The modern era, like many other things, is the mushrooming age of books. Among all these books, what is the difference between the common books and Quran, or the difference between the holy books of other societies and of Muslims? In fact the literature and the poetry have been instruments of human expression and creativity, in all cultures. The world once witnessed an age when literature and poetry occupied pride of position. It was the same era to challenge the humanity to produce a single verse like Qur’an. All prophets had miracles to prove their prophethood in which the last prophet (PBUH) was given Quran, a linguistic miracle, as his proof. What Quran actually did is that it debated with the thoughts of genius man by comparing his words with the words of his creator and proved his inability to produce a book like it and thus showed him that the Quran is not man made and is a revelation from Allah. For some examples, see the following verses:

“Say: If the whole of mankind and Jinn joint together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they back up each other with help and support."

أَمْ يَقُولُونَ اْفْتَرَاهُ قُلْ فَأْتُواْ بِعَشْرِ سُوَرٍ مِّثْلِهِ مُفْتَرَيَاتٍ وَاْدْعُواْ مَنِ اْسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِّن دُونِ اْللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ(11:13)

“Or they may say, "He forged it" Say, "you bring ten Suras forged, like unto it, and call (to your aid) whomsoever you can, other than Allah! If you speak the truth"

"And if you are in doubt as to what we have revealed to our servant, then produce a Sura like thereunto; and call your witnesses or helpers besides Allah, if what you say is true." This was from Madina, here Quran added another challenge to all the generations of ever coming mankind to produce a book similar to it.

^{(2:-24) فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُواْ وَلَن تَفْعَلُواْ}

“But if you cannot - And of a surety you can never do it...”. (Quran 2:-24). Throughout the history nobody was born to meet the challenge even to produce a single verse. This is the main difference between the common books and Quran, and the Holy books of other societies and Muslims.

Let us now think the authenticity of the Holy Quran. Dr. Maurice Bucaille, said in his book "The Bible, the Quran and Science <http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/8172311613/qid=1043959935/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_2/103-2264989-7938203?v=glance&s=books&n=507846>", (American Trust Publications: 1979): "Thanks to its undisputed authenticity, the text of the Quran holds a unique place among the books of Revelation, shared neither by the Old nor the New Testament. In the first two sections of this work, a review was made of the alterations undergone by the Old Testament and the Gospels before they were handed down to us in the form we know today. The same is not true for the Quran for the simple reason that it was written down at the time of the prophet". Dr. Maurice Bucaille, is a western surgeon to embrace Islam after a long study of Quran.

There are more than six thousand ا ية in Quran of which more than a thousand deal with science. Modern scientists have been amazed by the accuracy of scientific information presented by Quran. Before going to argue this matter let us pay our best attention on the purpose of putting forward the scientific matters in the Holy Quran. It is for nothing but to show the power of Allah.

Now let us just think about what we have to do with this holy book? Surely, it is the revelation of Allah. let us see the sixth verse of Surah: al Fathiha: اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ “Show us the straight path”. The verse is repeated at least 17 times per day in daily prayers. Soon after Surah al Fathiha, see the 2^{nd verse of Surah al Baqara:, ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ - “This is the book; In it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah”.}

We can see that these two verses are very nearby verses. According to Ma’arif Al Quran, an Urdu explanation, we seek guidance in Surah al Fatiha, and as an answer, Allah shows us the holy Quran as the Guidance, saying that, “This is the book; In it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah”. In another words, it is the answer for our seeking for هداية in Surah al Fathiha. Actually هداية is the main purpose of Quran. There are 3 explanations for the word هداية . One, هداية for all creatures. It is with this هداية a crow can fly, a duck can swim etc. Second explanation of هداية means to convert a non Muslim to Islam, by witnessing the Kalima. And the third meaning for هداية is to get a Muslim opportunities to do good deeds and to carry it over.

It is the third one we seek in the Surah al Fathiha. Here we can see the relationship of Quran with Prayers, Fastings, etc.. In the prayers we ask for هداية . Allah shows us هداية by giving Quran which was revealed in the month of Ramazan, the month of fasting as could see in 2:185:

“Ramadan is the month in which was sent down the Qur-an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present during that month should spend it in fasting……….”

There fore what we want mainly to do with Quran is to try to study and follow it as much as possible and try to propagate it, because it is the revelation form Allah, its guide lines are the only way of salvation, and we Muslims are the responsible people of the Holy Book. May the Almighty Guide us.. امين