On Modern Readings of the Qur’an and Sunnah: Sheikh Muhammad Bazmool

Sheikh Muhammad Bazmool, a professor at Umm al-Qura University in Mecca, wrote the following series of posts on his social media page under the title “In Defense of Hadith” [الدفاع عن الحديث]:

Part 1

الشبه التي يقذفها الطاعنون في الحديث، أصبحت مجرد دعاوى، قد استبان كذبها، وكثرت الردود عليها؛ أقصد مثل شبهة : أن السنة لم تدون في زمن الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم. وشبهة أن الأحاديث متعارضة ومخالفة للواقع العلمي. والطعن في بعض الصحابة ورواة الحديث. هذه الشبه والحمد لله انتهت، فالردود عليها كثيرة. ـ

A number of the doubts of those who disparage the hadeeth have devolved into baseless allegations, with their falsity having been made clear and many numerous refutations having been produced. I am referring to doubts such as that the sunnah was not collected during the time of the Messenger. Or the doubt that there are ahaadith which contradict and go against scientific knowledge. Or their disparagement of some of the Sahabah or the narrators of hadith. But these doubts have been put to rest – alhamdulillaah – for there are many refutations against them.

وقد اتجه اليوم الذين يريدون إبطال السنة إلى اتجاه آخر، عُرف بالقراءة العصرية الجديدة للسنة . فاتجهوا إلى : = الهرمونطوقيا. = الأنسنية أو الألسنية. = التفكيكية . = المقاصدية . ـ

But those who aim to invalidate the Sunnah today take a different approach, an approach known as “new modern readings of the Sunnah“. These people have turned to

• Hermeneutical readings
• Humanist or Linguistic readings
• Deconstruction
• Recourse to the Maqaasid

فاتجهوا إلى هذه الأساليب في قراءة نصوص الشرع، يحققوا هدفهم. فماذا هو الهدف من القراءة العصرية الجديدة للنصوص؟ ـ

So the have turned to these methods of approaching the texts of the Sharee’ah [i.e. the Qur’an and the Sunnah], thereby achieving their goals. But what is the goal of these new modern readings of the texts?

Part 2

Hasten to the Remembrance of Allah: Adhwaa’ al-Bayaan

Allah addresses the believers in surah al-Jumu’ah by commanding:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِن يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

O you who have eemaan, when the call for prayer on the day of al-Jumu’ah is called, then hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave off business. That is better for you, if you knew [62:9]

Many scholars of tafsir have addressed the command to “hasten” to the prayer, as there are clear hadith narrations that prohibit rushing to the prayer. After the death of the great mufassir sheikh Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shinqitee, his long-time student sheikh ‘Atiyyah Saalim took on the task of completing the former’s tafsir, Adhwaa’ al-Bayaan, in which he addressed this issue by writing:

قوله تعالى : فاسعوا إلى ذكر الله . قرأ الجمهور : ( فاسعوا ) ، وقرأها عمر : ( فامضوا ) ، روى ابن جرير – رحمه الله – أنه قيل لعمر رضي الله عنه : إن أبيا يقرؤها ( فاسعوا ) ، قال : أما إنه أقرؤنا وأعلمنا بالمنسوخ ، وإنما هي ( فامضوا ) . وروي أيضا عن سالم أنه قال : ما سمعت عمر قط يقرؤها إلا فامضوا . ـ

Allah’s statement:

فَاسْعَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ

… then hasten to the remembrance of Allah [62:9]

the majority of the reciters recite it as:

فَاسْعَوْا

then hasten

while ‘Umar recited it as:

Non-Canonical Recitations Can Help Explain the Qur’an: al-Zarkashi

It is well-known to those familiar with the Qur’an that there are multiple canonical recitations (qiraa’aat) which are all authentic based upon meeting certain conditions and which add to the meaning of the Qur’an while not contradicting one another. Following from this, there are also non-canonical (shadh) recitations which do not meet these conditions for acceptance but can still be found within the books of tafsir and the sciences of the Qur’an. Some orientalists and missionaries attempt to use the mere existence of these non-canonical recitations to cast doubt on the authenticity of the Qur’an as a whole. This translated excerpt from the great scholar Imam al-Zarkashi explains one source of these non-canonical recitations and their value in understanding the Qur’an.

Badr al-Deen Muhammad al-Zarkashi, a student of the great mufassir Ismaa’eel ibn Kathir, is most well-known for authoring an extensive handbook for the Qur’anic sciences, al-Burhan fee ‘Uloom al-Qur’an. What follows is one section from his chapter dealing with the Qiraa’aat [variant Qur’anic recitations]:

الأمر الثامن : قال أبو عبيد في كتاب ” فضائل القرآن ” : إن القصد من القراءة الشاذة تفسير القراءة المشهورة وتبيين معانيها ; وذلك كقراءة عائشة وحفصة : ( حافظوا على الصلوات والصلاة الوسطى صلاة العصر ) ( البقرة : 238 ) . ـ

The eighth issue: In his book Fadhaa’il al-Qur’an, Abu ‘Ubayd wrote:

One point behind a non-canonical recitation of the Qur’an is to act as an explanation of a well-known canonical recitation and to clarify its meaning. That is like the recitation transmitted from ‘A’ishah and Hafsah:

حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَىٰ صلاة العصر

Strictly guard the prayers, especially the middle prayer – the ‘asr prayer [compare to 2:238]

وكقراءة ابن مسعود ( والسارق والسارقة فاقطعوا أيمانهما ) ( المائدة : 38 ) . ـ

Or like ibn Mas’ood’s recitation:

وَالسَّارِقُ وَالسَّارِقَةُ فَاقْطَعُوا أيمانهما

and the male and female thief – cut off their right hands [compare to 5:38]

Assorted Qur’an Benefits #7

What follows is a collection of benefits originally posted on our Facebook page during March and April 2015:

♦ The Firm Word

al-Haafidh ibn Kathir records that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ood said:

 إن المؤمن إذا مات أجلس في قبره، فيقال له: من ربك؟ ما دينك؟ من نبيك؟ فيثبته الله، فيقول: ربي الله، وديني الإسلام، ونبيي محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم. وقرأ عبد الله: {يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الآخِرَةِ}. ـ

When the believer has died, he is made to sit up in his grave and then it is said to him, “Who is your Lord? What is your deen (religion)? Who is your prophet?” Then Allah will make him firm, so he will say, “My Lord is Allah, My Deen is al-Islaam, and my Prophet is Muhammad (ﷺ).”

Then ‘Abdullah recited the ayah:

يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الآخِرَةِ

Allah keeps firm those who believe, with the firm word, in worldly life and in the Hereafter. [14:27]

[Tafsir ibn Kathir 4/498]

---

♦ Surah Maryam – “the surah of gifts”

Sheikh al-Islaam ibn Taymiyah mentions the following point in his discussion of the major themes of surah Maryam where he wrote:

وذكر موسى وموهبته له أخاه هارون نبيا كما وهب يحيى لزكريا وعيسى لمريم وإسحاق لإبراهيم . فهذه السورة ” سورة المواهب ” وهي ما وهبه الله لأنبيائه من الذرية الطيبة والعمل الصالح والعلم النافع

 Allah mentioned Moosaa and the fact that He gifted Haaroon to him as a prophet, just as Yahya was given as a gift to Zakariyyah and ‘Eesaa was to Maryam and Ishaaq was to Ibrahim.

So this surah is ‘the surah of gifts’ and it is what Allah gave to His prophets in terms of good offspring, righteous deeds and beneficial knowledge.”

[Majmoo’ al-Fataawa 15/231]

Read ibn Taymiyah’s full discussion of the major themes of surah Maryam here.

---

♦ “To Warn Whoever is Alive”

Allah says in surah Yaasin:

 وَمَا عَلَّمْنَاهُ الشِّعْرَ‌ وَمَا يَنبَغِي لَهُ ۚ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ‌ وَقُرْ‌آنٌ مُّبِينٌ ﴿٦٩﴾ لِّيُنذِرَ‌ مَن كَانَ حَيًّا وَيَحِقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى الْكَافِرِ‌ينَ

“And We did not give Prophet Muhammad, knowledge of poetry, nor is it befitting for him. It is not but a message and a clear Qur’an (69) To warn whoever is alive and justify the word against the disbelievers. ” [36:69-70]

Commenting on part of the second ayah, Imam al-Baghawi wrote:

 أَيْ لِيُنْذِرَ الْقُرْآنُ ( مَنْ كَانَ حَيًّا ) يَعْنِي : مُؤْمِنًا حَيَّ الْقَلْبِ ; لِأَنَّ الْكَافِرَ كَالْمَيِّتِ فِي أَنَّهُ لَا يَتَدَبَّرُ وَلَا يَتَفَكَّرُ

i.e. for the Qur’an to warn ‘whoever is alive’ – meaning: the believer, whose heart is living, because the disbeliever is like one who is dead in the sense that he does not contemplate or consider [the Qur’an].

[Tafsir al-Baghawi 7/28]

---

♦ “Do not take knowledge all at once…”

قال يونس بن يزيد: قال لي الزهري: لا تأخذ العلم جملة، فإن من رام أخذه جملة ذهب عنه جملة، ولكن الشيء بعد الشيء مع الأيام والليالي

Yunus ibn Yazeed said: al-Zuhri said to me, “Do not take knowledge all at one, for whoever desires to take it all at once – it will depart from him all at once. Rather, take it bit by bit with the passing of days and nights.”

[Jaami’ Bayaan al-‘Ilm 1/104]

---

♦ A Comparison Between the Sunnah and Jannah

Imam al-Qurtubi mentioned a statement from the taabi’ee Al-Dhahhaak in his tafsir:

وقال الضحاك : … مثل السنة في الدنيا كمثل الجنة في العقبى من دخل الجنة في العقبى سلم كذلك من لزم السنة في الدنيا سلم

Al-Dhahhaak said: The Sunnah is to the worldly life as al-Jannah is to the hereafter: whoever enters into al-Jannah in the hereafter is safe, and likewise whoever sticks to the sunnah in this worldly life is safe.

[Jaami’ li-Ahkaam al-Qur’an 13/337-338]

---

♦ “… And Make My Offspring Righteous for me”

Allah teaches us a supplication in surah al-Ahqaaf:

قَالَ رَ‌بِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ‌ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْ‌ضَاهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي فِي ذُرِّ‌يَّتِي ۖ إِنِّي تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

He says, “My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to work righteousness of which You will approve and make my offspring righteous for me. Indeed, I have repented to You, and indeed, I am of the Muslims.” [46:15]

In his explanation of this du’aa, Imam al-Qurtubi mentioned the following point of benefit:

قوله تعالى : وأصلح لي في ذريتي أي اجعل ذريتي صالحين . قال ابن عباس : فلم يبق له ولد ولا والد ولا والدة إلا آمنوا بالله وحده . ولم يكن أحد من أصحاب رسول الله أسلم هو وأبواه وأولاده وبناته كلهم إلا أبو بكر

Allah’s statement, “and make my offspring righteous for me” – meaning, make my offspring righteous ones. Ibn ‘Abbaas explained it by saying, “such that neither a child nor a father nor a mother remains except that they believe in Allah alone.” And this was not the case for any of the companions of the messenger of Allah that his parents, sons and daughters all believed – except for Abu Bakr.”

[Jaami’ li-Ahkam al-Qur’an 16/183]

---

♦ Eternal Gold or Temporary Sand

In his tafsir of surah al-‘Aalaa, Imam al-Qurtubi mentioned the following narration:

 وقال مالك بن دينار : لو كانت الدنيا من ذهب يفنى ، والآخرة من خزف يبقى ، لكان الواجب أن يؤثر خزف يبقى ، على ذهب يفنى . قال : فكيف والآخرة من ذهب يبقى ، والدنيا من خزف يفنى

Malik Ibn Dinar said, “If the worldly life consisted of temporary gold, and the hereafter of eternal sand, then what would be incumbent is to prefer the eternal sand over the temporary gold”

He went on to say, “Then what about since the hereafter consists of eternal gold, while the worldly consists of temporary sand?”

[Jaami li-Ahkam al-Qur’an 20/22]

---

♦ A Note of Fir’awn’s Punishment of the Banu Israa’eel

In numerous places in the Qur’an, Allah describes Fir’awn as torturing the Banu Israa’eel, making particular mention of his killing the ‘sons’ while letting the ‘women’ live. Imam al-Qurtubi commented on this word choice by writing:

فكان فرعون يذبح الأطفال ويبقي البنات وعبر عنهم باسم النساء بالمآل وقالت طائفة ” يذبحون أبناءكم ” يعني الرجال وسموا أبناء لما كانوا كذلك واستدل هذا القائل بقوله ” نساءكم ” والأول أصح ؛ لأنه الأظهر والله أعلم

So Fir’awn sacrificed the children while the daughters were left alone, and they were described by the name “women” because that is what they would become.

And one group said, “he slaughtered your sons” means “men” and they were called “sons” because that is what they were [i.e. regardless of age] and they support this statement with Allah’s statement “your women”, but the first position is more correct, because it is more immediately apparent, and Allah knows best.

[Jaami’ li-Ahkaam al-Qur’an 1/363]

---

♦ Those Who Hinder Others from Allah’s Path

In his tafsir of surah al-Furqan, Imam al-Baghawi mentioned :

وكل من صد عن سبيل الله فهو شيطان

Everyone who hinders others from the path of Allah is a shaytaan

[Tafsir al-Baghawi 6/82]

---

Learn more about these and other mufassiroon (those who explained the Qur’an) with our Mufassir Profiles

See here to read more assorted Qur’an benefits

Zakah al-Fitr in the Qur’an: Tafsir al-Baghawi

In the midst of surah al-‘Aalaa, Allah informs us:

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ * وَذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّىٰ

He has certainly succeeded – he who tazakkaa * and mentions the name of his Lord and prays [87:14-15]

The word tazakkaa refers to purification, either purification of one’s self (such as in the related term tazkiyyah al-nafs) or purification of one’s wealth (such as in the related term zakah). In his commentary on these ayaat, the famous mufassir Abu Muhammad al-Husayn al-Baghawi wrote:

ـ ( قد أفلح من تزكى ) تطهر من الشرك وقال : لا إله إلا الله . هذا قول عطاء وعكرمة ، ورواية الوالبي وسعيد بن جبير عن ابن عباس وقال الحسن : من كان عمله زاكيا . ـ

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ

He has certainly succeeded – he who tazakkaa …

who purifies himself from al-shirk and says laa ilaaha illallaah – there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. This was the explanation of ‘Ataa’ and ‘Ikrimah, as well as being relayed from ibn ‘Abbaas by way of al-Waalibi and Sa’eed ibn Jubayr.

al-Hasan al-Basri explained it by saying, “Whoever’s actions are pure.”

وقال آخرون : هو صدقة الفطر ، روي عن أبي سعيد الخدري في قوله : ” قد أفلح من تزكى ” قال : أعطى صدقة الفطر . ـ

Meanwhile others say that this is referring to the zakah al-fitr. It is relayed from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri regarding this ayah that he explained it by saying, “[He has certainly succeeded – he who] gives the zakah al-fitr.”

The Meaning of “Laylah al-Qadr”: Tafsir al-Shinqitee

Allah describes Laylah al-Qadr in the beginning of surah al-Dukhaan by saying:

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ * فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ * أَمْرًا مِّنْ عِندِنَا

Indeed, We sent it down on a blessed night. Verily, We are ever warning * On that night every hakeem matter is apportioned *  A command from Us … [44:3-5]

Sheikh Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shinqitee discusses some of the issues related to these ayaat in his famous book of tafsir. We have already translated his explanation of ayah number 3 here, and what follows is his explanation of ayah number 4:

قوله – تعالى – : فيها يفرق كل أمر حكيم أمرا من عندنا . معنى قوله : يفرق ، أي يفصل ويبين ، ويكتب في الليلة المباركة التي هي ليلة القدر – كل أمر حكيم ، أي ذي حكمة بالغة ; لأن كل ما يفعله الله مشتمل على أنواع الحكم الباهرة . وقال بعضهم : حكيم ، أي محكم ، لا تغيير فيه ولا تبديل . [ ص: 173 ] وكلا الأمرين حق ; لأن ما سبق في علم الله لا يتغير ولا يتبدل ، ولأن جميع أفعاله في غاية الحكمة . وهي في الاصطلاح وضع الأمور في مواضعها وإيقاعها في مواقعها . ـ

Allah’s statement:

فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ * أَمْرًا مِّنْ عِندِنَا

On that night every hakeem matter is apportioned * A command from Us … [44:4-5]

The meaning of Allah’s statement

يُفْرَقُ

… is apportioned …

is that every hakeem matter is determined, made clear, and written during that blessed night which is Laylah al-Qadr.

Better than One Thousand Months: Tafsir al-Baghawi

In surah al-Qadr, Allah describes Laylah al-Qadr by saying:

لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ

Laylah al-Qadr is better than one thousand months [97:3]

Imam al-Baghawi wrote the following in his commentary on this ayah:

قوله – عز وجل – : ( ليلة القدر خير من ألف شهر ) قال عطاء عن ابن عباس : ذكر لرسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – رجل من بني إسرائيل حمل السلاح على عاتقه في سبيل الله ألف شهر ، فعجب رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – لذلك وتمنى ذلك لأمته ، فقال : يا رب جعلت أمتي أقصر الأمم أعمارا وأقلها أعمالا ؟ فأعطاه الله ليلة القدر ، فقال : ( ليلة القدر خير من ألف شهر ) التي حمل فيها الإسرائيلي السلاح في سبيل الله ، لك ولأمتك إلى يوم القيامة . [ ص: 491 ] . ـ

Relaying from ibn ‘Abbaas, ‘Ataa’ said: The Messenger of Allah was told about a man from Banu Israa’eel who carried a sword on his shoulder in the path of Allah for one thousand months. So Allah’s Messenger was amazed by this and wished this for his ummah, saying, “O Lord, You made my ummah the shortest of nations in terms of lifespan and the least of them in terms of deeds?” So then Allah gave him Laylah al-Qadr and said,

لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ

“Laylah al-Qadr is better than one thousand months

in which that man from Banu Israa’eel carried a sword in the path of Allah. It is for you and your ummah until the Day of Resurrection.”

Supplication in Ramadan: Tafsir ibn Kathir

In part of his explanation of surah al-Qadr, al-Haafidh ibn Kathir mentioned the following:

والمستحب الإكثار من الدعاء في جميع الأوقات ، وفي شهر رمضان أكثر ، وفي العشر الأخير منه ، ثم في أوتاره أكثر . والمستحب أن يكثر من هذا الدعاء : ” اللهم ، إنك عفو تحب العفو ، فاعف عني ” ; لما رواه الإمام أحمد : حدثنا يزيد – هو ابن هارون – ، حدثنا الجريري – وهو سعيد بن إياس – ، عن عبد الله بن بريدة ، أن عائشة قالت : يا رسول الله ، إن وافقت ليلة القدر فما أدعو ؟ قال : ” قولي : اللهم إنك عفو تحب العفو ، فاعف عني ” .ـ

It is encouraged to engage in an abundance of supplication during all times, and to increase beyond that during the month of Ramadan, and then to increase therein during its last ten days, and then to increase even further in the odd-numbered ones.

And it is encouraged to be prolific in making the following supplication:

 اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

Allaahumma innaka ‘Afuwwun

tuhibbu’l-‘afwa

f’afu ‘anee

O Allah, Indeed You are Pardoning and love pardoning, so pardon me!