The Subject Matter of the Holy Qur’an

(An Introduction of the Holy Qur’an Series-Part-III)

By: Dr. Md. Wasay Zafar

Abstract

This article is third in the series “An Introduction of the Holy Qur’an”. The first part of this article was entitled as “The Nomenclature and the Organization of the Holy Qur’an” and the second "The Language and the Understandability of the Holy Quran". In this article the researcher gives answers to the questions like; who is the addressee of the Holy Qur’an, what is its central theme, what subject matter It deals, and what is the way of its presentation?

Key Words: The Addressee of the Qur’an, The Central theme of the Qur’an, The Subject Matter of the Qur’an, The Qur’anic Way of Presentation of its Subject.

The Addressee and the Central theme of the Qur’an

In order to discuss the subject matter of the Holy Qur’an it is necessary to answer first, two basic questions; who is the addressee of the Holy Qur’an and what is its central theme? An analytical study of the Qur’an reveals that it is addressed to the entire humanity and its central theme is the training and guidance of the human beings. There are ample references in it which support this view. English translations of some of such verses are cited here:

“Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'án, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong”.[1]

 “Say: "O ye men! Now Truth hath reached you from your Lord! Those, who receive guidance, do so for the good of their own souls; those who stray, do so to their own loss: and I am not (set) over you to arrange your affairs."^[2]

 “A. L. R. A Book which We have revealed unto thee, in order that thou mightest lead mankind out of the depths of darkness into light - by the leave of their Lord - to the Way of (Him) the Exalted in power, worthy of all praise!”^[3]

"This is no less than a Reminder to (all) the Worlds.”^[4]

These verses clearly indicate that the Holy Qur’an is not a source of guidance for the Muslims only but it provides ideological and practical guidance to the entire mankind. It does not single out any particular race, nation or group. Everyone who accepts the invitation of the Qur'an is assured of guidance to the straight way of life. However, there are numerous verses in the Holy Qur'an too which mention it as a book of guidance for the believers (Arabic ‘Al-Mu’minin) and the God-fearing (Arabic ‘Al-Muttaqin’). e.g.

“This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah.”^[5]

“A Book revealed unto thee,- So let thy heart be oppressed no more by any difficulty on that account,- that with it thou mightest warn (the erring) and a reminder to the Believers.”^[6]

“We send down (stage by stage) of the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe: to the unjust it causes nothing but loss after loss.”^[7]

 “Say: "It is a Guide and a Healing to those who believe; and for those who believe not, there is a deafness in their ears, and it is blindness in their (eyes): They are (as it were) being called from a place far distant!"^[8]

It appears from the above verses that the guidance of the Holy Quran is reserved for the believers and God-fearing alone but this is not the case in reality. A deep and thorough study of the Quran reveals that these verses actually specify the kind of people who will be attracted towards it and will be benefitted and others who will turn away from it. Several commentators of the Quran have tried to dispel this confusion. Syed Abul A’ala Maududi (1903-1979), a renowned Islamic thinker and commentator of 20th century, writes;

“This means that while the Book is potentially for all, only those who possess certain qualities can benefit from it. The first such quality is piety: those who want to benefit should be disposed to distinguish between good and evil, and to shun evil and do good. Those who lead an animal existence, who never to consider whether their actions are either good or bad, whose cynically follow the prevailing winds, who are helplessly tossed about by the animal desires that dominate their minds, such persons are all together incapable of deriving any benefit from the guidance embodied in the Qur'an.”^[9]

Another noted commentator and theologian of 20th century, Mufti Muhammad Shafi (1896-1976) writes in his famous work Ma’ariful Quran;

“The Arabic word for the God-fearing is Muttaqin, derived from Taqwa which literally means "to fear, to refrain from", and in Islamic terminology it signifies fearing Allah and refraining from the transgression of His commandments. As for the Holy Qur'an being a guidance to the God-fearing, it actually means that although the Holy Qur'an provides guidance not only to mankind but to all existents in the universe, yet the special guidance which is the means of salvation in the other world is reserved for the God-fearing alone.”^[10]

He further states;

“…..there are three degrees of divine guidance- the first degree being common to the whole of mankind and even to animals etc., the second being particular to men and jinns, and the third being special to those who are close to Allah and have found His favour, the different levels of this last degree being limitless. It is the last two degrees of guidance which are intended in the verse under discussion. With regard to the second degree, the implication is that those who accept the guidance will have the hope of being elevated to the rank of the God-fearing. With reference to the third degree, the suggestion is that those who are already God-fearing may receive further and limitless guidance through the Holy Qur'an. This explanation should be sufficient to remove the objection that guidance is needed much more by those who are not God-fearing, for now we know that the specification of the God-fearing does not entail a denial of guidance to those who not possess this qualification.”^[11]

It is evident from the texts quoted above that the Holy Quran shows the way to the entire humanity in general but it shows the right way in particular to those people who fear Allah because a God-fearing man only tries to search for the works of His pleasure and displeasure, His obedience and disobedience; and a proud, supercilious and arrogant man, who has no fear in his heart, does not bother about the results of transgression, wrongdoing and sinfulness. This view is supported by the verse 57 of Surah ‘Yunus’ in which both, the mankind and the believers have been addressed.

 “O mankind! There hath come to you an admonition from your Lord and a healing for the (diseases) in your hearts,- and for those who believe, a guidance and a Mercy.”^[12]

The Subject Matter of the Qur’an

Now the question is; which are the intricate problems and different aspects of life, thought and action, the Holy Qur’an has taken up for guiding mankind? The apposite answer to the question is, it has been guiding mankind in all the spheres of life viz. personal, social, cultural, political, administrative, economic, spiritual, ethical and moral. Besides it also gives insight into the fundamental knowledge of human history, sociology and religious philosophies and suggests approaches for intellectual development and further studies and researches in cosmology, geography, geology, biology, philosophy, psychology, education and pedagogy etc. In fact it contains everything necessary for the guidance of humanity. It claims about its comprehensiveness as under;

 “….And We have sent down to thee the Book explaining all things, a Guide, a Mercy, and Glad Tidings to Muslims.”^[13]

The claim of the Holy Qur’an about its comprehensiveness can be justified in the light of the fact that many researchers have done specific work on the subject matter of the Holy Qur’an, whose study reveal the fact that the holy book has left nothing which is related to the guidance of the human beings. One can see in this regard “Subject Index of the Holy Qur’an” by Afzal-ur-Rahman (1998), “An Index to the Qur’an” by Harun Yahya (2003), “Index-Cum-Concordance of the Quran” by Altaf Ahmed Kheri (2009), “Tafsil-ul Bayan Fi Maqasid-ul Quran” by Syed Mumtaz Ali Deobandi (1348 AH/1930 AD), “Fihrist Mazameen-e-Qurani” by Abu Saleem Mohammad Abdul Hai and “Qur’an Se Aek Interview” by Mohammad Rafeeque Choudhary (1993). Of these six subject indexes “Index-Cum-Concordance of the Quran” by Altaf Ahmed Kheri is most extensive work containing 1019 pages. The work of Afzal-ur-Rahman acquires second position with 462 pages nevertheless covers a wide range of subjects. Harun Yahya has also done a commendable work which is spread over 841 pages containing translations of the indexed verses under a particular subject. In Urdu the work of Syed Mumtaz Ali Deobandi is very detailed and comprehensive.  The above mentioned facts indicate that to describe the subject matter of the Holy Qur’an is not an easy task and it demands a separate specific study. However, in order to make it easy to understand, the subject matter of the Qur’an can be described under three major categories which ultimately contribute to its central theme; the training and guidance of the human beings.

I. Aqaid (Beliefs)

II. Ahkam (Injunctions)

III. Nasaeh (Admonitions)

I. Aqaid (Beliefs): The Holy Qur’an has given too much importance to the formation of right set of beliefs or the worldview into the minds of the people in order to guide them properly as it is the system of belief which has deeper implications for all the spheres of life viz. personal, social, cultural, political, administrative, economic, spiritual, ethical and moral. Therefore a large number of verses of the Holy Qur’an deal with the Islamic beliefs. The false and corrupt beliefs of the Infidels, Polytheists, Jews, Christians and Hypocrites have been repudiated and the fundamental beliefs of Islam; the concepts of the Unity of God, the Prophethood, the Day of Judgment (Resurrection) and the Life Hereafter have been established logically and objectively. The Holy Qur’an has also refuted the false practices and evil actions of the astray nations. In order to do this the Holy Qur’an has given different kinds of evidences like written evidences from previously revealed scriptures, logical evidences, empirical & scientific evidences and historical evidences that can convince the minds of the people in every epoch. The basic beliefs of Islam with their substantiations have been discussed in the next chapter entitled “Metaphysics of the Holy Qur’an”.

II. Ahkam (Injunctions): The second subject of the Holy Qur’an is ‘Ahkam’ that includes those verses which deal with the Incumbents, the Recommended, the Approved, the Disapproved and the Forbidden covering worships, social dealings, household economy, business, state politics, administration, judiciary and other social and cultural issues. The verses related to Injunctions were revealed either in relation to the corruption, widespread injustice and wrongdoings prevalent in the Arabian society or in response to the questions raised by the companions of the Prophet (SAW).

III. Nasaeh (Admonitions): 

The third important subject of the Holy Qur’an is “Admonition” that encompasses those verses which remind and admonish the human beings in order to guide them properly and modify their behaviour in positive direction. The Holy Qur’an has treated this subject by exercising three approaches;

a) Admonition through Divine Signs — This approach is represented by those verses wherein purification is sought through the study of the divine favours and Signs of the Lord, His attributes, explanation of the creation of the Heavens and the Earth and the guidance which the people need about the necessities of life.

b) Admonition through Days of Allah — This approach is embodied in those verses in which purification is sought through the description of the conflicts between the Prophets and their disobedient followers, and portrayal of the important historical events which Allah caused to take place, favouring the obedient and punishing the disobedient.

c) Admonition through remembrance of Death & Life after Death — This approach is personified in those verses wherein purification is sought through the description of death and what will follow it; the Resurrection, the Gathering, the Reckoning, the Balance, the Paradise, and the Hell.

How Does the Holy Qur’an Present Its Subjects?

The Holy Qur’an is not divided subject-wise like other common books into so many chapters, classified into different parts, headings and subheadings, rather It has it’s subjects and topics scattered within its Surahs (Chapters) at many places. The problems of faith and the related arguments, universal Signs of Allah, legal commandments, moral injunctions, historical events, admonitions, criticism, good tidings, consolation etc. have been discussed one after the other without maintaining any thematic order. One theme starts after the other and a third one comes in unexpectedly. Often the same topic is repeated with different words at different places. So if one needs to understand an issue in the light of the Holy Qur’an, he has to look into all the locations within the Qur'an where that subject occurs and compile all the verses related to it. If anyone does this exercise, then he observes that all the verses about one particular subject explain and clarify each other. Thus only after gathering and organizing those verses according to subject and subsequently analysing them, one can understand what it really is that the Qur'an is saying about that particular issue. This manner of Qur’anic study has already been reflected in the Holy Qur’an itself. The following verses represent this standpoint:

 “Thus do we explain the Signs by various (ways): that they may say, "Thou hast learnt this (from somebody)" and that We may make the matter clear to those who know.”^[14]

 “And We have explained to man, in this Qur'an, every kind of similitude: yet the greater part of men refuse (to receive it) except with ingratitude!”^[15]

“A. L. R. (This is) a Book, with verses fundamental (of established meaning), further explained in detail,- from One Who is Wise and Well-acquainted (with all things).”^[16]

The above verses inform us that the Quran has explained its subjects by repeating them at different places in various ways in such a manner that its verses are mutually explanatory. Whatsoever may be the issue under discussion, the Quran elucidates it by itself and what is not clear in one verse is clarified through some other verses mentioned at another place.

One more point to be noted here is that the Qur’an has basically the qualities and characteristic of a constitution. Its main function is to expound fully the basic laws of life and determine their limits in every field. Therefore it contains the most broad and general regulations which are necessary for the guidance of the humanity. It avoids the minute details regarding the modes of worship to Allah, the rights of the people, the social dealings, business and economy, state politics, administration, judiciary and other social and cultural issues. It was the duty of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to construct Islamic way of life with his prophetic insight on the lines specified and articulated by the Holy Qur’an.  The prophet (SAW) performed his duty perfectly in the direct guidance of the Almighty and demonstrated in person the character and morals asserted by the Qur’an and also established the laws related to the society and state as envisaged by Allah in the Holy Book. Therefore prophetic traditions contain the minute details regarding the personal, social, political, economic and other dimensions of human life.

Conclusions:

The generally perception that the Holy Qur’an is the religious scripture of Muslims only is totally wrong. The Qur’an addresses to the entire humanity and provides ideological and practical guidance to all. It does not single out any particular race, nation or group. Everyone who accepts the invitation of the Qur'an is assured of guidance to the straight way of life and consequently success in this life and in the life hereafter. Thus it is a common divine treasure of the mankind whether some people accept it or not. Besides the area of beliefs, Its commandments  guides to the mankind in all the spheres of life viz. personal, social, cultural, political, administrative, economic, spiritual, ethical and moral. However, its teaching can be understood better in the light of the prophetic traditions because they contain the contexts and the details of the Qur’anic injunctions. The easiest way to understand it is to consult its authentic translations and the commentaries, a sample survey of whom has been given in the previous series of the article.  

Notes & References:

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[1] . The Holy Qur’an: Translation & Commentary by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, (Revised & Edited By The Presidency of Islamic Research, IFTA, Call & Guidance), The Ministry of Hajj & Endowments, K.S.A. (1413 AH), Al-Baqarah 2:185.

[2]. Ibid, Yunus 10: 108

[3]. Ibid, Ibrahim 14: 01

[4]. Ibid, Sad 38:87

[5]. Ibid, Al-Baqarah 2:2

[6]. Ibid, Al-A’raf 7:2

[7]. Ibid, Al-Isra 17: 82

[8]. Ibid, Fussilat 41: 44

[9]. Maududi, Syed Abul A’ala “Towards Understanding the Quran-Tafheem-ul-Quran” (English Translation by Zafar Ishaq Ansari), Internet Edition 2012, (available at http://www.tafheem.net/tafheem.html), Foot Note 3 of Surah 2, Al-Baqarah (Retrieved on January 05, 2012).

[10]. Shafi’, Mufti Muhammad    Ma’ariful Quran, 8 Vol. Set, (English Translation by Prof. Muhammad Hasan Askari & Prof Muhammad Shamim, Revised by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani), Darul Uloom Karachi, Karachi, 1995. P. 100

[11]. Ibid

[12]. The Holy Quran: Translation & Commentary by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, OP. Cit., Yunus 10: 57

[13]. Ibid, Al-Nahl 16: 89

[14]. Ibid, Al-An’am 6:105

[15]. Ibid, Al-Isra 17:89, See also Al-Isra 17:41, Al-Kahf 18:54, Al-Furqan 25:50, Al-Ahqaf 46:27.

[16]. Ibid, Hud 11:01, See also Ta Ha 20:113, Yunus 10:37.

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