Major Concepts within the Quran

Peace,

I got the file originally from here. If you speak Arabic, then terrific! You should read those articles! If you do not, I will try to translate as many as possible of them simply because they fascinate me.

Just finished translating a second one. To those who have read the first one (about the Quranic language), I’ve improved the writing style and made it much easier to read. It just might get posted tomorrow as well (the old version has been deleted off my blog). This one is a much shorter article, and I’m hoping to get some feedback.

The original writer (Ibrahim Bin Nabi) holds discussions on an Arabic forum called “Miraj Al-Qalam”. I took liberty to translate a few. Please download the file and read it. And please DO write back.

Download file from here (49 KB):

Major concepts within the Quran

Race to the finish – reading Quran in Ramadan

I just saw a Question on Yahoo Answers

“What is the most times you have completed the Quran in Ramadan?

Asalam Alaikum
I see many who complete it more then once mashaAllah. I have only been able to complete it once in the month, but this year I hope to try and complete it twice. But I don’t want to be one that reads with out taking it in, that is more important after all.

Allah knows best”

My Answer : Salaam Aleykum. I am a Quranist. I think the mindset of judging piety on how many times it is read and how fast within a given period is contrary to the teachings of the Quran. Maybe some like to be seen to be able to read it at record speed. I know there are some people who read Quran every day little by little all year round not just during Ramadan. You can look at 17:106 which mentions “gradually” and 20:114 which mentions about being “hasty” specifically with the Quran. 23:68 mentions about “pondering” . Reflecting on the Quran is mentioned here: 4:82; 47:24; and 59:21; 17:78-79 and 38:29 mentions reflecting on the book. and these verses mention reflecting on the Ayats 2:266; 30:21; 38:29; 45:13 . So I think you hit the nail on the head – it’s more important to read and understand and “take it in” than to rush through to finish it without pausing for thought.

Read articles about the Quranist identity:

This section explains who we are as an association. Since there are numerous misunderstandings that we are a sect, we will attempt to correct that with the articles below. Who are Quranists? Please read below:

1. Quranists and the term ‘Quranists’ by Farouk A. Peru

2. An Analysis of Quranist Fundamentalism by Farouk A. Peru

3. Quranism: The Metaphor of the House by Farouk A. Peru

4. Quranists: Between Reading and Interpretation by Farouk A. Peru

5. Submitters and Quranists by Asfora

6. Quranism is not a Sect ! Here is Why by Farouk A. Peru

7. Justifying the Quranism / Quranist labels by Asfora

8. Quranism and Traditionalism: Not Mutually Exclusive! by Farouk A. Peru

9. Who are the Real Sectarians? by Farouk A. Peru

10. A Quranist’s Response to the term “Hadith Rejector” by Asfora

11. “Quran Alone-ism” and Quranism by Asfora

12. Multiple Paths to Salvation by Darcus

13. The Deceptive “Just Muslim” Label by Farouk A. Peru

14. Who is a Kaafir? by Kashif Shahzada

 

The sole duty of the Messenger

Here is a thread on Refuting Quranists and Modernists Page

where they said: “For when the Qur’an makes statements like “nothing but …” they should not be taken in an absolute and literal sense but some common sense should be used in interpreting them.”

And here is my reply:
“Please do not take the following verses out of context. The point I wish to make is the structure of the sentences (in Arabic) :

” NOT (something) EXCEPT (something) “

Like : LA Illaha ILLA Allah ( NOT there is a god EXCEPT Allah)

then read the following :

5:92 And obey God and obey the messenger, and be aware. If you turn away then know that it is the duty of the messenger to deliver clearly (annama (ONLY) AAala (UPON) rasoolina (OUR MESSENGER) albalaghual (THE DELIVERY) mubeen (CLEAR)).

5:99 The messenger is only to deliver (Ma (NOT) AAala (UPON) alrrasooli (THE MESSENGER) illaa (EXCEPT) lbalaghu (THE DELIVERY)). And God knows what you reveal and what you conceal.

24:54 Say: “Obey God, and obey the messenger.” But if they turn away, then he is only responsible for his obligation, and you are responsible for your obligations. And if you obey him, you will be guided. The messenger is only required to deliver clearly. (ma (NOT) AAala (UPON) alrrasooli (THE MESSENGER) illaa (EXCEPT) lbalaghu (THE DELIVERY) almubeena (CLEAR))

16:82 So if they turn away, then you are only required to deliver clearly. (fa-innama (THEN ONLY) AAalayka (UPON YOU) albalaghu (DELIVERY) almubeenu (CLEAR))

29:18 “And if you disbelieve, then nations before you have also disbelieved.” The messenger is only required to deliver clearly. (wama (AND NOT) AAala (UPON) alrrasooli (THE MESSENGER) illa (EXCEPT) albalaghu (THE DELIVERY) almubeenu (CLEAR))

16:35 And those who set up partners said: “If God had wished it, we would not have served anything besides Him; neither us nor our fathers; nor would we have forbidden anything without Him.” Those before them did the exact same thing; so are the messengers required to do anything but deliver with clarity? (fahal (THEN IS THERE) AAala (UPON) alrrusuli (THE MESSENGERS) illa (EXCEPT) albalaghu (THE DELIVERY) almubeenu (CLEAR))

36:17 “And we are only required to give a clear delivery. Wama (AND NOT) AAalayna (UPON US) illa (EXCEPT) albalaghu (THE DELIVERY) almubeenu (CLEAR)”

64:12 Obey God and obey the messenger. And if you turn away, then it is only required of Our messenger to deliver clearly. (fa-innama (THEN ONLY) AAala (UPON) rasoolina (OUR MESSENGER) albalaghu (THE DELIVERY) almubeenu (CLEAR))

So debating about what “Albalaghu alMubeenu is” would be the next step . Don’t forget 33:21 “oswatun hasanatun” Of course from the Quranist perspective the Good Example is believed to be contained in the Quran, not in the Bukhari collection. “

Unity and Diversity

This question was asked a former member of QRAC: …..last night was a night i could have cried muslimeen… although we follow one Quran the deen has been subjected to sects and i am not happy with this… verily i am of the sect SUNNI MUSLIM and i wish not to be in a divided group any longer… i wish to be just pure muslim and thats it… I WANT ALL MUSLIMS TO RELATE AND ANSWER THIS WITH A SIMPLE YES OR NO… is it true that when i say ONE ALLAH, ONE QURAAN, AND ONE ISLAM UNDIVIDED just a yes or no please i will speak to Asfora Safarina about something i have in mind to assist me in what i intend to do with our most beloved deen and Rasool (SAW) to unite us again inshallah if Allah permits…. note i do not know about the shia so i cant act on that but i know about quraanists and Inshallah Allah may it be prosperous to unite islam without sects…..

This person is still thinks ‘islam’ is a religion and that if anyone uses another name, its a ‘sect’ relative to islam. In actuality, the Quran has absolutely no problem with diversity (although he deleted the entire thread when I pointed it out).  My response is below:

I’m very happy with it because diversity sf approved by Allah. Have a look at 29/69 for the word ‘our paths’ (subulana) and 5/48 for phrase ‘li kulli ja3alna shir3ah wa minhaj’ (for each of you we placed a disclosure and methodology). So Allah has no issue with it as long as we strive for the good (see both these verses again).

Where do the names of SURAS come from?

Asked our new friend QuranVsHadith in QRAC.  I answered: I hear what you’re saying and I agree. However, most ppl prefer using names and if it’s convenient, why not? There’s no harm in it as long as you don’t think ch 2 is actually about cows !

Yahoo Answers – If hadith is essential to understand and practice Quran, then…?

Interesting discussion in Yahoo Answers today:

If hadith is essential to understand and practice Quran, then does that mean the Quran is useless without hadith?

We have lost many, many hadith to time, history and harsh recording circumstances of the past. We must have lost a HUGE deal of hadith. Does that mean we are possibly misunderstanding the Quran?

Why isn’t hadith protected if it’s the “key” to open the Quran’s treasures?

• 2 days ago
• – 2 days left to answer.
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Additional Details

Vaxoco Kabana – Why, I can relate!

2 days ago

seven8six – That doesn’t answer my question. Also, Hadith is not the same as Sunnah. 🙂
Thank you for answering though.

2 days ago

Dang!!! – I love the comment, but just wanted to point out that “hadith” is not always used in the Quran as useless information. The Quran itself is called “ahsanul hadith”, and there are many other cases such as, “did you hear of the hadith of Musa?”

2 days ago

anza m – Does that mean the Quran is not enough?

1 day ago

Omed – Thank you so much for clarifying it. However, I want to point out that those who accept hadith do not believe it’s the personal wish of Muhammed, but rather also revelation. At least I did when I used to be a Sunni.

They even quote the verses that say “He does not speak of wishes; it is but a revalation being revealed” which is obviously taken out of context. Many use that phrase to claim anything Prophet Muhammed ever said was a revelation (which hadith itself does not even support since it shows how the Prophet would sometimes give orders then fail or change his mind!).

I just want to ask them that, if hadith is wahi/revelation, then why didn’t Allah (st) bother to save and protect it?

1 day ago

Mushu – My Mushu, clever as usual!

Quran – I agree. 🙂

1 day ago

learnisl… – That’s such a new way to see it! Thanks! 🙂

 

My personal answer was this:

I like to ask this question:

Imagine you were the first caliph, Abu Bakr. Almost all the sahabas were around and the memories of the Prophet was still fresh. Of course being Abu Bakr you read the Quran and you know the message must be brought to the whole of humankind. So why didn’t you gather all the sahabas together and a produce a ‘compendium of the Prophet as authenticated by all the sahabas’. Why did we need Bukhari to come along 250 years to do the job the sahabas should have done in the first place? If hadith was crucial to the faith, it wouldn’t have been so carelessly handled. There is absolutely no doubt what is ‘The Quran’ yet among the Sunnis themselves, debates are going on about what are true hadith.

Answer: Because the sahabas were never concerned about hadith. They knew what was TRULY Islam.

Nice Saying By Charles Lohman

in Quranology Discussions: Understanding the Quran THROUGH Islamic Traditionalism is NO different than understanding the Quran AGAINST Islamic Traditionalism.

I agree. We shouldn’t be pro or against anything we try to understand the Quran. Just let the Quran speak. However, we should take care that it is the Quran which is actually speaking, not Islamic Traditionalism using the voice of the Quran.