Tafsir of the Holy Qur'an, as one of the most eminent fields within Islamic sciences, serves as a gateway to profound comprehension of the Divine Word. Verses 32 and 33 of Surah Al-Furqan, centred on the gradual revelation of the Holy Qur'an and the refutation of the disbelievers doubts, are among the verses that beautifully manifest the Divine wisdom behind the method of the revelation of the scripture. This section, relying on a methodological interpretive approach and a scientific, systematic perspective, analyses these verses and the associated doubts. The aim is to provide a comprehensive and profound viewpoint for specialised audiences, which, whilst preserving the originality of the Divine Word, utilises refined Persian allegories and references to enhance the literary and scientific richness of the text.
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْآنُ جُمْلَةً وَاحِدَةً ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِ فُؤَادَكَ ۖ وَرَتَّلْنَاهُ تَرْتِيلًا
And the disbelievers said: "Why was the Qur'an not revealed to him all at once?" Thus [it was revealed], that We might strengthen your heart thereby, and We have recited it to you gradually and with due measure.
وَلَا يَأْتُونَكَ بِمَثَلٍ إِلَّا جِئْنَاكَ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَحْسَنَ تَفْسِيرًا
And no similitude do they bring to you except that We bring the truth and the best explanation.
The lecture commences with a blessed prayer: "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful; all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and prayers and peace be upon the servant of Allah, His Messenger and beloved, His chosen and keeper of His secret, and the messenger of the message of our master and prophet, Abu al-Qasim Muhammad, and upon his family, the infallible Imams, and a perpetual curse upon all their enemies." This prayer not only creates a spiritual ambience for entering the tafsir but, by mentioning the attributes of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) such as "keeper of His secret" and "messenger of the message," underscores his central role in the exposition of the revelation. This introduction acts as a key that opens the doors to understanding the Holy Qur'an and demonstrates adherence to the Islamic tradition in the interpretation of the Divine Word.
Key point: The opening prayer, beyond creating a spiritual atmosphere, emphasises the profound connection between the Prophet (PBUH) and the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) with the understanding of the Holy Qur'an. This bond forms the foundational methodology of tafsir that interprets the revelation in the light of Prophetic and Alawi guidance.
Tafsir is the description of the apparent meaning of the Holy Qur'an, whereas Ta'wil pertains to uncovering its inner and deeper significances. This distinction provides a methodological framework for analysing the verses. Tafsir elucidates the vocabulary, context, and apparent objectives of the verses, while Ta'wil reveals metaphysical layers and intrinsic meanings. This definition aligns with traditional viewpoints, such as those found in Allameh Tabatabai's "Al-Mizan," emphasising the importance of both approaches in understanding the Holy Qur'an.
The Holy Qur'an explicitly employs the term "tafsir" only in one instance, probably in verse 33 of Surah Al-Furqan: "And no similitude do they bring to you except that We bring the truth and the best explanation." However, instances of tafsir are dispersed throughout the Qur'an and require extraction through precise interpretative methods. This point stresses the necessity of research in the verses to uncover interpretative meanings and invites scholars to delve deeper into the Divine Word.
وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا
And the Messenger said: "O my Lord, indeed my people have taken this Qur'an as abandoned."
This verse (Al-Furqan: 30) expresses the Prophets complaint about his peoples neglect of the Holy Qur'an. Neglect signifies distancing oneself from comprehending and practising the Divine Word. This complaint lays the groundwork for discussion regarding the Prophets challenges in conveying the revelation and connects the subsequent verses as Divine responses to these difficulties.
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَدُوًّا مِنَ الْمُجْرِمِينَ
And thus We have made for every prophet an enemy from among the criminals.
God, in verse 31 of Surah Al-Furqan, consoles the Prophet that his difficulties are not unique, and that every prophet has faced adversaries from among the sinners. This verse explains the Divine tradition in testing the prophets and invites the Prophet to patience and perseverance.
Key point: The universality of prophets challenges is a sign of the Divine tradition in prophethood. This verse calls the Prophet to reliance upon God and endurance in the face of adversaries.
وَكَفَىٰ بِرَبِّكَ هَادِيًا وَنَصِيرًا
And sufficient is your Lord as a guide and helper.
God calls the Prophet to trust in Divine guidance and assistance. This phrase demonstrates the principle of monotheism in guidance and liberates the Prophet from concern regarding his enemies. This message serves as a torch that illuminates the Prophets path amid the darkness of difficulties.
The disbelievers, citing verse 32 of Surah Al-Furqan, challenged the gradual revelation of the Holy Qur'an and considered it a sign of the Divine Words non-Divine origin. They said: "Why was the Qur'an not revealed to him all at once?" This doubt stems from a misunderstanding of Divine wisdom, since gradual revelation corresponded to the capacity of the audience and societal needs.
Key point: The disbelievers doubt signifies their ignorance regarding Divine wisdom. Gradual revelation is not a deficiency but an indication of the congruence of the revelation with human necessities.
God, in the Holy Qur'an, faithfully and precisely conveys the words of the disbelievers, which is a sign of Divine justice and magnanimity. This approach resembles a mirror reflecting the truth without distortion and provides a model for ethical debate. God has no need to distort the words of opponents, as the truthfulness of His Word itself answers the doubts.
In an unfair debate, the opposing partys statements are distorted for easy refutation, but God, by faithfully transmitting the doubts, demonstrates the strength of His argumentation. This method is a great lesson for scholars to observe fairness and integrity when critiquing opposing views. Like a gardener carefully pruning unhealthy branches, God responds to doubts with reason and fairness.
The disbelievers likened the gradual revelation to a rough draft or patchwork and considered it a sign of weakness. This mockery is akin to throwing stones at the sun, which not only misses its target but also reveals the ignorance of the thrower. Gradual revelation is Divine wisdom aligning the revelation with the progressive needs of humanity.
The disbelievers argued that if God is All-Knowing, why did He reveal the Qur'an gradually? This doubt arises from a lack of understanding of Divine wisdom. Gods knowledge does not prevent gradual revelation; rather, this method is like a stream that slowly quenches the thirsty earth, nurturing humanity gradually.
The distinction between "Anzal" (sudden revelation) and "Nazal" (gradual revelation) is explained from the perspective of Arabic morphology and syntax. "Tanzil", from the form of reflexive verbs, indicates a continuous and gradual process, while "Anzal", from the verb form I, emphasises a sudden revelation. The disbelievers mistakenly used "Nazal", which indicates their demand for continuous gradual revelation rather than sudden. This choice of word is like a key that unlocks the secret of the disbelievers doubt.
Key point: The linguistic precision of the Qur'an in selecting "Nazal" instead of "Anzal" indicates Divine fidelity in transmitting doubts and wisdom in responding to them.
God faithfully transmits the doubts of the disbelievers accurately and, with comprehensive answers, establishes the truthfulness of the Holy Qur'an. This method resembles a just scale that weighs words without diminution and reveals the truth.
The revelation of the Holy Qur'an is gradual but continuous (connected), not intermittent and scattered. This continuity is like a string linking the precious beads of the verses, demonstrating Divine order and harmony. Connected revelation corresponds with societal needs and enables continuous interaction with the revelation.
God,
