Interpre’ng)the)Quran) Messages)of)Peace… Interpretation web.pdf · ·...
Transcript of Interpre’ng)the)Quran) Messages)of)Peace… Interpretation web.pdf · ·...
• The last book of God • Complete guidance for mankind • In Arabic language • Contains 114 chapters
• Some of the names of chapters are Mary, Joseph Noah and Merciful
• Approximately 6600 verses • Unchangeable -‐ Today’s Quran is exactly as it was revealed to Prophet Muhammad
• Underlying meaning of Quran cannot change but the applica'on may vary.
• Muslim scholars have a duty to guide the muslims regarding the best implementa'on of Quran in current 'mes.
Quran
• Verses of Quran mainly revolve around: • One God -‐ Allah • Prophet Muhammad • Earlier prophets and their communi'es, including prophet Moses and Jesus
• Life aTer death • Permissible and Prohibited -‐ Halal & Haram
Quran
Prophet’s life & Quran
Life in Makkah
40 years prior to becoming a Prophet
13 years aTer being a Prophet:
Quran is mostly used about:
Oneness of Allah Life aTer death
& Asking believers to be pa'ent
Life in Madina
Last 10 years in Madina:
New Muslim state is being born.
Quran gives rules about running and managing a state.
Sources of Muslim Law 1st: Quran
Some orders of Quran are clear. Some ambiguous.
2nd: Hadith
Prophe'c tradi'ons: Sayings and ac'ons of Prophet Muhammad and his companions. Complements the Quran
3rd: Consensus of Scholars
Ij'had: When there is no clear ruling in Quran and Hadith, scholars use their own intellectual tools to define a new rule (within the boundaries of Islam)
• There is no clergy in Islam. • Muslims have decentralised clergy system. • Anyone can become Imam (leader of prayer) and Kha'b (preacher)
• But generally knowledgeable and respectable people will be appointed as Imams.
• They may be appointment by the local communi'es, affiliated na'onal organisa'ons or na'onal governments.
• Depending on their appointments, the Imams are accountable to their elected bodies
Muslim Clergy
• Different 'tles are given to religious leaders depending upon their exemplary knowledge such as Hafiz, MuTi, Muhaddith and Mofassir.
• A scholar's opinions may be valuable to others because of his/her knowledge in religious maeers; but such opinions should not generally be considered binding, infallible, or absolute.
Muslim Clergy
s s
Imams of Mosques
Small Islamic Schools
(Madrasa)
National Islamic Organisations (such as Al-
Azhar)
Imams of Mosques
Small Islamic Schools
(Madrasa)
National Islamic Organisations
(such as Al-Azhar)
School of Thought School of Thought
Heads talking to each other over na'onal issues.
s
Imams of Mosques
Small Islamic Schools
(Madrasa)
National Islamic Organisations (such as Al-
Azhar)
School of Thought
Its their duty to issues fatwa – religious edicts
Imam Shafi says to Fatwa a person must have following quali'es: Know en're Quran What verses were abrogated Knows full Prophe'c tradi'on Correct and false sayings Arabic language at the 'me of Prophet Poetry of Arab Culture of various peoples Community issues If a person has above aeributes, he may speak on what is permieed and what is forbidden. Otherwise he has no right to issue a fatwā.
Who can give Fatwa
InterpreEng the Quran
• Quranic interpretators have highlighted 15 fields that need to be mastered in order to interpret the Quran correctly and authorita'vely.
• Mainly these include: • Comprehensive and in depth understanding of Arabic language.
• Islamic Beliefs • Prophe'c tradi'ons • Islamic Jurisprudence • Context of revela'on • Knowledge of Abrogated verses
InterpreEng the Quran
• Warning:
• "He who says (something) concerning the Qur'ân without knowledge, he has taken his seat of fire” (Tirmizi)
Jihad
What is Jihad? “a holy war undertaken by Muslims against non-‐believers”. (not correct defini'on) • Jihad is a very misunderstood term in the West (and now within the Muslims)
• Misused term • Jihad is a very holy duty of Muslims
• “Those who believe, and emigrate, and strive (jahadu) in the cause of God with their money and their lives, are far greater in rank in the sight of God. These are the winners.” 9:20
Jihad
Jihad: Striving in the way of Allah
Speech -‐ tongue Wri'ngs – pen Hand – Time Money Struggle with oneself
Sword
Islamic teachings about wars, ethics of war, peace and social jus'ce: Verses about war / baeles -‐ Quran is a last book of Allah giving guidance to humanity for all 'mes and ages. It must talk about war and its ethics.
من قتل نفسا بغير نفس أو فساد في األرض فكأنما قتل الناس جميعا ومن أحياها فكأنما أحيا الناس جميعا Whosoever kills a person unless it be for manslaughter or for mischief in the land, it is as though he has killed all men; and whoever keeps it alive, it is as though he kept alive all men; (5:32) Imam Maturidi says that a one who considers lawful to kill innocent people he has commieed disbelief. Imam Mujahid said that such person will go to Hell
Islam is against killing
وال تقتلوا النفس التي حرم الله إلا باحلق "and do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden except for the requirements of jus'ce" (6:151)
Islam is against killing
إنه هو وإن جنحوا للسلم فاجنح لها وتوكل على الله السميع العليم
And if they incline to peace, then incline to it and trust in Allah; surely He is the Hearing, the Knowing. (8:61) The great exegete Imam Zamakhshari, Imam Biqa`i and many others interprets the verse as applicable to all 'mes. [Zamakhshari, Kashaf; Biqa`i, Nadhm al-‐Durar]
Islam propagates peace
لا ينهاكم الله عن الذين لم يقاتلوكم في الدين ولم يخرجوكم من إن الله يحب املقسطني دياركم أن تبروهم وتقسطوا إليهم Allah does not forbid you respec'ng those who have not made war against you on account of your religion, and have not driven you away from your homes, that you show them kindness and deal with them justly; surely Allah loves the doers of jus'ce. (60:8)
Islam propagates peace
'When the Messenger of God a would dispatch his troops he would say [to them], "Do not act treacherously, do not steal the spoils of war, do not disfigure the dead bodies, and do not kill children and priests". (Musnad Ahmad)
Killing Innocent Women and Children
'Do not kill a young boy, a woman or an old man. Do not cause fountains to dry up and do not destroy any trees, except those which cause hindrance during war. Mu'late neither a human nor an animal, and do not break a promise or breach a trust'. (al Bayhaqi)
Killing Innocent Women and Children
“You shall spend in the cause of God; do not throw yourselves with your own hands into destruc'on. You shall be charitable; God loves the charitable.” 2:195 “And whoever commits suicide with piece of iron will be punished with the same piece of iron in the Hell Fire.”
“It is not fixng that anyone but the Lord of the fire should punish with the fire”. (Abu Daood)
Against Suicides
Paradise is forbidden for those who kill non-‐muslims 'Any Muslim who unjustly kills a non-‐Muslim with whom there is a peace treaty, God will make Paradise forbidden for him'. (Nisai)
Killing Innocent non-‐muslims
Islam does not allow anyone to punish common people for the oppressive ac'ons of oppressors. 'No man amongst them the peaceful non-‐Muslim ci'zens shall be punished as a penalty for the injus'ce of a coreligionist'. (Abu Yusuf Kitab al-‐Kharaj)
Killing Innocent non-‐muslims
'Beware! Whoever wrongs a non-‐Muslim ci'zen, or diminishes any of his rights, or imposes on him more than he can bear, or takes anything from him without his consent, I shall plead on his behalf on the Day of Resurrec'on'. (Abu Dawud) 'Whoever hurts a non-‐Muslim ci'zen, I shall be his opponent. And when I am someone's adversary, I shall overcome him on the Day of Resurrec'on'. (Tarikh Baghdadi)
Rights of non-‐muslims
'Whoever rebels against the writ of the Muslim state [and challenges its authority] and separates himself from the community and then dies, he dies the death of one in a state of Jahiliyya [pre-‐Islamic 'me of ignorance]. And whoever fights under a blind banner, becomes angry for the sake of ignorant bigotry, calls to ignorant bigotry and gives support to blind bigotry and is then killed, his death is one of Jahiliyya. And whoever secedes from my na'on [and rebels against the state, raising troops], killing its righteous and sinful members and feels no compunc'on [in killing] its believers and does not fulfil the oath of the one from whom an oath is taken, then he is not from me and I am not from him'. (Muslim)
Rebellion against Muslim States
فإذا انسلخ األشهر احلرم فاقتلوا املشركني حيث وجدتموهم وخذوهم إن الله فإن تابوا وأقاموا الصالة وآتوا الزكاة فخلوا سبيلهم واحصروهم واقعدوا لهم كل مرصد غفور رحيم So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them cap'ves and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-‐rate, leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (9:5)
Verse of the Sword
The Verse of the Sword deals specifically with the situa'on of Meccan polytheists breaking peace trea'es and openly declaring war on the Muslim polity. The verse, then, commands the Muslim state to take up arms and defend itself against those that breached their covenants and aeacked out of treachery. This explana'on is confirmed by the most reliable Imams of Qur’anic exegesis [tafsir], including Imam Razi, Imam Jamal, Imam Zamakhshari, Imam Baydawi, Imam Nasafi, Imam Biqa`i, and others.
Context of the Verse of the Sword
The verse, therefore, can by no means be generalised to refer to all disbelievers. Such an interpreta'on is not confirmed by scholars of Quranic interpreta'on. It would be both contrary to the intent of the verses as well as disastrous for the security of both Muslim and non-‐Muslim ci'zens and na'on-‐states.
Context of the Verse of the Sword
بعضهم أولياء بعض يا أيها الذين آمنوا ال تتخذوا اليهود والنصارى أولياء • you who believe! take not the Jews and the Chris'ans as your
friends: They are but friends to each other. (5:51) • In this verse, the word "Awliya" is used. • It is a plural and its singular is "wali". • The correct transla'on of the word ""wali"" is not "friend" but it
is someone who is very close and in'mate. It is also used to mean "guardian, protector, patron, lord and master".
• So Allah is saying that don’t take them as your lord or master
Don’t take non-‐muslims as your friends
And come not near to unlawful sexual intercourse. Verily, it is a Fahishah [i.e. anything that transgresses its limits (a great sin)], and an evil way [17:32] Verily, Allah enjoins jus'ce and excellence giving assistance and support to your family and forbids sexual indecency, wickedness and oppression of others. He admonishes you; that you may take heed [16:90]
Against Sexual Grooming
"Take my advice with regard to women: Act kindly towards women (Bukhari) "The believers who show the most perfect Faith are those who have the best behaviour, and the best of you are those who are the best to their women" (Tirmidhi) "O Allah, I declare inviolable the rights of two weak ones: the orphans and women". (An Nasa’i)
Against Sexual Grooming