Prolegomena Lesson 18 Chapter 9 Evidence based on the literal sense of the Qur’an.

comprehensible language Undoubtedly, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) did not invent for himself a special way to explain his intentions. He communicated with his people through the ways of explaining and speaking to which they were accustomed. He brought the quran in order that they would understand its meanings and reflect on its verses, so they could carry out its injunctions and be restrained by its threats. This purpose of the quran is stated repeatedly in the quran itself. Thus, God, the Exalted, says: Will they then not meditate on the quran, or are there locks on their hearts? ( Q. 47:24). أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَى قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا And verily we have coined for mankind in this quran all kinds of similitude, that, haply, they may reflect ( Q. 39:27). وَلَقَدْ ضَرَبْنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِي هَذَا الْقُرْآنِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍ لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ

Clear Arabic language وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنزِيلُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ {192} [Shakir 26:192] And most surely this is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds. نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ {193} [Shakir 26:193] The Faithful Spirit has descended with it, عَلَى قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُنذِرِينَ {194} [Shakir 26:194] Upon your heart that you may be of the warners بِلِسَانٍ عَرَبِيٍّ مُّبِينٍ {195} [Shakir 26:195] In plain Arabic language.

Easy language فَإِنَّمَا يَسَّرْنَاهُ بِلِسَانِكَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ [Shakir 44:58] So have We made it easy in your tongue that they may be mindful. وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ [Shakir 54:17] And certainly We have made the Quran easy for remembrance, but is there anyone who will mind?

Literal meaning of the Qur’an is Proof: The indications of authority of the literal meanings of the words of Qur’an: 1-The quran was revealed as proof of the message of the Prophet, and the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) challenged all humankind to produce the like of at least one sura of it. This corroborates the fact that the Arabs understood the objectives of the quran from its apparent meanings. Had the quran been a riddle, it would have been inappropriate to call upon them to counter it, nor would its inimitability have been established for them, because they would not have been able to understand it. This is certainly contrary to the purpose of revealing the Qur'an and calling the people to believe in it.

2-The narrations: The well-known traditions commanding people to adhere to "the two things of high estimation" (thaqalayn), which the Prophet left among the Muslims, clearly demonstrate that the meaning of "adherence" to the Book is to follow it and to act upon its contents. It could not have had any other meaning.

3-Criteria for contradicting narrations There are numerous sound traditions (MOPTAWATIRAH) that demand that traditions should be compared to the Qur'an, and that any that disagree with it should be discarded and regarded as invalid or vain; or the people should be forbidden to accept them; or the leading compilers [of the traditions] did not transmit them. These traditions explicitly establish the evidential nature of the apparent meanings of the qur ʾ an, and that its apparent sense is comprehensible to all linguists who are competent in Arabic. Among these traditions are those which demand that the very prerequisites for a sound tradition should be examined in the light of the Book of God, and those of them that do not comply with it should be rejected.

4-Infallibles (A) referring to the Qur’an: Inferences from Qur'anic verses were used by the Imams (peace be upon them) in their legal and other rulings. Among these are [the following]: a. The opinion of the Imam al-S ̣ diq (peace be upon him) when Zurāra asked him how he knew that wiping [mash ̣, in the ablution] was to be performed only on part of the head: The Imam replied, "[Because of the] position of [the preposition] bi." 1 His opinion regarding a person who prolongs sitting in the lavatory to listen to the musical performance [in the neighborhood], with the excuse that he had not come to it for that purpose. He [ al-S ̣ ādiq] reminded him: "Have you not heard what God, the Exalted, said: 'Lo! the hearing and the sight and the heart-- of each of these will be asked'" ( Q. 17:36). وَلاَ تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولـئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْؤُولاً

Conclusion: Relying on the apparent/obvious/literal meanings Since the Holy Qur'an was revealed in a way which could be easily understandable to the Arabs in that time, except a few allegorical verses, most of the Qur'an is understandable by the use of technique of relying on the apparent meaning without the existence of a clue or Qareena which may divert the literal or the obvious meaning to metaphorical or unobvious meaning.

Those who reject acting on the literal meaning: (some Mohaditheen) The principle of election for the understanding of the Qur'an. According to this argument, the understanding of the quran is limited to those to whom it was addressed. The [traditions] supported this claim with a number of traditions on this subject. Among these is the mursal tradition, related by Shu ʾ ayb b. Anas, about the Imam al- ṣ ādiq (peace be upon him), who is reported to have asked Abū H ̣ anīfa: "Are you the jurist of the people of Iraq?" He said, "Yes." The Imam asked, "On what do you base your legal opinions to them?" He replied, "On the Book of God and the practice (sunna) of His Prophet." The Imam asked, "O Abū H ̣ anīfa! Do you know the Book of God as it should be known? And do you recognize the abrogating verses from the abrogated verses?" He said, "Yes." The Imam said: "Woe unto you, O Abū H ̣ anīfa! You have claimed a knowledge which God has placed in none other than those upon whom He revealed the Book. Woe unto you, He did not place such knowledge except with the selected ones among the progeny of our Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny). Moreover, God, the Exalted, has not bequeathed on you even a word."

2 nd narration: ZAID ASHAHAAM Qatāda came to see Abū Jafer (al-Bāqir] (peace be upon him). The Imam asked him, "Are you the jurist of the people of Basra?" He replied, "So they claim." The Imam said, "It has reached me that you interpret (tufassir) the Qur'an." He said, "Yes." [The conversation went on] until the Imam said: "O Qatāda, if you explain the Quran on the basis of your own opinion, then, indeed, you are doomed and have caused others to be doomed. And if you explain it on the basis of the opinions of the transmitters of tradition (al-rijāl), then, too, you are doomed and have caused others to be doomed. O Qatāda, woe unto you! The Qur'an is known to those to whom it has been addressed.“ (The Prophet (S))

The respond: If these narrations are valid then they are indicating the following: 1.The Prohibition is to interpret the Qur’an with the personal opinion, and that is different from relying on the literal meaning. 2.The prohibition is to uncover the hidden meaning which requires QAREENA, and the strong narrations indicating the QAREENA, or referring to the infallibles (AS) who know every hidden meaning of the Qur’an. 3.Interpreting the hidden or concealed meanings without referring to AHLUL BAYT (AS) who posses the knowledge of the Qur’an and every thing related to the Qur’an such as the issue of abrogation.