of Nokounam (Session 19)
The Holy Qur'an, as the Divine Word and an unparalleled source of human guidance, transcends a mere textual recitation or verbal script; it is a comprehensive and practical book that plays a pivotal role across all aspects of human lifefrom empirical sciences to politics and culture. Nonetheless, in contemporary Islamic societies, this heavenly book has been relegated to a ceremonial and superficial status, diverging from its causal and practical role.
This work, adopting an exegetical and scholarly approach, examines the concept of the "marginalisation of the Holy Qur'an" and stresses the necessity of reviving its practical position in all dimensions of life. The objective of this treatise is to redefine the human relationship with the Holy Qur'an so that, rather than mere formal reverence, it operates as a vanguard and pioneer in the scientific, social, and cultural guidance of societies.
The structure of this book is presented in systematic sections, each addressing an aspect of the marginalisation of the Holy Qur'an and proposing solutions for the revival of its role. By utilising Qur'anic verses, exegetical analyses, and literary analogies, an endeavour has been made to provide rich, coherent content tailored to educated audiences and academic settings.
The Holy Qur'an, unlike fragmentary books that address limited aspects of human life, is a wholesome, comprehensive, and multidimensional book that encompasses innate disposition, nature, and humanity. This Divine book is not merely a collection of verbal and recitational verses but an educational and guiding source that offers solutions for all spheres of human existence.
Emphasising the multidimensional nature of the Holy Qur'an is an invitation to reconsider traditional approaches that regard this book solely as a text for recitation or memorisation. The Holy Qur'an, akin to a flowing spring, is capable of satiating all human needs within scientific, social, and cultural domains. This perspective introduces the Qur'an as a dynamic source capable of knowledge production and addressing contemporary issues.
وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ (النحل: ٨٩)
"And We have sent down to you the Book as an exposition of all things."
This verse emphasises the comprehensiveness of the Holy Qur'an, indicating that this Divine book responds to all human needs, provided its principles and rules are extracted and applied practically.
The multidimensional nature of the Holy Qur'an distinguishes it from other books. To benefit from this immense capacity, a novel approach to interacting with the Qur'an is requiredone that transcends recitation and memorisation to extract its practical principles.
The Holy Qur'an must be implemented practically and actively across all fields of human life, including sciences, politics, culture, and society. This practical approach transforms the Qur'an from a theoretical text into an effective and influential agent, enabling it to take the lead and pioneer in various life arenas.
The practical application of the Holy Qur'an necessitates that this Divine book serves as the foundation for legislation, policymaking, and knowledge production. Currently, the absence of this approach in many Islamic societies hinders the fulfilment of Divine promises, such as the superiority of the believers.
كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ (آل عمران: ١١٠)
"You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind."
This verse considers the superiority of the believers conditional upon acting according to the Holy Qur'an. The failure to realise this superiority in contemporary Islamic societies is the result of the Qur'ans marginalisation and its limitation to ceremonial roles.
To revive the causal role of the Holy Qur'an, scientific and cultural infrastructures must be established to position this Divine book as the foundation of all human activities. This requires a redefinition of the role of scientific and religious institutions.
In many Islamic societies, the Holy Qur'an has been sidelined from its causal and guiding position and is regarded as a feeble and powerless guest, receiving only superficial respect. This passivity prevents the growth and progress of Islamic societies.
During the early Islamic era, the Holy Qur'an was the axis of social and cultural transformations, even eliciting sensitivity from adversaries. However, today, due to the absence of the Qur'ans practical presence, it is not even challenged by opponents. This situation is the outcome of the passivity of Islamic societies in utilising the capacities of the Holy Qur'an.
وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا (الفرقان: ٣٠)
"And the Messenger said, 'O my Lord, indeed my people have taken this Qur'an as [a thing] abandoned.'"
This verse reflects the complaint of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) regarding the marginalisation of the Holy Qur'an, which is the consequence of neglecting it and restricting it to superficial roles.
The marginalisation of the Holy Qur'an constitutes a fundamental challenge in Islamic societies, which can only be addressed through the revival of its practical and causal role. This requires earnest action and a reconsideration of traditional approaches.
When the Holy Qur'an manifests practically across various domains, it illuminates the world and restores the true status of Muslims. This illumination is realised solely through acting upon the Qur'an.
The Holy Qur'an, like a radiant sun, is capable of dispelling the darkness of ignorance and deviation from human societies. This illumination encompasses not only Muslims but all humanity.
قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ نُورٌ وَكِتَابٌ مُبِينٌ (المائدة: ١٥)
"There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book."
The realisation of this luminosity necessitates the global propagation of Qur'anic sciences.
The luminous role of the Holy Qur'an is actualised solely through its active presence in all spheres of human life. This is a historic responsibility incumbent upon Islamic societies and academic institutions.
Merely reciting the Holy Qur'an without practising its teachings leads to self-deception. Ritualistic uses, such as reciting during ceremonies or placing the Qur'an in vehicles, impede the fulfilment of its guiding role.
In many Islamic societies, the Holy Qur'an has become a tool for sanctification and rituals. This approach contradicts the primary objective of the Qur'ans revelation, which is guidance and reformation.
Verse: فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ (Al-Muzzammil: 20)
Translation: So recite what is easy [for you] of the Qur'an.
This verse recommends the recitation of the Qur'an, but such recitation must be accompanied by contemplation and practice to lead to the desired outcome.
Formalistic and ritualistic recitations prevent the realisation of the immense capacities of the Holy Qur'an. To benefit from this divine book, recitation must be coupled with practice and reflection.
The Holy Qur'an is a comprehensive source addressing all human needs, encompassing scientific, social, political, and psychological matters. This divine book serves as healing and mercy for the believers, and brings nothing but loss to the wrongdoers.
The Holy Qur'an, akin to a boundless ocean, embraces all human needs. This comprehensiveness makes it a universal source from which even non-believers may benefit.
Verse: وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلَا يَزِيدُ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارًا (Al-Isra: 82)
Translation: And We send down from the Qur'an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.
This verse emphasises the healing role of the Holy Qur'an, which is conditional upon adherence to it. The failure to realise this role results from the neglect of the Qur'an in Islamic societies.
The comprehensiveness and healing power of the Holy Qur'an make it an unparalleled source for human guidance. Realising this capacity necessitates extracting its scientific and practical principles.
The Holy Qur'an possesses an immense power to induce profound transformations across all dimensions of human life. This divine book is capable of moving mountains, fracturing the earth, and speaking with the dead.
The transformative power of the Holy Qur'an, like a mighty wind, can remove the obstacles of ignorance and deviation. This capacity, if applied practically, manifests in scientific, social, and cultural fields.
Verse: وَلَوْ أَنَّ قُرْآنًا سُيِّرَتْ بِهِ الْجِبَالُ أَوْ قُطِّعَتْ بِهِ الْأَرْضُ أَوْ كُلِّمَ بِهِ الْمَوْتَى (Ar-Ra'd: 31)
Translation: And if there were a Qur'an by which the mountains were set in motion or the earth was broken apart or the dead were spoken to.
This verse stresses the potential power of the Holy Qur'an which, when acted upon, will bring about tremendous transformations.
The transformative power of the Holy Qur'an places a heavy responsibility on Islamic societies to position this divine book as the focal point of scientific and social changes.
The Holy Qur'an even astonishes beings endowed with extensive knowledge, such as the jinn. This astonishment is a sign of the depth and grandeur of this divine book.
The jinn, despite their vast knowledge, find the Holy Qur'an wondrous because this divine book encompasses existential truths beyond conventional sciences.
Verse: قَالُوا إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْآنًا عَجَبًا (Al-Jinn: 1)
Translation: They said: We have heard a wondrous Qur'an.
This verse highlights the depth and grandeur of the Holy Qur'an, which even beings with superior knowledge find astonishing.
The amazement of the jinn at the Holy Qur'an is an invitation for humans to engage in profound contemplation of this divine book to perceive its marvels.
Imported sciences, ranging from psychology to economics and politics, come with drawbacks and cannot fully meet the needs of Islamic societies. The Holy Qur'an must be utilised as a source for producing uncontaminated sciences.
Imported sciences resemble a deceptive yet poisonous fruit that cannot completely fulfil the needs of Islamic societies. The Holy Qur'an, as a divine source, is capable of producing pure and uncontaminated sciences beneficial to humanity.
The production of Qur'anic sciences is a historic duty upon Islamic societies to extract scientific principles from the Holy Qur'an and offer an alternative to imported sciences.
The Holy Qur'an, as the book of divine guidance, is a comprehensive and practical source for all aspects of human life. However, its neglect in contemporary Islamic societies has prevented the realisation of its immense capacities. To revive the foundational and guiding role of the Holy Qur'an, academic and religious institutions must adopt a practical approach, positioning this divine book as the centre for knowledge production and practice. The dissemination of Qur'anic sciences to the world not only meets the needs of Islamic societies but also guides humanity towards guidance and progress. Realising this goal is a historic and religious responsibility incumbent upon all Muslims, particularly elites and specialists.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
