Ayat al-Kursi, as one of the pivotal and foundational verses of the noble Surah al-Baqarah in the Holy Quran, occupies an unparalleled position in elucidating the principles of monotheism, divine attributes, and the system of creation. This verse, with its comprehensiveness and profound semantic depth, is recognised not only as a hallmark of the Qurans spiritual and lordly authority but also functions as a source for existential nourishment and intellectual and rational guidance for humanity. In this treatise, adopting a scientific and systematic approach, a detailed analysis of Ayat al-Kursi has been undertaken, examining all its spiritual, philosophical, psychological, and social dimensions content of the presented lecture. The objective is to provide a comprehensive and profound exegesis for specialist audiences, employing a refined language and coherent structure to elucidate the key concepts of this verse and its impacts on the virtuous life.
Ayat al-Kursi, as one of the foundational verses of Surah al-Baqarah, holds a central position in the spiritual structure of the Holy Quran. This verse, by expounding monotheism and divine attributes, stands as a hallmark of the Qurans authority against the lordly and spiritual realms.
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ (البقرة: 255)
Translation: Godthere is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
The foundational verses of Surah al-Baqarah, such as Ayat al-Kursi and Say, "O Allah, Owner of Sovereignty"
(Quran 40:16), act like life-giving springs that nourish human existence. These verses, through awareness and action, operate as existential chargers and sustain the spiritual life of humanity.
Divine saints, by persistent recitation and contemplation of these verses, experience the virtuous life, as the Holy Quran states: Indeed, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured
(Quran 13:28). These verses are as indispensable for the soul as bread and water are for the body, and without them, human beings suffer from spiritual, intellectual, and rational drought.
Failure to benefit from foundational verses such as Ayat al-Kursi leads to deficiency in intellect and comprehension. These verses, akin to spiritual nourishment, guarantee the vital growth of humanity, and neglecting them plunges a person into the abyss of spiritual and intellectual shortcomings.
Ayat al-Kursi, as a jewel among the verses of Surah al-Baqarah, not only elucidates the monotheistic and epistemological foundations of the Holy Quran but also, through its spiritual and existential effects, guides humanity towards the virtuous life. This verse, with its central position, is vitally necessary for intellectual and spiritual growth.
Ayat al-Kursi, with its multi-layered and multi-part structure (comprising ten sections), possesses diverse functions, each encompassing a specific domainfrom invocation and talismanic protection to spiritual guidance. This complexity indicates the verses comprehensiveness in responding to human existential needs.
Ayat al-Kursi, as the throne (Kursi) of the heavens and the earth, is a spiritual talisman capable of breaking obstacles and sealing the paths of evil. This attribute is introduced in Islamic narrations as an unseen protection for the believers.
Ayat al-Kursi, referencing the subsequent verse, namely And whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold
(Quran 2:256), emphasises the opposition between disbelief and faith.
وَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىٰ (البقرة: 256)
Translation: And whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has indeed grasped the most trustworthy handhold.
This confrontation highlights the centrality of monotheism against polytheism and disbelief. Complete faith negates polytheism, though moderate faith may coexist with elements of polytheism.
In Ayat al-Kursi, darknesses (in the plural form) are juxtaposed with light (in the singular), indicating the multiplicity of disbelief and the unity of faith. The darknesses allude to the dispersion and distraction caused by disbelief, whereas the light manifests the unity and coherence of faith.
Multiplicity in life, such as forgetfulness, losing direction, and distraction, is a sign of weak faith. Humanity advances towards complete faith by reducing multiplicity and concentrating on unity. This view aligns with modern psychology, which considers task multiplicity a cause of stress and diminished focus.
The metaphor of a boat filled with gold sinking in a storm illustrates the danger of multiplicity. Even if multiplicity pertains to virtuous matters, it can lead a person to destruction, akin to a boat sinking under the weight of gold.
Ayat al-Kursi, with its multi-layered structure and diverse functionsfrom talismanic protection to spiritual guidancedirects humanity towards the unity and light of faith. The confrontation of disbelief and faith, and of darknesses and light, underscores the necessity of reducing multiplicity and concentrating on unity.
Ayat al-Kursi, by referencing the verse Allah is the protector of those who have believed. He brings them out from darknesses into the light. And those who disbelieved their protectors are Taghut; they take them out of the light into darknesses
(Quran 2:257), explicates the opposition between Divine Wilaya and the Wilaya of Taghut.
اللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُخْرِجُهُمْ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ ۖ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَوْلِيَاؤُهُمُ الطَّاغُوتُ يُخْرِجُونَهُمْ مِنَ النُّورِ إِلَى الظُّلُمَاتِ (البقرة: 257)
Translation: Allah is the protector of those who have believed; He brings them out from darknesses into the light. And those who disbelievedtheir protectors are Taghut, who take them out of the light into darknesses.
Divine Wilaya is a lordly grace that guides believers towards the light, whereas Taghuts Wilaya leads humanity towards dispersion and darknesses.
The angels, as the protectors of believers, support them in this world and the Hereafter: We are your protectors in this life and in the Hereafter
(Quran 41:31).
نَحْنُ أَوْلِيَاؤُكُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ (فصلت: 31)
Translation: We are your protectors in the life of this world and in the Hereafter.
This Wilaya is subordinate to divine grace and indicates the unseen support extended to believers.
General Wilaya is a created grace that all creatures, from stones and plants to humans and jinn, benefit from: And My mercy encompasses all things
(Quran 7:156).
وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ (الأعراف: 156)
Translation: And My mercy encompasses all things.
Special Wilaya is a voluntary grace specific to believers, guiding them towards righteous deeds.
Forbidden Wilaya is the carnal attraction that draws a person towards sin and whisperings. This Wilaya exists even among moderate and lower-level believers and manifests as satanic whispers: Who whispers in the breasts of mankind
(Quran 114:5).
يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ (الناس: 5)
Translation: Who whispers in the breasts of mankind.
The interpretation of guardianship as supervisory authority is erroneous and leads to global misunderstandings against Islam. Guardianship is a divine benevolence, not a supervision that negates human free will.
Guardianship in Ayat al-Kursi, as a manifestation of divine benevolence, guides humanity from darkness to light. The distinction between general, special, and prohibited guardianship demonstrates the complexity of the divine guidance system, which harmonises with human free will.
The reduction of multiplicity and base desires directs man towards balance and progression towards the true guardianship. This advice aligns with the principle of asceticism in Islamic mysticism and paves the way for spiritual growth.
Mechanical prayer, characterised by counting units (rak'ahs) and focusing on outward forms, diverges from the spirit of the prayers of the divine saints. The prayer of the saints is a tuned state, concentrated on heartfelt presence.
The narration "إن رُدَّت رُدَّت ما سواها" demonstrates that the soundness of prayer is the criterion for the soundness of other deeds.
On Resurrection, believers are swiftly accounted for in the first round, whereas non-believers face delay and difficulties in the second round. This distinction indicates the exalted status of faith.
Distraction caused by media such as television is not beneficial for the scholar and prevents investigation and concentration. This critique aligns with modern psychology which identifies media as a cause of distraction.
Ibn Sina believed that scholars should avoid reading novels because emotions impede logic. This viewpoint emphasises the necessity of preserving logic in scientific work.
Multiplicity in study, such as misunderstanding the Holy Qur'an or scientific texts, results from mental dispersion. Concentration and reduction of cognitive load enable deep comprehension.
Ayat al-Kursi, by emphasising reduction of multiplicity and focusing on unity, offers practical solutions for spiritual and intellectual life. Critiques such as media distraction and novel reading highlight the necessity of preserving concentration and logic for scholars.
Ayat al-Kursi is presented in the present context (يَخْرُجُونَ and يَخْرُجُهُمْ), indicating the dynamism of faith and disbelief. The believer transitions from deficiencies to light, while the disbeliever moves from light to darkness.
Predestination and reincarnation are political superstitions designed to absolve rulers and deny the Hereafter. The Holy Qur'an negates these concepts by emphasising free will and natural consequence.
Darkness in the believer represents deficiencies and ignorance, which are remedied by knowledge and cognition. In the disbeliever, darkness signifies loss of innate imperatives and general mercy.
The innate disposition (fitrah) is the divine light present in all humans: فِطْرَتَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا (Ar-Rum: 30).
فِطْرَتَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا (الروم: ۳۰)
Translation: The innate disposition with which Allah has created mankind.
The disbeliever, through disbelief, transforms this light into darkness.
Ayat al-Kursi, by emphasising the present context and the imperative of exiting, demonstrates the dynamism of faith and disbelief. The refutation of predestination and reincarnation, along with the distinction of darkness in believer and disbeliever, affirms human free will and innate disposition.
Conceptual sciences, which lack vision and specificity, have limited value. Religious knowledge must be visionary, metaphorical, and specific, accompanied by experience and observation.
The religious scholar should not intervene in individual actions but must design and present macro-social frameworks. This role, akin to social engineering, provides structures for free choice by the people.
Divine benevolence is the divine attraction guiding man towards good without negating free will: وَمَا رَمَيْتَ إِذْ رَمَيْتَ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ رَمَىٰ (Al-Anfal: 17).
وَمَا رَمَيْتَ إِذْ رَمَيْتَ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ رَمَىٰ (الأنفال: ۱۷)
Translation: And you did not throw when you threw, but Allah threw.
Islamic society is a collection of rational individuals who require divine benevolence and macro-structures, not supervision that negates free will.
Creation of offspring, agriculture, and rainfall occur under divine benevolence, but man is the agent of these phenomena. The verses of Surah Al-Waqiah (58-72) confirm this reality:
أَفَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا تُمْنُونَ أَأَنْتُمْ تَخْلُقُونَهُ أَمْ نَحْنُ الْخَالِقُونَ (الواقعة: ۵۸-۵۹)
Translation: Have you seen what you emit? Is it you who create it, or are We the Creator?
These verses indicate the human role in natural phenomena under divine attention.
Rainfall results from the interaction of moisture, population, and earth conditions, yet divine benevolence governs the system. This perspective exemplifies the integration of science and religion in explaining natural phenomena.
Ayat al-Kursi, by emphasising the role of religious scholars and divine benevolence, offers strategies for reforming religious knowledge and society. Critiques of conceptual sciences and supervision stress the necessity to focus on macro-structures and respect human free will.
Ayat al-Kursi, as a brilliant gem in Surah Al-Baqarah, elucidates monotheism, guardianship, and the confrontation of light and darkness, constituting an unparalleled source for spiritual and intellectual guidance. This verse, with its multi-layered structure and diverse functionsfrom protective talisman to existential guidanceleads man towards the good life. Emphasis on reducing multiplicity, rejection of predestination and reincarnation, and elucidation of guardianship as divine benevolence render this verse a comprehensive source for spiritual and intellectual life. The critiques presentedfrom media distraction to conceptual sciencesoffer solutions for modernising religious knowledge and focusing scholars. This writing, integrating lecture content and detailed analyses, endeavours to provide a scientific and refined exegesis of Ayat al-Kursi, serving as a guide and inspiration for specialist audiences.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi