Verse 117 of Surah Al-Baqarah, like a luminous gem in the ocean of Quranic knowledge, manifests the monotheism of divine actions and the absolute omnipotence of God. This verse, with concise and profound expression, introduces God as the Originator of the heavens and the earth and the Arbiter of creation, who, with an unequivocal will, brings into existence whatever He wills by the command "Be." Following verse 116, which negates the allegation that God has taken a son, this verse firmly refutes polytheism by elucidating divine origination and the decisiveness of divine will, thereby establishing monotheism. Like a light breaking through dark clouds, this verse reveals profound truths of divine unity to seekers of truth. This treatise presents, through a scientific and academic approach, the content of the lecture and related analyses of this verse in a systematic framework. The goal is to explicate deep Quranic concepts in an elevated language commensurate with erudite audiences, serving as a bridge between Quranic knowledge and philosophical, theological, and mystical reflections.
Verse 117, with succinct wording yet profound content, resembles a small vessel containing an ocean of knowledge, inviting the audience to ponder the power and origination of God. This weightiness arises not only from the breadth of meanings but also from the verses complexity, including the characteristic of ambiguity (mutashabih).
The opening phrase introduces God as the Originator of the heavens and the earth, while the latter phrase, by presenting the concepts of qad (decree) and kun fa-yakn (Be, and it is), refers to the absolute decisiveness of divine will and its immediate actualisation. This section, like a slippery fish, eludes ordinary comprehension and demands careful and deep contemplation.
Verse 117 of Surah Al-Baqarah, with concise wording and profound content, elucidates divine action monotheism and divine origination. The opening phrase emphasises Gods innovation in creation, while the latter highlights the decisiveness of divine will. This verse, due to its conciseness and profundity, invites the reader to deep reflection on Quranic knowledge.
The characteristic of mutashabih (ambiguity) in verses arises from the ignorance of the audience in comprehending the meanings, not from the intrinsic nature of the verses. For God, the Prophet, and the Imams, no verse is ambiguous, as they possess complete understanding of meanings.
The mutashabih nature is an attribute related to the audiences incapacity to grasp the relationship between the described and the descriptor, not a feature inherent in the Quranic text. As in Arabic literature, the phrase Zayd strikes his father clarifies the relationship of the adjective to the noun, similarly, mutashabih in the Quran points to the audiences ignorance of deep meanings. For God and His chosen ones, the verses of the Quran are free from any ambiguity, as their comprehensive knowledge resolves any obscurity.
The multiplicity of recitations is analogous to being lost in locating the Qiblah, which does not lead to praying in various directions. It originates from the reciters lack of knowledge. The informed reciter reaches the truth of the Quran with one recitation, whereas the ignorant becomes ensnared in multiple readings. This critique underscores the necessity for precise and direct understanding of the Quranic text.
The opening phrase (Originator of the heavens and the earth) introduces God as the innovator and unprecedented creator of the heavens and the earth. The object of this origination is the cosmic systems and creation itself.
The term bad, meaning innovation and unprecedented creation, presents God as the Creator who fashioned the heavens and the earth without precedent. The phrase as-samwt wal-ar extends beyond simplistic definitions, referring to cosmic realms and systems
