Comprehension Technology
Particularly for the dissemination of the teaching of the Qur’an and the propagation of its message in the present day world (which is also a duty incumbent upon every Muslim), it is necessary that one should be fully equipped with modern knowledge, otherwise he will not be able to discharge this duty.
Each generation inherits a large amount of knowledge from its predecessors and transmits it on to the succeeding generation with its own contribution added to it. Thus knowledge goes on accumulating as it passes from one generation to another. The present generation has received, by this process of transmission, a stupendous stock of knowledge consisting of logic and philosophy, religion and metaphysics, ethics and psychology and other social sciences. This huge amount of current knowledge has dominated and dazzled the mind of the people who had developed a naive belief in many wrong views. One requires a fairly good knowledge of modern sciences and should be conversant with not only the subject-matter of these sciences but also with their original sources and the system of principles underlying them. Only then he will be able to deal a crushing blow, in the manner of Ibn Taimiyyah (RA) and Imam Ghazali (RA), at the very root of the false notions prevailing in his time.
In this respect, the present age has touched the highest watermark. Besides the remarkable progress in the field of social sciences, it has witnessed as unprecedented advancement of the physical sciences and technology which has stunned the humanity and has rendered it incapable of making critical appraisal of the misguiding views that have found currency in the modern world.
Under these circumstances, the imperative duty
of comprehending and interpreting
the
Qur’an cannot be fulfilled
unless some patient and persevering
men
address themselves to this momentous task
with single-minded devotion, equipping
themselves with both classical and
modern
knowledge
adequate for the task. These dedicated and fully equipped scholars of the
Qur’an would carry out a searching
analysis of the modern knowledge and shift the sound from
the
fallacious in the light of
the
Qur’an. They would approach the intellect of the modern
man,
making a judicious use of modern terminology
and sophisticated methods of logical reasoning. Thus they would be
able
to illumine the minds of their contemporaries with the light of Qur’anic guidance. In this way the duty
of “explaining the
Qur’an to the people” which was performed by
the
Holy Prophet (SAW) himself in his life time would be performed by his
Ummah
in the present age.
Now the question arises: How can
we produce such scholars? Obviously they
cannot be produced until we
have, all over the Muslim world, a network of universities which
concentrate on Qur’anic Research, making it the hub and center
of their intellectual activity.
Round this central department,
these
universities
should build
up other departments like the
department of theoretical sciences such
as logic, metaphysics, ethics,
psychology,
and religion; the
department of
social sciences such as economics, political science, and law; and the
department of physical sciences such
as mathematics,
chemistry, physics, geology
and astronomy. Every
student who joins such a university
should take up Qur’anic Studies as a compulsory subject and should study one or more of the disciplines as elective subjects according to his own taste and aptitude. Thus he will be able to carry out research on the Qur’an in the sphere of his
own study and present
the light and
guidance of the Qur’an
effectively to the people.
Obviously, this is not an easy task. That is why it is not the responsibility of every person. It is to be done by
only those persons who are born with an unquenchable thirst
for knowledge and whose minds are agitated by
obstinate problems which can only
be solved through prolonged thinking and reasoning.
Such men are
impelled to imbibe
learning as a starving person is
compelled to seek food and drink, and they march on,
constantly uttering the prayer: “My Lord! Advance me in knowledge.” If they happen to receive proper guidance, they get a goodly share of knowledge and wisdom. Comprehension and interpretation of the Qur’an is, in reality, the privilege of these persons. However, every seeker of knowledge can participate in this noble task
according to his ability
and the time he can devote
to the
task. In
order to provide an inducement to people for the study
of the
Qur’an
the
Holy Prophet (SAW) has said:
The best among you are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it
(to others). (Narrated by Bukhari)
and, in the same context, we have a general instruction in the
Qur’an:
…why did not some people from every habitation
leave their homes so that they could develop an understanding of
religion…. (Al-Taubah 9:122)
This understanding
of religion is the fruit of a deep and meditative study of
Qur’an. It is this understanding which the
Holy
Prophet (SAW) wanted his Companions (RAA) to develop. He
especially prayed for
some
of
them
that they might
be
granted a keen insight into religion. He also qualified
his observation that “The best of you in Jahiliyyah are the best of you
in Islam” with “provided
they
understand the religion.”
Source:The Obligations Muslims owe to The Quran (Book by Dr. Israr Ahmad)
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