The exegesis of verse 28 of Surah Al-Baqarah, with a focus on the concept of life and its relationship to death and return to Almighty God, opens a gateway towards a deeper understanding of the truth of existence in the Holy Quran. This exegesis, employing an epistemological and ontological approach, explores the concept of life as one of the Divine Names and the existential foundation of creation. Utilising an elevated language and systematic structure, this treatise endeavours to provide a comprehensive and scholarly analysis that is suitable for specialised audiences and academic settings. The sections of this work, entitled with meaningful headings drawn from the core content, examine various dimensions of life, its hierarchies, and its relation to other Quranic concepts. Each section concludes independently and, ultimately, the final summation highlights the linkage of Quranic knowledge with contemporary sciences and the necessity of reconsideration in this domain.
كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَكُنْتُمْ أَمْوَاتًا فَأَحْيَاكُمْ ۖ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
"How can you disbelieve in Allah when you were dead and He gave you life; then He causes you to die, then He will bring you to life again, and then to Him you will be returned."
Verse 28 of Surah Al-Baqarah, by posing a rhetorical and negational question, invites humanity to contemplate their ingratitude regarding the blessing of life. The structure of the verse, through the repetition of the word "thumma" (then), emphasises the order and progression in the stages of creation: from death to life, from life to death, from death again to life, and ultimately, the return to Almighty God. This sequence not only points to the divine order in creation but also introduces life as the principal axis of existence.
In this interpretation, life is presented as a Divine reality and one of the supreme Divine Names. Almighty God, as "The Ever-Living, The Sustainer" (Al-ayy Al-Qayym), is the origin of absolute life, which manifests in created beings in lower degrees. This perspective regards life not merely as a biological attribute but as an existential truth flowing through all levels of existence. Philosophically, life is considered synonymous with existence, and Quranic terminology introduces it as a universal Divine Name upon which all other attributes and qualities are founded.
Divine life, as the essence of the Living, is distinct from created life, which is the manifestation of this Divine life. God, as the Essence of Life, possesses independent and absolute existence, whereas creatures, as acts and manifestations of Divine life, lack independent essence. This distinction is rooted in the philosophical and mystical principle of "Unity of Existence" (Wahdat al-Wujd), which considers creatures as manifestations of Divine existence rather than beings with autonomous existence.
The first section, relying on verse 28 of Surah Al-Baqarah, introduced life as a Divine reality and the existential foundation. This reality is absolute in God and manifested in creatures. The distinction between Divine and created life invites the reconstruction of an epistemological framework Unity of Existence, which can serve as a basis for dialogue between the Quran and philosophy.
Despite enjoying the blessing of life, humans remain unaware of its true reality. This ignorance points to the epistemic limitations of mankind in confronting Divine mysteries. We only perceive the apparent effects of life, such as a flower blossoming or the sunrise, yet remain oblivious to its mode of manifestation and essence. This critique underscores the necessity of deeper investigation into the reality of life from both scientific and epistemological perspectives.
Settling for general and abstract concepts, such as linguistic analyses and derivations of the word "ayy" (Living), hinders a profound comprehension of the reality of life. This approach, prevalent in some religious educational systems, confines itself to reiterating theoretical notions rather than producing practical and influential knowledge. This exegesis, by criticising this method, calls for practical and concrete approaches in the study of life.
In comparison with global scientific advances in biology and natural sciences, religious studies on life have been inadequate. This critique highlights the necessity of reconstructing religious educational systems with a focus on producing Quranic and interdisciplinary knowledge. Religious knowledge should engage in dialogue with contemporary sciences and respond to societal needs.
This section, by critiquing epistemic ignorance and reliance on general concepts, called for reconsideration in the study of life. Emphasis on producing practical and interdisciplinary knowledge constitutes a strategy for reviving the Islamic scientific tradition and responding to contemporary needs.
Contrary to the common view that regards death as the opposite of life, this interpretation introduces death as one of the types of life. The verse "He who created death and life" (Al-Mulk: 2) indicates that both death and life are creations of God, and death, as an existential reality, precedes life. This perspective defines death not as non-existence, but as a degree of life.
Similar to death, darkness is introduced as one of the types of life. This view, rooted in Islamic philosophy and mysticism, posits that everything possessing a share of existence falls within the circle of life. This approach emphasises existential unity among life, death, and darkness.
Traditional views that define death as non-existence lack scientific foundation from this perspective. According to religious scholars such as Haji Sabzevari, non-existence is a subsidiary subject, and philosophy focuses on the predicates of existence and life rather than non-existence.
This section, by reconsidering the concepts of death and darkness, introduced them as types of life. This viewpoint highlights the profound connection between the Quran and Islamic philosophy and underscores the need to revisit traditional concepts.
Reference to the transformation of mulberry or yoghurt into living entities such as worms exemplifies the Quranic attention to empirical sciences in exegesis. The verse "And brings the living out of the dead" (Al-Imran: 27) asserts that God brings life forth from death, a view that contrasts with modern scientific explanations (such as the absorption of microbes from the air).
This exegesis, emphasising the necessity of empirical study of life, invites the audience to approach factual realities by abandoning bureaucratic and rote practices. The suggestion to establish research centres, even on a small scale such as a kitchen corner, indicates the importance of practical and applied study.
This section, by analysing biological phenomena in the Quran and calling for empirical study, stressed the necessity of bridging Quranic and empirical sciences. This approach can lead to the production of dynamic and practical knowledge.
The proposal to establish the Thousand Cities of the Quran as a scientific project for systematic study of Quranic concepts, especially life and death, represents a novel approach to Quranic sciences. This project, by creating a database and performing statistical analyses on verses (191 instances of life and 163 of death), invites the production of systematic knowledge.
The emphasis on packaging and offering Quranic knowledge in a practical form, particularly in the domain of life, indicates the necessity of linking religious knowledge to societal needs. This viewpoint calls for the commercialisation and practical application of religious knowledge in service of society.
This section, by proposing the Thousand Cities of the Quran project and emphasising practical application of Quranic knowledge, called for reconstructing the religious epistemological system centred on the Holy Quran. This approach can contribute to reviving the Islamic scientific tradition and addressing societal needs.
The exegesis of verse 28 of Surah Al-Baqarah, with its focus on the concept of life, opened a window towards deeper understanding of the reality of existence in the Holy Quran. Life, as a Divine reality and a universal Divine Name, was introduced not only as the existential foundation of creatures but also as the axis of all Divine attributes and qualities. Critiques of epistemic ignorance, reliance on general concepts, and shortcomings in religious studies indicated the necessity of reconsideration in religious knowledge with a practical and interdisciplinary approach. The proposal of the Thousand Cities of the Quran project and emphasis on empirical and applied study present a novel strategy for reviving the Islamic scientific tradition and connecting it with contemporary sciences. This exegesis, whilst fully faithful to the original content, constitutes an invitation to reconstruct the religious epistemological system, which can lead to the production of dynamic and influential knowledge in real life.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
