God the Ever-Living the Eternal
God the Ever-Living the Eternal
In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful.
[ God! There is no god except He, the Living, the Everlasting. Neither
slumber overtakes Him, nor sleep. To Him belongs everything in the heavens and
everything on earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His
permission? He knows what is before them, and what is behind them; and they
cannot grasp any of His knowledge, except as He wills. His Throne extends over
the heavens and the earth, and their preservation does not burden Him. He is
the Most High, the Great ]
[ The Quran 2 : 255 ]
(2:254) O you who believe! Spend out of what We have provided you276 before
there comes a Day when there will be no buying and selling, nor will friendship
and intercession be of any avail. Indeed those who disbelieve are the
wrong-doers.277
276. This means spending in the way of God. The instruction given here
is that those who have adopted the cause of the true faith should undertake
financial sacrifices for its sake.
277. Here the expression 'they who disbelieve' signifies either those
who refused to obey God and held their property to be clearer than God's good
pleasure, or those who did not believe in the Day of which they had been
warned, or those who cherished the false i11usion that in the Hereafter they
would somehow be able to secure their salvation and that their association with
men devoted to God would stand them in good stead for they would intercede with
God on their behalf.
(2:255) Allah, the Ever-Living,
the Self-Subsisting by Whom all subsist, there is no god but He.278Neither
slumber seizes Him, nor sleep;279 to Him belongs all that is in
the heavens and all that is in the earth.280 Who is there who
might intercede with Him save with His leave?281
He knows what lies before them and what is hidden from them, whereas they cannot attain to anything of His knowledge save what He wills them to attain.282 His Dominion283 overspreads the heavens and the earth, and their upholding wearies Him not. He is All-High, All-Glorious.284
He knows what lies before them and what is hidden from them, whereas they cannot attain to anything of His knowledge save what He wills them to attain.282 His Dominion283 overspreads the heavens and the earth, and their upholding wearies Him not. He is All-High, All-Glorious.284
278. Irrespective of the number of gods or objects of worship
set up by ignorant people, the fact remains that godhead in its entirety,
belongs exclusively to the Eternal Being, Who is indebted to no one for His
existence. In fact, He is not only self-existent, but upon Him rests the entire
order of the universe. He alone wields all sovereign authority over His
dominion. None shares either His attributes or His power and might, and no one
has the same claims against the creatures as He. Hence, if anywhere in the
heavens or the earth someone sets up anything or anybody as an object of
worship and service (ilah) either instead of or in addition to the One True God
this amounts to declaring war on reality.
279. This is a refutation of the ideas of those who, in formulating
their concepts of God, are inclined to consider God analogous to their own
imperfect selves and hence ascribe to God the weaknesses characteristic of
human beings. An instance at hand is the famous Biblical statement that God
created the heavens and the earth in six days and on the seventh day He rested
(see Genesis, chapters 1 and 2).
280. To God belongs the heavens and the earth and everything therein.
There is no one who shares anything with God in governance either of the
heavens or of the earth. Any conceivable being other than God would necessarily
be a part of the universe and thus belong to, and be a subject of, God rather
than His partner and equal.
281.This is a refutation of the ideas of those polytheists who consider
either saints, angels or other beings to be so influential with God that if
they were adamant in demanding something of Him, their demand would prevail.
They are being told that, far from anyone having the power to impose his will
on God, none - not even the greatest Prophets and the most highly esteemed
angels - will dare utter one word in the majestic court of the Lord unless they
are expressly permitted to do so.
282. Here another blow is struck against polytheism. On the basis of the
concept of God's unlimited sovereignty and omnipotence it was stressed, in the
foregoing verses, that no one shares independently in God's governance of the
universe, and no one is so powerful with God that his intercession would
decisively influence His judgement. The same point is stressed here but in a
different manner. It is pointed out that no one possesses the knowledge that
would enable him to comprehend the order of the universe and the considerations
underlying it, so no one can legitimately interfere in its governance. The
knowledge of human beings, of jinn, of angels and of all other creatures is
limited and imperfect. No one's knowledge embraces all the facts of the
universe. If someone did have the right to interfere even in only a part of the
universe, and if his suggestions were of necessity to be put into effect, the
entire order of the universe would be disrupted. Creatures are incapable of
understanding what is best for them, and do not have the capacity to know how
best the universe should be governed. It is God alone Who knows everything.
283. The Arabic term kursi signifies sovereignty, dominion and
authority.
(The word Kursi has been variously interpreted by Muslim scholars. The literal meaning is obvious; it signifies that which one sits on. Scholars have differed, however, as to whether the word has been used in the Qur'an literally or figuratively. They have also disagreed whether the Kursi and 'Arsh Which occur in the Qur'an have one and the same meaning or are different. The main opinions expressed by the scholars are the following: (i) that Kursi signifies God's knowledge, a view attributed to Ibn 'Abbas; (ii) that it is identical with 'Arsh (Throne), a view attributed to Hasan al-Basri; (iii) that it signifies God's power (iv ) in opposition to such views a large number of scholars insist that Kursi should be considered a reality rather than be understood figuratively. In addition to many earlier scholars, this was vigorously championed by Ibn Taymiyah. It should be remembered, however, that Ibn Taymiyah and others who hold this opinion, side by side with affirming that Kursi is a reality, also emphasize that man has no knowledge about the nature and modality of Kursi and that it ought to be treated as something unique, being related to God Who is unique both in His essence and attributes. (See the commentaries of Alusi. Tabari, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir and Shawkani on this verse. See also Ibn Taymiyah, Majmu al-Fatawa 1bn Taymiyah, vol. 5, pp. 55-8 and vol. 6, pp. 584-5. It is interesting to note that Sayyid Qutb, (martyred 1386 A.H/966 C.E.), a contemporary of Mawdudi and one of the most influential Islamic thinkers of our time, has interpreted the verse exactly, as Mawdudi did - Ed.)
(The word Kursi has been variously interpreted by Muslim scholars. The literal meaning is obvious; it signifies that which one sits on. Scholars have differed, however, as to whether the word has been used in the Qur'an literally or figuratively. They have also disagreed whether the Kursi and 'Arsh Which occur in the Qur'an have one and the same meaning or are different. The main opinions expressed by the scholars are the following: (i) that Kursi signifies God's knowledge, a view attributed to Ibn 'Abbas; (ii) that it is identical with 'Arsh (Throne), a view attributed to Hasan al-Basri; (iii) that it signifies God's power (iv ) in opposition to such views a large number of scholars insist that Kursi should be considered a reality rather than be understood figuratively. In addition to many earlier scholars, this was vigorously championed by Ibn Taymiyah. It should be remembered, however, that Ibn Taymiyah and others who hold this opinion, side by side with affirming that Kursi is a reality, also emphasize that man has no knowledge about the nature and modality of Kursi and that it ought to be treated as something unique, being related to God Who is unique both in His essence and attributes. (See the commentaries of Alusi. Tabari, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir and Shawkani on this verse. See also Ibn Taymiyah, Majmu al-Fatawa 1bn Taymiyah, vol. 5, pp. 55-8 and vol. 6, pp. 584-5. It is interesting to note that Sayyid Qutb, (martyred 1386 A.H/966 C.E.), a contemporary of Mawdudi and one of the most influential Islamic thinkers of our time, has interpreted the verse exactly, as Mawdudi did - Ed.)
284. This verse is generally known as the 'Verse of the Throne' and it
provides in one piece a knowledge of God without parallel.
The question that arises here is: What is the occasion for describing the Lord of the Universe and His attributes? In order to appreciate this one should rehearse the discourse beginning with (verse243) and continuing up to this point. In this discourse the believers were urged to strive with their lives and belongings to establish the true faith and were warned to get rid of the weaknesses which had characterized the conduct of the Israelites. A fundamental fact about war - that victory and success do not depend upon superiority in either numbers or weapons - was then indicated. They depend rather on faith, fortitude, discipline and firm resolution. Thereafter the Divine wisdom underlying fighting was disclosed, namely that God removes one set of people by means of another in order to maintain the good administration of the world. For were one group's dominance to be assured in perpetuity, the lives of all other human beings mould become miserable.
This was followed by the clarification of a misunderstanding which often arises in the minds of ignorant people. This misunderstanding arose from the false assumption that God had sent His Prophets so that all diversity and disagreement might come to an end. The people who accepted this premise, however, saw considerable diversity and disagreement, and were aware that falsehood existed side by side with Truth. They were agitated by the thought that this state of affairs might suggest helplessness on God's part, that He had failed to stamp out the evils He wanted to. In reply to this it was pointed out that it was not God's will to compel all human beings to follow one and the same way. Had it been so, man could not have deviated from the course set for him by God. This observation was followed by a passing reference to the subject with which the discourse opened. Finally, the point is made that no matter how many divergent beliefs, viewpoints, ways of life and conduct exist in actual life, the reality underlying the order of the universe is the one stated in this verse, and it remains unaffected by the misconceptions of people. On the other hand, however, it is not God's purpose to compel people to accept it. Whoever accepts it will find it to his own benefit; whoever rejects it, will find the result harmful.
The question that arises here is: What is the occasion for describing the Lord of the Universe and His attributes? In order to appreciate this one should rehearse the discourse beginning with (verse243) and continuing up to this point. In this discourse the believers were urged to strive with their lives and belongings to establish the true faith and were warned to get rid of the weaknesses which had characterized the conduct of the Israelites. A fundamental fact about war - that victory and success do not depend upon superiority in either numbers or weapons - was then indicated. They depend rather on faith, fortitude, discipline and firm resolution. Thereafter the Divine wisdom underlying fighting was disclosed, namely that God removes one set of people by means of another in order to maintain the good administration of the world. For were one group's dominance to be assured in perpetuity, the lives of all other human beings mould become miserable.
This was followed by the clarification of a misunderstanding which often arises in the minds of ignorant people. This misunderstanding arose from the false assumption that God had sent His Prophets so that all diversity and disagreement might come to an end. The people who accepted this premise, however, saw considerable diversity and disagreement, and were aware that falsehood existed side by side with Truth. They were agitated by the thought that this state of affairs might suggest helplessness on God's part, that He had failed to stamp out the evils He wanted to. In reply to this it was pointed out that it was not God's will to compel all human beings to follow one and the same way. Had it been so, man could not have deviated from the course set for him by God. This observation was followed by a passing reference to the subject with which the discourse opened. Finally, the point is made that no matter how many divergent beliefs, viewpoints, ways of life and conduct exist in actual life, the reality underlying the order of the universe is the one stated in this verse, and it remains unaffected by the misconceptions of people. On the other hand, however, it is not God's purpose to compel people to accept it. Whoever accepts it will find it to his own benefit; whoever rejects it, will find the result harmful.
(2:256) There is no compulsion in
religion.285 The Right Way stands clearly distinguished from
the wrong. Hence he who rejects the evil ones286 and believes
in Allah has indeed taken hold of the firm, unbreakable handle. And Allah (Whom
he has held for support) is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
285. Din here signifies the belief about God embodied in the
above 'Verse of the Throne' and the entire system of life which rests upon it.
The verse means that the system of Islam, embracing belief, morals and
practical conduct cannot be imposed by compulsion. These are not things to
which people can be yoked forcibly.
286. Literally taghut means anvone who exceeds his legitimate limits. In
the Qur'anic terminology, however, it refers to the creature who exceeds the
limits of his creatureliness and arrogates to himself godhead and lordship.
There are three stages of man's transgression and rebellion against God. The
first stage is that one acknowledges in principle that obedience to God is
right, but disregards it in practice. This is fisq (transgression). The second
stage is that one not only disobeys but also rejects obedience in principle,
and thus either refuses to become the subject of anyone at all or adopts
someone other than God as the object of service and devotion. This is kufr
(infidelity). The third stage is that one not only rebels against one's Lord
but also imposes one's own will (in disregard of the Will of God - Ed.) on
God's world and God's creatures. Anyone who reaches such a point is termed
taghut and no one can be a true believer in God unless the authority of such a
taghut (evil one) is rejected.
(2:257) Allah is the Guardian of
those who believe, He brings them out of every darkness into light.287
And those who disbelieve, their guardians are the evil ones;288 they bring them out of light into all kinds of darkness. These are destined for the Fire, and there shall they abide.
And those who disbelieve, their guardians are the evil ones;288 they bring them out of light into all kinds of darkness. These are destined for the Fire, and there shall they abide.
287. The 'darkness' mentioned here means the darkness of
Ignorance, which throws man off the path of salvation and well-being and
directs his energies and efforts to wrong directions in defiance of reality.
'Light' here means the knowledge of Truth with the help of which man comes to
know his own reality and that of the universe; this knowledge also shows him
the purpose of his life, and thus leads him consciously, to adopt the Right
Way.
288. Here taghut see(n.286) above has a plural connotation. It implies that by turning away from
God a man is subjected not to the tyranny of one, but to the tyranny of many
tawaghit (evil one). One of these is Satan, who throws up new temptations and
allurements. Another potential taghut (transgressor) is man's own animal self,
which seeks to subjugate him to his appetites and desires. There are many more
taghut in the world outside oneself ; one's wife and children, one's relatives,
one's family and one's community, one's friends and acquaintances, one's social
environment and one's people, one's leaders and guides, one's government and
rulers are all potential taghut, each one of whom seeks to have his purposes
served. Man remains subjected to these innumerable masters throughout his life,
not knowing precisely whom he should please and whose displeasure he should
avoid.
another verse
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ
سورة آل عمران الاية 2
God, there is no god but He, the Living, the Eternal.[ The Quran 3:2 ]
“ Allah there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence ”[ The Quran 3:2 ]
(3:1) Alif, Lam, Mim.
(3:2) Allah, the Ever-Living, the
Self-Subsisting, Who sustains the entire order of the universe - there is no
God but He.1
1. For explanation see ( Surah2, n. 278) above.
2: 78. Irrespective of the number of gods or objects of worship set up by
ignorant people, the fact remains that godhead in its entirety, belongs
exclusively to the Eternal Being, Who is indebted to no one for His existence. In fact, He is not only self-existent, but upon Him rests the entire
order of the universe. He alone wields all sovereign authority over His
dominion. None shares either His attributes or His power and might, and no one
has the same claims against the creatures as He. Hence, if anywhere in the
heavens or the earth someone sets up anything or anybody as an object of
worship and service (ilah) either instead of or in addition to the One True God
this amounts to declaring war on reality.
(3:3) He has revealed this Book
to you, setting forth the truth and confirming the earlier Books, and earlier
He revealed the Torah and Gospel
(3:4) for the guidance of mankind;2 and
He has also revealed the Criterion (to distinguish truth from falsehood). A
severe chastisement lies in store for those who deny the signs of Allah. Allah
is All-Mighty; He is the Lord of Retribution.
2. The Torah is generally taken to signify the first five books
of the Old Testament, and the Injil (Gospel), to mean the four Gospels of the
New Testament, even though those books form a part of it. This has sometimes
caused people to wonder if these books were indeed revealed by God. If they are
accepted as revealed, one may wonder if the Qur'an really verifies their
contents as this verse says. The fact is, however, that the Torah is not
identical with the first five books of the Old Testament even though those
books form a part of the Torah. Likewise, the Injil is not identical with the
four Gospels of the New Testament.
The fact is that the Torah, in the Qur'anic usage, signifies the revelations made to Moses (peace be on him), in about forty years, from the time he was appointed a Prophet until his death. These include the Ten Commandments', which were handed over to him inscribed on stone tablets. Moses took down the rest of the revealed injunctions and handed over one copy to each of the twelve tribes of Israel, and one copy to the Levites for safe keeping. It is this book which was known as the Torah and it existed until the first destruction of Jerusalem. The copy entrusted to the Levites was put beside the Ark of the Covenant along with the Commandment tablets, and the Israelites knew it as the Torah. The Jews, however, neglected the Book: during the reign of Josiah the King of Judah the Temple of Solomon was under repair and the high priest, Hilkiah, chanced to find the Book lying in the construction area. He gave it to the King's secretary, Shaphan, who in turn took it to the King as if it were a strange find (see 2 Kings 22: 8-13).
Hence, when the Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar, conquered Jerusalem and razed it and the Temple of Solomon to the ground, the Israelites lost for ever the few original copies of the Torah which they possessed, and which they had consigned to obscurity. At the time of Ezra the priest, some Israelites returned from captivity in Babylon, and when Jerusalem was rebuilt the entire history of Israel, which now comprises the first seventeen books of the Old Testament, was recorded by Ezra with the assistance of some other elders of the community. Four of these books, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, consist of a biographical narrative of Moses. In this biography those verses of the Torah available to Ezra and the other elders are also recorded and in the contexts in which they were revealed. The present Torah, therefore, comprises those fragments of the original book which are interspersed throughout the biography of Moses (composed in the manner described above).
In locating these fragments of the original Torah there are certain expressions which help us. These are interspersed between the different pieces of biographical narration and usually open with words such as: 'Then the Lord said to Moses', and 'Moses said, the Lord your God commands you.' These expressions, then, are fragments of the original Torah. When the biographical narration re-commences, however, we can be sure that the fragment of the true Torah has concluded. Wherever authors and editors of the Bible have added anything of their own accord, by way of either elaboration or elucidation, it has become very difficult for an ordinary reader to distinguish the original from the explanatory additions. Those with insight into Divine Scripture, however, do have the capacity to distinguish between the original revealed fragments and the later, human interpolations.
It is these scattered fragments of the original revealed Book which the Qur'an terms as the Torah, and it is these which it confirms. When these fragments are compared with the Qur'an, there is no difference between the two as regards the fundamental teachings. Whatever differences exist relate to legal matters and are of secondary importance. Even today a careful reader can appreciate that the Torah and the Qur'an have sprung from one and the same Divine source.
Likewise, Injil signifies the inspired orations and utterances of Jesus (peace be on him), which he delivered during the last two or three years of his life in his capacity as a Prophet. There are no certain means by which we can definitively establish whether or not his statements were recorded during his lifetime. It is possible that some people took notes of them and that some followers committed them to memory. After a period of time, however, several treatises on the life of Jesus were written. The authors of these treatises recorded, in connection with the biographical account, those sayings of his which they had received from the previous generation of co-religionists, in the form of either oral traditions or written notes about events in his life. As a result the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are not identical with the Injil. Rather, the Injil consists of those statements by Jesus which form part of these Gospels. Unfortunately we have no means of distinguishing the fragments of the original Injil from the pieces written by the authors themselves. All we can say is that only those sections explicitly attributed to Jesus, for example in statements such as: 'And Jesus said' and 'And Jesus taught', constitute the true Injil. It is the totality of such fragments which is designated as the Injil by the Qur'an, and it is the teachings contained in these fragments that the Qur'an confirms. If these fragments are put together and compared with the teachings of the Qur'an one notices very few discrepancies between the two, and any discrepancies that are found can be resolved easily by unbiased reflection.
The fact is that the Torah, in the Qur'anic usage, signifies the revelations made to Moses (peace be on him), in about forty years, from the time he was appointed a Prophet until his death. These include the Ten Commandments', which were handed over to him inscribed on stone tablets. Moses took down the rest of the revealed injunctions and handed over one copy to each of the twelve tribes of Israel, and one copy to the Levites for safe keeping. It is this book which was known as the Torah and it existed until the first destruction of Jerusalem. The copy entrusted to the Levites was put beside the Ark of the Covenant along with the Commandment tablets, and the Israelites knew it as the Torah. The Jews, however, neglected the Book: during the reign of Josiah the King of Judah the Temple of Solomon was under repair and the high priest, Hilkiah, chanced to find the Book lying in the construction area. He gave it to the King's secretary, Shaphan, who in turn took it to the King as if it were a strange find (see 2 Kings 22: 8-13).
Hence, when the Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar, conquered Jerusalem and razed it and the Temple of Solomon to the ground, the Israelites lost for ever the few original copies of the Torah which they possessed, and which they had consigned to obscurity. At the time of Ezra the priest, some Israelites returned from captivity in Babylon, and when Jerusalem was rebuilt the entire history of Israel, which now comprises the first seventeen books of the Old Testament, was recorded by Ezra with the assistance of some other elders of the community. Four of these books, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, consist of a biographical narrative of Moses. In this biography those verses of the Torah available to Ezra and the other elders are also recorded and in the contexts in which they were revealed. The present Torah, therefore, comprises those fragments of the original book which are interspersed throughout the biography of Moses (composed in the manner described above).
In locating these fragments of the original Torah there are certain expressions which help us. These are interspersed between the different pieces of biographical narration and usually open with words such as: 'Then the Lord said to Moses', and 'Moses said, the Lord your God commands you.' These expressions, then, are fragments of the original Torah. When the biographical narration re-commences, however, we can be sure that the fragment of the true Torah has concluded. Wherever authors and editors of the Bible have added anything of their own accord, by way of either elaboration or elucidation, it has become very difficult for an ordinary reader to distinguish the original from the explanatory additions. Those with insight into Divine Scripture, however, do have the capacity to distinguish between the original revealed fragments and the later, human interpolations.
It is these scattered fragments of the original revealed Book which the Qur'an terms as the Torah, and it is these which it confirms. When these fragments are compared with the Qur'an, there is no difference between the two as regards the fundamental teachings. Whatever differences exist relate to legal matters and are of secondary importance. Even today a careful reader can appreciate that the Torah and the Qur'an have sprung from one and the same Divine source.
Likewise, Injil signifies the inspired orations and utterances of Jesus (peace be on him), which he delivered during the last two or three years of his life in his capacity as a Prophet. There are no certain means by which we can definitively establish whether or not his statements were recorded during his lifetime. It is possible that some people took notes of them and that some followers committed them to memory. After a period of time, however, several treatises on the life of Jesus were written. The authors of these treatises recorded, in connection with the biographical account, those sayings of his which they had received from the previous generation of co-religionists, in the form of either oral traditions or written notes about events in his life. As a result the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are not identical with the Injil. Rather, the Injil consists of those statements by Jesus which form part of these Gospels. Unfortunately we have no means of distinguishing the fragments of the original Injil from the pieces written by the authors themselves. All we can say is that only those sections explicitly attributed to Jesus, for example in statements such as: 'And Jesus said' and 'And Jesus taught', constitute the true Injil. It is the totality of such fragments which is designated as the Injil by the Qur'an, and it is the teachings contained in these fragments that the Qur'an confirms. If these fragments are put together and compared with the teachings of the Qur'an one notices very few discrepancies between the two, and any discrepancies that are found can be resolved easily by unbiased reflection.
(3:5) Nothing in the earth and in
the heavens is hidden from Allah.3
3. That is, God knows all the facts of the universe. Hence the
Book which He has revealed is, of necessity, true. It may be more appropriate
to say that the unadulterated Truth can be made available to man only through
this Book, which has been revealed by the All-Knowing, All-Wise God.
(3:6) It is He Who fashions you
in the wombs as He wills.4 There is no God but He; the
All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
4. This refers to two important facts. The first is that no
being knows human nature as well as God does; it is thus imperative that man
should depend on the guidance revealed by God, something man needs the most.
The second is that the Being Who takes care of all of man's requirements, major
and minor, from the time of conception onwards, will not fail to provide
guidance for man's conduct in this life.
(3:7) It is He Who has revealed
the Book to you. Some of its verses are absolutely clear and lucid, and these
are the core of the Book.5 Others are ambiguous.6 Those
in whose hearts there is perversity, always go about the part which is
ambiguous, seeking mischief and seeking to arrive at its meaning arbitrarily,
although none knows their true meaning except Allah. On the contrary, those
firmly rooted in knowledge say: 'We believe in it; it is all from our Lord
alone.'7 No one derives true admonition from anything except
the men of understanding.
5. Muhkam means that which has been made firmly and perfectly.
The muhkam verses mentioned here are those Qur'anic verses which are embodied
in clear and lucid language and whose meaning is not liable to any ambiguity
and equivocation. The words of these verses are clear pointers to their true
meaning and, therefore, it is difficult to subject them to arbitrary
interpretation. Such verses form the core of the Holy Book; they are the verses
which fulfil the true purpose for which the Qur'an was revealed, and they
invite the whole world to Islam. They embody admonition and instruction as well
as the refutation of erroneous doctrines and the elucidation of the Right Way.
They also contain the fundamentals of the true faith; teachings relating to
belief, worship and morality, and mandatory duties and prohibitions. These are
the verses which will guide the genuine seeker after Truth who turns to the
Qur'an in order to find out what he ought and ought not to do.
6. 'Ambiguous' verses are those whose meaning may have some degree of
equivocation. It is obvious that no way of life can be prescribed for man
unless a certain amount of knowledge explaining the truth about the universe,
about its origin and end, about man's position in it and other matters of
similar importance, is intimated to him. It is also evident that the truths which
lie beyond the range of human perception have always eluded and will continue
to elude man; no words exist in the human vocabulary which either express or
portray them. In speaking about such things, we necessarily resort to words and
expressions generally employed in connection with tangible objects. In the
Qur'an, too, this kind of language is employed in relation to supernatural
matters; the verses which have been characterized as 'ambiguous' refer to such
matters.
At best, such expressions may serve to either bring man close to or enable him to formulate some view of reality, even if it is a faint one. The more one tries to determine the precise meaning of such verses, the more their ambiguities proliferate, and the more one is confronted with choosing between several plausible interpretations. All this is likely to alienate one progressively further away' from the Truth instead of bringing one closer to it. Those who seek the Truth and do not hanker after the satisfaction of their egocentric quest for exotic superfluities, will be satisfied with the dim vision of reality derived from these verses. They will concentrate their attention instead on the clear and lucid 'core' verses of the Qur'an. It will be left to those who are either out to make mischief and mislead people or who have an abnormal passion for superfluities to devote their attention to hair-splitting discussions about the contents of the 'ambiguous" verses.
At best, such expressions may serve to either bring man close to or enable him to formulate some view of reality, even if it is a faint one. The more one tries to determine the precise meaning of such verses, the more their ambiguities proliferate, and the more one is confronted with choosing between several plausible interpretations. All this is likely to alienate one progressively further away' from the Truth instead of bringing one closer to it. Those who seek the Truth and do not hanker after the satisfaction of their egocentric quest for exotic superfluities, will be satisfied with the dim vision of reality derived from these verses. They will concentrate their attention instead on the clear and lucid 'core' verses of the Qur'an. It will be left to those who are either out to make mischief and mislead people or who have an abnormal passion for superfluities to devote their attention to hair-splitting discussions about the contents of the 'ambiguous" verses.
7. This might give rise to an unnecessary problem: How can people
believe in 'ambiguous' verses when the contents of these cannot be grasped?
The fact is that a reasonable person will believe that the Qur'an is the Book of God through his reading of its clear and lucid verses, rather than by learning fanciful interpretations of the ambiguous verses. Once so convinced, he is not likely to be worried by doubts and anxieties caused by the ambiguities of the verses concerned. One who seeks the Truth is satisfied with the obvious meaning of these verses, and wherever he encounters complications and ambiguities he abstains from pursuing their solution too far. Instead of wasting his time splitting hairs, he is content to believe in the things laid down in the Book of God, without seeking to know them precisely and in detail. He turns his attention, in the main, to questions of a practical nature.
The fact is that a reasonable person will believe that the Qur'an is the Book of God through his reading of its clear and lucid verses, rather than by learning fanciful interpretations of the ambiguous verses. Once so convinced, he is not likely to be worried by doubts and anxieties caused by the ambiguities of the verses concerned. One who seeks the Truth is satisfied with the obvious meaning of these verses, and wherever he encounters complications and ambiguities he abstains from pursuing their solution too far. Instead of wasting his time splitting hairs, he is content to believe in the things laid down in the Book of God, without seeking to know them precisely and in detail. He turns his attention, in the main, to questions of a practical nature.
(3:8) They pray to Allah: 'Our
Lord! Do not let our hearts swerve towards crookedness after You have guided us
to the right way, and. bestow upon us Your mercy. Surely You, only You, are the
Munificent Giver!
(3:9) Our Lord! You surely will gather mankind
together one Day, a Day about (the coming of which) there is no doubt. Surely
Allah never goes against His promise.'
