معرفت

The Status of Honesty and Righteousness in Islamic Thoughts

Ayatollah Allamah Mohammad Taqi Misbah

Abstract

This paper deals with the Shi’as’ characteristics and the role of honesty and righteousness in the pure Islamic thoughts. After pointing out to divine mysticism, execution of God Almighty’s orders and possession of moral principles and virtues as three general and basic characteristics of true Shi’as, the commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali, says: «مَنْطِقُهُمُ الصَّوَابُ» ؛ They are known for their truthfulness.

Speech is one of the great favors which Gracious God has granted to man and it distinguishes man from animals. The Holy Qur’an says; خلق الانسان علمه البیان ‘’He has created man, and taught him the mode of Expression’’ (al Rahman 3-4). Speech is a gift which constitutes the characteristic feature of man. The great canker of speech is lying. Speech is intended to provide people with factual information. Lying misguides people and does not conform with the exigencies of man’s God-given nature. According to religious teachings, lying is the key and source of all abominations.

Key words: honesty, lying, nature, religious teachings.

A Glance at the Basic Principles of Qur’an Interpretation in the Works of Ayatollah Misbah

Gholam Ali Azizi Kiya

Abstract

      The basic principles of interpretation is one of the most effective factors of interpreter’s endeavor of interpretation and has a unique role in the correct understanding of the meaning of Qur’an verses which is intended by God. One of the ways of recognizing the basic principles of Qur’anic interpretation is referring to the introduction or the text of Qur’an interpretations which deals with the fundamental aspects of speech or which is used as an endeavor of interpretation. In ‘’The thematic Interpretation of Qur'anic Knowledge’’ by Allamah Misbah and in his other works, he refers to some basic principles and elaborates on their effect on understanding the Qur’an. The author, reviewing these works, brings out and analyzes these basic principles. Some of these principles are: the Divinity of the Qur’anic words, the rationality of Qur’anic language, the possibility of understanding the Qur’an, the difference between interpretation and Qur’an commentation, the truthfulness of verses, purposefulness, immunity from distortion, inimitability with regard to harmony and lack of discrepancy, universality and eternity, and comprehensiveness of the explanation of verses about the guidance of man.

Key words: Qur’an commentary, principles of Qur’an commentary, prerequisites of Qur’an commentary, interpreter’s assumption, Ayatollah Misbah.

Fourteen Evidences of the Permissibility and Necessity of Referring to Intellect in Qur'an Interpretation

Hamid Aryan

Abstract

As one of the trends, the movement of rationalism proposes different theories and views. All the theories agree on the principle of the effectiveness of intellect in the process of interpretation but they disagree about its details and conditions. According to this movement, referring to intellect and the data suggested by intellect for understanding and interpreting the Qur’an are not only permissible, but they are also necessary. Using a descriptive-analytical method, this paper seeks to offer the most important proposed evidences supporting the mentioned claim. Some of these evidences have to do with the principle of the permissibility of using intellect in interpretation and some support and confirm the idea of the necessity of using intellect in the process of interpretation. The research result shows is that, in spite of the existence of conclusive intellectual and transmitted proofs, the interference of the intellect, as a faculty of inference and using perceptual data, as presumption are necessary for understanding the meaning of Qur’anic verses as it is intended by God, and doing without intellect in the interpretation of the meaning of the Qur'an makes the access to the meaning which is intended by God impossible in some of the verses and leads to the wrong interpretation of the meaning of the other verses.

Key words: intellect, Qur'an commentary, intellectual reasoning, rationalism in interpretation, indications of rationalism in interpretation.

A Review of the Linguistic Features of the Qur'an

Hadi Fanaei Ne’mat Sara

Abstract

Understanding the Holy Qur'an is both based on the common basic sciences and knowledge of the grammatical rules. In terms of content, the Qur'an consists of a variety of ideological, moral, educational, jurisprudential, legal and historical areas of knowledge, and in terms of lexical structure, it is full of expressive, rhetoric, lexical and semantic eloquence and beauty. Therefore, the Quran does not use only one means of expression to convey the meaning, rather it uses specific stylistic devices, for example literal, metaphorical, allegorical and figurative, corresponding with the subject area. In general, the Quran uses a rational and literal language. By literal language it is not meant only using of the words in their true meaning, but literal language includes the kinds of uses contained in the conversations of the sane. Using various means of expression contributes to extending knowledge and providing people with guidance. Using a descriptive - analytical method, the present paper deals with this issue.

Key words: the Qur’an, Qur’anic language, text, vocabularies, meanings and understanding

A Study on the Meaning of Satan in the Holy Qur’an Based on the Arabic Culture at the Time of Revelation

Sayyed Mahmood Tayyeb Hosseini

Abstract

Referring to the Arabic culture is among the necessary things for the interpretation of the Qur’an, without which the interpreter will not be able to understand the accurate and correct meaning of the Qur'anic words and verses. Using an analytical-historical method and referring to the Arabic culture at the time of revelation, the present paper seeks to investigate the meaning of the word "Satan" in the context of various Qur'anic verses. In Arabic culture, the term “Satan” was used to mean a long rope is used for getting water from deep wells; but later on, the meaning was generalized and came to mean any malignant, destructive and harmful creature, including man, Jinn or animal. The meanings of the term “Satan” in the Qur’an, to which this analysis indicates, include: the Devil and his troops, harmful rebellious jinns, tempting people, gossips, heads of hypocrites, ugly and horrifying snakes, and microbe.

Key words: Satan, the Qur'anic concept of Satan, Qur'anic vocabulary, Arabic culture, semantics, the role of Arabic culture in Qur'an commentary

The Role of the Interpreter’s Preconceptions in Understanding the Meaning Intended by God according to Allameh Tabatabai

Ali Reza Hassan pour- Somayeh Monfared

Abstract

According to the principles of philosophical hermeneutics, "understanding" represents an existential description in general and the interpreter’s understanding of the text, including the religious text, in particular, within the framework of the interpreters' prior expectations, questions and knowledge. This understanding is not only deeply affected by prior knowledge, but, basically it is indispensable to it. In his Al-Mizan Commentary, Allameh Tabatabaei uses various principles and approved premises in his interpretation of the Quran and these can be considered among his preconceptions. The question that arises here whether or not it is possible to make a true and accurate interpretation of the Quran within the framework of preconceptions. Using a descriptive –analytical method, the present paper investigates the role of Allameh’s preconceptions in his interpretation. The result shows that he rejects undue interference of preconceptions in the interpretation of the Qur'an or imposing them on the Qur'an, and regards the acceptable preconceptions as principles and rules for the objective understanding of the meaning intended by God. His ideas about interpretation can be considered as consistent with objective hermeneutics and opposing philosophical hermeneutics.

Key words: preconception, interpretation, philosophical hermeneutics, objective hermeneutics, Allameh Tabatabaei, relativism

Quranology of Akhbaris

Mohammad Sharifi, Ghasem Faez

"Akhbaris" is a school of Shia traditionists of recent times who consider the infallible Imams’ traditions as the most important source of their beliefs, morals and religious precepts and rely on the other documents if, and only if they are confirmed by the traditions of the infallible Imams, and they criticize the fiqhi and rijal (biography) methods of current scholars especially those which have no responsible ground. A study of  Akhbaris’ views contained in their works shows that, “like other Islamic scholars Akhbaris regard the Quran as a heavenly book and eternal miracle of the Prophet of Islam, but the extremists of this group believe that Qur’anic verses, can not be understood or interpreted except by the infallible Imams. Therefore, they say that Qur’anic knowledge is accessible to no one except the infallible Imams and there is no way for others to understand the Quran except through referring to the traditions of the infallible Imams and they consider the comprehensiveness of the Quran is represented in the existence of all sciences in the Quran, both material and spiritual. Using descriptive-analytical approach, this article explores the Akhbaris, views about understanding the Qur’an.

Keywords: the Quran, Akhbaris, miracle, comprehensiveness, understanding, authenticity, manifest meanings.

The Consequences of Rejecting the Belief in the Resurrection in the view of the Qur'an

 Alimohammad Ghasemi

After monotheism, most Qur’anic verses deal with the subject of the Resurrection.

More than one-third of the verses in the Qur'an is considered to be about the hereafter, many of which elaborate on the effects of the belief in or consequences of rejection the idea of the Resurrection, because the belief in the Resurrection guaranties the implementation of divine laws and paves the way for attaining ultimate perfection and eternal happiness, and this shows, in some way, the importance of the belief in the Resurrection and necessity of  paying attention to it. Using an analytical-descriptive method, this paper explains the consequences of rejecting the idea of the Resurrection and the impact of unbelief in the hereafter on man destiny. Do the consequences of denial of the Resurrection affect only the life of man in the hereafter or his life in this world, as well? This article attempts to analyse the aforementioned facts in the light of Qur’anic verses and presents a new plan in this regard.

Key words: consequences, impacts, rejection of the idea of the Resurrection, those who reject the idea of the Resurrection, unbelief in the Resurrection.

The Pioneers in Scientific achievements in the Quran in Islamic World until 2014, according to Scopus International Databases

Marzieh Morovati

This study aims to investigate the scientific achievements of Islamic countries in the field of the Holy Quran. The research method is a survey based on a scientometrics approach. The research population which comprises the scientific achievements of 57 Islamic countries in the field of the Holy Quran until 2014 was declared and indexed by the Scopus international database. The research results show that from among seven countries, including Malaysia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Jordan, Turkey and Egypt, Malaysia and the Islamic Republic of Iran keep the record of scientific achievements and also enjoy the highest growth rate in this respect.

The National University of Malaysia and the Islamic Azad University are considered pioneer science centers. Researchers from the United States activity collaborate with the leading Islamic countries on the scientific achievements in the field of the Quran. Computer, medicine and social science have been the source of interest to the researchers of the leading countries.

Keywords: Islamic countries, scientific achievements, the Quran, Scientometrics.