Chapter 18, Verse 3

17:10, 11.

Important Words:

قیما (guardian) is derived from قام which means, he stood. They say قام بالامر i.e. he managed, conducted, superintended or looked after the affair. قام علی المرءة means, he undertook the maintenance of the woman. قومه (qawwama-hu) means, he made it straight or put it right. قیم الامر means, a manager of an affair. الدین القیم means, the right or true religion. قیم therefore, means, true; perfect; manager; superintendent; guardian (Lane, Aqrab & Mufradat). See also 4:35.

Commentary:

The Quran has been called قیم (guardian) in this verse. According to the different meanings of the Arabic word قیم as shown under Important Words above, the Quran performs a double function. It is a guardian of the previous Scriptures inasmuch as it corrects and removes the errors that have found their way into them, and it is also a guardian for future generations of men because it takes upon itself their spiritual up-bringing and guides them to the paths which lead to the realization of the sublime object of their life.

The believers have been promised اجرا حسنا (good reward) in the verse. The significance of "good reward" being implicit in the word اجر(reward) which in many places in the Quran has been promised to believers, the addition of the qualifying word حسنا (good) points to the fact that the reward of the believers would be productive of particularly good results. It would not spoil them, but would make them deserving of still greater reward as they would turn God’s favours to good account.

17:10, 11.

The Qur’an as Qayyim (guardian) performs a double function. It is a guardian over the previous Scriptures in that it corrects and removes the errors that have found their way into them, and it is also a guardian over future generations because it takes upon itself their spiritual upbringing and guides them to the paths which lead to the realization of the sublime object of human life.