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.
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:
“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.”
To Be Continued....
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