Examining the Context of the Verses of the Qur`an
Paying
attention to the context of the verses, that is which comes before and after a
particular verse (which we wish to comment upon) is in some ways, a branch of
the sixth prerequisite of tafsir – consideration of the harmony that exists in
all the verses of the Qur`an.
For
example, we know that the Qur`an speaks about various issues and brings forth
numerous verses in regards to a specific topic. In such an instance, referring
to only one verse and neglecting the other verses would not result in anything
but inexactitude and distancing oneself from the true goal of this Noble Book.
However
it is not only the Qur`an which, in trying to comprehend its sentences, must be
understood and explained by seeing everything which comes before and after a
particular verse. Rather, in order to explain the words of any wise person,
this method (which is currently being discussed) must be employed.
In
order for this discussion to be clear in the minds, we present the following
examples:
In
Suratul Araf (7), verse 35, Allah (awj) says:
{
يَا
بَــنِي
آدَمَ إِمَّا
يَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ
رُسُلٌ
مِّنْكُمْ
يَقُصُّونَ
عَلَيْكُمْ
آيَاتِي
فَمَنِ
اتَّــقَى
وَأَصْلَحَ
فَلاَ خَوْفٌ
عَلَيْهِمْ
وَلاَ هُمْ
يَحْزَنُونَ }
“O children of Adam! If there come to you Messengers
from among yourselves, relating My communications to you, then whoever shall
guard (against evil) and act aright, they shall have no fear nor shall they
grieve.”[28]
In explaining this verse of the
Qur`an, if we abstain from referring to that which came before and after it and
simply take the verse on its own, then its meaning would be that the Qur`an has
kept the door open for other prophets to come after the Noble Prophet Muhammad
(‘s) and has not shut the door of prophethood. However we know that in another
verse of the Qur`an, it is stated that Prophet Muhammad (‘s) is the final and
seal of all the prophets (and none shall come after him) just as we read:
{
مَا
كَانَ
مُحَمَّدٌ
أَبَا أَحَدٍ
مِّنْ رِجَالِكُمْ
وَلٌكِنْ
رَّسُولَ
اللٌّهِ وَخَاتَمَ
النَّـبِـيِّـينَ
وَكَانَ
اللٌّهُ
بِكُلِّ
شَيْءٍ
عَلِيماً }
“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but
he is the Messenger of Allah and the last (and seal) of the prophets, and Allah
is cognizant of all things.”[29]
The
root of these two opposite conclusions is that in the commentary of the first
verse mentioned, there was no attention paid to the context of the verse and it
was reviewed without keeping in mind the commentary of the verses that came
before or after it. However, if one simply refers to the Qur`an itself, they
would have seen that this verse is only one section of a collection of
twenty-six verses (verses eleven to thirty-six) of Suratul Araf (7) which
elucidate upon an event that took place at the beginning of the creation of
humanity. Thus, we see that these verses are in regards to the time period of
the creation of Adam (‘a), his being removed from Paradise and being ordered to live on the Earth along with his wife and children.
In
such an instance in time (when this was happening), Allah (awj) addressed the
sons of Adam (‘a) and told them, “O’ children of Adam! If a prophet comes to
you, then whosoever of you displays consciousness (Taqwa) of Allah and chooses
the path of righteousness shall have no fear or grief!”
There
is no doubt that after Adam (‘a) settled down on Earth, countless prophets came
from Allah (awj) to guide mankind and all of their missions were one and the
same:
{
فَمَنِ
اتَّقَـى
وَأَصْلَحَ
فَلاَ خَوْفٌ
عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ
هُمْ
يَحْزَنُونَ }
“…then whoever shall guard (against evil) and act
aright, they shall have no fear nor shall they grieve.”
Such
an address (by Allah (awj)) which took shape at the beginning of creation does not
prevent us from accepting the fact that our Prophet (Muhammad (‘s)) is the
final prophet and it is through him that the door of Propethood, which up until
the point in time (of him coming) had been open for so many years, was shut to
humanity for various reasons.
Thus in summary: In this instance, the
Qur`an is addressing a specific period and is relating an incident to us.
However this does not mean that this is something that would take shape after
the revelation of this verse that is being reported about (that another prophet
would come).
This
reality only becomes apparent when we know that the collection of twenty-six
verses (verses 11 to 36) of the Qur`an in Suratul Araf (7) are directly
addressing the (actual) children of Adam (‘a) as is seen when they are directly
spoken to three times by the phrase, “O’ Children of Adam!” (يا بني آدم) as can be seen in the verses below:
{
يَا
بَـنِي آدَمَ
قَدْ
أَنْزَلْـنَا
عَلَيْكُمْ
لِـبَاساً... ; }
“O’
Children of Adam! Surely we have sent down to you clothing…”[30]
{
يَا
بَـنِي آدَمَ
لاَ
يَفْتِــنَـنَّكُمُ
الشَّـيْطَانُ
كَمَا
أَخْرَجَ
أَبَوَيْكُمْ...
}
“O’
Children of Adam! Do not let Satan test you as He ousted your parents…”[31]
{
يَا
بَـنِي آدَمَ
إِمَّا
يَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ
رُسُلٌ
مِّنْكُمْ... }
“O’ Children of Adam! If there come to you Messengers from among yourselves…”[32]
In
another instance in which the Qur`an speaks about the beginning of creation, we
see the same wordings being used, such as in the following example:
{
أَلَمْ
أَعْهَدْ
إِلَيْكُمْ
يَابَـنِي
آدَمَ أَنْ
لاَّ
تَعْبُدُوا
الشَّيْطَانَ...; }
“ Did I not take a covenant from you, O children of Adam that you should
not serve Satan?”[33]
This
form of addressing (by Allah (awj)) is related to the period of the beginning
of creation and is in accordance with that occasion and is not in reference to
the time of the Noble Prophet of Islam (‘s).
With
this explanation, it becomes clear that the address in the verse under review
is among the first Divine addresses at the time of the beginning of creation.
Thus, there is no substance in relating them to the issue of the finality of
prophethood and the source of this error in judgment is due to not paying
attention to the context of the verses.
A Consideration of the Context of the Verses and the
Successively Narrated Ahadith
Even though referring to that which comes before and after a particular verse (in
understanding its true meaning) is one of the keys for a correct and accurate
exegesis of the Qur`an, unfortunately, the context of the verse is effectual
only when the verse under review is not proven to be independent of the verses
which came before and after it. When it is proven to be independent of the
verses around it, then we cannot refer to the context of the verses in order to
explain and comment upon it.
A study of the verses of the Qur`an confirms the fact that sometimes (and we
stress on the word sometimes) before the Qur`an finishes speaking about a
particular topic, it may bring a new theme into the discussion. Then when it
finishes with that topic, it would revert to the original theme of discussion
and this is one of specialties of the Qur`an. This is the same thing that is
more or less, seen in the words of eloquent and articulate speakers as well.
Of course, our purpose in stating this is not to say that in the Qur`an, within
the confines of a particular discussion, another topic is brought up which has
absolutely no relevance or bearing to the original discussion. Technically
speaking, we do not wish to state that one verse that is built upon a specific
theme and issue is mixed in with other verses that are related to other topics
and themes and intrudes or interrupts the flow of verses. Rather, our meaning
here is that at the same time that it safeguards the perspective of the verses,
before concluding a topic within the initial discussion, a new topic is also
introduced and the first topic is then completed in the (remaining) verses.
Examples of this Issue
In Suratul Baqarah (2) in verses 221 to 240, the Qur`an brings forth issues
related to husband, wife, children, the issues of divorce and the death of the
husband. The entire collection of verses of this section is completely in unity
and harmony with one another.
However, after verse 237, in verses 238 and 239 we see that the issue of protecting the
salat, especially the ‘middle’ salat has been mentioned and the performance of
the salat in the state of jihad has also been brought up. After this, we see
that the verses then revert to the initial topic (of marriage and family life).
Thus, what is the suitability for these two verses to come up in the middle of
the discussion on family issues? At present, this is not our discussion however
this is something that we are able to perceive by reviewing these verses.
Nevertheless, at this point, in order for this issue to be understandable for the readers, we
bring forth these verses of the Qur`an:
{
وَإِنْ
طَلَّقْـتُمُوهُنَّ
مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ
تَمَسُّوهُنَّ
وَقَدْ
فَرَضْـتُمْ
لَهُنَّ
فَرِيضَةً
فَنِصْفُ مَا
فَرَضْـتُمْ
إِلاَّ أَنْ
يَّعْفُونَ
أَوْ
يَعْفُوَ الَّذِي
بِـيَدِهِ
عُقْدَةُ
النِّكَاحِ
وَأَنْ
تَعْفُوا
أَقْــرَبُ
لِلتَّقْوَى
وَلاَ
تَـنْسَوُا
الْفَضْلَ
بَيْـنَكُمْ
إِنَّ
اللٌّهَ
بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
بَــصِيرٌ
٭ حَافِظُوا
عَلَى
الصَّلَوَاتِ
وَالصَّلاَةِ
الْوُسْطَى
وَقُومُوا
لِلٌّهِ
قَانِـتِينَ ٭ فَإِنْ
خِـفْـتُمْ
فَرِجَالاً
أَوْ رُكْبَاناً
فَإِذَا
أَمِـنْـتُمْ
فَاذْكُرُوا اللٌّهَ
كَمَا
عَلَّمَكُمْ
مَا لَمْ
تَكُونُوا
تَعْلَمُونَ ٭ وَالَّذِينَ
يُتَوَفَّوْنَ
مِنْكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ
أَزْوَاجاً
وَّصِيَّةًلّأَزْوَاجِهِمْ
مَّـتَاعاً
إِلَى
الْحَوْلِ
غَيْرَ
إِخْرَاجٍ
فَإِنْ
خَرَجْنَ
فَلاَ جُــنَاحَ
عَلَيْكُمْ
فِي مَا
فَعَلْنَ فِي
أَنْـفُسِهِنَّ
مِنْ
مَّعْرُوفٍ
وَاللٌّهُ
عَزِيزٌ
حَكِيمٌ }
“And if you divorce them (women) before you have
touched them (had sexual relations with them) and you have appointed for them a
portion (dowry), then (pay to them) half of what you have appointed, unless
they relinquish or he should relinquish in whose hand is the marriage tie; and
it is nearer to righteousness that you should relinquish; and do not neglect
the giving of free gifts between yourselves; surely Allah sees what you do.
Attend constantly to prayers and to the middle prayer and stand up truly
obedient to Allah. But if you are in danger, then (say your prayers) on foot or
on horseback; and when you are secure, then remember Allah as He has taught you
what you did not know. And those of you who die and leave wives behind, (make)
a bequest in favour of your wives of maintenance for a year without turning
(them) out, then if they themselves go away, there is no blame on you for what
they do of lawful deeds by themselves, and Allah is Mighty, Wise.”[34]
As
can be seen in these verses, the first and last past of this section are in
regards to the issue of marriage and relations while the verses in the middle
are in regards to protecting the salat – with special emphasis on the middle
salat and the salat at the time of fear (such as war or from an enemy, etc.).
Therefore,
whenever clear and unambiguous proofs such as a successively narrated hadith
(mutawatir) or a hadith which accompanies hints that necessitate knowledge of
the content of the tradition contradict the context of the verses, then we must
act according to the conclusion which we have reached from the ahadith. Thus,
in such an instance, we must not regard the context of the verses of the
Qur`an, but rather focus our attention on the correct ahadith.
We
present the following two examples to further elucidate this issue:
a.
In Suratul Ahzab (33), from verses 28 to 35, the Qur`an discusses the wives of
the Noble Prophet of Islam (‘s). However in verse 33, we see the following
sentence:
{
إِنَّمَا
يُرِيدُ
اللٌّهُ
لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ
الرِّجْسَ
أَهْلَ
الْبَيْتِ
وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ
تَطْهِيرًا }
“Surely
Allah wishes to remove all forms of impurity from you, Ahlul Bayt, and to
purify you with a thorough purification.”[35]
The context of the verses before
and after would tell us that this verse is related directly to the wives of the
Noble Prophet of Islam (‘s). However, the successively narrated ahadith which
have come to us from both sides (the Shi’a and the Ahlus Sunnah) tell us that
this verse was revealed in regards to a specific group of people who have been
beautified with the adornment of infallibility. Thus in this instance, the
undeniable ahadith take precedence over the context of this verse.
Other than this, there is even
clear proof in the verse itself to prove that this part of the verse is not in
regards to the wives of the Prophet of Islam (‘s). These two proofs are the
masculine pronoun used in the word “عَنْكُمْ” and “يُطَهِّرَكُمْ”
which announce to us that there is no relationship
between this part of the verse and that which has come before it in regards to
the wives of the Prophet Muhammad (‘s).[36]
Then, why has the purity and
infallibility of the Ahlul Bayt (‘a) been mentioned within the discussion
concerning the wives of the Prophet of Islam (‘s)? This is not part of our
discussion here and thus we leave it at that.
b. In Suratul Ma`idah (5), from
verses 1 to 5, the Qur`an speaks in a particular way about meat and other
issues regarding food. However in the middle of the third verse, we read:
{
أَلْيَوْمَ
أَكْمَلْتُ
لَكُمْ
دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ
عَلَيْكُمْ
نِعْمَتِي
وَرَضِيتُ
لَكُمُ
الإِسْلاَمَ
دِيناً }
“On
this day, I have perfected your religion for you and have completed My bounties
upon you and have been pleased to choose Islam as your religion.”[37]
The rule of reviewing the context
of the verses of the Qur`an, commands us to accept that the part of the verse
quoted above is in regards to the day when various things were forbidden for
consumption such as the animal which has died on its own, blood, the flesh of
swine and other things. Thus, the meaning of ‘this day’ (
أليوم)
as mentioned in this part of the verse is the day when these things were
made prohibited for human consumption. However the clear and unambiguous proofs
and the successively narrated ahadith state that this part of the verse was not
revealed in regards to the prohibition of various types of meat. Rather, we are
told that this part of the verse was revealed in regards to the Day of Ghadir
[18th of Dhul Hijjah] – the day when the faith and teachings of Islam were
perfected and completed through the designation of the leader of the community
[after the Prophet of Islam (‘s) - that being Imam ’Ali b. Abi Talib (‘a).]
Thus, the commentator of the
Qur`an who is seeking to display the realities (of the Qur`an) must refrain
from explaining the verse according to the context of that which has come
before and after it and must instead refer to the definite ahadith in this
regard.
In this issue, there are many
more examples which we can bring to act as proofs for our statements, however
in order to keep this discussion brief, we shall not mention them here.