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THE KEY TERMS IN THE QUR'AN
By Asghar Ali Engineer
Every scripture, every religion and every
ideology has its own terminology, some terms among them being, what can be
described as key terms. These terms play very important role in
understanding the scripture, religion or ideology. In case of a religion
it is certain scriptural terms which play fundamental role. Some of these
terms even influence the hermeneutics of the scripture and help formation
of basic dogmas of the religion. To understand the key terms of a religion
is to understand properly the underlying spirit of that religion or that
ideology.
However, every religious or ideological system has several terms. All
terms do not play very seminal role as some terms play. But again there
may be differences of opinion as to which terms constitute the key terms.
These differences will always be there. The selection of these terms will
also reflect the ideological inclination of the person who selects. But
despite these differences some terms are bound to be common among various
selectors. And, as long as these terms are directly from the scripture,
one should not and cannot object to selection of these terms.
The Islamic terminology is basically derived from the Qur'an which is the
revealed scripture according to Muslim belief. This terminology plays
significant role not only in understanding the Qur'an but also deeply
influences lives of Muslims both in terms of beliefs and practices. Though
of course the selection of the key terms matters, as pointed out before,
but whatever the terms, as long as they are derived directly from the
Qur'an, they leave their impression the Muslim beliefs and practices. We
have selected a few key terms for discussion in this paper which involve
not only the Muslim beliefs but also the Islamic value-system.
The most basic term of course is din. It is generally translated as
'religion' in English. It is of course not entirely correct. This term is
so basic that Allah says in the Qur'an "Today have I perfected your
din and have bestowed upon you the full measure of My blessings, and
willed that Islam shall be your din". Thus one can understand how
important is this term din in the Qur'an.
What is the meaning of the term din in Arabic language? We come to know
from the lexicographers that it is used in various ways. Some of the
senses in which din is used is to conquer, power, governance, regime, law,
constitution, law and order, judgement, reward and punishment etc. On the
other hand, it also means, obedience and acceptance, according to
lexicographers, Taj and Muhit. We also find in Lata'if al-Lughat that din
means accountability, overpowering and managing. In Kitab al-Ishtiqaq, on
the other hand, its meaning given is obedience and community (millat).
In the Qur'an this word i.e. din has been used in all these senses. In
2:131 it has been used in the sense of submission to the law of the
Nourisher of this universe (aslamtu li Rabbil Alamin. And in 3:18 din is
equated with Islam i.e. din means Islam which in turn means surrendering
to the will of Allah. In 56:86 it has been used in the sense of authority.
Similarly in 9:29 it has been used as submission to the Divine system. And
in 12:76 it has been used in the sense of law (Din al-malik i.e. law of
the king). In 24:2 the words Dinillah i.e. Law of Allah has been used.
But in 24:25 the word din has been used in the sense of reward.
In the first chapter of the Qur'an we have the term yaum al-din. It can
mean the day of accounting, the day when Allah will dominate and His
servants will surrender. It can also mean the day of rewards and
punishments.
In 82:18-19 the Qur'an first asks how do you know what is yaum al-din and
the replies "The day when no soul controls aught for another soul.
And the command on that day is Allah's. Thus the day of din is in fact the
day of complete domination by Allah and Allah's set laws. Everything will
be judged according to that law alone and rewards and punishments will be
dispensed without any partiality or injustice. No soul can be saved on
that day if it has done wrong and no soul can be deprived of its reward if
it has done good. Thus din also means domination and absolute power which
is Allah's alone.
The Qur'an also describes Allah as malik-e-yaum al-din i.e. Allah will be
the master of that day and it will be Allah's power, Allah's law which
will prevail. Yaum in Arabic does not necessarily mean one day but whole
period. In that sense yaum al-din does not necessarily refer to one day
but whole period, a period when Allah's law will prevail and in that
period as in the verse 82:18-19 no human being will be dominated by
another human being but by Allah's law alone which will be just. Thus in
that period absolute justice will prevail and it will be an ideal period.
Every human being will be free and subject only to the just law of Allah.
Din, as pointed out before, also means system and if we refer to din Allah
it will mean the system given by Allah and this system fixes limits of our
freedom and determination, our latitude and dependence. If human beings
follow this system strictly they will be emancipated from slavery of
selfish desire and will experience real spiritual freedom and contentment.
In the first chapter Al-Fatihah Allah has been described as Rabb and Rahim
i.e. who is Sustainer and Merciful or Compassionate.
Thus Allah, in His capacity as sustainer and merciful has provided
abundantly for all living beings, be they humans or animals or plants. But
it is human greed which destroys the just system of Allah and its
sustenance for all and enslaves other human beings and misappropriates
their share and also destroys the ecology of the system as well. The
humanity can be freed and yaum al-Din can be enforced only if Allah's law
dominates and absolute justice prevails and everybody is rewarded or
punished only according to this Divine system called din.
The word madinah according to some authorities is also derived from din
i.e. place of din. Thus madinah is the place where justice is dispensed
according to divine law and where every one obeys the divine system.
Madinat-un-Nabi was the city of the Prophet where the Prophet enforced the
din of Allah. He made it a just place. Ibn Faris says that Madinah is
derived from din because in city one has to follow the law of the
government. No city can experience law and order without proper
governance.
It is also important to note that no where the Qur'an describes Islam as
madhab but it describes Islam as din. Madhab means a way whereas din as
pointed out, is much more comprehensive term. Various schools of
jurisprudence are referred to as madhab but not Islam. Islam can be
described only as a din. Madhab can divide but not din. Din unites. That
is why the Qur'an makes it clear that din is one i.e. the Qur'an talks of
wahdat-e-din unity of din. If one follows din i.e. divine commands and
divine system there will be no differences between religions. These
differences have been brought about by human beings for their own vested
interests.
The next term we want to take up is Islam. It is derived from the root
s.l.m. It is interesting to note that salama from which Islam has been
derived means to be purified from all defects and evils or to be protected
from them. It means one has avoided these defects. For example we read in
2:71 about the cow belonging to Bani Israel that it is "sound without
any blemish in her." Thus salema basically means to be perfect
without any blemish and to bring all our good abilities into action rising
above all weaknesses.
The second root meaning of it is to be protected from all eventualities,
accidents and difficulties. This meaning of the word pertains more to
health and security. It is in this sense that in Urdu language we say
salamat i.e. to be secure. It is interesting that in Philipino language
the word for thanks is salamat that is the sentiment of obligation is
expressed by wishing desire for security of the obliging person.
In Arabic also it is said salima min al-afaati i.e. he remained secure
from all troubles. In Qur'an one of the names of Allah is Salam (59:23)
i.e. one who is perfect and above all defects. But the compiler of Taj
al-'Urus does not agree with this meaning at all and maintains that Salam
is one who can provide security to others and Saalim is one who is
protected by others. Thus according to Taj al-'Urus Allah is Salaam
because he protects all others and he saves His creation from disorder and
disturbance.
It is used in yet another sense i.e. peace and order. One who lives in
complete harmony and peace with others is called al-silm. To live in peace
and harmony oneself and create such possibility for others. In other words
to create peace and security for the world. Yet another meaning is to
surrender oneself. It is only when one surrenders oneself to the forces of
law and authority. It is only when human beings surrender to the laws of
Allah and of nature that there can be peace and harmony in the world. It
also means to adopt the middle path avoiding all extremes as extremes
bring about disturbances and disorder. It also means to avoid what is
absurd and meaningless. Also in Arabic usage al-salemah is a woman who is
very delicate and beautiful. Thus it would also mean what is beautiful and
appealing.
In this sense al-Islam would mean, as pointed out by Parvez in his Lughaat
al-Qur'an that system of life which
1. removes all the defects in human beings and his capacities can flower
to perfection;
2. in which he remains secure from all troubles and disorders;
3. and which ensures that he goes on developing himself and keeps on
rising higher and higher in station;
4. and that he finds himself secure and peaceful and ensures peace and
security for others and he does not create trouble or disturbance for
others thus destroying the harmony in the social system;
5. that he obeys the divine laws to the utmost and surrenders himself to
Allah with heart and soul;
6. he should adopt the middle way and never resort to either extreme;
7. thus he will create balance not only within himself but also in the
society.
Thus it will be seen that to be a Muslim is not just to profess a set of
beliefs and perform certain rituals but much more than that. This is also
reflected in hadith literature wherein the Prophet has elaborated on
ethical conduct. One of the Prophet's pronouncement is that a true Muslim
is one in whose hands everyone is safe. This is possible only if one not
only consciously strives for peace and harmony but also never desires what
belongs to others and follows an upright path.
Another key term of the Holy Qur'an is rahmah which is translated as mercy
or also as compassion. The Qur'an lays great emphasis on compassion. Two
of the Allah's names are Rahim and Rahman i.e. Merciful and Compassionate
or Dispenser of grace. Mercy for Allah is so fundamental that "He has
ordained mercy on Himself" (6:12). Which means that one cannot think
of Allah without mercy. The Qur'an also describes the Prophet as "Rahmatun
lil Aalamin i.e. mercy of the worlds. Thus both Allah and His Messenger
represent mercy and compassion.
It is quite interesting to note that rahem means mother's womb and while
in mother's womb it is protected from all external influences. Mother's
womb nourishes the foetus and it grows within its protected shell. Thus
Allah is also nourisher and sustainer of the whole universe. Every species
in the universe grows and flourishes under His protection and because of
His rahmah. According to Taj al-'Urus rahmah is that innate quality which
brings about hidden and manifest perfection in a being and it is available
freely without any direct or indirect cost.
The Qur'an also uses this word in various ways signifying nourishing,
sustenance, growth, compassion and mercy. It also describes the food crops
which grow as rahmah see verse 30:46. If parents bring up children it is
also described as rahmah by the Qur'an (17:24). It is also important to
note that in the very first chapter of the Qur'an i.e. Surah Fatihah Allah
is described as Rabb al-Aalamin and Al-Rahman al-Rahim i.e. He is the
Sustainer of the whole world and also the Compassionate and Merciful. Thus
these are very fundamental attributes of Allah. Mercy and compassion are
closely related with sustenance and nourishment.
In fact rahim, according to Taj al-Urus is one who generally provides with
the material for sustenance and growth in general and rahman means one who
provides with all intensity and power the help with sense of compassion in
an emergency situation. Thus it will be seen that Allah is provider and
sustainer of life under all conditions to ensure growth and development.
Rabb itself means one who ensures growth through various stages to
perfection.
Rahm also means softness and sensitivity as mercy can flow from one who is
not hard hearted. Thus a person who has quality of mercy and compassion is
quite sensitive to others suffering. This sensitivity is a sterling
quality for a human being. One who is not sensitive to others suffering
cannot qualify to be a good human being. The Qur'an wants to inculcate
this sensitivity to suffering in human beings to its utmost degree. The
prophet is also reported to have said that it is more meritorious to feed
a hungry person than to pray. The message is clear. If a person who prays
does not develop sensitivity to others hunger, his/her prayer is an empty
ritual. Allah guarantees sustenance of the whole universe to avoid this
suffering of living beings.
It will thus be seen that Islam is deeply associated with compassion and
mercy rather than violence. It is unfortunate that Islam, for historical
and other reasons, has come to be associated with jihad rather than mercy
and compassion, peace and harmony. As pointed out above, Islam itself
means peace and security and hence mercy and compassion too, are very
fundamental aspects of it. Those who associate Islam with jihad and
violence are hardly aware of the real spirit of this religion. Jihad,
itself does not mean war. It means to make efforts for truth and goodness
to prevail. It is only in an extraordinary situation that jihad shall take
form of war. The Qur'an, in fact, does not mention the word jihad in that
sense at all. It only is used in the sense of making efforts.
Yet another key term in the Qur'an is hikmah which is generally translated
as wisdom. The Qur'an also uses 'aql, tafakkur and tadabbur which mean
reason, thinking and reflection. Thus it will be seen that the Qur'an does
not encourage blind following of any dogma or belief at all. It appeals to
reason, thinking and reflection. It has also been pointed out by some that
the Qur'an emphasises inductive reason and encourages study of nature. The
Qur'an says that accept divine guidance after proper thinking and
reflection.
Wisdom hikmah in a way is a higher form of reason. Reason is not
sufficient by itself as it has no criteria to judge. Thus reason can be
used both ways for good as well as for evil. One can use reason to promote
self-interest also, as is often done. Reason, it must be noted, is an
instrument, not a goal. There is thus great emphasis in modern
civilization on reason but not on values. Modern society has thus become
totally directionless and the only concern is growth, development and
increased gross product. The multi-nationals put reason to their own
selfish ends. They do not even hesitate to use undesirable means for their
own growth.
But hikmah (wisdom) is reason synthesised with higher values. Hikmah is no
mere concern with reason as an instrument but promotion of higher values
as a goal. Justice, equity, equality, human dignity, compassion, humanism
are some of these higher values which reason should strive to promote.
Thus hikmah is higher than reason. Hikmah, however, can never degenerate
into unreason. Reason remains its important component. Thus Allah is
described by the Qur'an as Hakim, 'Alim and Khabir i.e. Wise, Knower and
Informed. Wisdom, knowledge and proper information can never lead to
unreason. If any religious belief is based on unreason or irrationality,
it must be rejected. Any religious belief must fulfill the criteria of
reason and higher values. Such beliefs alone can be compatible with
spiritual growth, human values and inner peace and richness.
The root of the word hikmah is h.k.m. which basically means to control and
stop crossing the limit with firmness. Thus hakamat in Arabic means
reining in the horse in a way which will not allow horse to get out of
control (see Kitab al-Ishtiqaq ). The root of hakama also conveys the
sense of stopping within the limits so that one does not commit excess.
One should know what is the limit beyond which one should not go. And a
Haakim is one who properly judges the limit and does not allow the people
to cross this limit. Hakim is one who judges the limit. Thus one who is
appointed to judge and arbitrate is also called hakam and government is
called hukumat because its function is to judge the behaviour of the
people and to restrain them from crossing the limits of law.
Allah has been described by the Qur'an as Ahkam al-Hakimin i.e. justest of
the just because He lays down the rules of justice and exhorts people not
to transcend limits. He is the source of justice and just guidance. And
al-hikmah carries the sense of judgement which is just and takes into
account the rights of every one and does not violate any ones rights.
Hikmah is that which bridles our unjust tendencies and brings about and
promotes what is based on proper balance and would stop disorder and
mischief. Hikmah is prevention of all that is bad, evil or unjust and
violative of what is judged to be right by all.
Qur'an has also been described as Hakeem as it provides guidance to us so
that a just social order can be brought into existence which is not
violative of descent limits. This alone can lead to a stable society. Thus
istihkam (firmness, stability) is also derived from this root because it
is only just and balanced society which can remain firm and stability. A
society which is not based on these values will experience repeated
upheavals and instability.
This it will be seen that the Qur'an lays great emphasis on hikmah
(wisdom) as it intends to establish a properly balanced society based on
values which ensures growth and development of all human beings and this
growth is as much spiritual as material, it should be as much inner as
outer material growth. It is this balance between spiritual and material
growth which will ensure a humane society. Thus hikmah becomes very
fundamental to the Qur'anic discourse. It is, as pointed out before, a
synthesis of reason and higher values.
Another key term of the Qur'an is 'adl and ihsan i.e. justice and
benevolence. Of course a society based on hikmah, as pointed out above,
would include 'adl and ihsan but the Qur'an separately emphasises these
terms. Allah is described by the Qur'an as 'Aadil and Muhsin i.e. just and
benevolent. 'Adl has root meaning of balance. What is loaded on the camel
has to be equal on both the sides of its hump to balance it and hence it
is called 'idl and balancing the balance is called 'addal al-mizaan. Thus
the word i'tidaal is also derived from this root and means middle path.
'Adl is very central to the Qur'anic values. The Qur'an gives the concept
of a just society. A society whatever the form of its governance, has to
be just. The Prophet is reported to have said that a society can survive
with unbelief (kufr) but not with oppression or lack of justice (zulm).
The Qur'an, for this reason, does not approve of concentration of wealth
in few hands (59:7). Such a course will be violative of justice. Allah,
therefore, desires that there should be proper opportunities for all human
beings to sustain themselves and grow.
'Adl is not only a key word of the Qur'an but also the central value of
Islam. It is so central that the Qur'an commands Muslims to do justice
even to the enemies. The Qur'an says (5:8) "O you who believe, be
upright for Allah, bearers of witness with justice; and let not hatred of
a people incite you not to act equitably. Be just; that is nearer to being
God-consciousness..." It will be seen from this verse that justice is
at the very centre of Islamic ethics. One cannot be a Muslim without being
just. It is in this spirit of justice that Allah favours the weaker
sections of society and promises them to make leaders and inheritors of
this earth. (28:5). The other term used for justice in the Qur'an is qist.
Like 'adl it also means balancing. It carries the sense of fulfilling with
justice what is some ones due without any favour to any one. Thus a true
Muslim will never curtail in what is others due.
Ihsan is another key term in the Qur'an. Its root is h.s.n. We find in
Muhit that hasan means correct balance in the limbs of the body and
popularly what appeals to the eyes is called hasan. Thus husn means beauty
which is basically due to proper balance in body. Thus ihsan would mean to
correct the balance and to restore the beauty. According to Raghib ihsan
is of two types i.e. to do favour to someone and restore beauty and
balance in him or to create balance in ones own self through good conduct.
Raghib also says that 'adl means to give others what is their due but
ihsaan means to give more than that. In popular usage ihsaan means doing
good to others.
Thus according to the Qur'an one should not only do justice to others but
also good to others. One should be benevolent and Allah has been described
as Muhsin - the Benevolent. Doing ihsan is part of higher ethics. To keep
our society running smoothly both 'adl and ihsaan is necessary. It is only
through 'adl and ihsaan that human fellowship will be strengthened.
Thus it will be seen that the key terms in the Qur'an besides din and
Islam are rahmah, hikmah, 'adl and ihsan i.e.compassion, wisdom, justice
and benevolence. It is these terms which represent the true spirit of
Islam, not jihad and blind faith. These are the higher moral concepts and
the Qur'an is infused with the spirit of these higher morals. Jihad also
has to be non-violent as far as possible. Violence is permitted only to
defend oneself. The Islamic da'wah (call) also has to be based on goodly
exhortation and wisdom (16:125), in no sense it could be aggressive, let
alone violent. The misconduct of some Muslim rulers should not be confused
with the Qur'anic injunctions.
Source: http://www.dawoodi-bohras.com
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