of , (Session 1073)
The Holy Quran, akin to a luminous lamp, illuminates the path of guidance for humanity, and its verses open windows towards the comprehension of divine truth and justice. Verse 33 of Surah Al-Midah, which addresses the punishment of those who wage war against God and His Messenger and spread corruption on earth, is one of these verses that, with eloquent and sagacious language, speaks of social order and justice. This treatise endeavours, through a profound contemplation of this noble verse, to provide a comprehensive interpretation aligned with the needs of contemporary society. By utilising allegories and semantic connections, it seeks to present the spirit of the divine word in a clear and coherent manner to the readers.
إِنَّمَا جَزَاءُ الَّذِينَ يُحَارِبُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَسَادًا أَنْ يُقَتَّلُوا أَوْ يُصَلَّبُوا أَوْ تُقَطَّعَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُمْ مِنْ خِلَافٍ أَوْ يُنْفَوْا مِنَ الْأَرْضِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لَهُمْ خِزْيٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
The recompense of those who wage war against God and His Messenger and strive to spread corruption on earth is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. This is their disgrace in this world, and for them in the Hereafter is a grievous punishment.
Verse 33 of Surah Al-Midah was revealed following the preceding verse which addresses the extravagance and disobedience of the Children of Israel. This extravagance, like a river deviating from its course, alludes to disobedience to divine commandments and the wastage of celestial guidance. This context introduces waging war against God and corruption on earth as dire consequences of rebellion against the truth.
Key Point: The extravagance of the Children of Israel acts as a source from which corruption and waging war flow through the social fabric, emphasising the necessity of implementing divine justice.
In the language of the Holy Quran, waging war signifies armed conflict against divine ordinances and social order established under the guidance of the Divine Messenger. This concept, like a double-edged sword, refers both to fighting God and His Messenger and to disturbing public security. During the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), manifestations of waging war included widespread killing and disruption of social order; however, in the present era, the absence of a living Prophet challenges this concept.
Waging war is akin to a storm shaking the foundations of society. This conflict is not limited to killing and bloodshed but includes any action that disrupts divine order, such as insulting sacred matters or disturbing security. Nevertheless, the verses emphasis on armed actions indicates the severity of this crime.
Key Point: Waging war, like a smouldering fire beneath ashes, threatens societal security and necessitates a punishment that ensures deterrence.
Corruption on earth, as mentioned in the Holy Quran, refers to acts that endanger social order and justice. From the perspective of the text, manifestations of such corruption in the modern world are like wounds on the body of society, including war, destruction of infrastructure, and plundering of national wealth. For instance, the devastation in Lebanon, with hundreds killed and thousands of homes destroyed, constitutes a clear example of corruption on earth which not only deprives security but also tramples human dignity.
Corruption on earth is like a disease that, if untreated, drags the entire society into ruin. This corruption differs from petty theft, such as stealing an insignificant object, and refers to grand actions, such as the seizure of 65% of a country's wealth, which annihilate social justice.
Key Point: Corruption on earth, like a devastating flood, destroys not only material order but also the spiritual foundations of society.
Verse 33 of Surah Al-Midah lists four types of punishments for those who wage war and spread corruption on earth: killing, crucifixion, cutting off hands and feet from opposite sides, and exile from the land. Each punishment, like a mirror, reflects the severity of the crime and the necessity of deterrence. The phrase "cutting off hands and feet from opposite sides," meaning severing, for example, the right hand and left foot, signifies a punishment involving both corporal penalty and social disgrace. Exile from the land refers to banishment, which removes the condemned from their community.
These punishments were designed within the context of early Islamic society, which was heavily dependent on security for its order. However, in the modern world, literal implementation of these rulings faces challenges akin to attempting to clothe a new era in outdated garments.
Key Point: The punishments in verse 33, like the sword of justice, aim to preserve social order but require adaptation to contemporary circumstances for implementation.
The original text critically considers the literal execution of these rulings in todays world as impossible and even absurd. The absence of a living Prophet, like a void in the structure of enforcing Sharia, raises the question of how to apply rulings revealed for specific times and places in a transformed world. This viewpoint highlights the necessity of dynamic ijtihd (independent reasoning) which, like a bridge between past and present, connects rulings with contemporary realities.
For example, punishments such as crucifixion or cutting off limbs, in modern societies where human rights and dignity are paramount, encounter resistance. This reflects the need for reinterpretation of the rulings so that divine justice manifests in a form compatible with the present age.
Ijtihd is like a passageway that brings divine speech from its historical context to the present time. The original text likens ijtihd to the interpretation of dreams, emphasising that understanding Quranic verses requires a creative and dynamic approach. Just as a dream interpreter reads the meaning of a childhood dream in adulthood, the jurist must re-examine past rulings in the light of current conditions.
For instance, a childhood memory of breaking a glass is presented as an allegory for ijtihd. This memory, like a tale told from the past to the present, demonstrates that understanding rulings necessitates transferring meaning to a new context.
Key Point: Ijtihd, like a golden key, opens the doors to comprehending the Holy Quran in the contemporary era.
The original text critically asserts that half of the verses revealed during the 23 years of the Prophet Muhammads mission were abrogated, and that continuing literal application of these rulings after 1500 years, like carrying an old burden on the shoulders of a new age, is meaningless. Although somewhat exaggerated, this perspective stresses the necessity of reviewing rulings in light of ijtihd and historical-social circumstances.
The texts humorous calculation that forty thousand verses have been abrogated in 1500 years serves as a warning to those insisting on literal enforcement of rulings without regard for the changing times. This critique, like a breeze clearing dust, directs the mind toward dynamic ijtihd.
The original text, with forthright tone, condemns the misuse of Quranic verses to justify violence. This misuse is like poison poured into the cup of truth, leading to the misfortune of societies. For example, the promotion of killing through social media based on religious concepts exemplifies such distortion that endangers order and security.
Key Point: Misuse of the Holy Quran, like stealing light from the sun, distorts truth and results in corruption.
The text, through a humorous allegory of a person who arrogantly considered himself superior on the pulpit, critiques false claims of representing the Prophet. Such claims, like empty winds, only foster pride and arrogance and stray from the truth of prophethood.
This allegory, like a mirror, reveals the exploitation of religious status for power and legitimacy, inviting the audience to reflect on sincerity and humility.
The original text points to the devastation in Lebanon, including the killing of hundreds and destruction of thousands of homes, considering this situation an example of corruption on earth. This destruction, like a storm ravaging a city, annihilates not only infrastructure but also the dignity and independence of a nation.
The critique of charity after such destruction is likened to water poured after a fire; insufficient and humiliating. This perspective stresses the necessity of preventing corruption rather than reactive measures.
Key Point: Corruption in Lebanon, like a deep wound on a nations body, demonstrates the magnitude of a catastrophe that charity cannot remedy.
Seizing a large portion of a countrys wealth, like theft from the public table, is a clear example of corruption on earth. The original text refers to the appropriation of 65% of a countrys wealth, considering it not only corruption but a betrayal of justice and faith. This view, like a cry against oppression, emphasises the necessity of combating economic corruption.
Political dependence on foreign powers, such as Lebanons transformation into a colony for foreigners, also exemplifies corruption. This dependence, like chains on the feet of independence, leads nations towards destruction.
The original text recounts a memory of a neighbour keeping pigeons that disturbed the peace of others, highlighting small yet impactful
