the Lectures of Nekounam (May His Sacred Soul Rest in Peace) Session 150
The Holy Qur'an, as a pristine fountain of divine knowledge, elucidates the characteristics of the God-conscious (Muttaqin) in the fourth verse of Surah Al-Baqarah, emphasising faith in divine revelation and certainty in the Hereafter. This verse presents faith as a bridge between the reality of revelation and a life of belief, portraying revelation as a luminous stream flowing from the hearts of the Prophets and the saints towards the community. This work, adopting a scientific and theological approach, analyses the essence of revelation, distinguishes it from theoretical concepts, critiques the methodologies of religious sciences, and examines the possibility of human connection with divine grace. Employing refined allegories, revelation is introduced as a precious gem nurtured within the hearts of the Prophets and conveyed to humanity through the verses. The objective of this treatise is to provide a systematic and comprehensive exegesis, composed in a dignified language suitable for scholars and academic audiences.
وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ وَبِالْآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ [بقره: ۴]
Translation: And those who believe in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed before you, and of the Hereafter they are certain. [Al-Baqarah: 4]
Faith in the Qur'anic revelation, previous revelations, and certainty in the Hereafter are recognised as the attributes of the God-conscious. This verse introduces revelation as the axis of guidance and faith as a bridge towards divine knowledge.
This verse, by stressing faith in prior and Qur'anic revelations, indicates the comprehensiveness of divine guidance and portrays certainty in the Hereafter as the ultimate destination of this faith.
Revelation is a sublime and unfamiliar phenomenon that grows within the hearts of the Prophets and divine saints, akin to a celestial fruit, whose radiance reaches humanity through the verses. This reality is not composed of rules, formulas, or theoretical principles but is an existential and dynamic reality.
Revelation resembles a gem formed in the mine of the Prophets hearts, transmitted to others via divine speech. This perspective distinguishes revelation from abstract discourses and regards it as a living and spiritual experience.
Revelation has been bestowed upon the hearts of the Prophets and saints, overflowing as divine verses and lights to the community. This experience is exclusive to the Prophets and saints and is transmitted to others through the Word of God.
This viewpoint introduces revelation as a spiritual flow streaming from the hearts of the Prophets towards the community, bringing guidance.
In prevalent methods of religious sciences, discussions primarily concentrate on terminology, producing conceptual and lexical meanings instead of external reality. The student learns, memorises, or transmits concepts from the teacher, yet this process remains a conversion from concept to concept, distancing itself from existential truth.
Like a student studying facing the Qibla and a scholar teaching with his back to it, these methods are confined to a theoretical cycle, deprived of the experience of truth.
Lexical definitions, such as defining a flower as something red, fragrant, or garden-related, are incomplete because many things possess these features. Similarly, some scholars define music or melody with attributes like pleasing without true comprehension, which is ineffective.
This allegory illustrates the inadequacy of lexical definitions in explaining complex realities such as revelation. Speaking of revelation without experiencing it is like describing a flower that has never been seen.
The Prophets and saints receive divine truth and convert it into concepts or understandable effects for the people. This method is the highest educational approach that presents truth in a tangible form.
Like a painter depicting the truth of nature, the Prophets convert the truth of revelation into speech and effects so it becomes comprehensible for the community.
The ultimate perfection of the friends of God lies in transferring the divine trust from one saint to another. This trust is neither buried in the earth nor carried away to the heavens but continues in the spiritual chain of saints.
This process, akin to transmitting a precious gem from one generation to another, exemplifies the spiritual continuity of the saints and safeguards the divine truth.
Revelation may be mediated (by angel) or direct, verbal or conceptual, concise or detailed, present or absent. Revelation with presence resembles seeing or hearing God directly, whereas revelation without presence is like the unveiling of a truth in the heart of a Prophet, akin to poetry or maturity.
This classification portrays revelation as a multi-branched river, each branch reaching the Prophets heart in a particular manner.
Prophetic revelation is the highest divine grant and is distinguished from revelation to other beings (such as bees and ants) or from reprehensible forms (like obsessive thoughts and superficial embellishments). Revelation to creatures signifies natural divine guidance inherent in all creation.
وَأَوْحَى رَبُّكَ إِلَى النَّحْلِ أَنِ اتَّخِذِي مِنَ الْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا [نحل: ۶۸]
Translation: And your Lord inspired the bee, saying: Take your homes in the mountains. [An-Nahl: 68]
This refers to natural guidance, distinct from prophetic revelation.
If revelation results in speech, it is the Word of God; otherwise, it is the unseen and speechless. The Holy Qur'an is the Word of God, revealed directly from God or through the angel, and the Prophets did not compose its wording.
Like a book whose author is God and whose publisher is the Prophet, the Qur'an is divine speech whose truth is imprinted in the Prophets heart and transmitted to the community.
The Messenger is not merely a courier but has realised the truth of revelation and conveys it with divine specification and role to others. This perspective regards the Messengers role as active and spiritual.
Like a painter who not only transfers the image but breathes the spirit of nature into it, the Messenger delivers the depth and meaning of revelation to the community.
If anyone claims that the Prophets composed the wording of revelation, they err, for the Holy Qur'an is the Word of God, not the Prophets speech. Nonetheless, this is a theoretical error and should not lead to excommunication or uproar.
Like a scholar who errs in theory but deserves dialogue rather than rejection, this view should be criticised with reason.
Whatever the world says about religion and revelation benefits religion, as it urges reflection and research. Suppressing criticism and remaining silent before questions hinder the progress of religious sciences.
Like a garden that flourishes with pruning and care, religious sciences also become dynamic through dialogue and critique.
Can ordinary humans partake in revelation, as they do in mischief, superficial embellishment, or obsessive thoughts? This question opens a new horizon for research regarding humans spiritual connection with God.
Like a brook originating from a vast spring, can a human drink a sip of divine grace of revelation?
The Sacred Hadith is divine speech but non-Qur'anic, distinct from verbal revelation (the Word of God). This distinction reflects the diversity of divine grace and the possibility of non-prophetic connection with God.
Like light emanating from the sun in various forms, the Sacred Hadith and the Word of God are both divine but differ in ranks and forms.
The interpretation of the fourth verse of Surah Al-Baqarah presents revelation as a celestial gem nurtured within the hearts of the Prophets and saints, conveyed to humanity through the verses. This verse recognises faith in the Qur'anic revelation, prior revelations, and certainty in the Hereafter as attributes of the God-conscious, emphasising the central role of revelation in guidance. The critique of the methodologies of religious sciences, focusing on terminology, reveals their distance from the existential truth of revelation. The method of the Prophets and saints, in converting particular instance to concept or particular instance, transfers the truth in an understandable or continuous manner. Prophetic revelation is the highest divine grant, mediated or direct, verbal or conceptual, engraved in the Prophets heart. The Holy Qur'an is the Word of God, and the Prophets are solely its transmitters, not its verbal composers. An invitation to free dialogue and avoidance of excommunication provides a way to advance religious sciences and deepen understanding of revelation. The question regarding the possibility of non-Prophets partaking in revelation opens a door to exploring humans spiritual relation with God. This exegesis, offering a comprehensive and elevated perspective, invites reconsideration of religious science methodologies and contemplation of the truth of divine revelation.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
