Basic Principles of Understanding of Quran

           

The basic principles of understanding of Quran are that Quran may be understood primarily through Quran, through internal source of intellect, or through external source of Sunnah; no external source other than Sunnah may add something to the idea contained in the apparent Quranic words. All external sources other than Sunnah can explain the Quranic meanings, if such external sources lead to such meanings which are in consonance with Quran and Sunnah. The meanings exacted through internal source i.e. intellect also must be in conformity with Quran and Sunnah. 

The first basic source to understand Quran is Quran itself. Quran is a Divine Book; it is words of Allah. One of the most amazing quality of Quran is that its words are protected in their meanings by the other Quranic words. Such protection is provided by repeating the ideas contained in the verses in various manners. Quran says:

“……..See how We repeat the verses (in various ways) so that they may understand” (al-anaam-65).

One of the principles of understanding of Quran is to exact from a Quranic word such meanings which are in consonance with the meanings of other Quranic words/ verses; no such meanings are to be adopted which are contradictory to other verses/ words.

Quran is a Book consisting of Allah’s words; as such its meanings are multi-layered. One word/ verse may have more than one meanings; and all such meanings may be adopted, if they are not contradictory to one another and are in consonance with relevant sahih hadith (if available).

Every verse has basically two types of meanings; first that is independent of other verses, and the second that is linked with meanings of other verses. The independent meaning and the linked up meanings should not be contradictory to each other; though these two types of meanings of a verse may be different from each other.

Two different words seemingly having same meanings do not have exactly the same meanings, particularly when both such words have been used in the same verse; such different words-apparently having same meanings- shall be different in some aspects of their meanings.

Every ‘raku’ has a main theme which is different in all or some aspects of the theme described in the preceding or succeeding ‘raku’.

The relevant noun of a pronoun, if not found in the same verse, should be found, at the first option, in the preceding verses; if relevant noun is not found in this way, then as a second option, relevant noun may be found in the succeeding verses (it does not mean noun for every pronoun has been mentioned  in Quran).

First priority should be given to literal meanings of the words; if literal meaning does not make any sense, only then idiomatic/metaphorical meaning may be adopted, if such idiomatic meaning is not contradictory to other Quranic words/verses.

The second basic source to understand Quran is the Sunnah which is an external source to understand Quran. This source itself being a form of   ‘wahi’ can add to the idea contained in the apparent  Quranic words.

We have already seen in the articles ‘Protection of Sunnah’ ;  ‘Types of Wahi and Sunnah’ and some other articles that some Prophets are ‘rasool’ and ‘Nabi’ combined. Such Prophet being ‘rasool’ receives complete Book through Gabriel (a.s) in the form of Allah’s words and being Nabi receives, in respect of the Book he receives, Allah’s ideas/ ‘wahi’ which is translated by Gabriel (e.g. Hadith e Qudsi) or by the Nabi (a.s) himself (e.g. Hadith e Rasool). Such a ‘wahi’ received as a Nabi is called his Sunnah. It has also been seen that the word 'zikr' which Allah has committed to protect includes both the Quran and the Sunnah.

 In the article “ Hujjiat e Sunnah/ Essentiality of Sunnah (2)”, we have also seen  ‘Hujjiat’ of Sunnah/ Essentiality of Sunnah as a “wahi” which is the words of ‘Rasool’. Similarly in the article “Hujjiat e Sunnah/ Essentiality of Sunnah (3)”, we have seen ‘Hujjiat of Sunnah/Essentiality of Sunnah as a ‘wahi’ which is the words of Gabriel (a.s). In other words, the ‘wahi’ which is Sunnah is as much essential to be followed by the people as that ‘wahi’ which is the words of Allah i.e. Quran.

In the article “Concept of Meezan and Essentiality of Sunnah”, we have seen that Sunnah provides for not only legal Islamic systems but also non-legal Islamic systems. In other words, Sunnah, apart from providing legal systems, also provides for cultural and social values, customs, human conduct, professional ethics and business practices etc.; Sunnah provides for principles to shape all spheres of human life.

Sunnah is a primary external source which can explain the apparent meanings of Quranic words. Sunnah must not be contradictory to Quranic words; however Sunnah may add to the idea which has been contained in the apparent Quranic words. No external source other than sunnah can add something to an idea contained in the apparent Quranic words, until and unless such an idea is in conformity with Quran and Sunnah.  It means all external sources like Arabic cultural values, customs, social habits, business and social ethics, and even linguistics- all prevailing in the age of revelation of Quran-  can expain Quranic words only to the extent such external sources lead to such meanings which are in consonance with Quran and Sunnah. No doubt, Quran has been revealed in Arabic language and in Arabic culture, but Quran reflects its own terminology and value systems; Arabic language terminology and cultural values can explain Quranic ideas/ words only to the extent such Arabic language terminology and cultural values are in conformity with terminology and value systems reflected out of Quran and Sunnah. 

The Quran may also be understood through internal source of intellect. Like external sources of understanding of Quran other than Sunnah, intellect also has to be in consonance with Quran and Sunnah; intellect cannot add something to the idea contained in the apparent Quranic words unless it leads to such meanings which are in consonance with Quran and Sunnah. The objective of intellect is to prove divine wisdom, not to contradict it.

We may conclude that Quran and Sunnah are two primary sources to understand Quranic meanings. There is only one external primary  source- i.e. Sunnah  which can add something to the idea contained in apparent Quranic words; all other external sources like linguistics, cultural values, ethics and customs prevailing in the Arab society at the time of revelation of Quran are secondary, and these secondary sources have to be in line with primary sources i.e. Quran and Sunnah. Similarly human intellect also has to be in line with Quran and Sunnah.