Not Following the Correct Procedure in Explaining the Quraan Shareef
In the footnotes of the translation of the aayat: “innallazeena aamanu wallazeena haadoo…” Yusuf ‘Ali writes that Islam recognises truth in all forms, provided it is supported with sincerity, reasoning and sound conduct and character.
So his conclusion is that everyone is right, for a Hindu can say that he has sincerity and sound conduct and reasoning. Everyone can say the same thing. It may sound that he did a great service by translating the Quraan Shareef, but his footnotes did a great
disservice. So where did he go wrong?
It is a principle in tafseer that in understanding the Quraan Shareef, you will refer to those aayaat which explain others, then the ahaadeeth of Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) that explain the verses and then the explanation of Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) who were present at the time of revelation, because they understood the context. Without the context, you will not know its correct application.
On one occasion, the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) besieged a fortress and at that time a Muslim threw himself into the enemy lines. Seeing him doing this, someone commented by reciting the aayat: “Laa tulqoo bi aydeekum ilat-tahlukah” (do not throw
yourselves into destruction.) On hearing this, Hazrat Abu Ayyoob Ansaari (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) remarked that this was actually revealed regarding the Ansaar who at a certain point in time felt that Islam and the Muslims were quite settled; hence they could
now attend to their orchards and remain relaxed without any need to strive further. So this aayat was revealed implying that not striving for deen is actually putting oneself into destruction. Hence, without the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) the context of the aayat cannot be understood.
Coming back to Yusuf ‘Ali’s footnote, his problem was that he bypassed the definitions of the Quraan Shareef and Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). So this was his down fall. If what he was saying is true, then what was the need for Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) to invite the Christians and others to Islam. They could have said that we are sincere and recognise the truth. The Jews were killed and expelled from Madeenah Munawwarah. They could have also said that we are sincere and recognise the truth. Every Nabi that had come in the past and brought some change to the previous sharee‘ahs, had instructed their nations to accept those changes.
Those who did not accept it, war was waged against them.
Just as namaaz, roza, hajj etc. have definitions, so too does imaan have a definition. So we will look for it in the Quraan Shareef. Allah Ta‘ala says: “fa in aamanoo bi mithli maa aamantum…” –
If your imaan conforms to the criteria of imaan i.e. the imaan of the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) then you are right and on track, and if you do not conform then you are off the path. So the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) are the standard. What was their imaan? It was to believe in Allah Ta‘ala, all the Ambiyaa (‘alaihimus salaam), the angels and the last day. Further, we do not discriminate the Ambiyaa (‘alaihimus salaam) where we believe in some and reject some.
If merely believing in Allah Ta‘ala and the last day was sufficient for one’s salvation then why was Shaitaan rejected, for he also believed in Allah Ta‘ala and the Day of Judgement. Hence, all these discrepancies came about because of self-study.
Someone may ask that why do we have to speak of the wrong of this person and not his good. The answer is that look at Imaam Bukhaari (rahmatullahi ‘alaih). He speaks against the Mu’tazilah and Jahmiyyah and other deviant sects. Hence, he did not only
speak of the good of people, for everything has negatives and positives. Without understanding the negatives you will not be able to understand the positives. So you have to show both in order for a person to remain on line.
Advices of Hazrat Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (d.b.)
Stepping Stones to Reformation
