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Qur'an
and its Interpretations
Contributor: A. Ameli
- The
Significance & the Status of the Glorious Qur`an
The Value of
the Qur'an in the Eyes of the Muslims
The Qur'an
Contains a Pattern of a Complete Way of Life for Man. The
religion of Islam is superior to any other in that it guarantees
happiness in man's life. For Muslims, Islam is a belief system
with moral and practical laws that have their source in the
Qur'an. God, may He be exalted, says:
"Indeed this
Qur'an guides to the path which is clearer and straighter than
any other" (XVII:9).
He also says:
"We have
revealed to you the book which clarifies every matter" (XVI :89)
.
These
references exemplify the numerous Qur'anic verses (ayat) which
mention the principles of religious belief, moral virtues and a
general legal system governing all aspects of human behavior. A
consideration of the following topics will enable one to
understand that the Qur'an provides a comprehensive programme of
activity for man's life. Man has no other aim in life but the
pursuit of happiness and pleasure, which manifests itself in
much the same way as love of ease or wealth. Although some
individuals seem to reject this happiness, for example, by
ending their lives in suicide, or by turning away from a life of
leisure, they too, in their own way, confirm this principle of
happiness; for, in seeking an end to their life or of material
pleasure, they are still asserting their own personal choice of
what happiness means to them. Human actions, therefore, are
directed largely by the prospects of happiness and prosperity
offered by a certain idea, whether that idea be true or false.
Man's activity in life is guided by a specific plan or programme.
This fact is self-evident, even though it is sometimes concealed
by its very apparentness.
Man acts
according to his will and desires; he also weighs the necessity
of a task before undertaking it. In this he is promoted by an
inherent scientific law, which is to say that he performs a task
for "himself" in fulfilling needs which he perceives are
necessary. There is, therefore, a direct link between the
objective of a task and its execution. Any action undertaken by
man, whether it be eating, sleeping or walking, occupies its own
specific place and demands its own particular efforts. Yet an
action is implemented according to an inherent law, the general
concept of which is stored in man's perception and is recalled
by motions associated with that action.
This notion
holds true whether or not one is obliged to undertake the action
or whether or not the circumstances are favourable. Every man,
in respect of his own actions, is as the state in relation to
its individual citizens, whose activity is controlled by
specific laws, customs and behavior. Just as the active forces
in a state are obliged to adapt their actions according to
certain laws, so is the social activity of a community composed
of the actions of each individual. If this were not the case,
the different components of society would fall apart and be
destroyed in anarchy in the shortest time imaginable. If a
society is religious, its government will reflect that religion;
if it is secular, it will be regulated by a corresponding code
of law. If a society is uncivilized and barbaric, a code of
behavior imposed by a tyrant will appear; otherwise, the
conflict of various belief-systems within such a society will
produce lawlessness.
Thus man, as an
individual element of society, has no option but to possess and
pursue a goal. He is guided in the pursuit of his goal by the
path which corresponds to it and by the rules which must
necessarily accompany his programme of activity. The Qur'an
affirms this idea when it says that:
"every man
has a goal to which he is turning, so compete with each other in
good action" (II:148)
In the usage of
the Qur'an, the word din (1) is basically applied to a way, a
pattern of living, and neither the believer nor the non-believer
is without a path, be it prophetic or man-made. God, may He be
exalted, describes the enemies of the divine din (religion) as
those:
"who prevent
others from the path of God and would have it crooked" (VII:45)
This verse
shows that the term Sabil Allah - the path of God - used in the
verse refers to the din of fitra - the inherent pattern of life
intended by God for man). It also indicates that even those who
do not believe in God implement His din, albeit in a deviated
form; this deviation, which becomes their din, is also
encompassed in God's programme. The best and firmest path in
life for man is the one which is dictated by his innate being
and not by the sentiments of any individual or society. A close
examination of any part of creation reveals that, from its very
inception, it is guided by an innate purpose towards fulfilling
its nature along the most appropriate and shortest path; every
aspect of each part of creation is equipped to do so, acting as
a blueprint for defining the nature of its existence. Indeed all
of creation, be it animate or inanimate, is made up in this
manner. As an example, we may say that a green-tipped shoot,
emerging from a single grain in the earth, is "aware" of its
future existence as a plant which will yield an ear of wheat. By
means of its inherent characteristics, the shoot acquires
various mineral elements for its growth from the soil and
changes, day by day, in form and strength until it becomes a
fully-matured grain-bearing plant - and so comes to the end of
its natural cycle. Similarly, if we investigate the life-cycle
of the walnut tree, we observe that it too is "aware", from the
very beginning, of its own specific purpose in life, namely, to
grow into a big walnut tree. It reaches this goal by developing
according to its own distinct inherent characteristics; it does
not, for example, follow the path of the wheat-plant in
fulfilling its goal just as the wheat-plant does not follow the
life pattern of the walnut tree. Since every created object
which makes up the visible world is subject to this same general
law, there is no reason to doubt that man, as a species of
creation, is not. Indeed his physical capabilities are the best
proof of this rule; like the rest of creation, they allow him to
realize his purpose, and ultimate happiness, in life. Thus, we
observe that man, in fact, guides himself to happiness and
well-being merely by applying the fundamental laws inherent in
his own nature. This law is confirmed by God in the Qur'an,
through His Prophet Moses, when he says:
"Our Lord is
He who gave everything its nature, then guided it" (XX:50)
It is further
explained in LXXXVII:2-3 as:
"He who
created and fashioned in balanced proportion and He who measures
and guides"
As to the
creation and the nature of man, the Qur'an says:
"By the soul
and Him who fashioned it and then inspired it with wrong action
and fear of God; he is truly successful who causes it to grow
and purifies it and he is a failure who corrupts and destroys
it" (XCI:7-l0)
God enjoins
upon man the duty to "strive towards a sincere application of
the din," (that is, the fitrah of God, or the natural code of
behavior upon which He has created mankind), since
"there is no
changing (the laws of) the creation of God" (XXX 30)
He also says
that:
"In truth,
the only deen recognized by God is Islam" (III: l9)
Here, Islam
means submission, the method of submission to these very laws.
The Qur'an further warns that:
"the actions
of the man who chooses a din other than Islam will not be
accepted" (III:85)
The gist of the
above verses, and other references on the same subject, is that
God has guided every creature - be it man, beast or vegetable -
to a state of well-being and self-fulfilment appropriate to its
individual make-up. Thus the appropriate path for man lies in
the adoption of personal and social laws particular to his own
fitrah (or innate nature), and in avoiding people who have
become "denaturalized" by following their own notions or
passions. It is clearly underlined that fitrah, far from denying
man's feelings and passions, accords each its proper due and
allows man's conflicting spiritual and material needs to be
fulfilled in a harmonious fashion. Thus, we may conclude that
the intellect `aql should rule man in matters pertaining to
individual or personal decisions, rather than his feelings.
Similarly, truth and justice should govern society and not the
whim of a tyrant or even the will of a majority, if that be
contrary to a society's true benefit.
From this we
may conclude that only God is empowered to make laws, since the
only laws useful to man are those which are made according to
his inherent nature. It also follows that man's needs, arising
from his outward circumstance and his inner reality, are
fulfilled only by obeying God's instructions (or laws). These
needs may arise through events beyond man's control or as a
result of the natural demands of his body. Both are encompassed
in the plan of life that God has designated for man. For, as the
Qur'an says, the "decision rests with God only," (XII:40,67)
which is to say
that there is no governance (of man or society, of the inner or
the outer) except that of God. Without a specific creational
plan, based on the innate disposition of man, life would be
fruitless and without meaning. We may understand this only
through belief in God and a knowledge of his Unity, as explained
in the Qur'an. From here we may proceed to an understanding of
the Day of Judgment, when man is rewarded or punished according
to his deeds. Thereafter, we may arrive at a knowledge of the
prophets and of prophetic teachings, since man cannot be judged
without being first instructed in the matter of obedience and
disobedience.
These three
fundamental teachings are considered to be the roots of the
Islamic way of life. To these we may add the fundamentals of
good character and morals which a true believer must possess,
and which are a necessary extension of the three basic beliefs
mentioned above. The laws governing daily activity not only
guarantee man's happiness and moral character but, more
importantly, increase his understanding of these beliefs and of
the fundamentals of Islam. It is clear that a thief, a traitor,
a squanderer or a libertine do not possess the quality of
innocence; nor can a miser, who hoards money, be called a
generous person. Similarly, some- one who never prays or
remembers God cannot be called a believer in God and the Last
Day, nor be described as His servant.
From this we
may conclude that good character flourishes when joined to a
pattern of correct actions; morals are to be found in the man
whose beliefs are in harmony with these fundamentals. A proud
man cannot be expected to believe in God nor be humble in
respect to the Divine; nor can the man, who has never understood
the meaning of humanity, justice, mercy or compassion, believe
in the Day of Rising and the Judgment. Chapter XXXV:10 speaks of
the relationship between a sincere system of belief and a
fitting character:
"Pure speech
rises up to Him and He raises up good deeds still further" . In
chapter XXX:IO we learn again of this relationship between
belief and action:
"Then evil
was the consequence of those who do wrong action because they
denied the signs of Allah and they made a mock of them"
To summarize,
the Qur'an is composed of the following Islamic fundamentals
which together form an interlocking whole: a primary system of
belief in the Unity of God, Prophethood and the Day of
Reckoning, accompanied by a second group of beliefs, namely,
belief in the Tablet, the Pen (which delineates the sequence of
cosmic events), the rule of destiny and the decree (without
implying pre-determination), the angels, the throne of the
Creator, and, finally, in the creation of the sky, the earth and
everything between them.
Thereafter, we
observe that man's well-being lies in his character being in
harmony with these principles. The shariah, namely the laws and
code of behavior explained in the Qur'an and commented upon in
every detail by the model of the Prophet's life, is the means
whereby a man may practise these principles. At this point we
should add that the Prophet's family are his chosen heirs and
are entrusted with the task of exemplifying and explaining
further the prophetic message and the shariah after the
Prophet's death. The Prophet himself has shown that the
tradition, hadith, known as the hadith (2) al-thaqalayn which
all sects of Islam accept, refers specifically to this matter of
succession.
* * *
The Qur'an as a
Document of Prophethood
The Qur'an
refers on several occasions to the fact that it is the word of
God, that it issues from a divine source in the very words in
which the Prophet received them and which he later transmitted.
The divine nature of the Qur'an is affirmed in several verses.
In LII:33-34 we read:
"or they say
that (the Prophet) is inventing it. Indeed they do not believe.
If they are truthful then let them produce words like it"
Likewise in
XVII:88:
"Say (O
Muhammad), if all the jinn and mankind were to join forces to
produce something like this Qur'an they could not produce it
even if they were to help one another"
Again, in
XI:13:
"or they say
he has invented it! Say: then produce ten verses like it which
you have invented"
and again in
X:38:
"or they say
he has invented it. Say: produce a single chapter like it"
we find further
proof.
The following
challenge is made in Chapter II:23:
"and if you
are in doubt concerning that which we have revealed to Our slave
then produce a chapter like it"
Here it should
be noted that the Qur'an is addressing those who grew up with
Muhammad, the man they knew to be unlettered and untutored in
the matters spoken about in the Qur'an. Despite this knowledge,
they still doubt. Another challenge is issued, (to those who
would find contradictions in the Qur'an, but obviously cannot):
Will they
not reflect upon the Qur'an? If it had been from other than God,
they would have found in it much incongruity" (IV:82)
Since
everything in the world is in a state of growth and
self-perfection, then the Qur'an would of necessity lack harmony
since it was revealed over a period of twenty-three years; it
would lack harmony that is if we were to suppose that it was the
work of a man rather than of a prophet. The Qur'an, whose
messages announce and confirm that it is the work of God, also
teaches us that Muhammad is a messenger, sent by God, thus
confirming the authenticity of the Prophet. In chapter XIII:43
God speaks Himself, as on many occasions, confirming that He is
witness and testimony to the prophecy of Muhammad:
"Say God is
sufficient witness between you and me."
The verse
refers to disbelievers and defies their disbelief. In another
verse, the testimony of angels is added to that of God's:
"But God
testifies concerning that which he has resealed to you; He has
revealed it in His knowledge; and the Angels also testify. And
God is sufficient witness" (IV:166)
Notes:
1. Usually
translated to mean religion, the word strongly implies
transaction between the Debtor (God) and the indebted (man).
Hence, living the din means repaying one's debt to the Creator.
2. A report of
the words or deeds of the Prophet which has been transmitted to
us intact by a chain, or numerous chains, of trustworthy
narrators. The tradition in question here possesses an unbroken
chain of transmission back to the Prophet himself; these verses
confirm the miraculous quality of the book and state that it is
beyond the power of man to produce such a work.
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