7 Life-Changing Lessons From the Quran

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The Quran is the central holy text of the Islamic religion, and is divided into chapters called “surah,” and verses, called “ayah.” According to Muslim tradition, it was revealed to Muhammad in 610 AD by the angel Gabriel, and now serves as a wellspring of divine guidance and wisdom.

According to tradition, Muhammad traveled to a place known as the Cave of Hira, which lay about two miles from Mecca on the mountain of Jabal al-Nour. It was here that the archangel Raphael appeared to Muhammad, demanding that he recite a few lines of what would become chapter 96 of the Quran.

Muhammad did, and the rest is history.

Today, the Quran serves as the foundation of Islamic theology, and is revered by Muslims all over the world as a source of inspiration for everything from music to clothing to art. But regardless of your beliefs, there is wisdom in this book that can change you for the better.

Within is wisdom on everything from tact and manners, to how to treat others, to how to eat healthily—lessons anyone can benefit from. Let’s dive into this holy book and take a look at 7 life-changing lessons from the Quran.

Be Mindful of Time

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Quran 103:1-3 reads “By time, surely man is in loss, save those who believe and do good deeds, and enjoin on each other truth, and enjoin on each other patience.”

If you could read the Quran and take with you only one bit of wisdom when you put it down, it would be this. The question of how to use our time in the best way possible is the subject of countless self-help books, seminars, and speeches, but these verses succinctly give us the answer.

Our best use of time lies in leaving the world a better place than we found it.

We should use our time to do good deeds, such as charity work. We should be truthful with one another. We should be patient—slow to become angry, and quick to forgive so that cycles of violence and abuse stop with us.

If you’ve ever wondered how you should spend your time, you now have your answer. Use it to love your fellow man.

Every Problem is an Opportunity

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In Quran 2: 155, we find this bit of wisdom: “Verily, We shall put you to test with some fear, and hunger, and with some loss of wealth, lives, and offspring. And convey good tidings to those who are patient, who say, when inflicted by hardship, ‘Verily we are of God and verily to Him shall we return;’ upon them is the blessings of Allah and His mercy.”

These words remind us that our trials are opportunities to grow. Everyone experiences a time of testing at some point in their lives—some more than others. No one is exempt from this. But the answer to hardship doesn’t lie in wishful thinking, in desiring a life of no difficulty. The answer lies in how we respond to that difficulty when it arises.

When we respond to hardship with positivity and resilience, knowing that it is temporary, we reap rewards later. Those rewards may come in the form of intangible wisdom and life experience, or in tangible goods, but they always come to those who are patient in adversity.

Don’t Give in to Gossip

Quran 17:53 says “Say to My servants that they should only say those things that are best, for Satan does sow dissensions among them, for Satan is to man an avowed enemy.”

Gossip is the ultimate sower of division. Too often, we’re tempted to make ourselves look better by putting others down. This might give us a temporary ego-boost, or a small crowd of admirers, but these benefits are always short-lived.

Eventually, most gossipers find themselves alienated—after all, if someone talks badly about one person, won’t they talk badly about another? With time, these gossipers find themselves lonely, distrusted, and disliked.

Victims of gossip often feel hurt, misunderstood, and betrayed—is that really the legacy you want to leave? Or would you rather use your words to unify and uplift?

The Quran is clear on this: don’t sow division, but instead, say what is good and true. That is the path to a good life.

Be Kind to Others

Quran 16:91 reads “Indeed, Allah enjoins justice, and the doing of good to others; and giving like kindred; and forbids indecency, and manifest evil, and wrongful transgression. He admonished you that you may take heed.”

When someone hurts or annoys you, or when they’re simply not useful to you, you’re presented with a choice. You can go negative, taking revenge, bullying, or ignoring them, or you can go positive, showing kindness and civility.

According to the Quran, you should choose kindness.

This verse doesn’t say do good for a certain group—it says do good for others, period.

There’s good reason for this. When you’re kind, you stop cycles of unkindness, wherein you’re unkind to someone, and they treat you, or others, the same. And not only this, but you multiply goodness—people are much more likely to pay forward acts of kindness, despite the fact that those acts are rare.

The Quran contains much wisdom on how to live well, but this is some of the most important of what it has to say. Avoid injustice and unkindness, and your life will be changed for the better.

Choose Your Best Words When You Speak

The same verses that cover gossip in Quran 17:53 also address a larger topic: when you speak, you should take the time to choose the best words possible.

Most of us simply speak without thinking. We know what we want to convey, and we come up with a few words to make it happen. Usually, we do this as quickly as possible.

But when words can cost you your dream job during an interview, or your true love during a date, they’re worth thinking deeply about. Words have impact. They can persuade and uplift, or they can manipulate and destroy. And when you use what can be such a powerful weapon without thought, you can wreak untold damage and lose out on some valuable opportunities.

They can change the course of lives.

So don’t get caught in the habit of using words carelessly. As Quran 17:53 says, let all of your words be your best words. If you do, you’ll find nearly every aspect of your life transformed.

Use Your Anger to Create, Not Destroy

Quran 3:134 reads: “Those who spend [in Allah’s Cause—deeds of charity, alms, etc.] in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, Allah loves the good-doers.”

These verses remind us of a very important ability we humans have: when we’re angry, we can use that anger for something constructive rather than for destructive ends. We can transform our rage into creative energy, using it to become a source of comfort and help to others.

Think about it. Anger is a motivating force that helps us respond to adverse situations. When we feel this intense emotion, we know that something needs to change.

It’s how we go about creating that change that makes a difference.

Rather than resorting to destructive behavior, such as violence, bullying, or insults, why not go constructive, and use your anger to motivate you toward more benevolent ends?

For example, if you’re angry about the current political situation, you can choose to either unleash your anger in the form of insults toward those you disagree with, or you can channel it into positive political activism in order to improve what you feel is broken.

The Quran reminds us that our anger has power if we take the time to control it and direct it toward better ends.

Think For Yourself

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Quran 8:22 highlights those who don’t think for themselves, saying, “Truly, the worst of all creatures in the sight of Allah are the deaf, the dumb, those who do not use their reason.”

This may come as a surprise to those who feel that religious texts encourage conformity of thought, but in reality, many religions embrace human reason, pushing their adherents to try to truly understand why they believe what they believe.

It was Socrates, the Ancient Greek philosopher, who famously echoed this thought when he proclaimed that “The unexamined life is not worth living.” And it’s true—a life without thought, intention, or reflection is wasted. Without taking the time to self-reflect, we simply blow about on the breeze, not really living.

Instead, pause your busy life for a moment and think about why you do the things you do. Are you intentionally going after the things that make you happy, as well as things which improve the world around you?

If you’re not, think on these verses. It may just change your life.