Derived from the lecture series of Nekounam, may his soul rest in peace (Session 1376)
This treatise undertakes a profound and methodical re-examination of the seventh verse of Surah al-Anfal, exploring the concept of Dht al-Shawkat within a historical and semantic context. The objective is to elucidate this pivotal concept with a fresh perspective, free from traditional presuppositions, relying upon elevated human and divine values. This work, by reflecting upon the verses of the Holy Quran and utilising lived experiences and spiritual narratives, seeks to present the exalted Quranic concepts in a clear and coherent framework to its readership. Like a gem emerging from the ocean's depths, this interpretation endeavours to separate truth from superficial layers and guide towards profound meanings.
وَإِذْ يَعِدُكُمُ اللَّهُ إِحْدَى الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ أَنَّهَا لَكُمْ وَتَوَدُّونَ أَنَّ غَيْرَ ذَاتِ الشَّوْكَةِ تَكُونُ لَكُمْ وَيُرِيدُ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُحِقَّ الْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَاتِهِ وَيَقْطَعَ دَابِرَ الْكَافِرِينَ
And when Allah promises you one of the two groups, that it shall be yours, while you wished that the unarmed group would be yours, yet Allah desires to establish the truth by His words and to cut off the root of the disbelievers.
This verse refers to the historical event of the Battle of Badr, where the believers faced two groups from Quraysh: a trading caravan led by Abu Sufyan and an armed army commanded by Amr ibn Hisham. Due to military weakness, the believers preferred to confront the unarmed caravan; however, divine will decreed the confrontation with the armed group so that truth might be firmly established and falsehood destroyed. This confrontation serves as a scene in which human will yields submission before divine wisdom.
The verse introduces two groups: one wealthy and possessing economic status, likened to the Quraysh trading caravan and Muawiya and his associates; and the other armed and militant, referring to the Quraysh army. This distinction signifies the difference between material power and military strength. The first group, with wealth and economic influence, appeared powerful but lacked spiritual dignity (shawkat); the second sought military dominance through weapons of war. This duality is like a mirror reflecting the reality of power against falsehood.
In traditional exegeses, Dht al-Shawkat has been interpreted as an armed group equipped with weapons of war. This understanding, rooted in the harsh conditions of early Islam, confines shawkat to material instruments such as arrows and swords. However, this view resembles a tree whose branches do not ascend towards the sky of truth but take root in the soil of materialism. True shawkat lies beyond tools of warfare, embedded in grandeur, knowledge, affection, and perfection.
In the modern era, the criteria for shawkat have transformed. Whereas military power once defined superiority, today wealth, politics, and cultural influence delineate shawkat. Nonetheless, this interpretation emphasises that true shawkat resides in exalted values: affection, honesty, purity, knowledge, and understanding. These values, like a beacon in darkness, illuminate the path towards truth.
Metaphors such as thorn or club used to describe Dht al-Shawkat, due to their association with violence and materialism, are incongruous with the essence of this concept. Shawkat is akin to a lion that strides with majesty and awe, not a frog dependent on thorns and spikes. This critique invites reconsideration of Quranic metaphors and their replacement with lofty and humanistic concepts.
Current translations of the Holy Quran have been criticised for their lack of precision in conveying profound meanings. Phrases such as يُحِقَّ الْحَقَّ (establishing the truth) and يُبْطِلَ الْبَاطِلَ (nullifying falsehood) are sometimes rendered literally, losing depth. Translation ought to be like mincing meat: pure, free of impurities, and faithful to the essential core. This critique underscores the need for precise and profound re-translation.
Translating the Holy Quran is an exceedingly difficult task due to the depth and profundity of its verses. This endeavour is akin to polishing a precious gem, demanding accuracy, patience, and collective effort. It is suggested that this endeavour, even if it lasts a century, must continue to preserve the trust of divine revelation.
Current religious sciences, overly focused on jurisprudence, principles, and literature, have distanced themselves from the centrality of the Holy Quran. These sciences resemble branches severed from the main trunk of the tree of revelation. Returning to the Holy Quran, as the fountainhead of revelation, is an imperative that can rescue religious sciences from deviation.
In childhood, the narrator enthusiastically taught Quranic tajwd with students from various ages. Bazaar merchants, endowed with economic influence, proposed employment in the market; however, the narrator, committed to spiritual values, declined. This narrative acts like a mirror reflecting the contrast between materialism and spirituality.
Another narrative recounts interaction with a wealthy and influential person of high economic status. This individual, under the influence of spiritual values, was guided towards religious enlightenment. This experience demonstrates the power of spiritual shawkat over materialism, like a refreshing breeze transforming hearts.
Improper behaviours of some seminary students, such as unethical proposals, are criticised as examples of deviation from religious values. These behaviours are attributed to political and colonial agents seeking to discredit scholars. This critique serves as a warning to preserve purity and piety in the path of guidance.
The narrative of a girl who transitioned from a secular lifestyle to religiosity exemplifies the influence of spiritual shawkat. This transformation resembles a flower blooming in the soil of faith, reflecting the power of religious values in changing human beings.
Mostafa Chamran is introduced as an exemplar of Dht al-Shawkat who, through sincerity and commitment to divine values, declined worldly positions and participated on battlefronts. He shone like a star in the firmament of faith, with divine faith and will.
Chamran defended the army as a valuable institution and called for its preservation. This defence reflects the importance of maintaining national structures aligned with divine objectives, which act as steadfast pillars protecting society from collapse.
Reforming and updating the exegesis and translation of the Holy Quran is introduced as a divine and monumental duty. This task is akin to reconstructing an ancient edifice, requiring collective and prolonged effort to preserve the truth of revelation and prevent deviations.
The social and cultural conditions of early Islam, due to violence and lack of civilisation, employed metaphors such as thorn to describe shawkat. However, these metaphors are unsuitable for todays world and must be replaced with exalted concepts that serve as a bridge between past and present, transmitting truth.
This interpretation, by re-examining the concept of Dht al-Shawkat, has shifted from its traditional meaning (military power) towards exalted values such as affection, knowledge, and grandeur. Criticism of existing translations and contemporary religious sciences is a call to return to the Holy Quran as the source of revelation. Narratives and lived experiences, like torches, illuminate the path of truth and demonstrate the superiority of spiritual shawkat over materialism. This work, emphasising collective and long-term reform of exegeses, offers a strategy for preserving religion and guiding society.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
