MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE NOBLE QURAAN AND THE NEED OF TRUE ISLAMIC SCHOLARSHIP Nabi Sallallhu alai wa salam has said: Beware! I have been given the Quran and something like it (sunnah), however the time is coming when a man will be reclining on his couch and will say: Follow the Quran; what you find in it to be permissible treat as permissible, and what you find in it to be prohibited treat it as prohibited. (Abu Dawud) It is mentioned by Hadrat Muaaz bin Jabal Radyalaahu anhu that a time is coming which is a time of Fitna, wealth will increase and the Quraan will be prevalent. Until the hypocrite, the man, women, young and old, free and slave will recite the Quraan and will regard themselves as experts. A person will say that why is one not following me? He will say that I have read the Quraan, I will not be listened to until I formulate some new thoughts i.e. Tafseer according to my own opinion. (Bazlul majhooh commentary of Abu Daawood). Thus in Fatawaa Raheemiya Mufti Abduraheem Lajpoori Rahimahulah says that the one that ends up taking out personal opinions from the Noble Quraan has deviated.(120/4) Nabi Sallallhu alai wa salam predicted a time where in man will abandon the Sunnah and suffice on the Noble Qur’an. In the era we are living in many people are reading and researching the Noble Quran which is undoubtedly a great deed, however when this is done without scholarship and without the understanding of the Sunan and statements and commentaries of the Ulama then one will misunderstand many verses of the Noble Qur’an which we are witnessing in front of our eyes. Those that merely understand Arabic or those that feel that they are independent of the scholars and rely solely on English translations of the Noble Qur’an normally end up misunderstanding many verses. They read the translation of certain verses without understanding their commentary and come to the conclusion that the Noble Qu’ran is barbaric and promotes violence (Naozobillah) , however this gross misunderstanding is due to the abandonment of true Islamic scholarship. Ulama have explained that there are fifteen sciences needed to commentate on the Quraan (Ahsanul Fataawa). Below is a brief article on the importance for us to understand the Noble Quran with an Alim rather than formulating our own meanings which can cause serious implications. Firstly I would like to mention some basic principles regarding the understanding of the Noble Qur’aan. A very great Mufti of our present times. The Mufty of Pakistaan Mufty Muhammad Shafee Rahimahullah, the father of the renowned Mufty Taqi Uthmaani damat barakatuhu writes in his monumental Tafseer “Maariful Qur’aan”. Mufti Muhammad Mufti Shafee Rahimahullah mentions the sources of Tafseer , such as firstly the Glorious Qur’aan itself. Where sometimes one Aayah is explained by another Aayah. For example اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيم “Guide us in the straight path-the path of those on whom you have bestowed your grace” Now it is not clear here as to who are those whom Allah Ta’ala has blessed. But in another verse, they have been identified very clearly where it is said: وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُولَئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولَئِكَ رَفِيقًا So these are the people whom Allah Almighty has blessed being the messengers their true followers, the martyrs (in the way of Allah) and the righteous. Therefore firstly one needs to be a master in the other verses and there Tafaaseer. 2) The Ahaadeeth. The words of Nabi Salaahu alai wa salam is the second criteria in understanding the Noble Qur’aan.Nabi Salaahu alai wa salam was sent in order to teach the Sahaba Radhiyaalaahu anhum the explanation of the Noble Qur’aan. Therefore a thorough understanding of the Ahaadeeth is of utmost importance so that one actually understands what the Aayaat are intending and not just merely basing it upon one’s own thoughts and ideologies. However to ascertain the correct Hadeeth and what conditions are required is a very delicate task which those who have spent their years in mastering these fields of knowledge are well aware of. They are those great Mufaseeroon (commentators of the Noble Qur’aan) who had spent years on end in learning the sciences of Ahaadeeth. How is then possible that one that is merely aware of some translations of Saheeh Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim be able to give his personal opinions on the Noble Qur’aan. 3.The Reports of the Sahaba: The Sahaba had received direct education from Nabi Salaahu alai wa salam. In addition to this they were present when the Wahy was revealed, they also witnessed the circumstances and background of the revelation of the Noble Qur’aan. Therefore there explanations and statements are far more authentic and trustworthy in explaining the Noble Qur’aan in comparison to those that came many years after them. Consequently, if there is a consensus of companions on the explanation of a certain verse, the commentators follow just that, and to explain it in any way other than that is not permissible. By the way, if the statements of the Companions differ in the interpretation (Tafseer) of a certain verse, then the commentators who came later examine them in the light of arguments and determine as to which interpretation or explanation can be given preference. In order to handle this situation, there is an important corpus of rules and regulations already codified under the sciences of Usulul Fiqh (principles of jurisprudence) Usulul Tafseer (Principles of Tafseer) Usulul Hadeeth (Principles of Hadeeth). Such extensive knowledge is needed to explain the Noble Qur’aan. These laws have not been invented for no reason but rather from great luminaries of Islam and has been accepted through the ages. Sadly the modern layman thinks that he can give his own explanation of the Noble Qur’aan even though he does not even know the laws of Arabic. 4. Reports of the Taabieen and Successors. Those that had learnt the meanings of the Noble Qur’aan from none other than the Companions. There explanations also hold weight in the light of Tafseer. 5. The Arabic Language. Since the Noble Qur’aan is in the Arabic language then obviously one will need to know the Arabic language in order to understand it. There are several verses in which the background of which there happens to be just no circumstances of revelation, or any juristic or scholaristic question, therefore in their Tafseer or explanation, the sayings of the Nabi Salaahu alai wasallam or the statements of the Sahaba and Taabeen are not reported. For that reason, the only means through which these can be explained is that through the Arabic language, and it is on the basis of language alone that they are elucidated. Therefore one needs to know the laws of Arabic, Nahw (Syntax), Sarf (Etymology), Balaagah (Rhetorics) etc and not just merely the language itself. This can be easily understood by one possessing the knowledge of such branches. 6. Deliberation and Deduction. This is when the Mufaseeroon delve deep in the vast knowledge of the Noble Qur’aan. Whereby they take out pearls of wisdom. However this also needs to be conformative and not contradicting the five above principles. Therefore ones personal opinion against the basic principles will not be accepted. This is mentioned in the well accepted book of the principles of Tafseer Al Itqaan. There are also other laws relating to the Israelite reports. This is another topic on its own. Haafiz Ibn Katheer rahimahullah has mentioned this in his introduction, one may refer to it. A misconception about the Tafsir of Q u r aa n Hopefully, details given above have made it clear that the Tafsir (exegesis or interpretation) of the Noble Quraan is an extremely delicate and difficult undertaking for which getting to know the Arabic language alone is not enough. In fact, it is necessary to have expertise in all related branches of knowledge. Therefore, scholars say that a mufassir or commentator of the Noble Quran must have vast and deep knowledge of the syntax, etymology, rhetoric, and literature of the Arabic language, as well as, that of prophetic Traditions, principles governing jurisprudence and exegesis, doctrinal articles of belief andScholastics. The reason is that one cannot arrive at correct conclusions while explaining the Qur’an unless there be that adequacy in these fields of knowledge. It is regrettable that a dangerous epidemic has overtaken Muslims lately whereby many people have started taking the sole reading ability of Arabic sufficient for the Tafsir (interpretation) of the Quran. As a result, anyone who gets to read ordinary Arabic starts passing out opinions in the domain of Qur’anic exegesis. Rather, it has been noticed on occasions that people having just passable familiarity with the Arabic language, and who have yet to master their Arabic to perfection, take it upon themselves to engage in explaining the Quraan. Following their whims, even going to the limit of finding faults with classical commentators. Bad come to worse, there are some subtle tyrants who would, by simply reading the translation, imagine that they have become scholars of the Quran, not even feeling shy of criticising commentators of great stature. It should be understood very clearly that this is a highly dangerous pattern of behaviour which, in matters of religion, leads to fatal straying. As regards secular arts and sciences, everyone can claim to understand that should a person simply learn the English language and go on to study books of medical science, he would not be acknowledged as a physician by any reasonable person anywhere in the world, and certainly not trustworthy enough to take care of somebodys life unless he has been educated and trained in a medical college. Therefore, having learnt English is not all one needs to become a doctor. Similarly, should anyone knowing English hope to become an engineer just by reading through engineering books, it is clear that no sane person in this world would accept him as an engineer. The reason is that this technical expertise cannot be acquired simply by learning the English language. It would, rather, need a formal training in the discipline under the supervision and guidance of expert teachers. When these stringent requirements are inevitable in order to become a doctor or engineer, how can the learning of the Arabic language alone become sufficient in matters relating to the Qur’aan and h a d i t h? In every department of life, everyone knows and acts upon the principle that every art or science has its own particular method of learning and its own peculiar conditions. Unless these are fulfilled, the learners opinion in given arts and sciences will not be considered trustworthy. If that is so, how can the Quran and the Sunnah become so unclaimed a field of inquiry that there be no need to acquire any art or science in order to explain them, and anyone who so wishes starts passing out opinions in this matter? Some people say that the Quran has itself stated that: And surely We have made the Quran easy for the sake of good counsel. And since the noble Quran is a simple book, its explanation hardly needs much of a support from any art or science. But this argument is terribly fallacious, which is in itself based on lack of intellect and plenty of superficiality. The fact is that the verses of the Quran are of two kinds. Firstly, there are the verses that offer general good counsel, relate lesson-oriented events and introduce subjects dealing with taking of warning and acting on sound advice. Examples of this are the mortality of the world, the accounts of Paradise and Hell, the discourses likely to create the fear of God and the concern for the Hereafter, and other very simple realities of life. Verses of this kind are undoubtedly easy and anyone who knows the Arabic language can benefit from their good counsel by understanding them. It is in relation to teachings of this kind that, in the verse cited above, it was said that We have made them easy. Hence, the word Zikr itself is pointing out towards this meaning, the meaning of advice. Contrary to this, the other kind consists of verses which include injunctions, laws, articles of faith and intellectual subjects. Understanding verses of this kind a s they should be rightfully understood and deducing and formulating injunctions and rulings from them cannot be done by just any person unless one has the insight and permeating reach into the Islamic areas of knowledge. This is why the noble Companions, whose mother-tongue was Arabic and they did not have to go anywhere to get trained into understanding Arabic, used to spend long periods of time in learning the Quraan from the Holy Prophet Sallahu alai wa salam . Allamah al-suyuty has reported from Imam Abu Abd al-Rabman Sulami that the Companions Radyalaahu anhum who formally learned the Quran from the Holy Prophet Sallahu alai wa salam & such as Sayyidna Uthman ibn Affan and Abdullhh ibn Masud and others, have told us that, after having learnt ten verses of the Quran from the Holy Prophet Sallahu alai wa salam , they would not proceed on to the next verses until such time that they had covered all that was intellectually and practically involved in the light of these verses. They used to say: فتعلمنا القران و العلم و العمل جميعا We have learnt the Quraan, knowledge and action all in one. (al-Itqan ) Consequently as reported in Muatta of Imam Malik, Sayyidna Abdulliih ibn Umar Radyalaaahu anhu spent full eight years memorizing Surah al-Baqarah alone and as in the Musnad of Ahmad, Sayyidna Anas Radiyalaahu anhu says that one of us who would learn Surah al-Baqarah and Surah Aale Imraan had his status enormously raised among us. (Ibid) Worth noticing is the fact that these noble Companions whose mother-tongue was Arabic, who had the highest degree of expertise in poetry and letters and who would have no difficulty in having very long qasaaid poems perfectly committed to their memories with the least of effort, why would they need, just to memorize the Quran and understand its meanings as long a time as eight years, and that too for mastering one Surah? The only reason for this was that proficiency in the Arabic language was not enough to have a learning of the noble Quran and areas of knowledge bearing on it. In order to do that, it was also necessary to seek the benefit of the teaching and the company of the Holy Prophet Salaahu alai wa salam . Now this is so obvious that the noble Companions despite having an expertise in the Arabic language and notwithstanding their being direct witnesses to the revelation, still needed the process of going through formal education at the feet of the blessed master in order to become the alims of the Quran, how then, after all these hundreds of years following the revelation of the Q u r a n , just by cultivating an elementary familiarity with Arabic, or by simply looking at translations, can anyone claim to having become a commentator of the Quran? What a monstrous audacity and what a tragic joke with knowledge and religion! People who opt for such audacity should remember well that the Holy Prophet Salaahu alai wa salam has said: من قال فى القران بغير علم فليتبوا مقعده فى النار Whoever says anything about the Quran without knowledge, then he should make his abode in Hell. (Abu Dawud, as in al-Itqan) And he has also said: من تكلم فى القران برايه فاصاب فقد اخطأ Whoever talks about the Quran on the basis of his opinion, and even if he says something true in it, still he has made a mistake. (Abu Dawud, Nasai) Maulana Mahmoodul Hasan Rahimahullah (a very great Aalim of the subcontinent, the teacher of great luminaries such as Maulana Anwar Shah Kashmeri, Maulana Husain Madani, Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi Rahimahumullah) his words are mentioned in the introduction of Tafseerul Uthmaani. “The various translations written by Ulama in simple language in order that the masses may benefit one should not show disregard to these books. However definitely the one that is an expert in the Urdu or Farsi language but is unaware of the Muhaawaraat (The sayings, idioms, proverbs etc) of the Arabic language will benefit to some degree. This is due to the reason that sometimes the verses are linked to the aayat preceding it and one will not be aware of this unless one (a scholar) informs him ( this is due to the fact that in the Arabic language sentences are linked together which cannot be understood in a translation). Sometimes a subject will be not understood due to some ambiguity in the translation. Sometimes the verse contain Dhamaair (The pronoun which is either in a explicit or implicit) which returns to a specific noun, this cannot be ascertained in a translation, which will lead one to a incorrect understanding. To take one’s own meaning while disregarding the meanings of the pious predecessors is not acceptable. For this reason one should not be lazy in learning the Qur’aan under a Ustaadh, and not merely relying on one’s own understanding and opinion which will entail one earning the anger of Allah ta’ala rather then reward. (Tafseer ul Utmaani-23pg-vl1) The Dhamaair: Many places in the Qur’aan there are Dhamaair, for example it, he, her, they e.t.c. There are many examples in which the Ulama have explained that sometimes there is a verse and apparently in looks like the Dhameer which is explicit or implicit in a verb is referring to a specific noun which is near to the verb however it may not be referring to it. If one merely knows Arabic or reads a translation then he will be unaware of this. Therefore as previously mentioned he will need a Ustaadh. Therefore books such as Asbaabul Kata fet Tafseer (The reasons why one makes mistakes in explaining the Noble Qur’aan) have been written. Language: The Arabic language is a very rich language; many a time there is one word which has different meanings. Even simple words like Jalasa , Qa ada, Baraka, Rabadha, Hadhana, Jathama, Aq’aa. Although they all mean to sit in the normal dictionary, however each word has a different meaning for the one knowing Arabic. Hundreds of words have been mentioned like this in Fiqhul Lughaa of Allaama Thalaby. In Arabic, words like Tibyaan and Bayaan, Tafakkur and Tadabur, Tawaadhu and Khusoo e.t.c and the list is endless of words which apparently have the same meaning in the normal dictionary however a scholar will be able to differentiate these words. The one sufficing on a translation will not achieve this differentiation and there may be a possibility that the wrong meaning be taken. The words of Mujaddide Millat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi Rahimahullah In is mentioned in the Mawaaiz of Maulana Thanwi Rahimahullah (A well known Scholar of our times, author of approximately a thousand books): To make Tadabbur (to give thought) in the Quraan does not only mean in the text of the Quraan alone but to give thought in those works which contain the topics and discussions are also termed as Tadabur in the Noble Quraan. Not everyone can become a scholar, this is very difficult and the method which is prevalent of looking into translations of the Noble quraan is insufficient and one should leave this. Many incidents happen were those that read the translations are left in difficulty in understanding the Quraan because many discussions are dependent on foundational knowledge. And how will understand these discussions when he is ignorant of the foundational knowledge which is Syntax, Etymology, Rhetoric’s, laws of abrogation, Principles and Jurispudence e.t.c. Another disaster is that people don’t have the habit in asking. Usually when one is in doubt then one tries to find out its meaning through one’s own opinion thereby most people ruin there Aqeedah (beliefs) This does not mean that the masses cant benefit from the Quranic discussions but as mentioned that one should give thought in those works which are written simply concerning the discussions of the quraan. In the same way those Ulama that discuss the Quranic discussions in their speeches then one should give thought to those talks. And regarding the translation of the Quraan there are some people who have ample time, they should achieve the principles and then begin to look at the translations. Secondly there are those that do not possess so much free time. They should make Mashwera with a genuine Aalim that which translation of the Quraan should I select, which translation is correct and reliable. One shouldn’t select one on ones own opinion. Nowadays people have established their own requirements for what is regarded as a good translation. Such a translation is good which a genuine Aalim has written. Thereafter one should read it together with an Aalim. Arabic in itself is also insufficient. If there were some law book which was read by one mastering the language such as a poet but was unaware of the actual law system, and on the other hand there is one that is well aware with the laws however is not a expert in the language such as a poet. If there happens to be some dispute then obviously the latter’s opinion will be taken. Now one shouldn’t say that now the Quraan is translated, why is there is a need for a teacher. The reason is that by the translation the apparent words are translated but the meanings are still misunderstood. Until they are not explained they will not be understood. The one that reads the Quraan translation and does have a teacher then there is a fear that he may end up with the beliefs of the Murjiya or Qadriyaa. There is one poem which says “A friend is the one that holds onto the hands of his friend when he is in difficulty”. One person saw the translation of this poem and once saw his friend getting hit, he grabbed his hands while the other person continued to beat him with more ease. After the incident his friend was furious and exclaimed that what kind of friend are you that you assisted him in beating me! The man was perplexed and replied that he was only practicing on the poem A friend is the one that holds onto the hands of his friend when he is in difficulty”. He was in need of a teacher to explain the Muhawaraat (the method in which a sentence is presented and the meaning it denotes in a specific language.) If one poses the question that then what is the reason of writing translations of Quraan? The answer to this is that there is great benefit. One is saved from spending years in learning Nahw and Sarf ( Arabic grammar) e.t.c. Now it is so easy! one just needs to get a translation and sit by a Alim! In every field one needs a teacher, even in those occupations which are regarded as low in society. However how sad isn’t it that to understand the words of Allah ta’alaa one doesn’t need no help and teacher at all! If one were to go through the entire translation and thereafter go through the entire Quraan with a Aalim then he will realize that how much he had really understood and that to merely be ‘clever’ is just not enough! Allah Taala grant us all the ability to learn the Noble Quran with the a qualified Alim and save us from misinterpreting the Noble Aayaat. Ameen. And Allah Taala knows best Compiled by Mufti Irshad
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 07:41:12 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015