Derived from the lecture series of Nekounam , session (124)
The Holy Quran, akin to a radiant lamp, serves as humanitys guide on the path to felicity and perfection. The second verse of Surah Al-Baqarah, which speaks of guidance for the God-conscious (al-Muttaqn), alongside another verse that refers to guidance for all humanity, reveals two facets of the comprehensiveness of this divine scripture. This treatise, relying upon exegetical lectures and profound analyses, endeavours to scrutinise the concept of guidance in the Holy Quran. Adopting a scientific and specialised approach, it aims to critically examine various interpretative perspectives, including those of Majma, Allameh Tabatabai, and Tafsir Taslm. The structure of this work is systematically sectioned, providing philosophical, jurisprudential, and sociological elucidations, designed especially to serve an academic audience, notably researchers in religious sciences.
The Holy Quran, in two pivotal verses, speaks of two types of guidance:
ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
(Al-Baqarah: 2)
This is the Book, wherein there is no doubt, a guidance for the God-conscious.
and
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ
(Al-Baqarah: 185)
The month of Ramadn, in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance for all mankind.
These two verses introduce Quranic guidance on two levels: a specific guidance for the God-conscious and a general guidance for all humanity. The prevalent viewpoint, as presented in Majmas exegesis, is that the Quran provides guidance to all humans, yet only the God-conscious truly benefit from it, whilst others, due to a lack of receptivity, remain deprived of such guidance.
Majmas perspective, which holds that Quranic guidance is presented for all but is exclusively applicable to the God-conscious, encounters the issue that if the non-God-conscious do not benefit from guidance, the application of the phrase هدى للناس (guidance for mankind) is compromised. Guidance is likened to a light that shines upon everyone, yet only those whose hearts are open to it benefit from its illumination. If the non-God-conscious are deprived of guidance due to incapacity, this contradicts the notion of general guidance meant for all humans.
In Islamic philosophy, the actualisation of any action requires two components: agentivity (the doer of the action) and capability (the receiver of the action). The Holy Quran, as the agent of guidance, radiates divine light upon all humans, but the realisation of this guidance depends upon the individuals capability to receive it. Analogous to an electric circuit requiring both live and neutral wires, Quranic guidance does not actualise without the addressees acceptance. This principle forms the basis of the critique against Majmas view that guidance is ineffective for the non-God-conscious.
The concept of guidance in the Holy Quran possesses two dimensions: a general and a special one. Although Majma emphasises the benefit of the God-conscious, by restricting the effect of guidance to them alone, it undermines the application of the verse هدى للناس. The philosophical principle of agentivity and capability indicates that Quranic guidance is offered to all but its actualisation depends on the recipients acceptance. This section underscores the comprehensiveness of Quranic guidance and the necessity to preserve the general application of the verses.
Allameh Tabatabai, in his Tafsir Al-Mizan (Vol. 1, p. 44), posits that Quranic guidance is meant for those who, prior to the Qurans revelation, possessed piety by virtue of a pure innate disposition (fitrah). The Quran strengthens their innate piety, whereas it intensifies disbelief and hypocrisy among disbelievers and hypocrites. He divides guidance into two levels: innate guidance, which prepares a person for acceptance, and Quranic guidance, which actualises piety.
For instance, the following verses confirm this view:
خَتَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ وَعَلَى سَمْعِهِمْ وَعَلَى أَبْصَارِهِمْ غِشَاوَةٌ
(Al-Baqarah: 7)
God has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing and upon their eyes is a veil.
فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ اللَّهُ مَرَضًا
(Al-Baqarah: 10)
In their hearts is a disease, so God has increased their disease.
These verses indicate that the Quran strengthens the inner states of individuals: piety for the God-conscious, disbelief for the disbelievers, and hypocrisy for the hypocrites.
Allamehs viewpoint faces the objection that if Quranic guidance is solely for the innately God-conscious, then the application of the verse هدى للناس is compromised. The Holy Quran is like a physician who provides cure to all patients, even those severely ill. Restricting guidance to the innately God-conscious neglects the possibility of transformation from disbelief to piety, whereas the following verse emphasises such potential:
إِنَّا هَدَيْنَاهُ السَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا
(Al-Insn: 3)
Indeed, We guided him to the way, be he grateful or ungrateful.
Views limiting guidance to prior innate disposition incline towards determinism, whereas the universe is contingent and transformation is possible at any moment. Humans can turn from disbelief to faith or from hypocrisy to piety at any time, as the above verse illustrates. This dynamism attests to free will and the Qurans role in facilitating transformation.
Although Allameh Tabatabai highlights the role of innate disposition in accepting guidance, by limiting guidance to the innately God-conscious, he weakens the comprehensiveness of the Holy Quran. Quranic guidance is like an infinite ocean inviting all to the shore of salvation; determinism conflicts with this universal call.
Tafsir Taslm divides Quranic guidance into two levels: existential (attaining the desired end) and legislative (providing the path). Accordingly, هدى للمتقین refers to existential guidance exclusive to God-conscious persons with sound innate disposition and practical piety, whereas هدى للناس is restricted to legislative guidance that merely shows the way to all. This interpretation excludes the non-God-conscious from the human realm due to their innate deviation, likening them to animals or inferior beings.
The allegorical interpretation of هدى للناس as هدى للمتقین in Tafsir Taslm contradicts the apparent meaning of Quranic verses. The Quran employs the term "people" to mean all humans and does not exclude the non-God-conscious from humanity; rather, it invites them to guidance. This interpretation is akin to considering the sun's light as only for fertile lands while barring deserts from its rays.
Tafsir Taslms allegorical interpretation denies the inclusivity of Quranic guidance. The Holy Quran is like a healer providing cure to all patients, including those whose innate disposition is diseased. This section emphasises the necessity to maintain the apparent meaning of the verses and the comprehensiveness of Quranic guidance.
During early Islam, the Holy Quran, like a blazing torch, mobilised all groups from disbelievers and hypocrites to Jews and Christians into dynamic activity. This mobilisation resulted in the scientific, social, cultural, and political advancement of the Arabian Peninsula. The event of Mubahalah exemplifies this general guidance that even non-Muslims were moved to acknowledge the truth of the Prophet:
فَمَنْ حَاجَّكَ فِيهِ مِنْ
