of Nokounam Session Thirty-Eight
The verse الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ in Surah Al-Fatiha, as the gateway to the profound knowledge of the Holy Qur'an, carries profound meanings that can be examined in theological, philosophical, and mystical dimensions. This verse, which encompasses praise and gratitude to God, is not only the pivot of Islamic worship but also a mirror that manifests the comprehensiveness of monotheism and the relationship between the Creator and the created. This treatise, relying on authentic exegetical sources and narrations, analyses the concept of amd, distinguishes it from Mad, and explores the role of volition and cognition therein. Critiques of exegetical perspectives and novel interpretations, with emphasis on the transmission of divine perfections to the creation, are among the features of this commentary. The goal is to present a systematic and scholarly text that is insightful and engaging for Quranic studies researchers and academic audiences.
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ
Translation: Praise and gratitude are exclusively for God.
The verse الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ signifies the exclusivity of all praise and commendation to the Exalted God, whether this praise originates from the Truth itself or from the creation. The definite article Al- in الْحَمْدُ indicates inclusiveness, meaning it encompasses all kinds of praise, whether divine or human. This comprehensiveness is akin to an ocean that contains all rivers of praise within itself and considers every beautiful act in the universe as a manifestation of divine action.
Every beautiful action in the universe is a manifestation of God's volitional act. Consequently, the praise of the creation ultimately returns to God, because every creature derives its intrinsic goodness from the Lord. This viewpoint resembles a light emitted from the divine origin that reflects in all beings.
The verse الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ, by virtue of its comprehensiveness, attributes all praise to God. This inclusiveness is rooted in the monotheism of actions, which views every beautiful act as a manifestation of divine action, and introduces amd as a bridge between the agent and the divine purpose.
In Tafsir Al-Manar (Volume 1, page 50), amd is divided into two types: amd concerning intrinsic virtues (such as the inherent beauty of a ruby) and amd concerning extrinsic virtues (such as the effect of the rubys beauty on the observer). amd differs from Mad because it involves the transmission of goodness to another. For example, saying "What a wonderful redness the ruby has" is Mad, but "Its redness has dazzled my eyes" is amd, because the perfections effect has extended to another.
The book Tasnim criticises the view of Al-Manar and holds that God is praised in the Quran for attributes that apparently do not extend to others, such as the verse:
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ شَرِيكٌ فِي الْمُلْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ وَلِيٌّ مِنَ الذُّلِّ
Translation: Praise and gratitude are exclusively for God who has not taken a son, has no partner in dominion, and has no guardian from weakness.
Tasnim argues that attributes such as primacy, eternity, and absence of a partner or offspring do not have direct effects on creation. However, this objection is refuted because these attributes transmit fundamental good to the cosmos. For example, the absence of a partner ensures the stability and order of the universe and prevents chaos.
The distinction between amd and Mad lies in the transmission of goodness to others. The viewpoint of Al-Manar, with emphasis on extrinsic virtues, surpasses the view of Tasnim, because all divine attributes, even intrinsic ones, have goodness that reaches creation and associate amd with the beautiful and volitional action of God.
The debate over whether الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ is informative (stating a fact) or prescriptive (an instruction to praise) depends on the intention of the speaker. This verse, like the word "بعت" (I sold) in jurisprudence, can be either informative or prescriptive speakers intention. In prayer, even without an explicit intention of informative or prescriptive meaning, its recitation is valid; however, cognisance of the meaning of amd deepens its effect.
Some commentators, such as those attributed to Khwaja Abdullah, based on verses like:
وَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا
Translation: And say, Praise and gratitude are exclusively for God who has not taken a son.
have added the word قولوا (say) to الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ in Surah Al-Fatiha. This addition is incorrect because the amd in Surah Al-Fatiha expresses a general and spontaneous truth, not a command to imitate. Adding قولوا reduces amd to a prescriptive matter, whereas amd must originate from volition and knowledge.
The verse الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ can be either informative or prescriptive, depending on the intention of the speaker. The critique of adding قولوا shows that amd in Surah Al-Fatiha is a spontaneous truth arising from knowledge and volition.
Intrinsic amd is so magnificent that angels cannot record it, like a jewel whose radiance transcends the perception of creatures.
The Four Tasbt (سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، وَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ) substitute Surah Al-Fatiha in the third and fourth units of prayer, indicating their magnificence. The sequence of these Tasbt mirrors the spiritual progression of the seeker: from sanctification (Subn Allh), to praise (Al-amdulillh), to monotheism (L ilha ill Allh), and ultimately to the perception of divine grandeur (Allhu Akbar).
A narration from a porter recounts that he said: "الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، اسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهِ" (Praise be to God, I seek forgiveness from Him). This combination attributes good to God and evil to oneself, demonstrating his profound knowledge.
The levels of amd, from specific blessings to intrinsic praise of God, depict the progressive development of knowledge. The Four Tasbt, with their sequential spirituality, complete this progression and introduce amd as a bridge towards divine unity and grandeur.
The existing exegetical literature in religious sciences, especially in pedagogical methods, requires reconsideration. The use of archaic language without addressing contemporary needs fails to meet the demands of modern research. The absence of literary specialisations in religious education hinders the development of mature exegetes. This critique serves as a call for reconstructing educational methods and enhancing precision in the comprehension of the Qur'an.
Some commentaries, such as those attributed to Khwaja Abdullah, reduce الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ to the meaning "I praised myself, so you also praise." This interpretation is incorrect because God is independent of the praise of creatures, and amd represents the truth of divine comprehensiveness, not a call for superficial praise.
The combination of amd and seeking forgiveness, as mentioned in the porters narration, attributes goodness to God and evil to humans. This viewpoint, like two scales of knowledge, demonstrates practical monotheism that holds humans accountable for their deeds while regarding God as the source of goodness.
The critique of exegetical literature and the emphasis on knowledge in amd highlight the necessity for reevaluation of educational methods in religious sciences. The combination of amd and seeking forgiveness reveals the depth of monotheistic cognition and prevents incorrect interpretations.
The interpretation of the verse الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ through theological, philosophical, and mystical approaches elucidates the comprehensiveness of divine amd as a summary of the monotheism of actions. The distinction between amd and Mad, critique of exegetical viewpoints, and emphasis on the levels of amd introduce this verse as the central axis of Qur'anic knowledge and worship. The Four Tasbt and the combination of amd and seeking forgiveness complete the spiritual journey of the seeker. This commentary, like a torch, illuminates the path for Quranic studies researchers and stresses the necessity of precision and cognition in understanding the Qur'an.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
