The Order of revelation of
surahs of the Holy Quran and the scribes of revelation
Question: According to the revelation which is
the first and last Surahs of the Holy Quran? After the revelation by whom
was the Holy Quran being written?
Answer: Whatever is written by the reliable
Islamic historians according to that the first Surah which was revealed on
the Holy Prophet (a.s.) was:
Read in the name of your Lord Who created. [Surah Alaq 96:1]
And the last Surah was Surah Tauba. The subject matter
of these Surahs also support this assertion.
As regards the writing of Quran in the period of the
Holy Prophet (a.s.) it can be said that whatever verses which were revealed
to him some of his selected comparisons used to regularly and formally ask
him about those verses and write them in the style of Kufi style which was
the current style of writing in those days. Those gentlemen were called
Katib al-Wahy meaning writers of the revelations of the Holy Quran.
Historians have written the number of these persons to be 43. Out of those
43 persons, Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) and some other companions worked
very hard as compared to the rest in the job of writing the verses of Quran.
They used to always remain present in the service of the Prophet (a.s.) and
under his subtle guidance and supervision wrote all the revealed verses.
Keeping in mind that the foundation of Islam is on that
heavenly book and it is the basic law of Muslims
in all the spheres of social and the individual life, the Holy Prophet (a.s.)
himself specially arranged the chapters and verses in the present form.
At the time of demise of the Prophet (a.s.) the whole
Quran was in existence in written form with the Muslims. Many people had
also committed it to memory. The Holy Quran, which is present with the
Muslims is the same which existed with the Muslims at the time of demise of
the Prophet (a.s.).
Interpretation of Quran based
on Personal views
Question: It is mentioned in many traditions
that no one has the right to interpret the Quran according to one’s personal
views and opinion. And if anyone does it, his place is hell. What is the
meaning of interpreting according to one’s personal views?
Answer: Muslim scholars and commentator of Quran
are unanimous on the view that no one has the right to interpret the verses
of Quran according to one’s personal view and opinion. Many traditions are
narrated in this regard. We present below a few examples of the same:
1. The Holy Prophet (a.s.) said: One who interprets the
Quran according to personal opinion[1]
he makes his place in fire (Hell).
2. One who interprets the Quran according to his view,[2]
even though it may be right, yet he has committed a sin.[3]
There are some of the traditions that are related on
the topic. Now we should see what does interpretation on personal view mean.
The great commentators have given three meanings of
Al-Tafseer bir-Ra’y (interpretation based on personal views) and we
shall explain each of them briefly.
1. If the commentator forms an opinion before
conducting considerable research it becomes a cause that the word which has
two meanings and there is no indication which meaning should be taken or an
verse is enigmatic from the aspect of its meaning and it becomes necessary
to remove its doubt and ambiguity with the help of other verses but the
commentator explains it in a way which is in conformity with his
preconceived notions. In other words to justify the established beliefs and
preconceived notions become the cause that one does the Tafseer of a
particular verse without any testimony and method, on the basis of his
beliefs and instead of making the Holy Quran his guide and leader, he moulds
it according to his own views. Also he were not having these views
previously, he would never have interpreted in this way.[4]
Examples of this type of Al-Tafseer bir-Ra’y is
seen in the books of those who follow the Mu'tazilah, Ashariah, Batiniyyah
and Sufis. When a commentator has fully accepted the views of the Mu’tazilah
or Ashariah school of thought regarding the attributes and actions of Allah
and the people, when he comes to those verses regarding whom it is possible
to interpret them according to his personal belief. And these verses may
have a different inner meaning from that of the apparent meaning and he may
interpret them according to his beliefs. And instead of presenting his
beliefs to the Holy Quran, (to evaluate on the scale of Quran), he presents
the Holy Quran to his beliefs. (That is, he does the tafseer of the Holy
Quran according to his belief) and on the basis of his personal whims and
desire, distorts the meaning of the verses.
Tafseer Al-Kashshaf, the commentary of
Zamakhshari[5]
is a living example of the interpretation of Quran according to the beliefs
of the Mu’tazilah. In the same way Mafatihul Ghaib of Fakhruddin Razi is the
tafseer of the Quranic verses according to the Ashariah school of thought.
Both these commentators had tried to justify their predestined beliefs in
the light of Quran and they were not ready to release themselves from their
past beliefs that by freeing themselves from their original faith they
should have made the verses of the Holy Quran material of their research
which were revealed regarding the attributes of Allah and the deeds of men.
In the same way in different periods of history, the
Batiniyyah and some philosophers have interpreted some verses of the Holy
Quran to justify their views. For example Mulla Abdur Razzaq Kashi has based
his tafseer on the levels of Batiniyyah faith and Muhiyyuddin Arabi has done
the tafseer of Quran according to his Sufi beliefs.[6]
This tafseer which is compiled only for the propagation
of a particular school (a school whose founder was an errant and fallible
person) even though some of the points may be correct but Ashariah as a
whole it constitutes Al-Tafseer bir-Ra’y.
At the end of the 13th century and the
beginning of the 14th century this trend became common and
discoveries and inventions threw up new sciences. On the basis of this a new
basis of Al-Tafseer bir-Ra’y came into being for Muslim commentator
and the interpretation of verses dealing with supernatural things like soul,
angels and prophets took a new shape. So that natural and material
scientists could be attracted and the verses could be presented to them so
that they may be considered valuable. The truth of our statement will become
apparent if you study a tafseer like Al Manar. (Though in many of these
commentaries, for example in Al Manar there are also some strong points and
this is itself a remarkable thing ).
Since these intellectuals were influenced by the
natural material science that is why they interpreted the verses of Quran in
the light of scientific research till the present time. According to some,
angels were the power hidden in one’s nature.
Some experts of ethics, having a keen eye for ethics
and morals have gone to such limits in interpreting the verses of Quran that
they have explained Shaitan to be Nafs-e-Ammara (sensual appetite) and they
do not accept the existence of any such thing as Shaitan.
Sometimes it is also seen that some people interpret
verses (like: Go to Firon he has exceeded his self) in the way that it is
not about a particular Firon. It is about anyone who goes against his conscience.[7]
These kinds of commentaries are Al-Tafseer bir-Ra’y
because they are influenced by pre-conceived beliefs and the apparent of the
verses is ignored and some other meaning is derived from them.
2. The second meaning of Al-Tafseer bir-Ra’y is
that the initial words of the verse are followed (without considering the
confirmed proofs and studying other verses which are related on this topic).
For example an intellectual proof and ignoring other verses which clearly
negates that God has a physical body and by the apparent meanings of some
verses which are all metaphorical and that it should be proved that Allah
has a body and for example it is said: ‘The hands of Allah were on their
hands’ proves that Allah has hands, although doubtlessly here hands do not
denote hands of Allah but it refers to the power of Allah.
3. The third meaning of Al-Tafseer bir-Ra’y is
that regarding the tafseer of the Holy Quran apart from the Holy Quran some
other source is referred. Apart from the verses concerned with Islamic laws
all the Quranic verses can explain all the other verses and regarding the
Tafseer of the Holy Quran does not require the understanding of the
Companions and the Tabe'een (Companions of Companions).[8]
The compiler of Kashfuz Zunoon[9]
has mentioned five types of Al-Tafseer bir-Ra’y. Their basic points
are the same as mentioned above.
Here it is necessary to mention the point that the
different meanings related about Al-Tafseer bir-Ra’y are such that no
one has ever said that Al-Tafseer bir-Ra’y according to the Holy
Prophet (a.s.) is Tafseer without reason so that we may object upon it and
say:
“He has mentioned this meaning so that people may not
understand the Holy Quran and they may keep Quran like the Christian priests
of the middle ages had kept Taurah (Old Testament) and Injeel (New
Testament). And to prohibit the contemplation and pondering on Quran thus
making it into a book whose body remains among the people and its soul is
unknown and its value should just remain of holy words and secret and
enigmatic voice.”
Those Islamic commentators who have discussed
Al-Tafseer bir-Ra’y they have not this meaning of tradition in their
discussion, rather Muslim intellectuals and specially the Shia intellectuals
consider reason (Aql) to be a divine argument and absolute proof so much so
that they consider it in the Class of the Book, the Sunnah and Ijma
(consensus).
How can they take word ‘Rayy’ that is mentioned in the
tradition of the Prophet (a.s.) in the sense of Aql and reason while in the
Arabic Lexicon which is compiled to explain. The words of the Holy Quran and
traditions mention the meaning of the word ‘Rayy’ to be Zann, Suman hadath
and Tahmeem (conjecture and guess).[10]
If people of a particular group (Akhbaris) do not act
on the apparent meaning of those verses which are regarding
the practical laws then it is not due to the fact that they say: Holy Quran must not be
interpreted by Aql. Rather it is because the Verses are of different types,
abrogating and abrogates, general and special, absolute and conditional. And
it is not possible for us to classify them without referring to the Imams of
Ahl al-Bayt (a.s.). On the basis of this, we do not act on the apparent
meanings of these verses.
Even if one or two unreliable people have made such a
statement would it be correct that such a baseless allegation should be
presented in this way? That people imagine that in different periods of
Islam, the Islamic intellectuals had kept the people away from understanding
the Quran and did not permit them to understand its meanings while the same
scholars and intellectuals have written hundreds of commentaries of Holy
Quran in different languages. And to know the number of commentaries of the
Holy Quran written by the scholars refer to Kashfuz Zunoon and
Dharia.(reference?)
The truth is that if they had intended to keep the
Quran to themselves like the Taurah (Old Testament) and Injeel (New
Testament) they would not have written commentaries on this heavenly book.
They would not have discussed and debated on the Quranic verses from the
aspect of Aql and traditions.
One who says this has also committed another mistake.
That they have given the translation of the hadith as follows.
One who does the tafseer of Quran according to his
personal view his abode will be filled with fires.
Although the feminine Tabbu from which Yattabbu is
taken is not in the meaning of filling. Rather its meaning is to prepare and
obtain the place.
Also the meaning taken by that person is for a
particular place though it is definitely not so. Rather in hadith it denotes
place and not a particular spot.
In the following verse both words are used and the
meaning of both is the same as we have already given.
“And when you did go forth early in the morning from your
family to lodge the believers in encampments for war” [Surah Aali-Imran
3:121]
(Either it denoted the preparation of places for them
to fight).[11]
Thus, the correct meaning of this verse is: One who
interprets the Quran from his personal view he should select a place for
himself in the Hell or prepare for himself a place in Fire. (And those who
have construed some other meaning of the hadith it shows their ignorance of
Arabic literature).
Footnotes:
[1] These traditions are quoted from the Prophet (s.a.) in many scholarly books.
[2] Tafseer Jameul Ahkaam of Qurtubi, Vol 1, p. 32 and Majmaul Bayan, Vol 1, p. 9
[3] Jameul Bayan Vol. 3, p. 32
[4] Majmaul Bayan Vol. 1, p.12
[5] Though it was written as the Mutazilte commentary yet its beauty cannot be denied.
[6] According to some it was not Muhiyuddin Arabi who has written
this Tafseer, it was a student of his who had written it.
[7] Baraheenul Quran, p. 55
[8] Tafseer Mizan Vol 3, p. 85-86
[9] Preface to Majmaul Bayan p. 6
[1] Mufradat of Raghib
[11] Tafseer Majmaul Bayan Vol 5, p 495
