of Nokounam, (Session 1638)
The Holy Qur'an is an inexhaustible, pristine fountain of divine knowledge, within whose verses profound rulings, meanings, and truths are embedded. This treatise, with a profound perspective on the verses pertaining to the rulings of Li'n, the concept of Divine ownership, and the attribute of Honour, endeavours to elucidate these subjects within a systematic and scholarly framework. The objective is to explore jurisprudential rulings, the meanings of Divine Names, and Qur'anic implications to guide the reader towards a deeper understanding of these truths. The structure of this text, through clear sectional divisions and detailed explanations, strives to present these knowledges in a manner that, like a polished mirror, reflects the light of truth.
Li'n is a legal ruling explicitly elucidated in the Holy Qur'an, particularly in Surah An-Nur. This ruling is applied when a husband accuses his wife of adultery but lacks any witness besides himself. The Qur'an provides a clear and self-sufficient legal verdict in this regard.
وَالَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ أَزْوَاجَهُمْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُمْ شُهَدَاءُ إِلَّا أَنْفُسُهُمْ فَشَهَادَةُ أَحَدِهِمْ أَرْبَعُ شَهَادَاتٍ بِاللَّهِ ۙ إِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ
And those who accuse their wives [of adultery] and have no witnesses except themselves then the testimony of one of them shall be four testimonies [swearing] by Allah that indeed, he is of the truthful.
This verse, appearing in Surah An-Nur (verse 6), explicitly states that in the absence of a witness, the husband must swear four times by God that he is truthful, and on the fifth occasion, invoke God's curse upon himself if he lies. This process, known as Li'n, is a divine ruling intended to preserve the sanctity of the husband and wife and to prevent baseless accusations. Li'n acts as a bridge separating truth from falsehood and reveals reality within the divine court.
Alongside verse six of Surah An-Nur, verse thirteen of the same chapter addresses the matter of testimony against accusations of adultery and emphasises the necessity of four witnesses.
لَوْلَا جَاءُوا عَلَيْهِ بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَاءَ ۚ فَإِذْ لَمْ يَأْتُوا بِالشُّهَدَاءِ فَأُولَٰئِكَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُونَ
Why did they not bring four witnesses against him? And since they have not brought witnesses, then those with Allah are the liars.
This verse underscores the necessity of producing four witnesses to substantiate accusations of adultery and brands the accusers as liars before God if such witnesses are absent. The difference between this verse and verse six is that the former is a general ruling applicable to all individuals, whereas the latter is specific to husbands. If a non-husband falsely accuses adultery without witnesses, he is subject to the punishment of slander (eighty lashes), but the husband, due to his special right, is subject to the procedure of Li'n. This distinction, like two branches of a tree, reflects divine wisdom in regulating rulings appropriate to particular circumstances.
The Holy Qur'an is a text that presents jurisprudential rulings in a precise and scholarly manner. Regarding Li'n and testimony, the verses of Surah An-Nur alone provide a complete legal verdict without requiring reference to other sources. Although traditions may serve as explanatory, priority is given to direct understanding from the Qur'an. This approach serves as a beacon illuminating the path of truth amid the complexities of jurisprudential reasoning.
This section, focusing on verses six and thirteen of Surah An-Nur, elucidated the rulings on Li'n and testimony. Li'n is a specific ruling for a husband who, without witnesses, accuses his wife of adultery, while verse thirteen provides a general ruling necessitating four witnesses to prove such accusations. These rulings reflect divine wisdom and rationality in governing human relations and establish the Holy Qur'an as a source independent of external references.
Divine ownership is a profound Qur'anic concept clearly articulated in verses such as those in Surahs An-Nas and Al-Ftiah.
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ * مَلِكِ النَّاسِ * إِلَٰهِ النَّاسِ
Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, The Sovereign of mankind, The God of mankind.
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ * مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, The Owner of the Day of Judgement.
Mlik and Malk are two Divine attributes denoting God's dominion and sovereignty. Mlik signifies ownership over the essence and domain of things, while Malk indicates kingship and authority. In Surah An-Nas, Malik an-Ns refers to God's sovereignty over all humanity, and in Al-Ftiah, Mlik Yawm ad-Dn demonstrates His absolute ownership on the Day of Judgement. This ownership is like a crown upon the reality of existence, under whose dominion all creatures fall.
Rabb (Lord) refers to nurturing and sustaining creatures, whereas Mlik and Malk signify authority dominating the reality of things. Lordship is like a gardener who cultivates trees and brings them to fruitfulness, while ownership is akin to a sovereign who governs the entire garden and its produce. Mlik Yawm ad-Dn in Al-Ftiah denotes Gods absolute ownership on the Day of Retribution, while Rabb al-lamn refers to His general lordship over all beings.
Another verse describes the reality of dominion as follows:
وَعِنْدَهُ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ
And with Him is the dominion of all things.
Malakt is the reality of the authority of things which is with God. Every being, from stone to human, possesses a degree of authority manifest against certain othersfor example, a stone may break glass but is powerless before iron. Comprehending this dominion requires purity and sanctification of the soul because Malakt belongs to the spiritual and majestic Names of God, intertwined with divine grace and beauty. Attaining this truth is like ascending a lofty summit achievable only by a refined heart.
This section, reflecting on the verses of Surahs An-Nas and Al-Ftiah, elucidated Divine ownership and its distinction from lordship. Ownership is an authority encompassing the essence of things, and dominion is a manifestation of this authority before God. Understanding this truth demands purity and sanctification of the soul, and the Qur'an invites humanity towards this exalted knowledge through its verses.
Honour is an existential and intrinsic attribute that appears in the Holy Qur'an both absolutely and conditionally.
وَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
And to Allah belongs the honour, and to His Messenger, and to the believers.
Absolute honour is unique to God, being intrinsic, obligatory, and eternal. Conditional honour is divided into two types: genuine and non-genuine. Genuine conditional honour, which is eternal and everlasting, belongs to God, the Messenger, and the believers, as it is connected with eternal felicity. Non-genuine conditional honour is temporary and perishable, such as the material or tribal honour of disbelievers. This distinction, like the separation of light from darkness, differentiates the reality of honour from its false manifestations.
The Holy Qur'an employs honour in various instances:
لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ
There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. It grieves him that you should suffer.
(Surah At-Tawbah, 128) Here, the honour of the Messenger signifies his importance and authority.
وَلَوْلَا رَهْطُكَ لَرَجَمْنَاكَ ۖ وَمَا أَنْتَ عَلَيْنَا بِعَزِيزٍ
If not for your clan, We would have stoned you, and you would not have had any honour with us.
(Surah Ash-Shuar, 44) Honour here signifies social authority.
وَقَالَ نِسْوَةٌ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ امْرَأَةُ الْعَزِيزِ
And women in the city said: The wife of al-Azz...
(Surah Yusuf, 30) Honour here signifies status and dominion.
قَالُوا يَا أَيُّهَا الْعَزِيزُ
They said: O honourable one...
(Surah Yusuf, 78) Honour here signifies greatness and respect.
بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي عِزَّةٍ وَشِقَاقٍ
But those who disbelieve are in pride and defiance.
(Surah d, 2) This verse refers to the non-genuine honour of disbelievers.
These examples, like stars in the sky of the Holy Qur'an, manifest honour in its various formsfrom the true honour of God and the Messenger to the false honour of the disbelievers.
Honour is an inherent and existential attribute that appears both in God (absolutely) and in creatures (conditionally). Unlike praise (amd), which is specific, honour is general and has been applied even to believers, disbelievers, and idols (such as Uzz). True honour belongs to God, the Messenger, and the believers, whereas false honour is evident in disbelief and arrogance. This generality dresses both truth and falsehood in splendid raiment, but only in truth does it endure.
This section, concentrating on honour as an existential and general attribute, elucidated the related Qur'anic verses. Absolute honour is exclusive to God, and genuine conditional honour pertains to God, the Messenger, and the believers. Non-genuine honour is temporary and perishable, manifesting in forms such as the wealth and tribes of disbelievers. The Holy Qur'an invites humanity to reflect upon the reality of honour and to distance themselves from its false manifestations.
This treatise, through the exploration of verses from Surahs An-Nur, An-Nas, Al-Ftiah, and other chapters of the Holy Qur'an, explicated three pivotal concepts: Li'n, Divine ownership, and honour. Li'n is a jurisprudential ruling that reveals the truth in the divine court in the absence of witnesses. Divine ownership is an authority surpassing lordship, encompassing the essence of things, whose comprehension requires purity and sanctification of the soul. Honour is an existential attribute manifesting truly in God, the Messenger, and the believers, and falsely in disbelievers. These knowledges, like a gushing spring, invite humanity towards a deeper understanding of religion and adherence to divine rulings
