MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, JAKARTA – Dadang Kahmad, Chairpersonof the Muhammadiyah, highlighted the transformative power of the Quran. He argued that the revelation of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad marked a turning point in human history, propelling society from a state of ignorance towards a more modern and enlightened way of thinking.
Unlike miracles bestowed upon previous prophets, the Quran, according to Dadang, a Professor of Sociology of Religion, uniquely emphasizes the importance of reason and scientific exploration. As evidence, he pointed to the very first verse of the Quran, Surah Al Alaq, which commands Muslims to “read.” This emphasis on literacy, Dadang explained, forms the bedrock of knowledge acquisition.
“The first verse itself holds such immense importance for our modern lives. Allah, through the Quran, instructs us to read,” said Dadang on Tuesday evening (March 26) at the At Tanwir Mosque, Jakarta
This call to read, Dadang emphasized, extends far beyond the Prophet himself. It is a universal directive for all Muslims. However, he acknowledged a sobering reality – Muslim communities, particularly in Indonesia, often struggle with low literacy rates.
Dadang underscored the crucial connection between literacy and the quality of knowledge. He pointed to modern, developed nations as a case in point, where high literacy rates are a common thread.
“The command to ‘read’ (iqra’) wasn’t a random act by Allah,” Dadang stressed. “It was deliberately revealed for our contemporary world, for the modern generation.”
Furthermore, Dadang distinguished the Quran from miracles bestowed upon earlier prophets. While those miracles often defied natural laws (“khawariqul adah“), the Quran, he argued, is eminently rational and readily accessible for study by everyone.
