إِنَّ هَـذَا الْقُرْآنَ يِهْدِي
لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ وَيُبَشِّرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ
الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْراً كَبِيراً
17:9 () Verily this Qur'an is guide to that which is most right (or stable), and
gives the Glad Tidings to the Believers who work deeds of righteousness, that
they shall have a magnificent reward;
Qur'an is a book of universal guidance for the whole of mankind..
Any serious study of the Qur'an must include knowledge of Arabic since it is
only by this means that we can approach an understanding of those verses which
have been mistranslated due to tradition, prejudice, or lack of knowledge of
established scientific facts. In approaching this book, therefore, it is crucial
to have a mind prepared to judge the facts on their own merits.
Verses from the Qur'an
And He has made subservient to you, from Himself, all that is in the heavens and
the earth: in this, behold, are messages indeed for people who think! (45:13)
And (remember) when Allah laid a charge on those who had received the Scripture
(He said): Ye are to expound it to mankind and not to hide it.But they flung it
behind their backs and bought thereby a little gain. Verily, evil is that which
they have gained thereby. (3:187)
Surely We created man of the best stature. Then We reduced him to the lowest of
the low, save those who believe and do good works, and theirs is a reward
unfailing. (95:4-6)
1. INTRODUCTION
The word Qur’an means ‘reading’, and the book of that name claims to be a
universal book of guidance for the whole of mankind. The Qur’an consists of 114
chapters (suras). Each chapter (sura) is divided into a number of verses (ayats,
see note 1). The first sura has seven verses and is the key to the Qur’an. The
longest sura is the second sura. It has 286 verses and can be regarded as the
summary of the Qur’an. The Qur’an is not a book of religion in the conventional
sense of the word ‘religion’. It is, in reality, the book of ‘Nature’ to guide
mankind to the way we must live on this planet with the least possible conflict,
i.e. with balance and harmony, not only with the people of the world but also
with the natural world. The Qur’an was sent down as a revelation to the Prophet
Muhammad (SAws, or pbuh, -- through GabrielA1 (Jibreel). It was written down and
compiled in the form of a book by the prophet during his lifetime without any
alteration and the book (Al-Kitab) remains unspoilt since that time. As an
additional safeguard it was also memorized by many people during the prophet’s
lifetime.
The Qur’an claims, very clearly, that it is the Word of Allah and not the word
of the Prophet. The prophet’s position vis-à-vis the Qur’an is that the Word of
Allah was uttered by the prophet when he was inspired with the revelation. So,
in effect the Qur’an becomes the utterance or ‘the sayings’ of the prophet.
Therefore, in this case only, one cannot make a distinction in this regard
between the two - i.e. ‘the Word of Allah’ and ‘the sayings of the prophet’ –
since they are one and the same. This is why Allah says in the Qur’an “follow
the prophet”: in order that we should follow the Qur’an and practice the
teachings of the Qur’an. However, the Qur’an warns us that if the prophet were
to utter anything of his own, in his own words, and incorporate it into the
Qur’an then he would be severely punished and no one would be able to save him.
The Qur’an declares that those who follow and practice the guidance given in the
Qur’an will be called ‘Muslims’, which means those who submit to the Will of
Allah, as given in the Qur’an; and their way of life is called ‘Islam’ meaning
‘peace’, i.e. living in full harmony with people of the world and also with the
environment. The words ‘Islam’ and ‘Muslim’, therefore, have no sectarian
connotation and will always remain universal in their implications. The Qur’an
says very clearly that the names Islam and Muslim originated from the time of
Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) who was given the title of the Leader of Mankind.
The Qur’an names many other prophets, including Musa (Moses) and Isa (Jesus),
who came after Ibrahim (Abraham), and the last prophet named is Prophet
Muhammad, and as there would be no other prophet after him, he is also known as
the Seal of the Prophets.
The universal message given by Allah is the Qur’an, and as far as the believers
are concerned it is their duty to pass the message i.e. the Qur’an, to others
(3:187). The Qur’an states however that there must be no compulsion in its
implementation, and acceptance or rejection of the Qur’an must be based on free
will. This is why the Qur’an classifies people into two groups: (i) ‘The
believers’ (mumins) who submit to the guidance given in the Qur’an, and (ii)
‘the non-believers’ (kafirs) who do not regard the Qur’an as the Word of Allah
and hence do not follow its guidance. Yet it does not mean that the latter are
condemned, as the door is always open to become a believer. ‘Kafir’ is therefore
not a derogatory word. The Qur’an also claims very strongly that the revelation
that was given to Prophet Muhammad is nothing new at the same book (Al-Kitab)
was given to all the prophets. But because of human interference, all other
existing books containing the Word of Allah got mixed up with the words of the
prophets and of others, and this is why The Qur’an came as the last revelation,
intact with the Word of Allah alone. The main teachings given to the previous
prophets are fully preserved in the Qur’an as the Qur’an claims that the same
universal message was given to all the prophets. I have included a chapter on
the Jewish scriptures and the Bible, in order to clarify their importance with
reference to the Qur’an. One point must be clearly understood: the beauty (and
unique reliability) of the Qur’an lies in the fact that in the case of any
conflict or confusion arising from a translation of the Qur’an, one can always
go back to the original Arabic words to check the validity of the translation.
This is not possible with any other book of “religion” as the ‘originals’ of
these books do not exist.
2. KNOWLEDGE OF ARABIC AND ITS IMPORTANCE
As the Qur'an was revealed in Arabic, the importance of the knowledge of Arabic
cannot be over emphasized. Even if one does not know or understand Arabic it is
useful to know a few facts about the Arabic language.
Arabic is a very scientific language and for those who are interested in a
deeper understanding of the Qur'an, it would be useful to learn and understand
the meaning of the Qur'an. There is no doubt that for a deeper understanding of
the Qur'an knowledge of the Arabic language is absolutely essential.
For people without any knowledge of Arabic it is extremely vital to understand
the concepts behind important Arabic words which cannot be translated into a
single English word. A very good example is the word deen which is usually
translated as ‘religion’ or mazhab-a concept which in no way conveys the
significance of Deen. Often Arabic words have many different meanings, and to
get a sensible meaning, one needs to look at the context in which the word
appears in the verse.
Deen: Deen (Islam) is usually wrongly translated as religion or mazhab.
According to the Qur'an Islam is deen, which means a code of life, a social
system. The word mazhab has not been used anywhere in the Qur'an. It is,
therefore, incorrect to define Islam as a religion or mazhab. Mazhab, in the
literal sense, means a passage or path made by man, whereas deen is that code is
law or system which comes from Allah alone. This is why there are so many
different sects in mazhab, but none in deen. Deen revealed by Allah is universal
in nature and there is no room for any sectarianism in it. Sects are made by
man, not by Allah.
The root meaning behind deen carries various concepts, such as: ‘power,
supremacy, ascendancy, sovereignty, lordship, dominion, law, constitution,
mastery, government, realm, decision, definite outcome, reward and punishment.
The word is also used in the sense of obedience, submission, allegiance. In the
Qur'an this word is used in almost all the above meanings in as many as 79
verses.’3 so, why do we need deen? Allah says:
(2:213) Mankind was one community, and Allah sent (unto them) prophets as
bearers of good tidings and as warners, and revealed therewith the Scripture
with the truth that it might judge between mankind concerning that wherein they
differed. And only those unto whom (the Scripture) was given differed concerning
it, after clear proofs had come to them, through hatred of one another. And
Allah by His will guided those who believed unto the truth of that concerning
which they differed. Allah guideth whom He will unto a straight path.
The above verse makes the purpose of deen very clear: it is to unite human
beings into one united nation...
BASIC RULES TO BE FOLLOWED IN THE STUDY OF THE QUR'AN
Apart from the concepts behind crucial Arabic words, it is also necessary to
follow a very important rule for the study of the Qur'an. This is given in the
following sura: (3:7) Allah has sent down this Book to you, (O Prophet!) which
includes verses of two kinds. The first consists of those verses which have
definite meaning (mohkamat) and constitute the foundation of Allah's Laws. The
second kind is allegorical (mutashabihat). But those in whose hearts are
perversity, they follow the part of it which is allegorical, seeking to mislead
and seeking to give it their own interpretation.
But those well-grounded in knowledge (ilm) say: "We believe in it, it is all
from our Sustainer", but only men of understanding really heed.1
3.1 Verses which are clear and not subject to interpretation
This refers to the verses which are very easy to understand and not subject to
any interpretation. Basically, these are laws, some of which can only be
implemented in a real Islamic state, while others, particularly the moral codes,
can be used for the development of further laws as well as for personal codes.
Here are some examples:
(4:135) O you who believe! Be staunch in justice, witnesses for Allah, even
though it be against yourselves or your parents or your kindred, whether the
case be of a rich man or a poor man, for Allah is nearer to both than you are.
So follow not passion lest you lapse from truth and if you lapse or fall away,
then lo! Allah is ever informed of what ye do.
(6:152) And approach not the wealth of the orphan save with that which is
better, till he reach maturity. Give full measure and full weight, in justice.
We task not any soul beyond its scope. And if ye give your word, do justice
thereunto, even though it be (against) a kinsman; and fulfil the covenant of
Allah. This He commanded you that haply ye may remember. The above verses are
self-explanatory
3.2 Verses which are allegorical
Let us now look at the verses which are allegorical. The word 'allegorical'
means describing one subject under the guise of another. In the present context
this word applies to subjects of which we have no knowledge at present and
therefore cannot explain their real meaning. People who have knowledge, accept
their own limitations and say that, with the state of knowledge as it exists
today, it is not possible to explain such verses. research, more and more verses
will be understood in their true light.
To understand these verses from the Qur'an a thorough linguistic knowledge, in
itself, is not sufficient. What is needed, along with such a linguistic
grounding, is a highly diversified knowledge of science. I am not suggesting for
a moment that everybody should start studying all the various branches of
science in order to understand the Qur'an. What I am saying is that with the
progress of science nothing in the Qur'an will remain allegorical - or hidden
-forever. The only thing we should be wary off is people trying to mislead by
seeking to force their own interpretations. Dr. Maurice Bucaille, in his book
The Bible, The Qur'an and Science quotes many examples of verses which had been
previously mistranslated due to lack of scientific knowledge. Let me give a few
examples from his book:
He translates verse 55:33 as: "O assembly of Jinns and Men, if you can penetrate
regions of the heavens and the earth, then penetrate them! You will not
penetrate them save with power".3
The verse is talking about the conquest of space, which although at its infancy,
has become a reality now because of the powers of intelligence and ingenuity
given to man. The verse also talks of the exploration of the depth of the earth.
Two other verses describe the peculiar human reaction to space travel: confused
sight as in drunkenness, and the feeling of being bewitched,-- and this is
exactly what astronauts have experienced. The translation of the verses is as
follows:
(15:14,15) Even if We opened unto them a gate to Heaven and they were to
continue ascending therein, they would say: our sight is confused as in
drunkenness. Nay we are people bewitched.4 A very good example of allegorical
verses is the verses which give the description of Paradise and Hell. The Qur'an
-- notwithstanding very vivid physical imagery -- warns us that they are to be
taken as analogies and parables.
One must remember that whereas the straightforward verses constitute a code to
be practiced in actual life, the allegorical verses will only open up their real
meaning with the progress of scientific research as it continues to help us
unravel the mysteries of Allah's creation. The Qur'an, in many of its verses,
encourages research into Nature, in which there are great benefits for mankind.
However, the benefits can only be obtained through hard work.
Finally, it is essential to note that Allah says in several verses that He has
made the Qur'an easy to remember, and this is proved by the fact that countless
people in the past, as well as at present, have memorized the whole of the
Qur'an. As far as the fundamental verses are concerned, they are easy to
understand, and these are the verses which should guide one's life in the real
world, so that strife and division in human beings can be eliminated.
References:
2. The Bible The Qur'an and Science, by Dr. Maurice Bucaille.
4. EXPLANATION OF THE QUR'AN BY THE QUR'AN1,2
As discussed previously there are many verses in the Qur'an which are easy to
understand and which should form the basis for our lives. When looking to
understand the Qur'an further we should bear in mind that Allah says in many
verses that He will explain the Qur'an. A few of these verses are quoted below:
75:19) And that behold, it will be for Us to explain it.
(41:3) A Book, the signs which have been explained in detail as a Qur'an in
Arabic for the people of knowledge to be a herald of glad tidings as well as a
warning.
There are a number of points here: it is a Book which has been explained in
detail and Allah is explaining it. Another important point is that it is for
people of knowledge. Therefore, we must have the desire to understand the Qur'an
by studying it, and thereby acquire knowledge with Allah's help.
(17:41) We have explained (things) in various (ways) in the Qur'an, in order
that they may receive admonition, but it only increases their flight from the
truth.
(17:89) And We have explained to mankind, in this Qur'an, every kind of
similitude, yet the greater part of mankind refuse (to receive it) except with
ingratitude [...]
(39:27) And verily We have coined for mankind in this Qur'an all kinds of
similitudes, that perhaps they might reflect [...]
(18:54) We have explained in detail in this Qur'an, for the benefit of mankind,
every kind of similitude, but man is in most things contentious.
(30:58) Verily, We have propounded for mankind in this Qur'an, every kind of
parable [...]
(6: 65) Behold how many facets We give to these signs, so that they might
understand the truth [...]
(7:52) [...] For indeed We did convey unto them a Book which We expounded with
knowledge (ilm) -- a guidance (huda) and a grace (rahmat) for people who
believe.
(6:114) Shall I seek other than Allah for judge when it is He who has revealed
unto you (this) Book, fully explained [..?]
(2:219) [...] Thus Allah makes plain to you (His) revelations, which perhaps you
may reflect.
There are a lot many verses Quran related to this subject.
Since the Qur'an itself states that it has propounded all and every kind of
similitude, has displayed its signs in various forms, has explained its signs in
detail, and that it is based on knowledge and is for people of knowledge who
reflect and think, the only conclusion we can reasonably come to is that the
Qur'an explains itself, i.e. the Qur'an is self-explanatory. We, on our part,
must receive it as Allah's word, and do our best to study and understand it.
The Book should be interpreted as it says, that is, through itself. This is the
correct method, the method which the Qur'an specifies.
References: .
2. Translations of the quoted Qur'anic verses are based on M.Pickthall and Yusuf
Ali.