Verse 75 of Surah Al-Baqarah, with a profound perspective on the concepts of greed, self-sufficiency, and distortion, opens a window towards a psychological, sociological, and religious analysis that explores interfaith relations and the role of religious scholars in guiding or misleading societies. This verse, like a transparent mirror, reflects the complexities of human psyche and society, delicately critiquing improper motives and barriers to guidance. In this treatise, the content of the lecture has been systematically and scientifically rewritten to provide a comprehensive and precise resource for educated audiences and researchers in the fields of theology, religious psychology, and sociology of religion. All primary meanings have been preserved, and with supplementary explanations, deeper semantic connections among concepts have been established. The structure of this exegesis, segmented thematically with profound analyses, is designed to be both scientifically valid and literarily sublime.
أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا لَكُمْ وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
Do you then hope that they will believe in you while a party of them used to hear the words of Allah, then deliberately distort them after understanding, and yet they knew?
Greed is a psychological trait that propels humans toward dependency and covetousness, like an invisible chain that binds the self to non-divine matters. In contrast, self-sufficiency, like a shining gem, represents inner independence and liberates the human from material and social shackles. Greed is a sign of the weakness of the soul, whereas self-sufficiency manifests human perfection, bestowing inner steadfastness and strength.
Wealth and poverty pertain to the external and material state of a person; wealth is akin to a splendid garment adorning ones appearance, while poverty resembles a heavy shadow depicting lack. However, greed and self-sufficiency are rooted deep within the soul. One may be poor yet possess self-sufficiency, standing firm like a mountain against adversities, or one may be wealthy but greedy, like a fruitful tree rooted in weak soil leading to spiritual degradation.
Humans exhibit various combinations of these traits: sometimes an individual possesses both wealth and self-sufficiency, like a sun with both light and warmth; sometimes poor yet self-sufficient, like a clear spring in the desert; sometimes wealthy but greedy, like a fruitful tree with fragile roots; and sometimes both poor and greedy, the worst spiritual condition. Self-sufficiency, in any combination, shines like a guiding star revealing human perfection.
Self-sufficiency, as a lofty summit in the realm of the soul, protects a person from the influences of poverty and wealth. This attribute not only distances one from greed but also directs the individual towards independence from others, like a bird flying freely in the sky without dependence on the earth. Self-sufficiency confers honour and inner power more than wealth does.
The psychological analysis of greed and self-sufficiency, as two opposing soul traits, reflects the Quranic depth in understanding the complexities of human personality. Self-sufficiency, as a noble virtue, frees humans from material and social dependencies, while greed, as an undesirable trait, leads the soul to degradation. These concepts provide foundations not only in Islamic theology but also in religious psychology and ethical philosophy for deeper analyses of human behaviours.
The phrase أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ in verse 75 refers to improper greed attributed not to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), but to some Muslims. This greed is rooted in unrealistic and non-divine expectations, like a mirage in a desertdeceptive yet unattainable. According to the Quran, this trait is condemned due to the lack of pure intention and its non-perfection-oriented orientation.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), due to his infallibility and exalted divine status, is free from any improper greed. Attributing this trait to him is a misinterpretation found in some exegeses and contradicts the spirit of the verse. The greed mentioned relates to Muslims who sought to maintain social and non-divine relationships.
The improper greed of some Muslims had its roots in social, familial, and neighbourly ties with Jews and Christians in Medina. These Muslims, previously connected with Jews and Christians through kinship and social relations, wished for these groups to also embrace Islam to preserve these bonds. This motivation, like a stream flowing toward a non-divine destination, was distant from the perfection of faith.
The divine condemnation expressed in أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ is not due to opposition to Jews and Christians embracing Islam, but because of the non-divine nature of this greed. The Quran reproaches this greed for its focus on material and social goals, such as maintaining neighbourly ties or commerce.
The object of greed for some Muslims was not ultimate spiritual felicity or perfection but the preservation of social relationships like neighbourhood, kinship, and trade. This object, like a goal that looks to the earth instead of the heavens, is far from spiritual perfection.
Religious relations must be formed with divine intentions such as guidance and salvation, not with material or social motives. This principle, like a shining lamp, distinguishes the path from the wrong way and guides relations towards perfection.
The improper greed in verse 75, as a non-divine motive oriented toward material and social relations, is condemned by the Quran. This greed is attributed to certain Muslims, not to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and due to the lack of pure intention, it is distant from the perfection of faith. This analysis emphasises the importance of sincerity in religious actions and avoidance of non-divine motives, laying the groundwork for studies in religious psychology and sociology of religion.
Some exegeses mistakenly attribute improper greed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) or deem the faith of Jews and Christians impossible. These views, like clouds obscuring the sky of truth, are incompatible with the guiding spirit of the Quran.
Verse 75 does not deny the possibility of Jews and Christians embracing faith but condemns improper greed because of existing obstacles. Removing these obstacles, like a key unlocking doors of guidance, makes faith possible.
Religions, over history, are like rivers sometimes turbulent and sometimes calm, experiencing popularity and decline. This dynamism depends on the conduct of followers and social, political, and cultural conditions. For instance, a religions dominance in a particular era can lead to widespread adherence, while mismanagement can result in decline, like a cold wind causing withering.
The principal obstacle to the faith of Jews and Christians is a group of scholars (فريق منهم) who hear the divine words, understand them, and then deliberately distort them. These obstacles, like high walls, block the path of guidance.
The scholars referenced in the verse possess three distinct attributes: listening to the divine word (ysman kalm Allh), understanding and rational contemplation thereof (aqalhu), and conscious distortion (thumma yuarrifnah). This process signifies intentional alteration, akin to a skilled tailor cutting the fabric of truth for personal benefit.
Verse 75 serves as a resounding alert to religious scholars, cautioning them against distorting the divine word for personal or social gains, since such distortion obstructs the guidance of nations.
The Holy Quran, instead of fostering despair about the guidance of Jews and Christians, calls for the elimination of impediments to faith. This invitation, like a light piercing through darkness, keeps the possibility of guidance alive.
The analysis of distortion and faith obstacles in verse 75 reveals the profound Quranic perspective on the role of religious scholars in either guiding or misleading communities. Deliberate distorters hinder guidance consciously; however, the Quran, through its call to remove these barriers, paves the way for faith. This section emphasises the necessity of accountability among religious scholars and the dynamism of religious propagation, while laying the groundwork for comparative theology and sociology of religion studies.
The Holy Quran, with unparalleled subtlety, refrains from condemning entire communities; rather, it focuses on identifying and removing barriers to faith. This approach, like a clear spring, channels wisdom and guidance towards humanity.
Many traditional exegeses, akin to a garden with withered flowers, lack freshness and dynamism, addressing only superficial grammatical or morphological issues. This approach is inconsistent with the guiding spirit of the Quran.
The Holy Quran considers humans inherently truth-seeking and attributes the obstacles to faith to distorting scholars rather than the communities themselves. This perspective, like a seed planted in the soil of innate nature, preserves hope for guidance.
Distortion within religions occurs in three forms:
These distortions, like poison flowing through the veins of truth, threaten the authenticity of religious texts.
Conceptual and spiritual distortions also occur within Islam, particularly when religious texts are altered through word editing and rearrangement. These distortions, often due to sectarian rivalries, act like a dagger wounding the body of truth, damaging religious texts.
The phrase wa hum yalamn emphasises that distortion by scholars is done consciously with knowledge of the truth. This awareness, like a double-edged sword, intensifies their responsibility.
Scholars who knowingly distort the divine word are like wolves in sheeps clothing and are more dangerous than the ignorant. This threat is compounded by their self-serving motives and conscious actions.
The Holy Quran, with scientific subtlety and exceptional dynamism, identifies faith barriers and critiques deliberate distortions by scholars. It regards humans as inherently truth-seeking and, through the call to remove obstacles, sustains hope for guidance. Analysis of distortion types and the role of aware scholars underscores the necessity of scientific opposition to religious deviations and lays a foundation for deeper studies in theology and sociology of religion.
To remove barriers to faith, religious knowledge must engage in dialogue and debate with Jewish and Christian scholars. The absence of such platforms, like a blocking wall, prevents the removal of doubts and distortions.
Religious knowledge sometimes expends resources on trivial activities instead of focusing on propagation in non-Muslim societies and dialogue with other religious scholars. This approach is like sowing seeds in barren soil and yields no significant outcome.
Familiarity with other cultures and societal characteristics acts as a key to opening doors for effective propagation, enabling religious scholars to remove barriers and facilitate guidance.
The Holy Qurans practical strategies for religious propagation emphasize dialogue with scholars of other religions, reconsideration of religious knowledges performance, and cultural understanding. These strategies, like lights on the path of guidance, facilitate societal conversion and require religious knowledge to respond to contemporary issues with a global and scientific approach.
The exegesis of verse 75 of Surah Al-Baqarah, focusing on the concepts of greed, self-sufficiency, and distortion, offers a profound insight into religious psychology, sociology of religion, and comparative theology. This verse, condemning improper greed, underscores the importance of divine intention in religious acts and identifies distorting scholars as the primary obstacle to faith, offering practical solutions for guiding societies. The scientific subtlety of the Holy Quran in calling for the removal of obstacles and discouraging despair in humanitys guidance illuminates the path of human truth-seeking like a shining light. This exegesis, integrating psychological, sociological, and religious analyses, lays the foundation for future research in theology, Quranic ethics, and interfaith dialogue. Religious knowledge, inspired by this verse, must advance toward scientific and global dialogues to eliminate faith barriers and offer guidance to humanity.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
