Muslims & The Straight Path [Published 2010]
Part - 2-A
QURAN MISUNDERSTOOD
Quran was supposed to be
the ultimate guide to the Muslims forever. It is called the miracle of Prophet
Mohammad. The importance that Islam bestows to the Quran should have
necessarily meant that great deliberations take place so as to understand each
and every ayat (verse) of the Quran, every attempt is made to go to the
depth of the ayat and know where it was revealed; under what
circumstances was it revealed and what is its true meaning? Contrary to what Baig
and others in his book proclaim regarding the permanent validity of Quran, this
writer is of firm opinion that if Quran is indeed the miracle of God given to
Prophet Mohammad, it should be relevant for all times. More importantly, it
should have answers to the problems of humanity for all times.
Unfortunately, Muslims have
made reciting of Quran as a ritual than a necessity. In
Muslims would claim that a
great deal of research is being done on Quran. Any study becomes incapable of
generating new results if the student has some vested interests; his mind is
already cluttered with certain pre-existing thought process; or, he is averse
to accepting certain points because of his pre-set mindset. All attachments
have to be discarded and all aversions forgotten if we are willing to
understand the Quran truly. Unfortunately, most of the studies succumb due to
one or more of the aforementioned reasons. This compiler has reasons to believe
that Muslims, of all the existing sects, have not understood till date the
profound truths present in the Quran. In spite of this, many of them have the
audacity to criticize one or more verses of Quran, without knowing that their
lack of understanding of the real teachings of Quran is to such an extent that
their entire way of life, their manner of treating rest of humanity including
those adhering to various faiths and in particular their views about Hinduism
will drastically change, if they were to understand the Quran in its totality.
Writes MRA Baig: “Quran was
compiled amidst controversy and confusion from snatches scrawled on date
leaves, tablets of smooth white stone, scraps of goat and camel skin, and even
on the shoulder-blades of sheep, in the possession of various people by a
commission appointed by the third Caliph, Osman, twelve years after the death
of Mohammad.”
It is really commendable
that the third Caliph was so concerned about the compilation of Quran! The
question that needs to be answered is why the subject of compilation of Quran
was not brought up during the 12 years after the death of Prophet? Did it not
deserve that kind of importance? Or were there more pressing matters to take
care of? What can be more pressing for a Muslim than the compilation of Quran? When
Prophet Mohammad on his death-bed had asked for pen and paper so that he writes
lest the Muslims get astray, Omar (who later became the second Caliph of Muslims)
had said that Quran is sufficient for us and we do not want anything else. Despite
this, no attempt to compile the Quran was made till the time of Osman – the
third Caliph. Why? We know for sure that
Since Quran is considered a
miracle, all Muslims are unanimous in agreement that not a verse of it has been
lost or deleted. But what is sure is the fact that the chronology in which the
verses were revealed could not be maintained. Other than the smaller surahs
(chapters) which are exactly as they were revealed, the verses in most of the
bigger surahs were revealed separately and have been put together
randomly, leading to confusion in understanding, as the subject shifts from one
topic to another. Worse is that because of this random intermingling of verses,
it is not possible to know when a particular verse was revealed.
Take for example, the
verses revealed on the Prophet while he was returning from his last Haj. At a large
gathering assembled at the command of the Prophet, the Prophet declared that he
was to leave them soon since the teachings of the religion Islam have been
completed. A verse was revealed to confirm this:
This day have I
Perfected your religion
For you, completed
My favour upon you
And have chosen for you
Islam as your religion.
It is logical to conclude that
no new verse was revealed after this verse declaring the completion of
teachings. Ideally, this verse should have been placed at the end of Quran. But
we find that this verse is the 5th verse of Chapter 4; in fact, it is not even
at the end of a surah. It is preceded and succeeded by a lot many other
verses, dealing with lot many issues unrelated to this.
It is beyond comprehension
why such minute care was not taken by the companions of the Prophet, while
compiling the Quran. Was it deliberate or due to oversight, you are welcome to
frame your own opinion!
Naturally, it is not
possible to know the real meaning of any verse until we know the circumstances
in which that particular verse was revealed. This has led to differing
interpretations by the Muslim ulemas. Today, even the most radical, the
most secular, the most peace-loving as well as the most fearsome, the most
fundamentalist, the most evil-minded, and the most militant of Muslims – all
derive their differing interpretations from the Quran.
Unfortunately, not much can
be done about it now. If we are indeed serious about removing such seeming
contradictions, all the Muslim ulemas should sit together, go through
the pages of history from the life of Prophet Mohammad and try to find when and
under what circumstances the various verses were revealed. This will greatly
enhance our understanding of the Holy Quran. Only those with vested interests
will doubt to such a solution!
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