When Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) started his mission on the divine commandment, the society was in no way ready to accept his invitation. Therefore, the Prophet propagated Islam secretly for three years.

But after making his mission public the first step was taken to attract audience and God sent down ayahs 43 and 44 of surah Zukhruf where he says, “So hold fast to what has been revealed to you. Indeed you are on a straight path. Indeed it is a reminder for you and for your people, and soon you will be questioned.”

Now it is clear that every reformist and propagative mission should begin with the near ones so that the impact will increase in the society.

After familiarizing his kinsmen with Islam, the Prophet was given the mission to propagate Islam among the people of Mecca and around it. So, God said in ayah 7 of surah Shura, “Thus have We revealed to you an Arabic Qur’an that you may warn the people of the Mother the Towns and those around it, and warn of the Day of Gathering in which there is no doubt, a part will be in paradise and a part will be in the Blaze.”

This ayah, besides naming another group of the audiences, explains the fate of the opponents and proponents. Of course, this warning is not limited to the people of the advent of Islam; it rather includes the entire mankind in every era and region.

As time passed and Islam spread in various parts of the Arabian Peninsula and beyond, the psychological war and ballyhoo of the enemy raised the question among Muslims as whether the Qur’an was able to clarify every matter and solve the problems effectively. Then God removed these doubts in ayah 89 of surah Nahl, “We sent down the Book to you as a clarification of all things and as a guidance and mercy and good news for those who submit to God.”

Thus, after the kinsmen, the people of Mecca and around it, the next audience is the people in various parts of the world who have accepted Islam and proved their submission to God.

Another audience of the holy Qur’an is the pious of Godwary people. These people, due to firm and unchangeable belief, have reached the phase that they fulfill every divine commandment with no questioning. That’s why the holy Qur’an has mentioned the word “Taqwa” (Godwariness) 110 times and has very much emphasized on it. In the beginning of the second surah (Baqara), God says, “This is the Book, there is no doubt in it, a guidance for the Godwary.”

Some people go even beyond belief and Gadwariness. They enter the phase of “Yaqeen” (certainty). It means that they have no doubt whatsoever about the words and promises of God. Most of the realities and secrets of creation become so clear for them in a way as if they witness them with their eyes. The holy Qur’an pays special attention to this group of audiences and says in ayah 20 of surah Jathiya, “These are eye-openers for mankind, and guidance and mercy for a people who have certainty.”

The question may come to the mind that, “If the Qur’an is restricted to the people of Mecca, the faithful, the Godwary and those who have certainty, doesn’t it have a message for other people or the mankind?” The answer is that as soon as the Prophet established his first government in Medina, he started his universal mission of inviting the people to monotheism and Islam. This was manifest in his writing of epistles to the rulers of several neighboring countries. Although the Torah and the Evangel have been approved by the Qur’an, the basic difference between the Qur’an and those two divine Books is that it has not been distorted by power-hungry elements and licentious people. Indeed, this has been guaranteed by God when He says in ayah 9 of surah Hijr, “Indeed We have sent down the Reminder, and indeed We will preserve it.”

RM/SS