the lectures of Nokounam, (Session 1619)
The Holy Quran, like a pure spring, pours divine knowledge into the depths of human existence and, with its luminous verses, opens the path of felicity and perfection before mankind. This celestial book, in various chapters, particularly in Surahs Al-Baqarah and Al-Munafiqun, elucidates concepts such as honour, guardianship, and forgiveness, employing a clear and sagacious language that invites humanity to contemplate the reality of their existence and their place within the cosmic order. The present treatise, through reflection on divine verses and profound analyses, addresses three fundamental themes: Divine Honour, the Guardianship of Men, and the Wisdom of Divine Forgiveness. This work, by a deep examination of the verses and utilising analogies and semantic linkages, endeavours to present the lofty meanings of the Quranic text in a coherent and lucid framework.
Honour, like a radiant jewel woven into the fabric of the Quranic verses, is introduced as a divine attribute and a perfection manifesting at various levelsfrom the essence of the Exalted Creator to the sincere believers. The Holy Quran distinguishes honour in four distinct ranks: intrinsic honour, exclusive to God; perfectional honour, particular to the Prophet and special believers; illusory honour, attributed to the arrogant disbelievers and magicians; and false honour, arising from polytheism and hypocrisy. This section, focusing on verse 8 of Surah Al-Munafiqun and related verses, undertakes an analysis of these categories.
This verse, like a clear mirror, attributes honour to three groups: God, His Messenger, and the believers, while depriving the hypocrites of comprehension thereof. Intrinsic honour, reflected in the verse Indeed, all honour belongs to Allah (Yunus 10:65), belongs solely to God. Even Iblis (Satan), in the verse By Your might, I will surely mislead them all (Sad 38:82), appeals to this honour, for no one except God is deemed worthy of honour. This appeal indicates the admission, even by a being like Iblis, of divine intrinsic honour, despite his exclusion from perfectional honour due to arrogance.
Intrinsic honour, akin to an unattainable summit, is reserved solely for God. This honour is the fountainhead of all other levels, and no creature is capable of attaining it. Iblis swears by this honour in his speech because he recognises no being other than God worthy of honour. This demonstrates the grandeur and uniqueness of divine honour.
Perfectional honour, like a ripe fruit upon the branch of piety, is bestowed upon the Prophet and believers who, through faith in God and His Messenger, tread the path of servitude. This honour is enduring and genuine, arising from full obedience to the truth. Special believers, whose hearts are illuminated by the light of faith, attain this rank.
Illusory honour, like a deceptive mirage, belongs to those who, due to pride and arrogance, regard themselves as honoured. The magicians of Pharaoh, referenced in the verse By the might of Pharaoh, indeed we are the victorious (Ash-Shuara 26:44), exemplify this honour which bursts like a bubble upon defeat.
False honour, like a dark shadow, stems from polytheism and disbelief. In the verse And they have taken besides Allah gods that might bring them honour (Maryam 19:81), the polytheists seek a counterfeit honour that yields nothing but misguidance and division. This honour is ignoble and accompanied by estrangement from the truth.
The hypocrites, like those trapped in the darkness of illusion and doubt, are deprived of understanding perfectional honour. Hypocrisy, like a thick veil, distances the heart from the light of divine honour. Verse 8 of Surah Al-Munafiqun, emphasising the ignorance of the hypocrites, reveals this deprivation.
Honour in the Holy Quran is likened to a mighty tree rooted in the divine essence, whose branches encompass the sincere believers. Intrinsic honour is exclusive to God, and perfectional honour is attained through obedience to Him and His Messenger. Illusory and false honour, however, resemble mirages leading the misguided towards destruction. Religious knowledge, by elucidating these ranks, must pave the way to attaining perfectional honour.
This verse, like a precise balance, portrays the equilibrium between womens rights and duties. The phrase for women are rights similar to those against them, according to what is equitable indicates that women have rights commensurate with their duties, and this balance is defined according to rational custom. There is neither disrespect nor discrimination against women in this verse; rather, it delineates their existential and obligatory realities.
Verse 34 of Surah Al-Baqarah links male guardianship to two factors: because Allah has given one over the other (innate differences) and because they spend of their wealth (financial expenditure). Guardianship is like a sturdy canopy that men extend over womennot as tyrannical dominion but as responsible management and equitable stewardship.
The innate differences between men and women, like complementary colours on a painting, display the beauty and harmony of creation. Men, with qualities such as rationality and foresight, and women, endowed with stronger emotions, complement each other. These differences underpin male guardianship, not as absolute superiority or injustice. The man is like a gardener seeking ripe fruit, and the woman is like a delightful fruit desired by him. This seeking and desirability have roots in human nature and are illuminated by Quranic verses.
In marriage, the man's consent is like the key that unlocks the bond. Although the woman's proposal is necessary, it remains a precondition, while the final decision depends on the man's acceptance. In divorce, the decision likewise rests with the man, even if stipulated conditions exist within the contract, since such conditions are a mandate delegated by the man, not the womans independent right. This structure is neither condemnation nor injustice towards women but a reflection of the natural and wise order outlined by the Holy Quran.
The idea of absolute equality between men and women is akin to attempting to make the two wings of a bird identical, each having a distinct role in flight. The Holy Quran, by emphasising men have a degree over them and men are guardians over women, negates absolute equality. Guardianship is neither patriarchy nor injustice but a natural order guaranteeing divine justice and wisdom in human relations.
The Holy Quran, through verses 228 and 34 of Surah Al-Baqarah, delineates the roles of women and men in the cosmic system with precision. Womens rights and duties are balanced by rational custom, and mens guardianship is established upon innate differences and financial expenditure. This order is neither discrimination nor injustice but a manifestation of divine wisdom that religious knowledge must elucidate to prevent distortion of Quranic concepts.
