An Analysis of the Symbology of the Revelation Course of the Holy Qur'an

The glorious Quran has been revealed by God and has got the present form after passing some stages in the journey of revelation. The Quran uses different terms to refer to the origin of this descending journey, such as the Guarded Tablet, the Manifest Book, the Mother of Book, and the Manifest Imam. Using a descriptive-analytical method, the Quranic verses and the views of religious scholars, the present paper examines these terms. All these terms indicate a single truth which is the first creature of God and treasure of God's knowledge, in which the forms and destination of all creatures are preserved and no single atom in the universe is out of God's knowledge. The relationship between the Quran and this truth is the same as the relationship between a simple thing and a complex thing, and between a detailed thing and a general, ambiguous thing. The root of the Quran is fused simply in the Mother of Book and the Guarded Tablet, which is in detailed form in the descending journey. This descent is not in a separated and distant form; rather, it is manifested. The truth of the Guarded Tablet and the Mother of Book cannot be revealed to natural world, and the Prophet intuits it in ascending arc. The detailed and semi form of this truth can be revealed, which is revealed to the Prophet over time.