In article <4m5ufr$gm0@usenet.srv.cis.pitt.edu>, bb7203926@omega.ntu.ac.sg (Ibnu Ar Radi) writes: Code 19 (An Advice) ******************* Assalamualaikum wr wb. 'CODE 19' is the most popular arguments to prove the reliability of the Holy Quran, offered by some Muslims. There are some doubts of using this assumption and I would advise AGAINST using it for the following reasons: 1) We should express and pay attention to the verse in Surah Ali Imran:7. "He it is Who has sent down to thee the Book: In it are verses basic and fundamental (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 seeking for ITS HIDDEN MEANINGS. BUT NO ONE KNOWS ITS HIDDEN MEANINGS EXCEPT ALLAH. " 2) 'Code 19' is not clearly claimed by the Holy Quran. What does it say about these Muqatta'at letters are that they are... "Symbols of a CLEARLY EXPRESSED book" (Surah Yusof :1) 3) Too much concern over the 'Code 19' may lead us to ignore the main Message that is contained in the Holy Quran, whereas it is the Message themselves which should be understood and conveyed instead. It should be noted that in the first place, there are rules of -------------------------------------------------------------- interpretation provided by the Quran. ------------------------------------- Some people's idea of a Sacred Book is that it should be full of mysteries - dark corners, confusing expression of words so far removed from human speech, expressions that can be twisted to confuse - therefore distinctly crooked. On the contrary, the Quran does not have such qualities of being crooked. Note the term given to the Quran is "Qaiyim" which means "straight"; that has no bends and no corners to mystify and deceive people. The Quran is above all things straight, clear and clearly expressed. The message and directions are plain for everyone. Mysteries of spiritual life must necessarily have portions whose full meaning is clearer to some minds than the others not so well prepared. But there is nowhere in the Quran any bewilderment nor any desire to wrap up things in dark sayings objectionable to human reason, for Allah's purpose is to give clear warnings and lead man towards the highest bliss. "In it are MUHKAMAT verse (basic and fundamental verses of established meaning); They (muhkamat verses) are the foundation of the Book; Others are MUTASHAA-BIHAT (allegorical). But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical, seeking discord and searching for hidden meanings, but no one knows its hidden meanings except Allah." (Ali Imran 3:7) Muhkamat Verses --------------- It is to be noted from the above verses that the Quranic message is clearly established in the "Muhkamat" verse which are clear and not doubtful in meaning (no double meanings) in itself, and therefore leaves no room for doubts nor be subjected to other interpretations. The word "Muhkamat" is Arabic, and is obtained from the root word "IHKAM" (perfection,accuracy,exactness, precision). Therefore in these verses are messages that are clear in and by themselves. Mutashaa-bihat Verses ---------------------- These are allegorical verses (narrative description of verses with double meanings) or that are expressed in a figurative manner, with a meaning that is indirectly implied, but not directly. If these verses are taken separately, more than one explaination or meanings can be implied. In this context, Allah (swt) teaches us that it is in the "Muhkamat" verses that we are to rely upon to find the meaning made indirectly in "Mutashaa-bihat" verses - for it (Muhkamat) is the essence of the Quran and they comprised of primary principles underlying its message. It is only on the basis of these clearly expressed principles that the narratively described passages can be correctly and consistently interpreted. And Allah warns us of those who try to seek disagreement, that they will rely on the allegorical verses. They would separate and take out these allegorical verses and try to give their own misunderstood meanings to it, thereby changing its message and introducing certain defects to the Quran - when the defect actually lies in their own inconsistent intepretations. This method of the "deniers of Truth" is exposed by Allah and we must always be wary of their methods and follow the instructions of Allah in confronting them. Usually if we scrutanise their arguments when they attack certain statements in the Quran, we can find their interpretations of the verses to be: 1) that it is taken out of context 2) that the meaning given by them to this "Mutashaa-bihat" verse is not consistent with the "Muhkamat" verses that form the foundation of the message of the Quran. Interpretations must be consistent (as stated in Surah Ali-Imran: 7) 3) that they do not rely on the Arabic but rather to one of the translations in the second language, and limit their arguments on these only, thereby ignoring the richness of the Arabic language and forgetting that the Quran is the revelation in Arabic, which has been preserved as such in the Arabic. 4) that they are not aware of the sciences of "Tafsir" (commentary) eg Asbaa-bun-Nuzul (which explains the circumstances of its revelation) Makkiiyah-wal- Madaaniyah (whether it was revealed in Makkah or Medinna) Mujmal-wal-Mufassal (general and detail injunctions) Nahwu-saraf-mantiq-Bayan-Balaghah-Tajwid -Qira'at...etc (refer to Al-Ulumul Quran). wassalamualaikum wr wb Ibnu Ar Radi
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