The Holy Quran, akin to a radiant lamp, serves not only as a guide for individual worship but also as a comprehensive source for directing all dimensions of human life. This divine book, transcending mere invitation to faith and worship, calls for awareness, knowledge, growth, and civilisation-building. The exegesis of verse 117 of Surah Al-Baqarah, centred upon the phrase بَدِيعُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ (The Originator of the heavens and the earth), elucidates the position of the Holy Quran as a dynamic and forward-looking guide capable of addressing humanitys scientific, social, and civilisational needs in every era. This writing, adopting a scientific and academic approach, conducts an in-depth analysis of this verse and, employing refined metaphors and semantic linkages, reveals the boundless capacities of the Holy Quran for constructing an advanced and just world.
The Holy Quran, beyond being a mere collection of ritual instructions, encompasses all aspects of human life. This book not only invites to the worship of God and the performance of religious rites but also acts as a guide to attaining awareness, knowledge, and civilisational advancement. Just as the sun spreads its light everywhere, the Holy Quran, with its comprehensive guidance, illuminates all facets of individual and social life.
Acceptance of God and performing acts of worship such as prayer and fasting, although valuable, cannot lead to the full realisation of Quranic guidance without concomitant awareness and civilisational growth. Societies that restrict themselves merely to ritual observances may find themselves trapped in stages of backwardness. This is analogous to a tree with branches and leaves but lacking deep roots for flourishing.
Quranic guidance signifies the elevation of awareness, knowledge, and the establishment of a progressive civilisation capable of competing on a global scale. This guidance resembles a flowing river that breathes life into the arid plains of human civilisation. Mosques, pulpits, and Islamic social systems must present novel discourse and exemplary models along this path.
Acts of worship performed with awareness and insight differ qualitatively from traditional worship carried out without intellectual depth. Prayer offered in the light of civilisation and awareness is akin to a gem whose brilliance guides hearts towards truth, whereas general acts of worship may be confined to mere mechanical repetition.
God-worship grounded in intelligence and awareness holds a loftier value than naive worship. Just as a star shines in the night sky, faith accompanied by knowledge and insight illuminates the path of civilisation and progress. God-worship without awareness is like a prayer limited solely to material desires.
Verse: تِبْيَانًا لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ
Translation: An exposition for everything.
The Holy Quran, as a book that offers exposition and guidance on every subject, is an unparalleled source for addressing human needs. This comprehensiveness is like an ocean where every drop provides solutions to lifes problems.
Mosques and acts of worship must keep pace with the advancement of human knowledge and awareness to achieve true guidance. A mosque that grows proportionally with human knowledge resembles a fortress firmly founded on the bases of knowledge and insight, paving the way for civilisation-building.
Quranic guidance reaches its perfection when mosques and Islamic societies become pioneering and innovative on a global scale. The life of Muslims should be the most eloquent and resonant model for humanity, like a melody emerging from the depths of the soul that captivates the hearts of the world.
The Holy Quran is not only the book of yesterday and today but also the book of tomorrow. This book is like a star whose brilliance increases over time, and with scientific progress, its language becomes more eloquent. Unlike other schools of thought that fade with scientific advancement, the Holy Quran becomes more dynamic with every scientific step.
Islamic societies have been deprived of the scientific and civilisational capacities of the Holy Quran due to improper utilisation. The Quran is like a treasure hidden in the corner of a house; instead of benefiting from it, it is merely used for decoration or blessing.
Societies lacking access to the Holy Quran have, in some instances, surpassed or matched Islamic societies due to their exploitation of science and technology. This situation is like a race where runners without the best tools lag behind their competitors.
In many Islamic societies, the Holy Quran has been relegated from a central role to a decorative or marginal element. This condition resembles a valuable book placed on a shelf but whose pages are never opened.
In religious venues, books such as Mafatih al-Jinan have, due to widespread use, surpassed the Holy Quran, which remains unused. This situation is like a garden where the secondary flowers have blossomed while the main tree remains fruitless.
The use of the Holy Quran in Islamic societies has been limited to superficial activities such as recitation, memorisation, or blessing, without harnessing its profound capacities. This limitation is akin to utilising only the surface of the ocean while its depths remain unexplored.
The Constitution of the Islamic Republic, due to hurried drafting and temporal and specialist constraints, has limited linkage with the Holy Quran and resembles the laws of other countries more than a Quran-based system. This is akin to a building hastily constructed and in need of reconstruction.
Drafting laws Holy Quran requires time, expertise, and tranquillity to establish a comprehensive Islamic system. This process is like planting a seed that needs care and patience to bear fruit.
The Holy Quran addresses issues concerning the heavens which contemporary science is unable to fully explain. This book resembles a torch that illuminates unknown scientific paths.
As science and civilisation advance, the language of the Holy Quran becomes clearer, whereas other schools fade with scientific progress. This dynamism is like a river that becomes more turbulent with every rainfall.
Current religious science lacks scientific and practical infrastructure such as laboratories and information banks, and therefore cannot respond to contemporary needs. This state is like a garden deprived of necessary tools for growth.
Religious science must progress from stagnation to dynamism by training specialised and active personnel. This transformation resembles reconstructing a building whose foundations require strengthening.
Lack of discipline and time management in religious scientific centres indicates structural weakness. Installing numerous clocks acts like a wake-up call, encouraging students to be active and avoid wasting time.
Lack of intellectual and scientific activity among seminary students leads to the decline of the status of religious science and results in backwardness. This risk is like a shadow cast over the future of Islamic civilisation.
In the past, seminary students diligently engaged in lessons and discussions, keeping religious science vibrant; however, this perception does not hold true for the current situation. This comparison is like looking back at a brilliant past that must be revived.
Seminary students must practise sacrifice and prioritise lessons and discussions, reducing non-essential activities such as recreation and maintaining family ties. This sacrifice is like a soldier fighting on the front line for a noble cause.
Seminary students should avoid dependence on financial sources such as the Imams share and strive for economic self-sufficiency. This independence is like wings that enable self-respect to soar.
Passive expectation for the appearance, without effort and preparedness, leads to the weakening of beliefs and societal frailty. This expectation is like a tree that withers without irrigation.
Determining a specific time for the appearance is an unfounded and harmful act. Expectation must be based on continuous readiness, like a soldier who is always prepared for battle.
The secret to the realisation of the appearance lies in adherence to the Quranic verses. This secret is like a key that opens the gates of Islamic civilisation.
Implementing the commands and objectives of the Quran is the responsibility of the people and society and must not be confined to passive expectation. This responsibility is like a trust placed upon the shoulders of the Ummah.
The realisation of Quranic objectives requires the intellectual and rational maturity of society. This maturity is like the blossoming of a flower that bears fruit through collective effort.
Verse: وَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً طَهُورًا
Translation: And We sent down from the heaven pure water.
This verse regards the descent of purifying water from the heaven as a sign of divine providence in the system of creation. This descent is like rain that revitalises the dry earth.
Verse: تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي السَّمَاءِ بُرُوجًا وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا سِرَاجًا وَقَمَرًا مُنِيرًا
Translation: Blessed is He who placed in the heaven towers and made therein a shining lamp and a radiant moon.
This verse introduces the heaven as a container of towers and the illumination of the sun and moon, indicating cosmic order. This order is like the dance of stars in the sky manifesting divine organisation.
Verse: وَإِنْ نَشَأْ نُنْزِلْ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ آيَةً فَظَلَّتْ أَعْنَاقُهُمْ لَهَا خَاضِعِينَ
Translation: And if We will, We can send down to them a sign from heaven, and their necks will remain humbled to it.
This verse introduces the descent of divine signs from heaven as a tool for guidance and submission. This descent is like a light that pierces the darkness of ignorance.
Verse: فَأَسْقَطْنَا عَلَيْهَا كِسَفًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ
Translation: So We rained upon them fragments from the heaven.
This verse introduces the descent of fragments from heaven as a divine punishment occurring in the atmospheric region. This phenomenon is like a warning that awakens human heedlessness.
Verse: وَمَنْ يَرْزُقُكُمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ
Translation: And who provides for you from the heaven and the earth?
This verse identifies heaven and earth as the sources of human sustenance. This provision is like a stream flowing from heaven to earth.
Verse: وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ تَقُومَ السَّمَاءُ وَالْأَرْضُ بِأَمْرِهِ
Translation: And of His signs is that the heaven and the earth stand by His command.
This verse attributes the stability of heaven and earth to divine command. This stability is like a building constructed on the firm pillars of God.
Verse: يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ
Translation: He manages the affair from the heaven to the earth.
This verse attributes the management of creations affairs from heaven to earth. This management is like a current directed from heaven to earth.
The number seven in "seven heavens" signifies multiplicity and diversity of realms. This multiplicity is like skies layered upon each other, each with a distinct function.
Simplistic interpretations reducing the heavens to atmospheric layers or limited concepts are erroneous. These interpretations are like attempting to contain an ocean in a small jar.
Verse: وَالسَّمَاءَ بَنَيْنَاهَا بِأَيْدٍ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ
Translation: And the heaven We constructed with strength, and indeed, We are [its] expander.
This verse refers to the continuous expansion of the heavens, harmonising with human needs. This expansion is like a universe that grows ever larger.
Verse: أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكُمْ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ
Translation: Did I not tell you that I know the unseen of the heavens and the earth?
This verse refers to divine knowledge of the unseen aspects of the heavens and earth. This knowledge is like a light illuminating the secrets of creation.
The claim of sustenance scarcity due to population increase contradicts the verse Indeed, We are Expander. God expands the heavens and the earth to fulfil human needs. This is like a stream that never dries up.
Hunger and poverty are consequences of wastefulness and resource destruction by some countries. This destruction is like casting treasure into the sea, leading to others poverty.
The abundance of agricultural products in some regions is a sign of divine blessing that is wasted due to poor management. This abundance is like a garden whose fruits fall to the ground.
Deliberate destruction of products to maintain prices contradicts Quranic wisdom. Justice in resource distribution is like a stream that brings life to every land.
Religious science, utilising Quranic capacities, can assume scientific and civilisational leadership worldwide. This role is like a torch illuminating humanitys path.
Religious science must progress towards dynamism by establishing laboratories and information banks. This transformation is like reconstructing a building designed for humanitys future.
The interpretation of verse 117 of Surah Al-Baqarah, centred on The Originator of the heavens and the earth, reveals the exalted status of the Holy Quran as a book of guidance and civilisation-building. This divine book, beyond individual worship, serves as a guide for awareness, knowledge, and the creation of an advanced civilisation. The Quranic verses, from the descent of sustenance and signs to the expansion of the heavens, demonstrate the potential for scientific and spiritual guidance of humanity. Religious science, through infrastructural transformation and specialised human resource development, can actualise these capacities. Active expectation, based on acting upon the Holy Quran and societal intellectual maturity, is a condition for realising Quranic ideals. This treatise is an invitation to re-examine the Holy Quran with a scientific and practical approach, to establish a just and advanced world.
