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Qur'an Difficulty: God alone or also men?
Qur'an Difficulty:
God alone or also men?
Sura 16:103 states that the Qur'an is "clear Arabic speech." If it were
really clear, why is this explanation even necessary? But it doesn't seem
to be so clear after all when we read:
He it is Who has sent down to thee the Book:
In it are verses basic or fundamental (of established meaning);
they are the foundation of the Book: others are allegorical.
But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof
that is allegorical, seeking discord, and searching for its
hidden meanings, but no one knows its hidden meanings except Allah.
And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say:
"We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord:"
and none will grasp the Message except men of understanding.
-- Sura 3:7
In the same verse it says that ONLY Allah knows the meaning of these
difficult allegorical verses in the Qur'an ... and then it goes on to
tell that "men of understanding" can grasp it. Is that a contradiction
or do we want to resolve it with the concept of "incarnation" [God
becoming man] which is so much looked down upon by Muslims?
But Christianity believes God became man only once. The Qur'an talks
about men in the plural...
Actually Arberry translates "... desiring its interpretation; and none
knows its interpretation, save only Allah." It does not talk about having
a plain clear meaning and also a hidden meaning, but that there are
verses which none knows at all what they mean, even though they desire
its explanation or interpretation.
A Muslim's Response by Randy Desmond
Date: Wed, 2 Oct 1996 04:40:06 PDT
First, this verse talks about no one knows its hidden meanings except God.
The basic or fundamental meanings are clear to all.
Second, what has been translated as "and none will grasp the Message"
actually means "and none will take correction/admonition/reminder".
So in this case, proposing a contradiction within the verse is irrelevant.
Third, I have read that this verse can also be read as "... but no one
knows its hidden meanings except Allah and those who are firmly
grounded in knowledge. They say "We believe...". A. Yusuf Ali (if I
am recalling correctly) mentions this. In this case, the proposed
contradiction is exactly opposite of the meaning (aside from the fact
that the second point above still holds).
It is instructive to read Yusuf Ali's commentary in the footnote.
He is aware of the problem, but also admits that most commentators
agree that the sentence ends as he has translated it and then it IS
a problem. Making a different sentence structure is ONLY motivated
by avoiding a problem, not by the Arabic structure of the sentence.
Look at the second paragraph in the initial response. It is mentioned
exactly where A. Yusuf Ali's translation renders "take reminder/admonition/
correction" to be "grasp the Message". There is a HUGE difference
in meaning between these two phrases which Jochen uses as a basis for proposing a contradiction.
I only mention my third point as another alternative point of
view which would also disprove your proposed contradiction. (You may consider it
a problem, but A. Yusuf Ali is just mentioning it for reference.)
Suffice it to say, you can throw this point a view out, and you are still
disproven in your accusation.
And Jochen is right - it is instructive to read A. Yusuf Ali's commentary
regarding the third point to the initial response. Reread it and the verse
above. A. Y. Ali is not commenting on the "and none will grasp the message"
it is the "and those who are firmly grounded in knowledge" that he is
commenting upon. Jochen is mixing apples and oranges here.
Contradictions in the Qur'an
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