of , (Session 1626)
The Holy Qur'an, like a radiant light, guides humanity towards truth and justice. In this treatise, two fundamental themes from Surah Al-Baqarah and related verses in Surahs Aal Imran and Al-Ma'idah are elucidated: the testimony of women and enemy recognition within the Islamic system. These two topics, rooted in divine verses, not only clarify legal and ethical rulings but also reflect, as a mirror, the innate differences among humans and the principles of interaction with faith-opponents. This essay endeavours to present these concepts with a profound examination of the verses and analyses derived from the discourses of religious scholars, offering a lucid and systematic framework to enlighten researchers and seekers of truth.
The Holy Qur'an, in verse 282 of Surah Al-Baqarah, provides a juridical system for testimony that beautifully considers the innate differences between women and men. This verse constitutes not merely a legal ruling but a profound contemplation on human perfection and social balance.
And call to witness two witnesses from among your men. And if there are not two men [available], then a man and two women from those whom you accept as witnesses so that if one of the two women errs, the other can remind her.
The Qur'an in this verse points to the natural distinctions between women and men. Woman, like a spring of affection and emotion, and man, like a pillar of rationality and reasoning, each achieves perfection in their respective stations. These differences are not indicative of deficiency but rather of completeness within each one's existential capacity. A woman's emotion, like a breeze that refreshes life, is essential for social vitality, and a man's rationality, like a steadfast rock, strengthens the foundation of major decisions. Verse 282 of Surah Al-Baqarah, by emphasising these differences, designs a legal system that balances these two perfections.
The stipulation of a man and two women in the verse aims to guarantee precision and justice in testimony. A womans emotion, delicate like a flower exposed to gusts of feeling, may be affected and thus requires the accompaniment of another to rectify any possible error. This rule is enacted not from contempt but from divine wisdom seeking to protect the rights of all individuals in the judicial system. The analogy of smoking prohibition in a petrol station and in a mosque clearly illustrates this difference: in the petrol station, it is due to risk; in the mosque, due to sanctity. Similarly, the condition of two women is due to the probability of emotional influence, not a reflection of lesser worth.
Womans affection and mans rationality, each in their rightful place, are like the two wings of a bird propelling society towards transcendence. Deficiency arises only when these traits appear in discordant settings: a man overwhelmed by excessive emotion is like a tree rooted in unsuitable soil, and a woman devoid of affection is like a spring that has dried up. These differences are not deficiencies but perfections within the framework of their nature. Should a woman grow a beard or a man develop breasts, these are deficiencies because they contradict their nature. Yet, affection in women and rationality in men are harmonious melodies in the symphony of life.
Certain interpretations have erroneously understood this verse as implying the degradation or half-worth of women. Such interpretations, like dust upon a mirror, obscure the divine message. The verse focuses not on the degradation of women but on managing natural differences to preserve justice. This verse acts as a precise law within the Islamic legal system, designed to prevent judicial error by considering human nature.
The innate differences between women and men are like two complementary colours in the painting of life, essential for the formation of a balanced society. A womans affection brings freshness to life, and a mans rationality provides strength. These two, like two scales in equilibrium, constitute a perfect society. The Qur'an, through this ruling, ensures not only justice but also social perfection.
Verse 282 of Surah Al-Baqarah, with a wise outlook on the innate differences between women and men, offers a legal system for testimony aiming to maintain justice and prevent rights from being violated. These differences are not deficiencies but perfections in their respective positions. Womans affection and mans rationality, like two stars in the sky of life, complement each other and are necessary for social equilibrium. The critique of erroneous interpretations highlights the necessity for precise and scientific understanding of the Qur'anic verses.
The Holy Qur'an in numerous verses refers to the intrinsic confrontation between faith and disbelief. This confrontation, like a boundary line between light and darkness, forms the foundation of the believers' interaction with disbelievers. The following verses elucidate this reality clearly:
Not those who disbelieve among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists wish that any good should be sent down to you from your Lord. But Allah chooses to bestow His mercy upon whom He wills, and Allah is the Owner of great bounty.
Many of the People of the Scripture wish they could turn you back to disbelief after you have believed, out of envy from themselves, after the truth has become clear to them. So forgive and overlook until Allah delivers His command. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.
If good touches you, it distresses them; but if harm strikes you, they rejoice. And if you are patient and fear Allah, their plot will not harm you at all. Indeed, Allah is encompassing of what they do.
The Holy Qur'an describes the disbelievers as those who are aggrieved by the goodness of the believers and rejoice at their misfortunes. This behaviour stems from envy (out of envy from themselves) and rancour that sits like a thorn in their hearts. They neither approach the truth themselves nor allow the sapling of faith in believers to flourish, like a jealous gardener who attempts to wither a young plant. This envy, like a heavy shadow, obstructs genuine peaceful coexistence between faith and disbelief.
Verse 120 of Surah Aal Imran introduces piety and patience as a steadfast shield against the plots of enemies. If the believers practise piety, the stratagems of the disbelievers, like arrows striking a rock, become ineffective. This verse, like a blazing torch, demonstrates that the problems in Islamic societies stem more from the weakness of their own piety and faith than from the schemes of adversaries.
If believers and disbelievers live together amicably, this reflects a broken mirror indicating indifference in their faith or disbelief. Genuine faith and disbelief, like water and fire, cannot coexist without confrontation. Observing such coexistence implies that both sides have distanced themselves from the authenticity of their religion and fallen into indifference.
The sociological analysis presented in the lectures serves as a key to understanding the different behaviours of minorities and majorities. Minorities, such as the Jews, due to their small numbers, are like a foreign tribe in an alien land, dedicating themselves more to preserving their identity. This dedication has firmly rooted Zionism as its bitter fruit. Conversely, the Islamic Ummah, due to its vastness, resembles a gardener who has become oblivious to the abundance of fruits, having fallen into ingratitude and failing in unity and piety.
The weakness of Islamic brotherhood, piety, and enemy recognition in Muslim societies acts as a barrier against the flourishing of the Ummah, preventing unity and strength. This weakness originates not from enemy plots but from the heedlessness of the believers themselves. The Holy Qur'an, like a wise guide, calls the believers to reconstruct their religious identity and commit to the principles of faith.
The Qur'anic verses on enemy recognition provide a clear framework for interaction with disbelievers, based on preserving the boundaries of faith and piety. The envy of disbelievers towards the good of believers and their effort to revert them to disbelief is a reality explicitly stated in the Qur'an. Piety and patience serve as a steadfast shield protecting the believers from the enemys stratagems. The sociological analysis of minority and majority emphasises the need to reconsider religious and social approaches in the Islamic Ummah, to revive brotherhood and piety and stand resilient against modern challenges.
The Holy Qur'an flows like a pure spring, revealing truth through its verses. Verse 282 of Surah Al-Baqarah, with a wise perspective on the innate differences between women
