of Nokounam, may Allah sanctify his secret (Session 180)
Verse 17 of Surah Al-Baqarah, akin to a profound poem and a deep allegory, delineates the existential structure of the mundane world through four key elements: fuel, fire, light, and darkness. This verse, which explicates the states of the hypocrites with a universal discourse devoid of ethnic or religious affiliations, transcends its particular referent and unveils the realities of the world across the dual spectrum of good and evil. This interpretation, adopting a scientific and epistemological approach, endeavours to systematically explore the content of the verse and provide a coherent framework for understanding these realities. The objective is not solely to elucidate the Quranic meanings for erudite audiences but also to invite the reconstruction of a scientific system in confronting the Holy Quran, thereby guiding from conventional clichs and foundationalist approaches towards the divine purposes.
Verse 17 of Surah Al-Baqarah, with a precise allegory, describes the states of those deprived of the light of guidance:
مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِي ٱسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًا فَلَمَّآ أَضَآءَتْ مَا حَوْلَهُۥ ذَهَبَ ٱللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِي ظُلُمَٰتٍ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ
(The likeness of them is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire, and when it illuminated all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness so that they could not see.)
This verse, following the depiction of the hypocrites conditions, presents a profound allegory explaining deprivation from divine guidance. Unlike previous verses that described the attributes of the pious, this verse addresses those who, despite having access to apparent fire, lack the true light. This allegory, like a polished mirror, reflects the existential truth of the mundane world.
The allegory of the verse is constructed like a tent with four sturdy pillars, founded upon four key elements: fuel (potentiality), fire (actuality), light (divine truth), and darkness (deprivation of truth). These elements constitute the framework of the mundane world, each possessing real existence. This structure, resembling a poem with a hemistich and a couplet, presents the existential system in an orderly and analyzable manner.
Fuel: Fuel refers to the natural potentials of the mundane world, such as the inflammability of wood or the receptiveness of materials. This potential, like a latent seed, is the groundwork for actuality (fire), manifesting in humans as intellectual, physical, and social capacities.
Fire: Fire is the actualisation of potentials in the mundane world. When fuel transforms into fire, it illuminates the surroundings (أَضَآءَتْ مَا حَوْلَهُ), yet this illumination, without spiritual light, is transient.
Light: Light is the divine truth signifying eternal stability. This light, akin to a rare gem, is found amid the darkness of the mundane world.
Darkness: Darkness results from deprivation of light and refers to the world absent of divine truth. These obscurities, like a heavy shadow, envelop all that lacks divine purpose.
Contrary to the viewpoint of certain philosophers and theologians who consider good as existent and evil as non-existent, the Holy Quran introduces darkness as existent. The verse mentions darkness in the plural form (ظُلُمَٰتٍ) and never in singular, which indicates the multiplicity and complexity of existential darknesses such as heedlessness, sin, and egotism. Darkness, as a tangible reality, forms part of the system of creation.
The traditional stance that evil is non-existence lacks Quranic foundation. The Holy Quran, by attributing creation equally to darkness and light, recognises both as existent. This critique serves as a key to revising Islamic philosophy, challenging antiquated frameworks and emphasising the necessity for a novel understanding of existence and non-existence.
Human success in the mundane world depends on balance among fuel, fire, light, and darkness. This balance, like well-balanced wheels of a vehicle, renders the existential movement of the human smooth and unwavering. Imbalance, like a machine with uneven wheels, results in disorder, risk, and deviation.
When a person excessively indulges in their potentials (fuel) or clings to worldly actualities (fire), they become deprived of light and trapped in darkness. This deprivation is akin to falling into obscurities that deprive one of insight (لَا يُبْصِرُونَ).
Exclusive focus on foundations (beginnings), such as acquisition of knowledge, worship, or worldly activities without consideration of divine ends, impedes human perfection. This approach is like a purposeless journey that wastes a lifetime and results only in accumulation of foundations. The Holy Quran invites humanity towards divine ends, namely the vision and attainment of truth.
The Holy Quran, like a guiding lamp, directs humanity towards divine ends. Teleology entails the orientation of all potentials and actualities towards divine light, the result of which is salvation and escape from darkness.
The Holy Quran is a scientific book necessitating a systematic and experimental approach for the discovery of its truths. This approach, like an advanced laboratory, can, through mathematical equations and precise analyses, explain the ratios of fuel, fire, light, and darkness. These equations assist in a deeper understanding of the existential system of the world.
The current religious scientific system, due to its antiquity and focus on clichs, has failed to produce effective knowledge. This system, like a worn-out machine, wastes the lifetimes of knowledge seekers and cannot respond to contemporary needs. Reconstruction of the religious scientific system is imperative to revive the scientific weight of the Holy Quran.
Man, as the principal fuel of the mundane world, ignites the fire of existence with his potentials. The verse وَٱتَّقُوا۟ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلْحِجَارَةُ (At-Tahrim: 6) emphasises this role, highlighting that man and his potentials are the axis of worldly transformations.
The phrase ذَهَبَ ٱللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ refers to the forcible removal of light from the unsuccessful. This removal results from mans negligence of truth, not arbitrary divine action. Those who attach their hearts to the worldly fire become ensnared in darkness and deprived of insight (لَا يُبْصِرُونَ).
Darkness in nature, such as lightning resulting from the interaction of energies, is real and existent. This darkness refers to entities and forces like devils or microbes that require scientific investigation. This reality forms part of the system of creation.
The verse لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ (Al-Anbiya: 21) in the story of Prophet Yunus refers to a cry in darkness. This cry, emerging from the belly of the fish, signifies mans confrontation with darkness and endeavour for liberation through divine remembrance. Darkness here encompasses heedlessness and disconnection from the truth.
The Infallible is like a نُورٌ فِي ظُلُمَٰتِ ٱلْأَرْضِ, a guide within the darkness of the mundane world. This light is distinguished from the earth and darkness and manifests divine truth. The Infallible serves as a model for emergence from existential darkness toward light.
The Holy Quran mentions fire 135 times, emphasising the predominance of materiality in the mundane world. Fire, as the tangible actuality of the world, possesses a strong attraction which, without divine light, leads to darkness and torment.
Light is mentioned 49 times in the Quran, representing a rare gem alluding to divine truth. This scarcity highlights the value of light and the necessity of its pursuit.
Contrary to some interpretations considering punishment as sweet (from the root عذب), the Holy Quran presents punishment as the consequence of association with fire. This critique underscores the necessity for precise understanding of Quranic vocabulary.
Analysis of the verse requires a mathematical-like approach to formulate the ratios of fuel, fire, light, and darkness. These equations, as precise tools, facilitate a deeper comprehension of the Quranic existential system.
