Towards Understanding the Qur'an. Sayyid Abul A'la Mawdudi
Introduction
Disagreements of the second kind, however, are of an altogether different character and lead to ruin and destruction of the people among whom they arise. Far from being a sign of health, their emergence is symptomatic of a grave sickness.
The first kind of disagreement exists among scholars who are all agreed that it is their duty to obey God and His Prophet. They also agree that the Qur’an and the Sunnah are their main sources of guidance. Thus, when scholarly investigation on some subsidiary question leads two or more scholars to disagree, or when two judges disagree in their judgement on some dispute, they regard neither their judgement, nor the questions on which their opinion has been expressed, as fundamentals of faith. They do not accuse those who disagree with their opinion of having left the fold of true faith. What each does is rather to proffer his arguments showing that he has done his best to investigate the matter thoroughly. It is then left to the courts (in judicial matters) and to public opinion (if the matter relates to the community at large) either to prefer whichever opinion seems the sounder, or to accept both opinions as equally permissible.
Schism occurs when the very fundamentals are made a matter of dispute and controversy. It may also happen that some scholar, mystic, mufti, or leader pronounces on a question to which God and His Messenger have not attached fundamental importance, exaggerating the significance of the question to such an extent that it is transformed into a basic issue of faith. Such people usually go one step further, declaring all who disagree with their opinion to have forsaken the true faith and set themselves outside the community of true believers. They may even go so far as to organize those who agree with them into a sect, claiming that sect to be identical with the Islamic community, and declaring that everyone who does not belong to it is destined to Hell-fire!
Whenever the Qur’an denounces schismatic disagreements and sectarianism, its aim is to denounce this latter kind of disagreement. As for disagreements of the first category, we encounter several examples of these even during the life of the Prophet. The Prophet not only accepted the validity of such disagreements, he even expressed approval of them. For this kind of disagreement shows
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Towards Understanding the Qur’an
that a community is not lacking in the capacity for thought, for enquiry and investigation, for grasping or wrestling with the problems it faces. It also shows that the intelligent members of the community are earnestly concerned about their religion and how to apply its injunctions to the problems of human life. It shows too that their intellectual capacities operate within the broad framework of their religion, rather than searching beyond its boundaries for solutions to their problems. And it proves that the community is following the golden path of moderation. Such moderation preserves its unity by broad agreement on fundamentals, and at the same time provides its scholars and thinkers with full freedom of enquiry so that they may achieve fresh insights and new interpretations within the framework of the fundamental principles of Islam.
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It is not intended here to survey all the questions which may arise in the mind of a student of the Qur’an. Many questions relate to specific surahs or verses, and they are explained in the relevant notes. This introduction confines itself to basic questions related to the understanding of the Qur’an as a whole.
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Al-Fatihah 1: 1–7
(The Opening)
(Makkan Period)
(1) In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.
(2) Praise1 be to Allah, the Lord2 of the entire Universe, (3) the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate; (4) the Master of the Day of Recompense.
(5) You alone do we worship3 and You alone do we turn to for help.
(6) Direct us on to the Straight Way, the way of those whom You have favoured, (7) who did not incur Your wrath, who are not astray.4 ▶
1 Al-Fatihah is actually a prayer, which God teaches to all who embark upon the study of His Book. Its position at the beginning signifies that anyone who wants to benefit from the Book should first offer this prayer to the Lord of the Universe.
2 The word Rabb has three connotations: (i) Lord and Master, (ii) Sustainer, Provider, Supporter, Nourisher and Guardian, and (iii) Sovereign, He Who controls and directs. God is Rabb of the Universe in all these senses.
3 [Ibadah is also used in three senses: (i) worship, prayer and adoration, (ii) submission and obedience, and (iii) bondage and servitude.
4 Al-Fatihah is a prayer from man to God, and the rest of the Qur’an is God’s response to this prayer. Man prays to God to show him the Straight Way. In response to this prayer God offers the Qur’an as the true guidance, the “Straight Way,” which man has sought and prayed for.
1
Al-Baqarah 2: 1–4
(The Cow)
(Madinan Period)
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.
(1) Alif, Lam, Mim.1 (2) This is the Book of Allah, there is no doubt in it; it is a guidance for the pious, (3) for those who believe in the existence of that which is beyond the reach of perception,2 who establish Prayer3 and spend out of what We have provided them, (4) who believe in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed before you, and have firm faith in the Hereafter. ▶
1 The names of letters of the Arabic alphabet, called huruf muqatta[at, occur at the beginning of several surahs of the Qur’an. There is no consensus among the commentators of the Qur’an as to their precise meanings. It is obvious, however, that deriving the right guidance from the Qur’an does not depend on grasping the meaning of these vocables.
2 Ghayb signifies the verities which are hidden from man’s senses and are beyond the scope of man’s ordinary observation and experience such as God’s essence and attributes, the Angels, the process of revelation, Paradise, Hell, and so on.
3 The expression “establishment of Prayer” has a wider meaning than mere performance of Prayer. It means that the system of Prayer should be organized on a collective basis. If there is a person in a locality who prays individually but no arrangements are made for congregational Prayer, it cannot be claimed that Prayer is established in that locality.
2
Al-Baqarah 2: 5–10
(5) Such are on true guidance from their Lord; such are the truly successful.
(6) As for those who have rejected (these truths), it is all the same whether or not you warn them, for they will not believe. (7) Allah has sealed their hearts and their hearing,4 and a covering has fallen over their eyes. They