of Nokounam (May his sanctity be preserved) Session 1597
The Holy Qur'an, like a radiant lamp, opens the path of guidance towards truth and, with its illuminating verses, directs humanity towards goodness and felicity. This writing, through reflection upon the divine verses, examines three fundamental pillars: guidance, capital, and Islamic policy-making. Its aim is to elucidate, with a profound perspective on Qur'anic meanings and implications, the duties of religious scholars, the role of capital in the strength of the Islamic society, and the necessity of religious systematisation for the guidance of the Ummah. This work, employing eloquent language and a coherent structure, endeavours to present Qur'anic concepts in a clear framework, aligned with the needs of contemporary society, to nourish the thoughts of its readers like a pure stream.
Guidance in the Holy Qur'an is like a shining star in the sky of knowledge, leading humanity towards truth and reality. This concept is not merely the indication of the correct path but a duty that religious scholars must fulfil with knowledge, wisdom, and awareness. The Holy Qur'an states in this regard:
"Is then he who guides to the truth more worthy to be followed, or he who is not guided unless he is guided? What is the matter with you? How do you judge?" (Qur'an 10:35)
This verse, with a lucid expression, demonstrates the superiority of conscious guidance over blind following. Guidance is a specialised responsibility requiring mastery over religious and secular sciences, including economics, sociology, and philosophy. Religious scholars must, with profound understanding of the Qur'an and the prophetic tradition, lead society towards goodness and felicity. The verse explicitly calls upon scholars to distinguish the right path from deviation with knowledge and wisdom and to guide the Ummah towards the divine destination.
One of the challenges facing religious knowledge is its focus on peripheral matters instead of producing scientific and practical systems to guide society. Rather than addressing issues such as mutual forgiveness (ma'tt) or inadvertent prostration (sajdat al-sahw), religious scholars must design systems that respond to the economic, social, and cultural needs of society. For instance, before the revolution, some university graduates entered seminaries to benefit from religious knowledge; however, today, religious sciences must take a step towards society and, with a renewed language, sow faith and righteous action within people's hearts.
The Holy Qur'an, through a reflective question, criticises improper judgments in the selection of guides. This question acts as a mirror inviting scholars to reconsider their methods and tools of guidance. Religious knowledge must employ modern sciences to develop guidance systems that not only reinforce people's faith but also assist in solving complex social and economic issues.
Guidance, like a pure stream, must flow from the fountain of knowledge and wisdom of religious scholars towards society. This responsibility requires reconstructing approaches in religious sciences to harmonise with the contemporary needs of society. Scholars must master various disciplines, seek novel paths for guiding the Ummah, and move from marginalisation to centrality in addressing societal problems.
Capital, according to the Holy Qur'an, is depicted as a double-edged instrument capable of leading to either good or evil. The story of Qarun is a clear example of the misuse of capital which, instead of public good, resulted in hoarding and arrogance. The Holy Qur'an states:
"Indeed, Qarun was of the people of Moses, but he tyrannised them. And We gave him of treasures, whose keys would burden a band of strong men... So We caused the earth to swallow him and his house." (Qur'an 28:76-81, abridged)
This verse introduces Qarun as an individual who possessed immense capital but, due to hoarding and arrogance, met destruction. In primitive societies, capital often took the form of treasure (kanz) which, instead of circulating in the community, was monopolised by an individual or group. This monopoly exacerbated poverty and inequality and deprived the society of blessings and prosperity.
The Holy Qur'an strongly condemns hoarding and regards it as an obstacle to societal blessing and prosperity. Another verse in this regard states:
"And those who hoard gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of Allah give them tidings of a painful punishment." (Qur'an 9:34)
This verse, in decisive language, likens hoarding to the economic death of society. In primitive societies, almsgiving was the sole means of capital circulation; however, in modern societies, systematic economic management is necessary to ensure that capital results in vitality and public good. Hoarding acts as a shackle that stops the pure flow of capital and drives society towards poverty and division.
Capital is like a double-edged sword that can lead either to good or evil. The Holy Qur'an, through the story of Qarun and verses on hoarding, emphasises the necessity of capital circulation in the path of Allah. Religious scholars must derive economic systems from the Holy Qur'an to pave the way for the proper management of capital so that society may be freed from poverty and inequality and advance towards strength and solidarity.
Islamic policy-making is like a bridge that must guide society towards divine good. The Holy Qur'an, critiquing people's inclination to worldly affairs over religious priorities, states:
"And when they see a transaction or a diversion, they rush towards it and leave you standing. Say, 'What is with Allah is better than diversion and than a transaction.'" (Qur'an 62:11)
This verse, with eloquent wording, criticises people's tendency towards diversion and trade rather than religious priorities. This behaviour indicates a weakness in religious policy-making which has failed to create the necessary spiritual attraction to draw people towards divine good. Religious scholars must rebuild public trust through scholarly and affectionate behaviour and plant faith in their hearts.
Religious systematisation is like a gardener who must plant the sapling of faith in the heart of society and transform it, through wisdom and knowledge, into a robust tree. The Holy Qur'an states:
"O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade." (Qur'an 62:9)
This verse emphasises the priority of the remembrance of Allah over worldly affairs and calls upon religious scholars to direct people towards good and guidance through religious systematisation. Such systematisation requires the production of Islamic economic knowledge and social systems the Holy Qur'an, harmonised with the contemporary needs of society.
Islamic policy-making, like a pure stream, must guide society towards goodness and felicity. This is possible only through the spiritual and scholarly attraction of religious scholars. Religious systematisation, relying on the Holy Qur'an and prophetic tradition, must facilitate the resolution of social and economic issues and draw people's trust towards divine teachings.
The Holy Qur'an, like a blazing torch, illuminates the path of guidance towards truth. This writing, through reflection upon divine verses, demonstrated that guidance is a specialised responsibility to be fulfilled by religious scholars with knowledge and wisdom. Capital, if set in motion, leads to the welfare and strength of society; however, its hoarding acts like a deadly poison, dragging society towards poverty and division. Islamic policy-making, with spiritual and scholarly attraction, must redirect people from diversion and trade to divine good. Religious knowledge, through re-examining its approaches and producing economic and social systems, can build a powerful, just, and benevolent society in which guidance, capital flow, and religious policy-making culminate in the unity and strength of the Islamic Ummah.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
