of Nekounam, (Session 179)
The interpretation of Verse 17 of Surah Al-Baqarah, which employs a profound parable to depict the state of the unsuccessful, opens a window towards an accurate understanding of the distinction between the light of faith and the darkness of heedlessness within the epistemological framework of the Holy Qur'an. This verse, by likening the unsuccessful to one who kindles a fire and then is left in darkness, requires a systematic analysis from logical, psychological, and mystical perspectives. In this treatise, with a scientific and elevated approach, the key concepts of the verseincluding the differentiation between fire and light, darkness, and the absence of insightare elucidated, erroneous viewpoints critiqued, and practical methods for self-purification offered. The objective is to provide a coherent and academic text that, with a lucid and dignified language, enriches the analytical and literary experience for learned and specialised audiences. This exegesis, maintaining fidelity to the original content, with supplementary explanations and semantic linkages, aids in deeper comprehension of Qur'anic concepts.
مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِي ٱسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًا فَلَمَّآ أَضَآءَتْ مَا حَوْلَهُۥ ذَهَبَ ٱللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِي ظُلُمَٰتٍ لَّا يُبْصِرُونَ
Their parable is that of one who kindled a fire; and when it illuminated all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness, unable to see.
This verse, through a profound parable, likens the condition of the unsuccessful to a person who kindles a fire and thereby illuminates his surroundings, but upon losing divine light, is abandoned in the darkness of heedlessness. The focal point of this section is the lexical analysis and scope of the verse's parable.
Although the immediate subject of the verse is the hypocrites, its parable is not restricted solely to them; it encompasses all the unsuccessful, including disbelievers, believers with weak faith, and those outwardly religious yet deprived of the reality of faith. The successful are those who attain eternal felicity through faith and righteous deeds.
The successful, by virtue of the light of faith, perceive the inner reality of things, whereas the unsuccessful rely solely on material fire and are deprived of divine light.
Understanding the verse necessitates a precise analysis of its vocabulary:
Fire refers to material fire and worldly achievements, while light denotes the illumination of faith and divine knowledge. The unsuccessful are content with fire alone and are deprived of light.
In logical sciences, differentiating concept (mental representation), meaning (essence and reality), and reference (concrete example) is fundamental. For instance, city is a concept, whereas the city of Qom is a tangible reference whose meaning and particulars are clarified in the mind. Due to its complexity, the verse is not readily comprehensible at the conceptual level alone and requires uncovering both its meaning and reference.
The concept of the verse (likening the unsuccessful to one who kindles fire) forms in the mind, but its meaning (deprivation of the light of faith) and reference (heedless life) require profound contemplation.
The darkness in the verse refers to worldly obscurities such as heedlessness, arrogance, and sin, not merely to the grave, the intermediary world, or the hereafter. These darknesses prevent one from perceiving the truth even within this life.
Some exegeses limit darkness exclusively to afterlife matters like the grave, but such views are inaccurate. Darkness signifies the veils of heedlessness and arrogance enveloping a persons worldly existence.
The successful, beyond seeing material fire, perceive the light of faith and divine truth. This light is an insight guiding humans to comprehend the inner reality of things and their relation to God.
Like a grave-digger who after years of work sees only decayed bones, the unsuccessful, after a lifetime of worldly endeavour, see nothing but materialities and remain deprived of the light of truth.
Self-superiority and religious arrogance are forms of darkness that prevent a person from perceiving the light of truth. Such arrogance hinders self-examination and the rectification of the soul.
One must regard all creatures as akin to oneself and avoid arrogant judgements. The notion that others are enemies of God constitutes a form of darkness itself.
The night, like a pure mirror, provides an opportunity for self-examination and reflection on ones degree of benefit from divine light. A person must assess whether they are engulfed in darkness or perceive the light of truth.
Through contemplation and self-purification, one must transcend superficial religiosity and attain the reality of faith. This process resembles a stream cleansing the souls impurities.
Exclusive focus on external religious forms, such as reading the Quran without reflection, deprives a person of understanding the truth. Such superficiality resembles a fire that offers only fleeting illumination without lasting light.
The Holy Quran invites mankind to contemplation and reflection. Without such reflection, religious acts become void and the individual remains in the darkness of unable to see.
The interpretation of Verse 17 of Surah Al-Baqarah, through a profound parable, depicts the state of the unsuccessful who, by their worldly efforts akin to kindling a fire, illuminate their material surroundings, yet are deprived of the light of faith and abandoned in the darkness of heedlessness. This verse, by distinguishing between material fire and divine light, invites reflection on the reality of faith and warns against self-superiority. Precise lexical analysis, and differentiation between concept, meaning, and reference, render this exegesis a tool for deeper understanding of the Quran. The critique of erroneous interpretations, emphasis on self-examination, and the call for reflection upon the Quran offer practical pathways for liberation from darkness and attainment of the light of truth. The successful, endowed with the insight of faith, are freed from the darkness of heedlessness and attain eternal felicity. This exegesis, preserving all original content and adding semantic linkages, provides an elevated and scholarly discourse for educated audiences, which may serve as a foundation for advanced research in exegesis and religious epistemology.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
