Verses for Faith and Reflection

21 Feb

From The Story of Faith: Between Philosophy, Science and the Qur’an – by Nadīm al-Jisr

This fascinating and enigmatic book takes the reader on a journey along with its protagonist, Ḥayrān ibn al-Aḍ‘af the Punjabi, through the storms of doubt to the shores of certainty, at the hands of a wise scholar by the name of Abū al-Nūr al-Mawzūn. The book’s author, Sh. Nadīm al-Jisr (d. 1980) – former mufti of Tripoli and Northern Lebanon – has succeeded in presenting the essential matters of faith in a literary style that appeals to the heart, mind and imagination while addressing concerns of the modern seeker of truth. We hope that this work will see the light in translation before long.

The following selection of verses is presented by the shaykh to his student after a good part of the journey has already been traversed, saying:

“The verses of the Qur’an are concerned with a number of purposes: First:  inviting to God and establishing the proofs of His existence, uniqueness, knowledge, power, will, care, mercy, and all other attributes of perfection. Second: promises encouraging good deeds and warnings away from sin. Third: emphasising the coming resurrection and judgement. Fourth: rulings concerning worship and dealings. Fifth: practical wisdom for life. Sixth: promoting the best of morals and manners. Seventh: stories and narratives that reinforce the previous six categories.

“Yet the most important of all of these, and the greatest in the sight of Allah, is the first – because belief in God is the origin and foundation of everything else. That is why, when you turn the pages of the Qur’an, you find these verses guiding us to knowledge of Allah in every chapter, and indeed they may appear repeatedly in a single chapter.”

The shaykh then explains that he is presenting this selection to Ḥayrān (and the readers) of verses that establish these proofs of the divine presence and attributes, guiding us to recognise the wisdom of Allah’s creation. They are ordered according to their time of revelation, “Because I want you to imagine yourself present at their era of revelation so you may appreciate how the guidance unfolded and led the people through these evidences pointing to God. That way, your recitation of the verses will be more effective for your soul, and you will be better placed to grasp the Quranic method of guidance.”

After reciting before his teacher,  Ḥayrān declares that it was as though he had never noticed these verses in his previous readings of the Qur’an, which were mainly for blessings and not for study and reflection. The shaykh advises him not to suffice with reading them a few times; rather, he must internalise them until they become the lens through which he observes the signs scattered throughout Creation.

Below we have presented the Quranic passages (numbering over 150) and added their references, along with translations adapted from Abdullah Yusuf Ali and others. Naturally, translations have their shortcomings and a deeper appreciation of the verses would come from studying works of commentary. As numerous Muslim scholars have advocated a return to the Qur’an to establish and refresh Islamic faith and creed, the following may be considered a contribution to this effort.

Continue reading →

Divergence in Qur’an Translations: Causes and Examples

30 Dec

By Sohaib Saeed

The translation of the Arabic Qur’an into the languages of the world has received the broad acceptance of Muslim scholars since the middle of last century, though the practice of translating the whole Qur’an extends back to the sixteenth century or earlier. The original missionary goals were replaced by academic research and the efforts of Muslims to clarify the teachings of their faith, not only for non-Muslims, but also for new generations of believers of foreign tongues. Translation is a particular method of explaining the Quranic text, and can serve as a succinct way of expressing the meanings of its words and sentences.

For a number of pertinent reasons, Muslims make a fundamental distinction between the Qur’an – revealed verbatim in Arabic as a divine challenge – and translations, human renderings of its meanings into other languages. Any product of the human mind is subject not only to the possibility of error, but also the capacity for difference of opinion. Translation of any complex and highly literary text must necessarily be a difficult task, and one in which expert opinions can diverge at various points. Continue reading →

Brotherhood in Faith and Humanity (A Quranic Study)

9 Dec

By Sohaib Saeed

The significance of a concept in the Islamic worldview can be grasped by surveying its occurrence in the Qur’an, the peak of divine revelation and the fount of knowledge and guidance. One aspect of such study is to follow the appearance of a certain word in its various contexts, extracting lessons and drawing conclusions.

The concept of brotherhood (and sisterhood) is increasingly discussed in our times as a foundation for human equality, reconciliation and cooperation. Words pertaining to brotherhood (i.e. derivatives of the Arabic root ʾ–kh–w / أ–خ–و) occur in the Qur’an in almost one hundred places. This study looks at these occurrences, beginning with those in their literal meanings, and then outlining the various metaphorical senses in which brotherhood is mentioned. Then there is a specific focus on Islamic brotherhood in faith and the broader concept of brotherhood in humanity, with reference to Islamic scripture and the opinions of Muslim scholars. Continue reading →

Islam: What’s in a Name? (A Quranic Study)

26 Nov

By Sohaib Saeed

It is a common practice of Muslim scholars writing on some field of knowledge to define its basic terms; when it comes to Arabic words, this involves looking at their root meanings as well as their usage. This practice is certainly useful when seeking to understand Islam as a faith and way of life, as there are many things to learn from the very fact that it is so named. Generally speaking, when naming something new, or a new addition to the family, we choose a name that reflects the appropriate and desired meanings.

In this article, we shall explore five significant features of the name Islam, making special reference to how the Qur’an speaks of Islam and being Muslim. We shall note that the word reflects the concept of peace, that it is a name used right from the start, that it was specially chosen by the Creator, that it reflects an action and way of life, and that it has a universal meaning and appeal.

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Qari Bokhari, Surat al-Hashr (Edinburgh, 2005)

30 Jul

From the first ever event organised by Quranica:


Divine Intervention for a Jew

30 Jul

From the writings of the former Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Shaykh Muhammad Sayyid al-Tantawi (may Allah have mercy upon him), author of Al-Tafseer al-Waseet:

It happened in the Prophetic Era that a man named Ta’mah ibn Abreeq stole a shield from one of his neighbours called Qatadah ibn Nu’man, then stashed it at the home of a Jewish man called Zayd ibn as-Sameen.

Qatadah asked Ta’mah about the shield, and he denied any knowledge of it; so Qatadah started to search for it until he found it with the aforementioned Jew. When asked about it, he blamed Ta’mah.

Hence the case was taken before the Prophet (peace be upon him), who summoned Ta’mah and asked him, “Did you steal this shield and place it with Zayd ibn as-Sameen?” He denied it, so the Prophet asked Zayd: “Do you have any witnesses to support your claim that Ta’mah planted it on you?” He said that he did not. Meanwhile, the relatives of Ta’mah came and argued on his behalf.

In the midst of this confusion, the Qur’anic revelation came to clarify the truth from falsehood, and to establish justice in the face of impending injustice.

Continue reading →

Music and Spirituality: radio discussion

30 Jul

In February 2007, Quranica director Sohaib Saeed participated in a Beyond Belief discussion on BBC Radio 4 about music and its relation to spiritual experience, speaking as a promoter of the art of Qur’anic recitation.

Listen here: Beyond Belief > Music & Spiritual Experience

The other panellists were Rabbi Mark Solomon of the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in London, and Revd June Boyce-Tillman of the University of Winchester. It was presented by Ernie Rea.

Hasan al-Shafi‘i: The Required Response to Feminist Reinterpretations of the Qur’an

30 Jul

The author – Shaykh Dr. Ḥasan Maḥmūd ‘Abd al-Laṭīf al-Shāfi‘ī – is a leading authority on Islamic theology, philosophy and spirituality. He is a lecturer at Dar al-‘Ulūm, University of Cairo, and one of the senior scholars of Al-Azhar. In addition to studies in his native Egypt, he received a doctorate from the University of London in 1977. Among many academic appointments, he served as president of the International Islamic University in Islamabad from 1994-2004. He is a member of numerous bodies including the Arabic Language Academy in Cairo, and has published at least 19 books including translations and critical editions. This paper was published in 2010 in The International Journal for Qur’anic Studies and was originally presented at a conference entitled: The Effect of Contemporary Cultures on the Arabic Language. It was translated by Sohaib Saeed Al-Azhari.

Abstract: The present study addresses the recent cultural and intellectual movement that works to adopt the Western “hermeneutics” methodology and apply it to the Noble Qur’an and Islamic religious texts in general, with complete indifference to the established principles of tafsīr (exegesis), rules of interpretation and related Prophetic clarification from the authenticated Sunnah. It also shows how this movement turns a blind eye to the accumulated experience of Islamic civilisation, based on the claim that the Islamic heritage has been patriarchal and chauvinistic against women. It further brings to light the fact that this movement consists of a number of academics educated in Western paradigms, but almost entirely lacking in authentic training in Islamic culture and religious sciences. Then it discusses the negative consequences of this movement for Muslim societies in terms of their connection with their civilisational heritage, and for the Arabic language, in that it poses a threat to the soundness of the Arab tongue. After this, it outlines the origins of hermeneutics and its development until its present form, as well as its highly subjective and biased approach to Arab and Islamic heritage. It concludes by discussing the requirements of constructing an Islamic hermeneutics that is appropriate to our heritage, language and unique historical experience.

Continue reading →

The Art of Qur’an Recitation

9 Jul

By Sohaib Saeed

The Qur’an has many names, as mentioned throughout its chapters and verses. Two are considered the most important. It is described as the Kitāb meaning “book”, and as the Qur’ān meaning “recital”.

The fact that these are the two names for the divine revelation received by Muhammad, believed by Muslims to be God’s last messenger, indicates that it has two forms: as a written scripture and as a recited text.

The fact that we know it first and foremost as the Qur’an is a clue to the recited aspect being its most essential reality.

According to American ethnomusicologist Dr Kristina Nelson:

“For the Muslim faithful, the familiar sound of Qur’anic recitation is the predominant and most immediate means of contact with the Word of God. Heard day and night, on the street, in taxis, in shops, in mosques, and in homes, the sound of recitation is far more than the pervasive background music of daily life in the Arab world. It is the core of religious devotion, the sanctioning spirit of much cultural and social life, and a valued art form in its own right.” (Nelson, The Art of Reciting the Qur’an, AUC Press 2001)

In this article, we shall explain the role of recitation in experiencing the Qur’an, and discuss the principles that underlie the beauty of recitation. Continue reading →

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