THE DEVIATING DISCUSSIONS

29- THE DEVIATING DISCUSSIONS

WE BELIEVE that some mysterious hands have always tried to deviate and swerve Muslims from contemplation and thought over the verses of QURAN. The OMAYYED and BANIABBAS dynasties engaged the Muslims on void disputes, to answer the question whether QURAN is old or new!? Is it created or is eternally old as God!? Such prolong controversies divided the united Muslims into rival groups altercating and fighting each other. Today we know that thousands of bloods have been shed upon such arguments about nonsense, and quarrels for nothing! While any one with a common sense can answer that easily:_ If by QURØN, the paper and ink, the cover and the painting is meant, it is certainly created and is something new. On the other hand if by QURAN the meaning is the aim, it is certainly among the knowledge of God, and as the God's Attributes are not apart of His substance, one may say that QURØN is as old as God Himself. But the inhuman, merciless governors tried to keep Muslims busy on these useless subjects; and nowadays too, we see that the same thing and similar affairs happen in Muslim societies, so as to keep them aside of contemplation and thought.

30- RULES AND REGULATIONS OF COMMENTATING QURAN

WE BELIEVE that the words of QURAN should commonly be taken for their fundamental meanings and not for their connotations, with the exception of some, that clear reasons prove them to mean other ways. The verses in QURAN should never be commentated on the basis of conjectures or self interests. As an instance when we read in QURAN:_

"And he who was blind in this world, will be blind in the hereafter (next world), and most astray from the path.(of salvation)
THE HOLY QURAN _ S17: 72

We are sure enough that blind in this verse does not mean, sightless. It rather means some one who has lost his sense of understanding and judgement, and not him who has lost his sense of vision. This is because there is many a blind one, who is virtuous and truthful, and on the contrary, there are many who can see well with their eyes, but who are out of mind and their hearts are locked up and cannot use even their common sense! As another example we may consider the following verse about the enemies of Islam:_

"The parable of those who reject faith is that of a man (i.e. the prophet) who calls an animal that can hear nothing except a shout or cry. DEAF, dumb and blind are they, and void of wisdom. (they understand nothing)
THE HOLY QURAN _ S2: 171

It is evident that those heretics, who are addressed here, were not deaf, dumb or blind. We then may conclude that they were mentally such. Therefore when we read in Qur'an such verses that:_

"The HANDS of God are widely out stretched.
THE HOLY QURAN S5: 67

OR
"O,NOAH! construct the ark under OUR EYES."
S11: 37

We don't understand that God has physical hand or eye. We rather take hand to mean GOD'S POWER and the EYE to mean HIS KNOWLEDGE. This is because any material or matter consists of parts and needs time and space, as well as direction and is of course perishable. God the Almighty is far Greater and clear of having such attributes. We never take the fundamental meaning of such words as mentioned above which is not reasonable.

"We sent not any Apostle, except to teach in the language of his own people, in order to clear things for them."

THE HOLY QURAN _ S14: 4

31- THE DANGER OF SELF COMMENTARIES

WE BELIEVE that self commentary of QURAN (i.e. to use one's own views and interests in comments) is a very dangerous programme in relation to QURAN, and of course one of the few DEADLY SINS. Through a tradition God says:_

"He who commentates any words with his own views and self interest does not believe in Me!"

Evidently had he been a believer, he would not commentate the words of God to accord with his lusts and conjectures. In many important books among which we may name SAHIH TIRMIDHI page 304: It is written that the prophet has said:_

"He who commentates QURAN by his fancies, and on the basis of self interest, or what he knows not, he should prepare himself to join the Fire of HELL." By self commentary we mean to describe or explain the Quranic verses by one's own point of view. Such a commentator is not a follower of Quran, He rather tries to make Quran to follow his caprices and conjectures. If the gates of self commentaries be kept open to Quran, the sacred Book will lose importance and soon will be of no value among all, because every one could then seek to compare and conform his false ideas to Quran, as an evidence to prove. Self commentary is also in contrast with the accepted rules and regulations of Arabic literature and linguistics,. The likening of QURAN'S verses to one's fancies and conjectures will cause deviation and swerving in the straight path of the book. Self commentary consists of several branches, among which, to USE OUR the self interests is one. To make it short, as the unreasonable grasp of the fundamental meaning of the words may lead to deviation from the truth, so is self commentary,; both ways will keep the believer far apart from the excellent commandments and blessfull teaching of the Glorious Quran.

32- THE PROPHET'S METHODICAL WAY, (SUNNAT) IS TAKEN FROM THE BOOK OF GOD. (QURAN)

WE BELIEVE that no one should say the Book of God is enough for our guidance, ignoring the true traditions that we have received as to what the prophet said or how he behaved. For these traditions may serve to explain the realities, and clear the meanings of some of the more difficult verses in the Book to show us better the roots and branches of our religion.

This is because Quran has declared that the words, and the methodical ways (SUNNAT) of the prophet should serve as an example for us; as that of the God's.

"... So take whatever the Apostles assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you, and fear Allah, for Allah is strict in punishment."

THE HOLY QURAN _ S59: 7

"It is not becoming to a believer, whether man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and by His Apostle, to have any option. If anyone disobeys Allah and His Apostle he is on a clearly wrong path."

THE HOLY QURAN _ S33: 36

"He (i.e. Muhammad) does not speak out of his own fancy, His speech is none except that which is inspired to him from God. (i.e. what he says is none but inspired revelation)

THE HOLY QURAN _ S53: 2_3

Those who are indifferent to the SUNNAT of the prophet are in fact ignoring QURAN and the inspired REVELATION. Of course whatever is related to the prophet must be clearly proved: That, it really is said by the prophet, and it is not forged. We cannot easily accept whatever is ascribed to the prophet to be truly of Him! Imam Ali in one of his speeches WHICHIS collected in the famous book, named NAHJOL BALAGHEH has said, "So many lies were forged and ascribed to the prophet. So much so that one day he got up and said to an audience. `He who ascribes a lie to me should prepare himself to take his place in the Fire of Hell.'" A similar tradition is also written in the famous book SAHIH BUKHARI volume one; page 38.