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KEYS TO COMPREHEND THE QURAN • The Quran is the only source of Islam. One should never forget that the Quran is God’s Word and was revealed to man in order that he may have understanding. • Every single point must be conceived within the entire context of the Quran. To properly understand something mentioned in a given verse, all related verses must also be examined (partial acknowledgement of the Quran is tantamount to its flat denial). We must take for granted the fact that there are no contradictions or paradoxes in the Quran. • Anything not included in the Quran has no religious connotation. Once we follow this precept, we shall have got rid of 90% of the interpolations. Anything that is not banned in the Quran is lawful. • If you come across points that seem unclear to you, you must find a way to consult someone who firmly believes that the Quran is the only source of Islam and is familiar with the Arabic language and to look for it in the Quran. In doing this, you must make sure to examine the different contexts in which a particular word was used. • In trying to understand the Quran, we must not forget that our major aids are our intelligence and conscience, and that the greatest obstacles are traditions, customs, adoption by the greater mass of the public and public censure. Once we have seen the basic principles, we are now going to take up 10 examples that will facilitate how we are supposed to understand a problem pointed to in the Quran: 1) Can a woman lead a congregational prayer?We read in the Quran that the Prophet did lead congregational prayers (The Women, 102). So that prayers can be performed either individually or in congregation. In the case of the latter, the leader may be either a man or a woman. There is no prohibition in the Quran for a woman leading the congregation during the prayer. It is interesting to note in passing that in the Quran there is no mention of salaried imams or muezzins.2) Can a menstruating woman recite the Quran?The only verse that refers to the condition of a menstruating woman is the following:As one can see this is the only sexual prohibition. God does not prevent a menstruating woman from reciting the Quran, performing her daily prayers or interrupting her fast. A menstruating woman may enter a mosque and perform her prayer. The woman has thus been kept away from God by the spokesmen of God for a length of time approximately equal to 1/6 of her lifetime. 3) Smoking?There is no mention in the Quran against smoking. Therefore, those points left to a man’s discretion should be carefully weighed by the individual, and the pros and cons should be considered by himself. Considering that for food experts processed white sugar and white bread are hardly wholesome, they should also be mentioned among the list of prohibitions based on a general principle such as ‘Anything injurious to health is religiously banned,’ which would have complicated the practice of religion.4) The Call to Prayer in Languages Other than Arabic?The call to prayer is indicated in the Quran but the manner by which it is to be performed is not indicated. The language in which it must be made is not prescribed. So the essential thing is the invitation, no matter how it is done. It may well be in English, in Japanese or in any other language. In this context we must remind our readers that the Quran must be conceived within the framework of the integrity of the Quran when trying to understand a particular issue.5) Whom to marry?Idolaters are to be shunned in choosing one’s mate.A Muslim man or woman is not allowed to marry someone who is in unlawful relations with their mates. Additionally, the cases in which marriage is forbidden are given below: 23 – Prohibited for you are: your mother, daughters, sisters, father’s sisters, mother’s sisters, brother’s daughters, sister’s daughters; foster mothers, foster sisters; your wives’ mothers, the daughters of the wives you have slept with who are under your charge- but in case you have not slept with them there is no offence- and the wives of your own begotten sons, and marrying two sisters at the same time, what happened in the past is now past. God is Forgiver, Merciful. 24 – Also forbidden are married women. We have above the persons whom we are not allowed to marry. A Muslim is allowed to marry, for instance, Jews and Christian believers. It is to be noted that in order to come to a decision on a certain issue we have to go over the entire Quran. For example, a person who studies only Sura The Women and has not analyzed Sura The Cow may think that he/she may marry an unbeliever. 6) Parent’s Share in InheritanceThe essential thing to consider in the distribution of one’s estate is the will of the dying person. To distribute the inheritance according to the will and pay off the outstanding debts are the first things to do. With reference to the parents’ share, we have the following prescription in the Quran:The parents receive 1/6 of the inheritance while the mother’s share increases up to 1/3 if the deceased has no children. 7) Situation of Jews and ChristiansThere is nor prescription in the Quran about whether Jews and Christians, who still stick to their creed after the revelation of the Quran, are doomed and will go to hell or will not be admitted to paradise, contrary to the pronouncements of the sectarians.The fact that one can marry Jews and Christians, that the state of affliction among the Muslims in the wake of the war lost by the Christians in the Sura The Romans show how the mentality that condemns them to hell contradicts the Quran. It is to be also noted that among the Jews and Christians are also persons that have strayed: 8) Can a State compel men to perform their prayers?Despite the fact that prayers have been ordained to man, no punishment is foreseen in this world for those who fail to perform them. Their case is to be dealt with in the hereafter. There is no compulsion in religion, ordains the Quran.22 – You are not a warden over them. 9) Good MoralsOne can easily deduce from the contents of the Quran that good morals are a necessary consequence of a believing soul. Such meritorious qualities as generosity, modesty and courage are often mentioned in the Quran. It is a fact that religion is not made up solely of prayers and the credo. In this also the sole source is the Quran itself. Let us take as an example the issue of being trustworthy. The Quran you will consult in this case will display for you many verses about it.10) Is Paradise an Eternal Abode?According to the Quran it is an eternal abode.As one can see, all basic information has been provided in the Quran. |