Comprehension
Imam
Ghazali (RA) in his Ihya-ul-Uloom has quoted the
words of a divine which bring out
the difference between the
ordinary recitation of the Qur’an
for
tazakkur and its thoughtful study for tadabbur. He says: “There is a recitation which takes
me a week to finish
the Qur’an. There
is
another kind of recitation which takes me a month, and another which takes me a year to finish it. There is still another kind
of recitation which
I commenced thirty years ago
but which has not yet enabled
me to
complete its reading.”
The qualifications for a deliberative study of the Qur’an
are
extremely hard to acquire. It is not possible for a man to attain these qualifications unless
he devotes himself to
it
wholly and solely and makes the learning and
teaching of the Qur’an
the be-all and end-all of his life. For
such a study, he requires a
thorough knowledge of the Arabic language and its grammar and a refined literary
taste to
appreciate the beauty,
force,
and eloquence of expression. He must also acquire a good
grounding in the language in which the Qur’an was revealed by a critical study
of the works of the pre-Islamic poets and orators.
Then there are the terms and modes of expression evolved by the
Qur’an itself.
A clear understanding of these (which will be
possible only after a careful study
of the Qur’an for a pretty long
time)
is
also
a necessary part of the mental equipment of a student of the Qur’an. Moreover, he should be able to appreciate
the
coordination and coherence in the Qur’an. He
must grasp
the deep significance of the
present order
of
the Surahs
in the
Qur’an, which is different from the chronological order in which
they were revealed. He must also comprehend
the sequence
of thought between one Surah and the other, as well as
between
the ayaat of the same Surah.
This is an
extremely arduous task which has defied the patience
of even the most determined
scholars. But this task,
however arduous, has to
be accomplished and unless it is accomplished,
the question of comprehending the Qur’an will not arise. In fact, it is only when one is diving into the Qur’an for grasping the subtle sequence between its parts that one forms an
idea
of the unfathomable depths of this
boundless sea, and brings out from
it the finest pearls of knowledge and
wisdom.
Besides the branches
of learning referred to above, a
good
knowledge of Ahadith and old
Scriptures is also
necessary for the comprehension of the Qur’an. All this is with regard to the background
of
classical
knowledge which should
be possessed by a research scholar of the Qur’an.
Even this, however,
is not all.
He is not yet
fully equipped to do justice to a deep and thoughtful study
of the
Qur’an, the type of study
required for tadabbur. He has
still to reckon with modern sciences. We know that experimental and theoretical sciences are not static. Their level of advancement has
been different in different ages. A scholar who wants
to undertake the momentous
task of comprehending the
Qur’an
should have an understanding
of modern sciences —
physical, biological, and social. He should be particularly conversant with
the
basic hypotheses of different sciences and with the method
of deduction and inference employed by each.
He should also keep
himself in touch
with
the latest trends and achievements
in every important field of human inquiry.
This knowledge of
modern arts and sciences is essential for him, as it will widen his
mental outlook and increase his intellectual capacity.
Thus equipped,
he will embark upon his great enterprise. The Qur’an is a boundless ocean on which every sailor can sail only as far as his limited capacity can take him; and what useful discoveries he will make on his voyage will depend on the
guidance he receives from the range of his knowledge and the
breadth of his vision.
Source:The Obligations Muslims owe to The Quran (Book by Dr. Israr Ahmad)
