Preface
The intended audience of this book:
Weak in faith and obedience as I am, and unlearned, my first duty must be to confess my utter inadequacy to write this book. For, says Allah, subhanahu wa ta‘ala, “Had We sent down this Qur’an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and torn asunder by the fear of God.” So how can any human being, let alone one so poor in knowledge and impure in spirit, presume to point the way to the majesty and mercy, the beauty and wisdom that is the Qur’an? What emboldened me, however, was the persistent nudging of many friends who felt that what I had shared with them needed to be shared by many more. But the real strength and courage came from Allah’s promise: “Those who strive in Our cause for Our sake, surely We shall guide them in Our ways.” And the Prophet’s words, blessings and peace be on him — “Convey on my behalf even if it be one Ayah” and “Best among you is the one who learns the Qur’an and teaches it” — seemed to make it almost a duty to be coveted.
My aim in writing this book is a modest one. It is not intended to be a work of academic scholarship. I am neither a learned mufassir, nor am I writing for scholars. I do not presume to teach or guide the learned, for I make no claim to such a position.
Rather, I write for ordinary seekers of the Qur’an—those who, like myself, are inexpert and still learning. I especially have in mind the young men and women who are striving to understand, absorb, and live by the Qur’an. In truth, I am writing for students about things I am still learning myself.
In this book, then, I write as one wayfarer to another, sharing whatever I have been able to grasp along the way. With all my shortcomings, I offer what I have found useful as I have stumbled along the path to and through the Qur’an. I am certain that others—through greater sincerity, devotion, and ability—will improve far upon what I have presented here.
The original inspirations for the contents of this book:
This book is the product of a long and still-continuing search. Its contents have been gathered over many years of reading. The beginning of this book goes back more than three decades, when I had just begun my own journey to live by the Qur’an, and when I was given the duty of explaining how to study the Qur’an to a group of similarly committed young students. Most of what I said then, I owed to a small number of sources: Maulana Hamiduddin Farahi’s Tafasir-i Farahi; Maulana Mawdudi’s Tafhimul Qur’an; Maulana Amin Ahsan Islahi’s Tadabbur-e-Qur’an; Imam al-Ghazali’s Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din; Shah Waliullah’s Hujjatullah al-Balighah and al-Fawz al-Kabir fi Usul al-Tafsir; and Imam Suyuti’s al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Qur’an. For all that this book contains, I continue to owe a debt of gratitude to them. And whilst I would like to acknowledge this, I must also point out that none of these authors are responsible for my own errors of understanding and presentation. The first opportunity to put my thoughts in writing arose in 1977, when I wrote a short introduction to Yusuf Ali’s translation of the Qur’an published by the Islamic Foundation.
The key abiding convictions explained in the book:
This book is born out of certain abiding convictions. And whilst they are all explained in the book, it is useful to recall and summarize some of them here:
First, our lives will remain meaningless and ruined unless they are guided by the Qur’an, the word of God.
Second, the Qur’an, being the eternal guidance given by the Ever-living God, is as relevant for us today as it was fourteen centuries ago, and will remain so forever.
Third, we almost have a right, in some sense and measure, to receive its blessings today as its first believers did, provided, of course, that we come to it and move in it in a manner that may entitle us to share its rich harvest.
Fourth, every Muslim has a duty to devote himself to reading, understanding, and memorizing the Qur’an.
Fifth, one must abandon oneself totally, in thought and deed, to whatever the Qur’an has to offer. Any pride, arrogance, sense of self-sufficiency, reservation, or ingenuity that can mistakenly be read into it is fatal to its understanding and would shut the door to its blessings.
Sixth, the path of the Qur’an is the path of self-surrender, of practising what it tells you, even if one learns only one Ayah. One Ayah learnt and acted upon is better than a thousand which are explained beautifully but which do not impart any beauty to the reader’s life. Obedience, after all, is the real key to understanding.
An overview of the chapters of the book:
There are seven chapters. Each deals with a different aspect of the journey.
The first dwells on what the journey means to our lives; the second, on what provisions must be gathered inside our hearts and minds before setting out; the third, on what postures and actions of heart, mind, and body are necessary for the full involvement of the inner self; the fourth, on what rules should be followed in reading; the fifth, on why and how to understand; the sixth, on how to undertake collective study; and the seventh, on the essential need of offering our lives to the fulfilment of the Qur’anic mission. What the Prophet, blessings and peace be on him, said about some specific parts of the Qur’an is gathered in one appendix. Another suggests certain syllabuses for personal and collective study, which many may find useful. Some study aids are also included.
How to take maximum benefit from this book:
This is not a book which should be put away after one hurried reading, unless one does not like what it says, or does not find it useful. Those who need such a book and find it useful will, I hope, find it necessary to take plenty of time over each part, and to read it again and again. To them I would like to say: make it serve as your companion all along.
Some things you will have to study carefully, some you will have to store in your memory, some you will need to refer to frequently. But only what you practise will be of value to you. What this book does is to demarcate the road and erect the necessary signposts which point the way, give guidance, caution, warn, or prohibit, as the need may be. Still, you will have to equip yourself with a vehicle, put fuel in it, come on the road, and drive. Nothing in the book can substitute for your inner longing, will, determination, and persistent effort.
Important warnings and cautions that demand consideration:
A special word about the warnings and cautions spread throughout the book, about accepting and using what has been said here. They are important. Always keep them in mind, whether you are trying to understand the Qur’an on your own, or using the syllabuses, or acting upon any other thing.
I have placed great emphasis on the urgent need for personal endeavours by each Muslim to try to understand the Qur’an. To me, this is the most fundamental demand of the Qur’an. I am, however, aware of the pitfalls on this road, and these I have tried to note. In this respect, I would like you always to keep before you the words attributed to Sayyidina Abu Bakr: “Which earth will bear me and which sky will protect me if I say anything by my personal opinion in interpreting the Qur’an.” This has always had a great sobering and steadying effect on me: you, too, should profit by it.
We are living in a time when the need to centre our lives on the Qur’an is most urgent and compelling. Without this, we Muslims will never rediscover ourselves, never give meaning to our existence, never find dignity in this world. More importantly, we will never please our Creator and Lord. Without the Qur’an, mankind too will continue to slide towards the abyss of total extinction.
There is today a rapidly growing realization of this urgency among Muslims. The desire to understand the Qur’an and live by it has become widespread. The tide of Islamic resurgence is both a product of and a stimulant to this awareness and desire.
During these crucial days, if this humble effort succeeds in kindling in some hearts the desire to set out on the journey of the Qur’an—a life journey—and if it serves as their companion, my labours will be amply rewarded. Though it will benefit me only if Allah pardons all my errors of intention and understanding and blesses this endeavour of the heart with His acceptance. To those who benefit from this book, my plea is: do not forget me in your prayers.
Leicester
Khurram Murad
6 May 1985