Ayah Mutashabiha Pax Qarnain (i.e., the world-order of Dhul Qarnain)

METHODOLOGY FOR STUDY OF THE QUR'AN 

by Sheikh Imran Nazar Hosein

www.imranhosein.org

Āyah Mutashabiha: Pax Qarnain (i.e., the world-order of Dhul Qarnain)

The polytheist Arabs of the tribe of Quraish, resident in Makkah, were astonished when an Arab named Muhammad (s), who was born, and had lived all his life in their midst, and was so well-known for his truthfulness that they called him Al-Amīn (the truthful and trustworthy one), suddenly declared, at the age of 40, that he was a Prophet of One God, and that beside Him there was no other God. The Arabs in Makkah were familiar with monotheist Jews who lived not far away from Makkah in the northern city of Yathrib (now renamed Madīna). They were also aware that the Jews claimed to have a special status with their One God Who continuously sent Prophets in their midst.  They therefore decided to send a delegation to meet with the Rabbis in Madīna and to consult with them how to determine the validity of Al-Amīn’s claim to prophethood.

The Rabbis gave the Arab delegation three questions to put before Nabī Muhammad (s) in order to test whether or not he was indeed a true Prophet of Allah Most High. They declared of the questions, that only a true Prophet of the One God could possibly answer them. One of the three questions concerned a great traveler who traveled to the two ends of the land. When the answer to that question was revealed in the Qur’ān, we were informed of a third journey, in addition to the two concerning which the Rabbis had questioned, and that third journey led to Gog and Magog. Since Gog and Magog are a major sign of the Last Day, of which only a Prophet would have knowledge, it was clear that the Rabbis posed the question to determine whether or not Nabī Muhammad (s) knew about that major Sign of the Last Day, namely, Gog and Magog. Before we attempt an interpretation of the verses of the Qur’ān pertaining to the subject, let us first review the Qur’anic response to the question posed by the Rabbis concerning the great traveler. The answer commences with verse 83 of Sūrah al-Kahf and continues until verse 101: 

They ask you concerning Dhūl-Qarnain. Say, “I will provide you  with some information concerning him.” (18:83)  

Verily We established him with power in the land, and We gave him the capacity to pursue whatever goal he chose. (18:84)

He then decided (to travel) on a way (18:85)  

until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it setting in a spring/lake/sea of dark/murky water. Near it he found a people, and We said to him:  “O Dhūl-Qarnain! (you have the authority,) either to punish them, or to treat them with kindness.” (18:86)  

He replied: “Whoever acts unjustly/wickedly, we will punish him, and when he returns to his Lord-God, He will also punish him with a punishment unheard-of (before). (18:87)  

But whoever has faith (in the One God), and is righteous in conduct, he will be rewarded, and easy will be his task as We order it by our Command.” (18:88)  

He then decided to travel on another way (18:89)  

until, when he came to the rising of the sun,  he found it rising on a people for whom We had provided no covering (that could offer protection against the sun). (18:90)  

He (wisely and compassionately respected their indigenous way of life and) left them as they were, and We completely understood his response. (18:91) 

He then decided to travel on (a third) way (18:92) 

until, when he reached (a pass) between two mountains, he found, at that pass, a people who could scarcely understand a word (he spoke) (because their language was completely different and unrelated to all other languages in that geographical region). (18:93)  

They said: “O Dhūl-Qarnain! Gog and Magog are (wickedly) perpetrating corruption and destruction in (our) land: can we pay you to erect a barrier between us and them (to protect us from their wickedness)? 18:94 

He replied: “(The power) in which my Lord has established me is better (than what you offer): Help me therefore with man-power: I will erect a strong barrier (in the form of a dam) between you and them (and you will be safe from their wickedness) 18:95  

“Bring me blocks of iron.” At length, when he had filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides, He said, “Blow (with your bellows)” Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: “Bring me molten copper that I might pour over it.” 18:96  

Thus were they (Gog and Magog) made powerless to scale (over) it or to dig through it. 18:97  

He (Dhūl Qarnain) said:  “The (construction of this barrier) is a mercy from my Lord-God. But when that time comes, of which my Lord-God has warned (i.e., the End-time) He will reduce this (iron barrier) to dust; and the warning of my Lord-God will come to pass.” 18:98  

At that time We will cause them (i.e., Gog and Magog) to surge like waves on one another (as they wreak havoc in the world): the trumpet will be blown, and We shall collect them all together (in one godless global society). 18:99   

And We shall present Hell that day for Kuffār (i.e., those who reject the truth and its righteous way of life) to see, all spread out, (i.e., the godless global society will live the way of the people of the hell-fire) 18:100  

(That global society will be comprised of people) whose eyes had been under a veil from remembrance of Me, and who had been unable even to hear (the cries, for example, of the oppressed).  

(Qur’ān, al-Kahf, 18:83-101)  

Dhūl Qarnain in Arabic refers to someone who possesses two Qarns. This can mean either two ‘horns’ or two ‘ages’. But since the Qur’ān has always used the word Qarn to refer to an age, epoch, or page of the book of history (see, for example, Qur’ān, al-An’ām, 6:6; Maryam, 19:74; Sād, 38:3; Qāf, 50:36; al-Mu’minūn, 23:31 etc.) and never as ‘horn’, we choose to translate Dhūl Qarnain as one who impacts on two different pages of the book of history.

And since we locate the true target of the question posed by the Jewish Rabbis in that major Sign of the Last Day, namely, Gog and Magog, we are of the view that Qarnain, i.e., the two ages, refer to an age in the distant past, and to an age which is to come, which would be the Last Age or the Age of Fitan. We hold the view that we now live in that Last Age, and hence, that this event in the Qur’ān has direct relevance to the world today.  

Those, on the other hand, who choose to believe that Dhūl Qarnain refers to someone who possesses two horns, would explain this subject differently from us. This writer cannot, for obvious reasons, offer any assistance to the reader in respect of such an explanation of the subject. 

Who was Dhūl Qarnain? This writer has not found any compelling necessity to devote attention to identifying Dhūl Qarnain, the historical personality. Rather we believe that attention should be directed to the conduct displayed by Dhūl Qarnain in his exercise of power and authority, for therein lies the very substance of the divine guidance being conveyed in the narrative, and therein lies the hidden message through which the discerning student of the Qur’ān can recognize the second of the two ages in the Qarnain. Those who insist on locating the identity of Dhūl Qarnain would therefore have to seek guidance and assistance elsewhere.  

Sūrah al-Kahf has introduced us in this story to the subject of power and its relation to faith in Allah Most High. Dhūl Qarnain possessed faith in the One God, and this is something common to believing Muslims as well as to those described in the Qur’ān as Ahl al-Kitāb (i.e., believing Christians and believing Jews), although there are Muslims today (and may Allah protect this writer from such people) who dismiss the possibility that a Christian or a Jew can have faith in the One God.  

He was endowed by Allah with the power to pursue whatever objective he chose. He therefore had the capacity to establish what may be described as Pax Qarnain (i.e., Dhūl Qarnain’s world-order). At the heart of this allegorical narrative is a description of a world order constructed once upon a time by one who possessed faith in the One God. We are presented with a critically important description of that world-order. It is one in which power rests on the foundations of faith in the One God, and is used to respond to oppression by punishing the oppressor and by protecting, assisting and rewarding those who have faith and whose conduct is righteous.  

The Qur’ān then warned of the emergence of a Gog and Magog world-order that would witness power resting on foundations that would be essentially godless, and power being wickedly used to oppress in exactly the opposite way from that of Dhūl Qarnain. Finally the promise was delivered that history would not end without that page of history being revisited in the second of the two Qarns, and a world-order being restored in which power would be used as it was used by Dhūl Qarnain.

When will the second of two Qarns come to pass? 

Source: Sheikh Imran Nazar Hosein

to be continued .....

Ayat Mutashabihat The Muqatta’at

 METHODOLOGY FOR STUDY OF THE QUR'AN 

by Sheikh Imran Nazar Hosein

www.imranhosein.org

Āyāt Mutashābihāt: the Muqatta’āt

The most prominent of all Āyāt Mutashābihāt of the Qur’ān are certain letters of the Arabic alphabet with which some Sūrahs of the Qur’ān commence. Indeed, the Qur’ān itself commences, after the Opening Chapter (i.e., Sūrah al-Fātihah) with three letters of the Arabic alphabet Alif, Laam, Meem – which are located at the very beginning of the second chapter (i.e., Sūrah al-Baqarah). Other letters of the Arabic alphabet appear at the commencement of other Sūrahs of the Qur’ān.  

It was not by accident, but by Divine design, that the text of the Qur’ān commenced with three letters of the Arabic alphabet, nor was it by accident but, rather, by Divine design, that he who was sent to teach the Qur’ān, never taught the interpretation of these letters of the alphabet in the Qur’ān. Rather the divine plan appears to have been designed to challenge those who would study the Qur’ān, to locate a methodology of study through which they could eventually attempt an explanation for the Muqatta’āt.  

A proper effort to locate the system of meaning which would allow for a possible interpretation of the Muqatta’āt must be based on recognition of the fact that we have no evidence of Allah Most High, or the blessed Prophet, or any previous Prophet, ever previously employing a letter of an alphabet to symbolize a meaning or message being conveyed allegorically. In recognition of the theory of consistency in the Divine literary method, we can dismiss the view that these letters symbolize some meaning which was being symbolically conveyed, such as an interpretation that , (i.e., Alif).

We do find in the Qur’ān, however, evidence of a numerological system which protects and guards the Qur’ān from forces of evil which may seek to penetrate and corrupt it. How else can we explain the anomaly that all Sūrahs of the Qur’ān commence with the phrase “with the Name of Allah Most Gracious, Most Merciful” except Sūrah al-Taubah? Since the Qur’ān itself declares that it has no defect or inconsistency, how do we explain this anomaly other than by recognizing the existence of a numerical system which binds together, in an interlocking foolproof security-system, all the verses and even letters of the Book? There are 114 Sūrahs in the Qur’ān and this number seems to have a numerical significance. 

As a consequence of the fact that there are 114 Sūrahs in the Qur’ān, it appears that the phrase “with the Name of Allah Most Gracious, Most Merciful” must also occur 114 times. Had this phrase appeared at the beginning of Sūrah al-Taubah, the number of occurrences in the Qur’ān would have been 115 instead of 114 because the phrase also occurs once within the text of Sūrah al-Naml: 

“Behold, it is from Solomon, and it says ‘with the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful’.”  

(Qur’ān, al-Naml, 27:30)  

If letters of the Arabic alphabet used in the Qur’ān have a numerical value, then the Muqatta’āt can be recognized to have a function of guarding or protecting the Qur’ān and to therefore constitute a part of that security-system of the Qur’ān. And Allah Knows best!  

It would also appear that the second Sūrah of the Qur’ān was chosen to commence with the Muqatta’āt, and not the first, since the function of Sūrah al-Fātihah is to open or unlock the security system of the Qur’ān, and hence it was given the name The Sūrah which Opens. And Allah Knows best!  

It is therefore advisable never to recite the Qur’ān without first reciting Sūrah al-Fātihah, and to do so with the consciousness in the heart that with this recitation the Qur’ān can be unlocked for those who possess faith in it.  

We now offer three more examples of Āyāt Mutashābihāt in the Qur’ān and go on to offer an interpretation of all three based on methodology taught in this book. The first is the verse concerning the preservation of Pharaoh’s body, the second is Abraham’s dream in which he saw himself sacrificing his son, and the third is the narrative concerning Dhūl Qarnain.   

 

Source: Sheikh Imran Nazar Hosein

to be continued .....

Ayat Mutashabihat (Verses To Be Interpreted)

METHODOLOGY FOR STUDY OF THE QUR'AN 

by Sheikh Imran Nazar Hosein

www.imranhosein.org

CHAPTER NINE

Ayāt Mutashābihāt

(Verses to be Interpreted)

“He it is who has bestowed upon you from on high this divine scripture, containing verses that are Muhkam, i.e., plain and clear in and by themselves – and these are the essence of the Book – as well as others that are Mutashābih, i.e., allegorical. Now those whose hearts are given to swerving from the truth go after that part of the scripture which is allegorical, seeking to confuse, and seeking to interpret them [in an arbitrary manner]; but none save Allah, as well as those who are firmly-grounded in knowledge, know their final meaning. They (the learned) say: “We believe in it; the whole [of the Book] is from our Lord-God – albeit none takes this to heart save those who are endowed with insight.”  

(Qur’ān, Āle ‘Imrān, 3:7)

The Qur’ān declares (above) that it contains two kinds of verses – the first being Āyāt Muhkamāt, or verses which are plain and clear, and require only to be explained (i.e., Tafsīr), and they are described as Umm alKitāb, or the heart of the book. This would clearly include all verses with legal injunctions concerning Halāl, or legally permissible, and Harām, or legally prohibited, etc. 

The second kind of verses are Ayāt Mutashābihāt, or verses which have to be subjected to T’awīl (i.e., interpretation) in order for their meaning to be discovered. This is the most direct and basic explanation of the term Mutashābih since this explanation is taken directly from the verse of the Qur’ān which introduces the subject. When the Qur’ān goes on to declare that the only ones who know the meaning of the Āyāt Mutashābihāt are Allah, as well as those who are Rāsikhūnā fī al-’Ilm (i.e., firmly grounded in knowledge), and when the verse concludes with the declaration that none receive this message other than Ulul Albāb (i.e., men of insight and understanding), the implication is that a scholar not only has to devote a life-time of effort to study the Qur’ān with both proper methodology as well as Basīrah (spiritual insight), but he also has to receive knowledge directly from Allah Most High (as did Khidr (a) hence, as Muhammad Asad describes it in his commentary to the verse below, he penetrates the utmost depth of mystic insight accessible to man: 

“And found one of Our servants, on whom We had bestowed grace from Ourselves and unto whom We had imparted knowledge [issuing directly] from Our (Divine) presence.”  

(Qur’ān, al-Kahf, 18:65)

A classic example of Ayāt Mutashābihāt can be found in the revelation of the Qur’ān in Sūrah al-Baqarah (verses 183 to 187) which replaced the previous law of fasting in the Torah (i.e., the law of fasting from sunset to sunset with no food, drink or sex during the hours of fasting), with a new law of fasting in which one is allowed to eat and drink and engage in sexual relations during the nights of fasting until the white thread of dawn is distinct from the black thread, at which time the fast would commence, and then continue until nightfall (i.e., until the day has ended): 

“… and eat and drink until you can distinguish the ‘white thread’ of dawn from the ‘black thread’, and then commence the fast (which should continue) until nightfall (i.e., until the day has ended) …” 

(Qur’ān, al-Baqarah, 2:187) 

A companion of the Prophet (s), who understood the command to be literally applied, took two pieces of thread, one white and the other black, and then struggled with them at a time close to dawn to determine the time at which the fast would commence. Since he had difficulties with that process, he took his problem to the Prophet (s) who promptly responded with a T’awīl or interpretation of the ‘white’ and ‘black’ threads (i.e., in the verse) to mean that the fast would commence when the light of the day became distinct from the darkness of the night.  By virtue of the fact that the blessed Prophet interpreted the verse, it was confirmed to be Mutashābih (i.e., a verse which has to be subjected to T’awīl or interpretation). 

Had this interpretation of the verse not been provided, all Muslims, to this day, would have had to arm themselves with two pieces of thread – one white and one black – and would have had to struggle with them every morning of the blessed month of Ramadān to determine the time when the fast began.  

It was not by accident, despite the above, that the verse was revealed by Allah Most High and was transmitted by the Prophet without an interpretation. 

Allah Most High wanted to do three things: 

1. He wanted to provide an unambiguous example of an Āyah Mutashābiha; 

2. He wanted to provoke a clear event in which the blessed Prophet would interpret an Ayah Mutashābih; 

3. He wanted to thus refute a false punctuation of the verse which He knew would eventually be inserted into the Qur’ān by human beings.  

Here is the verse with the (false) punctuation: 

This false punctuation has delivered a meaning to the effect that no one knows the interpretation of these Mutashābihāt verses except Allah (i.e., not even Nabī Muhammad (s). Hence we are left with the ridiculous and obviously false conclusion that Allah Most Wise sent down His last scripture to the last of His Prophets, and appointed him to teach the Book, but there is one part of the Book whose meaning even he, the teacher, does not know, and no one can ever know until the end of the world. What then is the use of such revelation? How can it function as guidance? Can a Wise God do such a foolish thing? 

Allah Most High has knowledge of all things, and so He knew that this false punctuation would be put into the Qur’ān, and hence He created a situation in which Nabī Muhammad (s) could refute the falsehood by himself interpreting an Āyah Mutashābiha of the Qur’ān. 

There are other Ayāt Mutashābihāt in the Qur’ān, i.e., verses which have to be interpreted in order for their meaning to be discovered, and we have discovered that many of them belong to the subject of Ākhir al-Zamān. 

Let us, however, turn our attention to the most difficult and challenging of the Ayāt Mutashābihāt in the Qur’ān, i.e., the Muqatta’āt. 

Source: Sheikh Imran Nazar Hosein

to be continued .....