Verse 146 of Surah Al-Baqarah, as part of a series of verses addressing the elucidation of truth and injustice, presents profound concepts concerning epistemology, concealment of truth, and the responsibility of the elite in relation to divine guidance. This verse, by identifying the oppressors as a group from among the People of the Book who recognise the truth yet conceal it, outlines an epistemological and social framework for understanding the position of religious scholars and their impact on nations. This text, by consolidating the lecture contents and exegetical analyses in a systematic and refined manner, endeavours to explicate the meanings of this verse and extract its key points. The objective is to provide a scholarly and specialised text suitable for an audience of advanced doctorate holders and researchers in Quranic sciences, Islamic theology, and religious sociology. The text is composed in a fluent, dignified style consonant with the academic milieu, employing literary allusions to enrich the content whilst maintaining its scientific essence.
The preceding verse (145) of Surah Al-Baqarah is a direct address to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and employs four emphatic particles (إِنَّ، إِذًا، لَ، مِنَ) to prohibit association with the oppressors. This address prepares the ground for the introduction of the oppressors in verse 146, which refers to a specific group from among the People of the Book.
الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ ۖ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقًا مِنْهُمْ لَيَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
Translation: "Those to whom We have given the Scripture recognise it as they recognise their own sons; yet a faction of them conceal the truth whilst they themselves are aware."
Verse 145, by directly addressing the Prophet and emphasising distancing from oppressors, establishes the foundation for introducing this group in verse 146. The relative pronoun "الذِينَ" (those who) limits the oppressors to a subset of the People of the Book to whom the divine Scripture was given. This bestowal does not imply the revelation (انزال) to the Prophets, nor an indirect reception (passive verb) for the common folk, but rather a direct granting (اتیان) to the elite.
Oppression, in the domain of nasut (the created worldly realm), as an existential container, encompasses all creatures, including the Prophets. Nevertheless, this inclusiveness does not signify the commission of oppression by the Prophets, but rather points to the potential capacity for oppression within the limitations of nasut. The infallibility (Ismah) of the Prophets prevents the actualisation of this potential.
Except for the perfect divine infallibility, all beings within nasut, including the infallibles (Aum), possess slight limitations (aff) owing to existential constraints. This limitation pertains to contingent, affirmational, and established differences and does not imply a deficiency in infallibility but rather corresponds to the exigencies of the human realm.
The Qurans emphasis on oppression and the identification of oppressors aims to elevate knowledge concerning the cosmos, humankind, the Prophets, the faithful, and the adversaries. This cognition aids in understanding the position of each group within the divine guidance system. Just as a gardener, through precise knowledge of plants, cultivates a fruitful garden, knowledge guides man towards righteous deeds.
The Quran differentiates between ilm (knowledge) and marifah (cognition). Knowledge is confined to the attributes and effects of entities, akin to a reflection on water that soon dissipates. Cognition, however, penetrates the essence and identity of entities, like a light illuminating the depths of existence and revealing truth. The elite mentioned in verse 146 recognised the Prophet with profound cognition, analogous to the recognition parents have of their children.
The analogy of recognising the Prophet (peace be upon him) as they recognise their sons (كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ) refers to the unconditional and unreserved love of parents towards their children. Just as parents recognise their offspring with a heart full of affection and meticulous attention, the elite similarly recognised the Prophet with a deep and existential cognition. This analogy demonstrates the depth and purity of cognition.
The Quran introduces parents as an exemplar of cognition due to their unconditional love for their children. This love, even on the Day of Resurrection, is unique to offspring, where parents seek none other than their children. This attribute renders the elites cognition of the Prophet tangible and profound.
Verse 146 introduces the oppressors as a group from the People of the Book to whom the divine Scripture has been given. This group consists neither of Prophets nor of the common populace, but rather the elitenamely, scholars and bearers of revelation. Their oppression lies in the intentional concealment of truth.
The Quran distinguishes three modes of interaction with the divine Scripture:
The term Atiyan indicates the heavy responsibility borne by the elite, who, due to their access to revelation, exert profound influence on society.
A faction among the elite (وَإِنَّ فَرِيقًا مِنْهُمْ لَيَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ), with full awareness of the truth (وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ), conceal it deliberately. Concealment here denotes an intentional denial of the existence of truth, not merely hiding it. This action arises from complete cognizance (knowledge of knowledge) and constitutes a profound oppression.
Concealment differs from mere hiding. Hiding implies non-disclosure of truth, whereas concealment involves denial of its existence. This distinction reveals the severity of the elites oppression, as concealment leads to deliberate societal misguidance.
Historically, the difficulties faced by communities have stemmed from religious scholars, particularly within Jewish and Christian societies. These scholars, to preserve their interests and social status, concealed truthssuch as the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him)to prevent people from turning to the new religion.
The Torah and the Gospel contain numerous indications regarding the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), yet the Jewish and Christian scholars distorted or concealed these evidences. Such distortion served as a tool to maintain their power and dominion.
A comparative study of the Torah, Gospel, and Psalms alongside the Quran facilitates the revelation of the Qurans grandeur and veracity. This study is essential for scientific domains and religious researchers to demonstrate the continuity of divine religions.
Similar to the distortions by Jewish and Christian scholars, some Sunni scholars excised or altered content concerning the infallibles from their books. This practice weakened the status of wilyah (divine guardianship) and infallibility.
Traditional exegeses, such as Majma al-Bayan and Al-Mizan, attribute the address of verse 145 to the entire community, as they found it difficult to comprehend the direct address to the Prophet. This approach imposed a meaning on the community and diminished the depth of the verse.
Imposing interpretive errors on the community resembles the scribal error known as nasikh in ancient manuscript copying. Just as scribal mistakes were erroneously attributed to the nasikh (the one who abrogated), interpretive errors are ascribed to the community, while the responsibility lies with the exegetes.
Due to the practice of taqiyya (precautionary dissimulation) and the dominance of caliphs and monarchs, the Shia were deprived of scholarly institutions such as universities. These limitations reduced scholarly production and affected the Shias scientific prestige.
Following the revolution, foundational religious issues, such as the revival of Shia historical dignity, have not received adequate attention, while lesser priorities have been emphasised. This has led to the weakening of Shia scientific authority.
The fear of some officials in openly expressing religious beliefs, such as sending blessings upon Muhammad and his family, has harmed religious discipline. Courage is a prerequisite for preserving religious identity and scientific authority.
Fear acts as a cause for sin, and timid individuals become involved in sins such as backbiting, slander, and espionage. Courage protects a person from these sins and leads them towards piety.
Despite disorder and open access, scholarly domains have been preserved from deviation and espionage due to their purity, love for wilyah, and loyalty to the Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance). This purity stems from the sincerity of the students and divine support.
In all religions, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has been acknowledged, and his signs have been mentioned in the heavenly scriptures. This cognition has roots from the time of Adam (peace be upon him) and within the
