Verse 7 of Al 'Imran and Ghadir
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| Ayah Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Surah Name | Al 'Imran |
| Ayah Number | 7 |
| Juz' | 3 |
| Ayah Content | |
| Place of Revelation | Medina |
| Topic | The Imams (a) as the only ones knowledgeable of the taʾwīl of the Qurʾan |
| Ayah Recitation Audio Translation | |
Verse 7 of Al 'Imran and Ghadir is a verse about the division of the Qurʾanic verses into muḥkamāt (clear) and mutashābihāt (ambiguous). In the al-Ghadir Sermon, relying on this ayah, the Imams (a) were introduced as those firmly rooted in knowledge (rāsikhūn fī l-ʿilm), knowledgeable of the taʾwīl (interpretation) of the mutashābihāt verses, and aware of their inner meaning.
Some researchers have described the historical context for the use of Ayah 7 of Sūrat Āl ʿImrān as follows: In the early part of the al-Ghadir Sermon, before introducing Amīr al-Muʾminīn (a), the Prophet (s) brought up the topic of contemplating the Qurʾan and paying attention to its muḥkamāt and mutashābihāt verses as an introduction to introducing him. For this purpose, he referred to Ayah 7 of Sūrat Āl ʿImrān, which is about the muḥkamāt and mutashābihāt verses of the Qurʾan, and emphasized that the pure-hearted follow the muḥkamāt verses of the Qurʾan, while the dark-hearted follow its mutashābihāt verses. Based on this, he commanded adherence to the muḥkamāt verses and avoidance of their mutashābihāt.
The presence of Ayah 7 of Sūrat Āl ʿImrān in the al-Ghadir Sermon has been religiously analyzed by some researchers as follows: The course of the Prophet's (s) speech in this part of the sermon is an exegesis of Ayah 7 of Sūrat Āl ʿImrān. Based on this ayah, he commanded adherence to the muḥkamāt of the Qurʾan and avoidance of its mutashābihāt. He then showed the way to comprehend the realities of the Qurʾan, which are only the Imams (a). The opposite of this would be to prohibit following others regarding the Qurʾan.
A Verse Related to the Enemies of Ghadir
The context for the use of Ayah 7 of Sūrat Āl ʿImrān has been described as follows: At Ghadir, the connection between belief and action was explained such that divine rulings are inseparable from the Wilāyat of the Ahl al-Bayt (a): the Ahl al-Bayt are the expounders of rulings, and acting upon these rulings is submission to divine commands, which is perfected through obedience to His messengers. In this regard, at the end of the al-Ghadir Sermon, we witness the Prophet's (s) emphasis on the importance of ṣalāt, zakāt, ḥajj, enjoining good and forbidding evil (amr bi l-maʿrūf wa nahy ʿan al-munkar), avoiding unlawful acts (muḥarramāt), and acting based on taqwā. Following this, the topics of death, resurrection (maʿād), and reward and punishment (thawāb and ʿiqāb) are raised.
Although these matters do not have a direct connection with Ghadir and their instances are very few, they serve as a reminder, on the sidelines of Ghadir, of the connection that divine rulings must have with the Ahl al-Bayt (a). Among these emphases, the Prophet (s) generally discusses the lawful (ḥalāl) and unlawful (ḥarām), and that for their details, reference must be made to the Imams (a).[1]
Seven of these guaranteed verses in the Prophet's (s) speech include Ayah 7 of Sūrat Āl ʿImrān:
- It is He who has sent down to you the Book. In it are definitive verses—they are the mother of the Book—and others [that are] ambiguous. As for those in whose hearts is a deviation, they follow what is ambiguous in it, seeking discord, and seeking its interpretation. But no one knows its interpretation except Allah and those firmly rooted in knowledge. They say, 'We believe in it; all of it is from our Lord.' And none takes admonition except those with insight.[2]
Text of the Ayah in the Sermon
The text of Ayah 7 of Sūrat Āl ʿImrān in the al-Ghadir Sermon has been reported as follows:
- O people, contemplate the Qurʾan and understand its verses, and look at its muḥkamāt and do not follow its mutashābihāt. By Allah, no one will explain its prohibitions to you and no one will clarify its interpretation for you except this person whose hand I am taking and raising towards myself, whose arm I am holding, and whom I am lifting with my hands, and informing you: 'Whoever I am his master (mawlā), this ʿAlī is his master (mawlā).' And he is ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib, my brother and my successor, and his wilāyat is from Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, who has revealed it to me.[3]
Historical Context for the Use of the Ayah
Some researchers have described the historical context for the use of Ayah 7 of Sūrat Āl ʿImrān as follows: In the early part of the al-Ghadir Sermon, before introducing Amīr al-Muʾminīn (a), the Prophet (s) brought up the topic of contemplating the Qurʾan (relying on Verse 82 of Sūrat al-Nisāʾ) and paying attention to its muḥkamāt and mutashābihāt verses as an introduction to introducing him. For this purpose, he referred to Ayah 7 of Sūrat Āl ʿImrān, which is about the muḥkamāt and mutashābihāt verses of the Qurʾan, and emphasized that the pure-hearted follow the muḥkamāt verses of the Qurʾan, while the dark-hearted follow its mutashābihāt verses. Based on this, he commanded adherence to the muḥkamāt verses and avoidance of their mutashābihāt.[4]
This citation of Ayah 82 of Sūrat al-Nisāʾ occurred in a part of the third stage of the al-Ghadir Sermon, when the sermon was approaching its climax. There, a warning was necessary for the audience to understand why ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib (a) had been standing beside the Prophet (s) on the minbar since the beginning of the speech. Moments later, the Imam was to be introduced in a special way, beyond what people had in mind. To announce this important matter, the Prophet (s), relying on the Qurʾan, proceeded to introduce Amīr al-Muʾminīn.
First, he commanded contemplation of the Qurʾan and subsequently forbade following its mutashābihāt. For this, he combined Ayah 82 of Sūrat al-Nisāʾ and Ayah 7 of Sūrat Āl ʿImrān with his own words, preparing the people for the introduction of the "rāsikhūn fī l-ʿilm." Then he swore that no one would explain the inner meaning and interpretation of the Qurʾan except the one whose hand he intended to take and raise, whose arm he intended to hold, and whom he intended to lift with his hands, and to inform them that "whoever I have been his master (mawlā), this ʿAlī is his master (mawlā)," and that his wilāyat has been revealed by God.[5]
Theological Analysis of the Verse: Avoiding the Mutashabihāt of the Qur'an
The presence of verse seven of Sūrat Āl ʿImrān in the al-Ghadir Sermon has been theologically analyzed by some researchers as follows: The Prophet's (s) discourse in this part of the sermon is an exegesis of verse seven of Sūrat Āl ʿImrān. Based on this verse, the Prophet (s) commands adherence to the muḥkamāt of the Qur'an and avoidance of its mutashabihāt. He then indicates that the path to understanding the realities of the Qur'an lies solely with the Imams (a). The opposite of this is the prohibition of following others concerning the Qur'an.[6]
Avoiding the Mutashabihāt of the Qur'an
Since the Qur'an must be pondered upon, there are two difficult points in this path: one is the interpretation of the mutashabihāt, and the other is the interpretation of the muḥkamāt:
- Interpretation of the Mutashabihāt: Regarding the mutashabihāt, the Qur'an itself has resolved the issue and commanded their avoidance. It states: "As for those in whose hearts is deviance, they follow what is ambiguous in it, seeking discord, and seeking its interpretation." This means that they do not attain the inner meaning of the ambiguous verses, because it states: "But no one knows its interpretation except Allah and those firmly rooted in knowledge." Based on this, the Prophet (s) also conveyed the meaning of the verse in the sermon: "Do not follow its ambiguous parts."[7]
- Interpretation of the Muḥkamāt: The interpretation of the muḥkamāt, or in other words, the extraction of the inner meaning of the Qur'an to the extent that humans can bear and comprehend, is mentioned in the Prophet's (s) words with the expression "deliberate on its definitive parts," which refers to looking with contemplation and precision. That is, where the Revealer of the Qur'an warns against deliberating on the ambiguous verses, one should focus their thoughts on understanding the definitive verses and not waste their energy on the ambiguous verses, as it would lead to no result.[8]
The Way to Understand the Inner Meaning of the Qur'an
The interest that arises from deliberating on the Qur'an to understand its realities does not subside until those realities are attained, which are presented by its true exegetes; these true exegetes are solely the Fourteen Infallibles (a). The particular emphasis of the school of Ahl al-Bayt (a) in this regard has been analyzed as follows:
The Interpretation (Taʾwīl) of the Qur'an Exclusively Belongs to the Imams (a)
In this part of the al-Ghadir Sermon, the Prophet (s), with repeated emphasis in one sentence, stated the exclusivity of the taʾwīl of the Qur'an for the Imams (a). These emphases are as follows: First, he swears: By Allah[notes 1]; then he uses the eternal negative particle: He will never explain, he will never clarify[notes 2]; then he mentions both aspects of the inner meaning and exegesis of the Qur'an: Its inner meaning, its exegesis[notes 3]. Relying on these emphases, he states: By Allah, no one will ever explain the inner meaning of the Qur'an and its exegesis except ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib (a).
In a ḥadīth, the Prophet (s) lovingly introduces the true followers of the Qur'an as such: Do you know who the true adherent to the Qur'an is, who attains great honor? It is the one who takes the taʾwīl of the Qur'an from us, the Ahl al-Bayt, or from the intermediaries who are our envoys to our Shi'a. [9]
In another ḥadīth, the exegesis of the Qur'an is introduced as a mission to be conveyed to the people by Amīr al-Muʾminīn (a). The Prophet (s) said to him: You will convey my mission on my behalf. He replied: O Messenger of Allah, did you not convey the mission? He said: I conveyed it, but my intention is that after me, you will teach the people the taʾwīl of the Qur'an and inform them of what they do not know. [10] Amīr al-Muʾminīn (a) describes this Qur'anic mission as follows: This is the Qur'an. Ask it to speak to you, but it will never speak to you; rather, I must inform you. If you ask me about the Qur'an, I will inform you, for I am the most knowledgeable among you. [11]
Concern over Incorrect Interpretation of the Qur'an
Alongside all that emphasis on the Qur'anic mission of the Islamic ummah and showing the scientific gateway from which the sciences of the Qur'an should be received, the future of Muslims was a source of concern for the Prophet (s). In this regard, two ḥadīths show different manifestations of this concern: In one ḥadīth, the three most severe fears of the Prophet (s) for his ummah after him are enumerated, one of which is "interpreting the Qur'an contrary to its true interpretation." [12]
In another ḥadīth, the misuse of Qur'anic verses by internal enemies of Islam for their own benefit is mentioned as one of the most severe fears of the ummah's deviation, expressed as "a hypocrite being able to argue against true Muslims with the verses of the Qur'an." [13]
The Imams' (a) Comprehensive Knowledge of the Qur'an
God has bestowed upon the Imams (a) a knowledge of which all aspects of Qur'anic sciences are but a part. This comprehensive knowledge concerning the Qur'an has been described in the words of the Imams (a) as follows:
- Amīr al-Muʾminīn (a) said: The ta'wīl (esoteric interpretation) of every verse that was revealed to Muḥammad (s) ..., is present with me, dictated by the Prophet (s) and written in my own hand.[14]
- Amīr al-Muʾminīn (a) said: We are those firmly rooted in knowledge, and we know the ta'wīl of the ambiguous verses.[15]
- Amīr al-Muʾminīn (a) said: If I wished, I could load seventy camels with the exegesis of Sūrat al-Fātiḥa.[16]
- Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) said: I am the son of the Prophet, and the knowledge of God's Book is with me. In it is the beginning of creation and all that will happen until the Day of Judgment. In it is the news of the heavens and the earth, and the news of Paradise and Hell, and the news of what has occurred and what will occur. I know these things just as I look at the palm of my hand.[17]
Ghadir and Saqifa: Two Opposing Cultures Regarding the Qur'an
With the demise of the Prophet (s), two Qur'anic cultures were established at the very beginning of the path: the path of Ghadir, with a substantial investment in the Qur'an, versus the path of Saqifa, without any connection to the Qur'an. Ghadir was the heir to the Qur'an and had built its immense support by relying on the Qur'an, encouraging people to delve deeper and reflect more upon the Qur'an by introducing guides for its understanding.
In contrast, Saqifa was formed against the Qur'an, and its approach was characterized as hypocrisy throughout. Saqifa blocked all paths leading to the Qur'an by officially prohibiting its understanding and oppressing those who sought to comprehend its inner meaning. Saqifa had no goal other than to close the global dossier of the Qur'an.
Examples of Oppositions
When Amīr al-Muʾminīn (a), during the incident of Saqifa, called upon the people for his assistance and was met with their breach of covenant and disloyalty, he chose seclusion at home and began compiling the Qur'an. He did not leave his house until he had prepared the entire Qur'an. When he had written down the entire Qur'an according to its revelation, ta'wīl, and its abrogating and abrogated verses, he gathered it in a cloth and sealed it.
The Imam (a) took that Qur'an to the mosque, and while the people were around Abu Bakr, he proclaimed loudly: O people, since the Prophet (s) passed away..., I have been busy compiling the Qur'an until I gathered all of it in this cloth. God has not revealed any verse to His Prophet except that I have collected all of them, and there is no verse except that the Prophet (s) recited it to me and taught me its ta'wīl. Then he said: I brought this Qur'an so that tomorrow you may not say: 'We were unaware of this,' and so that you may not say: 'I did not invite you to the Book of God from its beginning to its end.'
ʿUmar, in response to such a conclusive argument, said: We are self-sufficient with what we have of the Qur'an, independent of what you invite us to. Amīr al-Muʾminīn (a) took that Qur'an, which included the exegesis, and returned home.[18]
But what became of this compiled Qur'an, and were Muslims forever deprived of the Qur'an that its true interpreter had compiled? During the time of ʿUthmān, one day Ṭalḥa asked Amīr al-Muʾminīn (a) about this very Qur'an. Amīr al-Muʾminīn (a) said concerning its content: Every verse that God revealed in His Book to Prophet Muḥammad (s) is present with me, dictated by him and written in my own hand. Also, the ta'wīl of every verse that was revealed to Muḥammad (s), and every lawful and unlawful matter (ḥalāl and ḥarām), and every legal punishment (ḥadd) and ruling (ḥukm), and everything that the Umma will need until the Day of Judgment, even the blood money for a scratch on the body, is written and present with me, dictated by the Prophet (s) and in my own hand.
Ṭalḥa asked: Inform me about what you possess of the Qur'an, its ta'wīl, and the knowledge of lawful and unlawful matters; to whom will you entrust it, and who will be its owner after you? Amīr al-Muʾminīn (a) said concerning the guardians of this divine trust: To the one whom the Prophet (s) commanded me to entrust it; my successor (waṣī) and the authority over the people after me, this son of mine, Ḥasan. My son Ḥasan, upon his death, will entrust it to this son of mine, Ḥusayn. Then it will be passed down to the descendants of Ḥusayn, one after another, until the last of them arrives at the Pond of Kawthar to the Prophet (s).[19]
In a Hadith, he also stated concerning when that Qur'an with its exegesis will be fully acted upon: When our Qāʾim rises, he will reveal that Qur'an and compel people to act upon it, and the Sunna will be implemented according to it.[20]
This was the first opposition of Abū Bakr and ʿUmar to pondering the Qur'an and understanding its inner meaning and interpretation. In later stages, ʿUmar severely prohibited people from asking about the meanings of the Qur'an and punished anyone who inquired about it; to the extent that Ibn ʿAbbās did not dare to have even the slightest discussion about the Qur'an for one or two full years.[21]
Among the most famous stories regarding the prohibition of pondering the Qur'an is the story of Ḍabīʿ: This Iraqi scholar, who was also the chief of his tribe, would ask questions about the Qur'an whenever he saw the Muslim army. He came to Egypt in pursuit of knowledge, and when ʿAmr b. al-ʿĀṣ learned of his Qur'anic questions, he sent him to ʿUmar. In Medina, he would ask the Companions about difficulties in the Qur'an and their interpretations, such as al-Dhāriyāt[notes 4], al-Nāziʿāt[notes 5], and al-Mursalāt[notes 6]. ʿUmar decided to punish him in such a way that it would serve as a lesson for others not to ask questions about the Qur'an. He fashioned a whip from a date cluster, rolled up his sleeves, and prepared himself. Then he ordered Ḍabīʿ to be brought and struck him one hundred times with the whip. After a pause, he struck him another one hundred times, repeating this action until Ḍabīʿ's turban fell from his head, his back was wounded, and his head became bloody. Then he imprisoned him until his condition improved, and once again, he beat him in the same manner and imprisoned him again until his wounds healed.
The third time ʿUmar intended to repeat the lashing, Ḍabīʿ said: "If you wish to kill me, then kill me properly, and if your intention is for my illness of asking questions about the Qur'anic verses to be cured, then by God, I am cured." After this statement, ʿUmar exiled him to Basra and wrote to Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (the governor of Basra): "No Muslim has the right to associate with him." This matter was very difficult for Ḍabīʿ, and he had to endure these pressures for asking about the meanings of the Qur'an. Abū Mūsā wrote to ʿUmar: "This man has truly repented of his actions." ʿUmar, in his own estimation, then permitted people to associate with such a scholar and said: "Ḍabīʿ, in his own estimation, was in pursuit of knowledge, but he had erred in which knowledge he ought to acquire."[22]
Footnotes
- ↑ Ghadir dar Qurʾan, vol. 2, p. 433.
- ↑ Ghadir dar Qurʾan, vol. 2, p. 435.
- ↑ Asrār Ghadir, p. 144, section three.
- ↑ Ghadir dar Qurʾan, vol. 2, p. 435.
- ↑ Sukhānrānī-yi Istithnāʾī-yi Ghadir, pp. 162–163.
- ↑ Ghadir dar Qurʾan, vol. 2, p. 435
- ↑ Ghadir dar Qurʾan, vol. 2, p. 437
- ↑ Ghadir dar Qurʾan, vol. 2, p. 437
- ↑ Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 89, p. 184.
- ↑ Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 89, p. 92.
- ↑ Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 89, p. 82.
- ↑ Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 89, p. 108, h. 5.
- ↑ Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 89, p. 108.
- ↑ Kitāb Sulaym b. Qays al-Hilālī, p. 118.
- ↑ Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 23, p. 199.
- ↑ Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 89, p. 103, ḥ. 82.
- ↑ Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 89, p. 89.
- ↑ Kitāb Sulaym b. Qays al-Hilālī, pp. 32–33; Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 28, pp. 264–266.
- ↑ Kitāb Sulaym b. Qays al-Hilālī, pp. 87–88.
- ↑ Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 92, p. 42, ḥ. 2.
- ↑ al-Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm, vol. 3, p. 15.
- ↑ Sharḥ Ibn Abī al-Ḥadīd, vol. 12, p. 102; al-Mustarshid, p. 543; al-Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm, vol. 3, p. 15; Ithbāt al-Hudāt, vol. 3, p. 398; al-Iʿtiṣām, vol. 1, pp. 109–110; Fatḥ al-Qadīr, vol. 1, p. 367.
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