claims, became their enemies. It is inconceivable that those who did not lie about men, began suddenly to lie about God. The universal acknowledgement of the purity of their lives before the announcement of their claims is proof of the truth of these claims. The Quran stresses this point: I have indeed lived among you a whole lifetime before this. Will you not then understand? (10:17). The verse represents the Holy Prophet as saying to his accusers, "I have lived for a lifetime among you, as one of you. You had the chance to observe me at close quarters; you have been witnesses to my truthfulness. How then dare you say that I have today suddenly begun to lie about God?" Similarly the Quran says: Verily, Allah has conferred a favour on the Believers by raising among them a Messenger from among themselves (3:165). The same point is stressed in the verse: Surely, a Messenger has come unto you from among yourselves (9:128). That is, "a Messenger to you, who is one of you, not one whom you do not know, but one whom you well know and of whose purity of character you have yourselves been witnesses". Vill