of Nekounam, (Session Ninety-Nine)
Verse Seven of Surah Al-Fatiha, صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ, functions as a resplendent mirror, distinguishing the path of divine guidance from the paths of wrath and misguidance. This verse, by elucidating the concepts of Al-Maghdoub Alayhim (those upon whom wrath is incurred) and Ad-Daalleen (the misguided), clarifies the divine, Quranic, and religious disposition towards aberrations and deviations. The present exegesis, adopting a scholarly and systematic approach, examines these concepts and, through statistical, lexical, and conceptual analyses, offers a framework for profound understanding of Quranic knowledge. This book is designed for erudite audiences and researchers in the fields of theology and Quranic sciences, employing a refined and academic language to explicate the merciful disposition of the Holy Quran and substantiate the veracity of the religion.
Verse Seven of Surah Al-Fatiha, by differentiating the straight path from the paths of Al-Maghdoub Alayhim and Ad-Daalleen, shapes humanitys perspective concerning the divine, Quranic, and religious disposition.
Verse:
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ (Al-Fatiha: 7)
Translation: The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favour, not of those who have incurred wrath upon themselves, nor of those who are astray.
This verse, by delineating the path of guidance and segregating it from the paths of wrath and misguidance, invites humanity to reflect upon the nature of divine guidance and deviation therefrom.
The concepts of Al-Maghdoub Alayhim and Ad-Daalleen, as two distinct paths divergent from the straight path, elucidate the merciful divine disposition when confronted with misguidance and aberrations.
Understanding the divine, Quranic, and religious disposition when facing challenges and aberrations forms the foundation for substantiating the veracity of the religion.
The divine disposition, contrary to superficial perceptions, is grounded in mercy and guidance. Every ruling in Islam must reinforce religious values; otherwise, it cannot be deemed Islamic. This perspective presents religion as a merciful and guiding system.
Explicating the divine and religious disposition portrays the religion as a merciful and guiding system and affirms its veracity.
Repetition of key concepts serves as an effective method for embedding Quranic knowledge in the minds of the audience.
Like engraving upon stone, deepened by repetition, the reiteration of Quranic concepts inscribes knowledge upon the heart and mind of the audience. This method has its roots in Islamic educational traditions.
Repetition of concepts constitutes a means to embed Quranic knowledge and transfer it to audiences at various levels.
Every Quranic exegesis has two main objectives: elucidating the concepts of the verse and substantiating the religions veracity through the divine disposition.
The primary objective is to clarify the concepts of Al-Maghdoub Alayhim and Ad-Daalleen, while the higher objective is to prove Gods merciful disposition and the religion which reinforces divine values.
Quranic exegesis, by elucidating concepts and affirming the religions veracity, guides humanity towards a deeper understanding of divine knowledge.
The interpretation of the Holy Quran must be scientific, modern, and acceptable to a global audience.
Religious science must transcend traditional and purely narrative methods and present Quranic knowledge to the world in a rational and standard language. This introduces religion as a rational and universal system.
The scientific and modern approach in exegesis delivers Quranic knowledge in a comprehensible and rational language for global audiences.
In addition to being scientific, the exegesis of the Holy Quran must be spiritual and transcendent to penetrate the heart of the audience.
Like a light radiating from the lamp of knowledge into the heart, spirituality in exegesis conveys knowledge from the intellectual level to the depth of the soul.
Spirituality complements science in exegesis, transforming Quranic knowledge into a transcendent experience for the audience.
Al-Maghdoub Alayhim are accompanied by divine wrath and threat, whereas Ad-Daalleen are not necessarily subject to threat.
Maghzoub Alayhim refers to those who, due to conscious disobedience, have incurred Divine wrath, whereas Dalleen may have gone astray due to ignorance or error. This distinction reflects the Qur'ans merciful disposition in confronting misguidance.
Misguidance is an existential and real phenomenon, yet it lacks Divine truth.
Analysis and Analogy:
Like a shadow that exists yet is deprived of light, misguidance is real but lacks Divine truth and stands in opposition to the light of guidance.
Misguidance is a contingent phenomenon dependent upon human conditions and actions.
Analysis and Explanation:
Unlike guidance, which is intrinsic and Divine, misguidance stems from human choices and environmental conditions. This highlights human responsibility in relation to misguidance.
God possesses no negative or accidental attributes; all His attributes are existential and intrinsic.
Analysis and Explanation:
Some theologians ascribe negative (salbi) attributes, such as wrath, to God; however, these are intellectual abstractions rather than real attributes. God possesses only existential attributes such as mercy and knowledge.
Instances of guidance in the Qur'an vastly outnumber instances of wrath and misguidance, demonstrating the religion's merciful nature.
Analysis and Explanation:
Despite seventy-five references to wrath and misguidance, the Qur'an contains many more references to guidance. This balance reinforces the merciful image of the religion and prevents erroneous interpretations.
The common misinterpretation of the hadith "ارتد الناس إلا ثلاثة" ("People apostatised except for three") as general disbelief is incorrect; it refers to elevated levels of faith.
Analysis and Analogy:
Similar to a race where only a few reach the finish line, this hadith refers to the superior faith of a select group rather than general apostasy. This interpretation protects the character of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him).
Hadith: ارتد الناس إلا ثلاثة
Translation: People apostatised except for three.
Human beings differ in levels of faith, with only a few attaining the highest degrees of guidance.
Analysis and Analogy:
Like a fruit whose seed is precious though the peel and pulp are also useful, humans vary in their faith levels. A select few, such as Salman and Abu Dharr, reach the pinnacles of faith, while others remain at lower levels.
The seventh verse of Surah Al-Fatiha, "صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ" ("The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favour, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray"), serves as a guiding light, distinguishing the path of rectitude from the paths of wrath and misguidance. This verse, by elucidating the concepts of Maghzoub Alayhim and Dalleen, reveals the Divine merciful disposition in confronting irregularities and misguidance. Maghzoub Alayhim, due to conscious disobedience, incur Divine wrath and threat, whereas Dalleen, mostly out of ignorance or error, remain without threat. Misguidance is an existential phenomenon devoid of Divine truth and stands opposed to guidance. The balance between instances of guidance and misguidance (seventy-five instances of wrath and misguidance versus hundreds of instances of guidance) accentuates the religion's mercy. Critiques of incorrect interpretations, such as the general disbelief inferred from the hadith "People apostatised except for three", protect the character of the Prophet and the religion and emphasise the levels of faith. A scientific and modern interpretation, coupled with spirituality, presents Qur'anic knowledge in a rational and universal language. This work, by offering a monotheistic and merciful framework, invites humanity to traverse the straight path and contemplate Divine disposition.
Du'a: اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
Translation: O God, send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
