of Nekounam, May His Secret Be Sanctified (Session 116)
The Holy Quran is a divine scripture and an eternal document, revealed as an infinite source of guidance for humanity across all epochs and eras. The second verse of Surah Al-Baqarah, ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ ("This is the Book about which there is no doubt"), stands as one of the foundational verses, demonstrating the grandeur, comprehensiveness, and certainty of this divine scripture. This verse introduces the Holy Quran not merely as a moral charter but as a source for generating powerful knowledge and solutions to human problems. This work approaches the elucidation of the various dimensions of this verse with a scientific and academic methodology. The objective is to provide a systematic and profound interpretation that meets the needs of highly educated audiences and researchers in religious and scientific fields.
Analysis and Explanation
Scientific and religious texts, especially in the field of Quranic exegesis, sometimes suffer from inefficiency due to the accumulation of repetitive and undocumented content. Such texts resemble an antiquated library filled with pages dusted by time, requiring refinement and reconstruction. The repetition of redundant material not only obstructs the prominence of valuable truths but occasionally buries the truth amidst a multitude of words. To address this deficiency, there exists a clear necessity for a collective of scholarly elites, endowed with profound knowledge and capability, to engage in the reform and refinement of these texts. This process, akin to winnowing wheat from chaff, eliminates undocumented and unnecessary content while placing valuable material at the centre of attention.
This review signifies a scientific re-examination of the Quranic verses. The Quran, like a pure spring, is an inexhaustible source for extracting novel insights that must be utilised through scientific and precise methods. The refinement of texts not only aids in removing superfluities but also lays the groundwork for the emergence of new and practical ideas, enabling religious knowledge to become an effective force in various domains.
Analysis and Explanation
True knowledge is like the sun that not only illuminates but also provides the impetus for transformation and progress. Knowledge limited merely to preservation and repetition is like a repository of information that, without application, reduces to mental fantasies. In religious domains, knowledge must transcend theory and become a tool for solving social, cultural, and scientific issues. This viewpoint aligns with the philosophy of Islamic science, which regards knowledge as serving the guidance and advancement of humanity.
Concerning the verse ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ ("This is the Book about which there is no doubt"), the emphasis is on the infinite capacity of the Holy Quran to generate potent knowledge. The Quran, like a rich mine, is a source that can supply various sciences for all aspects of human life.
Analysis and Explanation
The word ذَٰلِكَ in the second verse of Surah Al-Baqarah is like a torch illuminating the grandeur and comprehensiveness of the Holy Quran. In Arabic literature, ذَٰلِكَ is a demonstrative pronoun of broad reference, indicating the vastness and elevation of the subject. In this verse, ذَٰلِكَ refers to the entirety of the Quran, from the disjointed letters to its profound meanings and secrets. This book, like an immense ocean, encompasses all necessary knowledge, truths, and mysteries for the guidance of humanity.
Contrary to some interpretations that consider ذَٰلِكَ as indicating remoteness or the Preserved Tablet, this interpretation emphasises the active presence and accessibility of the Quran in human life. The Holy Quran is like an open book before humanity, through which all human needs can be addressed.
Analysis and Explanation
Some traditional exegeses, such as those attributed to the late Mulla Sadra, ascribe ذَٰلِكَ to concepts like the Preserved Tablet or remoteness. These interpretations, akin to convoluted paths, sometimes diverge from the main trajectory of Quranic guidance and lead to abstract and impractical concepts. Critiquing these approaches points to the necessity for revising exegetical methods. Scientific exegesis, like a solid bridge, should introduce the Holy Quran as a source for resolving contemporary issues.
Within the framework of the verse ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ, emphasis is placed on the tangible presence and accessibility of the Quran. This book is not in the heavens or the Preserved Tablet but is accessible to mankind to open new avenues of knowledge and guidance.
Analysis and Explanation
The Holy Quran is like a majestic tree whose branches bear fresh fruits at all times. This book never grows old and retains freshness and effectiveness for every era and generation. The comprehensiveness of the Quran, like an infinite sky, covers all human needs until the Day of Resurrection.
This characteristic is consistent with the concept of هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ("a guidance for the righteous") in the following verse, which guarantees guidance for all the pious at all times. The Quran, like a flowing spring, is a source that never dries up and offers fresh answers to every question.
Analysis and Explanation
Undocumented interpretations, like scattered clouds, lack scientific credibility. The exegesis of the Holy Quran must be reasoned, documented, and related to human needs. This approach, like a sturdy edifice, prevents digressions and unfounded conjectures.
In the verse ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ, the emphasis on لَا رَيْبَ signifies the certainty and robustness of this book. Scientific exegesis must demonstrate this certainty in practice and avoid undocumented conjectures.
Analysis and Explanation
The definite article ال in الْكِتَابُ, like a gateway to perfection and comprehensiveness, introduces the Holy Quran as a complete and comprehensive book. This ال is not an indicator of genus or covenant but a symbol of totality that distinguishes the Quran from other books.
This interpretation aligns with the concept of ذَٰلِكَ, which emphasises the grandeur and comprehensiveness of the Quran. The definiteness acts as a key opening the doors of Quranic knowledge for all ages.
Analysis and Explanation
The Holy Quran, like a comprehensive map, encompasses not only the past but also secures the future of humanity. This book, like a shining lamp, provides scientific and practical solutions for all human needs.
This attribute differentiates the Quran from historical books or those limited to a specific period. Within the framework of the verse ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ, the book is introduced as a source that covers all human needs, from past to future.
Analysis and Explanation
Religious seminaries, like vast workshops, must utilise the Holy Quran to produce powerful knowledge that is effective globally. Such knowledge, like a roaring river, should lead to the generation of wealth, power, and progress.
This viewpoint aligns with the concept of لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ, which emphasises the certainty and effectiveness of the Quran. Producing powerful knowledge requires revising educational methods and focusing on interdisciplinary research, turning the Quran into a source of innovation in fields such as biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and social sciences.
Analysis and Explanation
The phrase لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ in the verse ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ is like a steadfast pillar, denoting the certainty and firmness of the Holy Quran. رَيْبَ refers to doubt accompanied by anxiety and illusion. The negation of doubt in this verse indicates that the Quran is a certain source, free from any ambiguity.
In the Holy Quran, the word رَيْبَ is only used in relation to the Quran and the Hereafter, underscoring the unique importance of these two concepts. This verse, like a divine call, invites humanity towards certainty and tranquillity, dispelling all illusions and anxieties.
The interpretation of the verse ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ shines like a brilliant light, showcasing the grandeur, comprehensiveness, and certainty of the Holy Quran. This verse presents the Quran as a trans-temporal and spatial book covering all human needs, from past to future. The refinement of religious texts, production of powerful knowledge, and scientific, documented exegesis are necessities that religious seminaries and researchers must prioritise. The Holy Quran, like an inexhaustible treasure, is a source capable of offering novel solutions across all scientific, social, and cultural fields. This interpretation is a call for revising exegetical and educational methods, so that the Quran may actively participate as a living and dynamic book in all aspects of human life.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
