Document Type : Academicm and Research
Authors
1 Ph.D. Candidate, Quran and Hadith Sciences, Department of Quranic Sciences and Jurisprudence, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Teachings, University of Shiraz, Shiraz, Iran
2 2 Associate Professor, Department of Quranic Sciences and Jurisprudence, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Teachings, University of Shiraz, Shiraz, Iran
Abstract
Highlights
The Course of the Views of Exegetes in the Interpretation of Verses Corroborating Causality in Society: A Case Study of Verse 32 of al-Zukhruf *
Seyedeh Hanieh Momen1 and Zahra Ghasemnezhad2
1 Ph.D. Candidate, Quran and Hadith Sciences, Department of Quranic Sciences and Jurisprudence, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Teachings, University of Shiraz, Shiraz, Iran (corresponding author). Email: hmomen25@yahoo.com
2 Associate Professor, Department of Quranic Sciences and Jurisprudence, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Teachings, University of Shiraz, Shiraz, Iran. Email: z_ghasemi62@yahoo.com
One of the laws mentioned in the Holy Quran which has been indicated in many ethical, legal, social, natural, etc. verses directly or indirectly, is the law of causality. The different types of this law such as efficient and final causes, and material and formal causes can be studied and recognized in verses of the Quran. One of these verses in the social sphere that explains the law of causality and which mentions the final cause is verse 32 of the al-Zukhruf Chapter. In this verse, the reason for the “elevation of rank” of some compared to others has been identified as taskhīr. Studying the course of the exegeses of the Holy Quran regarding this phrase in the verses under discussion shows that the understanding of commetators from this phrase has been very different in different time periods, especially in the recent period. Exegetes and Quran researchers have pinpointed various factors in explaining the reason for these exegetic differences; however, among these factors, less attention has been given to the role of “movements” as an external factor that unconsciously influences the understanding of the exegete of the verses of the Quran. The present paper will identify the movement or movements that have played a role in the interpretation of the sentence “… and raised some of them above others in rank, so that some may take others into service…” in the verse under discussion. The findings of this study show that the “master-subject” and “socialism” systems can be recognized as two movements that influence the thoughts of exegetes in the interpretation of the verse under discussion.
Keywords: verse 32 of the al-Zukhruf Chapter, the transformation of exegetic views, taskhīr in the Quran, classes in the Quran, causality in society according to the Quran
A study of the reasons for the exegetic changes in the verses of the Holy Quran in the course of history is a topic to which Quran researchers and scholars of Quranic Sciences have always paid attention and different factors have been discussed in this area. One of the factors that has been less discussed despite the important influence it has on exegetic changes is attention to “movements” that unconsciously affect the mind of the exegete and in this case, play a central role. Movements refer to a specific social formation, population, and group which, in addition to intellectual foundations, possess a kind of specific social behavior. In this study, efforts have been made to do a case-by-case study and analysis, with an emphasis on the role of movements, of the exegetic changes in verse 32 of the al-Zukhruf Chapter “Is it they who dispense the mercy of your Lord? It is We who have dispensed among them their livelihood in the present life, and raised some of them above others in rank, so that some may take others into service, and your Lord’s mercy is better than what they amass,” which is explaining the existence of the system of causality in the social sphere. Thus, first the historical course of the interpretation of the verse under discussion from the first century until the present age has been presented and subsequently, the role of the components under discussion in the causes of these changes has been studied by identifying the changes that have taken place throughout history.
Exegetes differ regarding what “elevation of ranks” and “utilization” means in the abovementioned verse. The phrase “… and raised some of them above others in rank, so that some may take others into service…” from the verse has varied as well as changed in terms of exegetic views throughout history. The historical course of the exegesis of the mentioned phrase shows that even though different exegetic views can be observed in the interpretation of the verse over the first centuries of Hijri up to the present age; however, considering the definition of “social currents studies”, of these only two exegetic views can be considering as arising from “movements” because the other views of exegetes regarding the verse cannot be rooted in a “movement” even though some of them may be accompanied by changes because don’t have those changes in population, and in other words, they are not social and do not appear in the form of a social formation.
Most of the exegetic views before the fourteenth-century Hijri were mostly focused on the two themes of the elevation of material and spiritual ranks and of these, the elevation of ranks in the sense of material matters such as wealth and money which led to the utilization of those in need by the rich was the prevalent view. This approach in the interpretation of “elevation” and “servitude” in the verse can be regarded as arising from the “master-subject” movement that ruled in many societies until the thirteenth century. In these societies, a limited minority that form the wealthy class of society and who are in a state of revelry and seek variety and luxury because of excess money and wealth use the poor and underprivileged as tools to fulfill their needs. In other words, this movement was so prevalent in the society from the first till the thirteenth century that most of the exegetes don’t even consider it contrary to justice in the interpretation of the verse and it seems that the subjugation of the poor class by the wealthy class was considered an acceptable matter for those societies. However, with the start of the fourteenth century which coincided with the Renaissance Age and the development of new sciences, the previous view faced a great transformation. Even though the previously prevalent view has not completely disappeared; however, it can be said that the new view has been able to prevail over it and convert most of the interpretations. In this age, with the interpretation of elevation of ranks in the sense of potential, individual capabilities, posts, and occupations, exegetes have tried to reject class subjugation completely and in contrast, interpret taskhīr as a mutual and two-way matter that refers to the cooperation, participation, and service of all human beings to each other.
The formation of such a change in the exegetic views of the commentators under the verse under discussion can be considered as being influenced by the movement of socialism. Socialism possesses specific principles and laws that were formed in opposition to and in criticism of capitalism. One of the main characteristics and properties of socialist systems is the struggle against the existence of different classes in society. According to socialists, the ideal society is devoid of all kinds of classes. Considering that this movement was formed in the West, its influence can be clearly seen in the transformation of exegetic views regarding the abovementioned phrase of the verse.
Exegetic changes regarding verse 32 of the al-Zukhruf Chapter show that most of the exegetic views before the fourteenth-century Hijri were mostly focused around the two themes of material and spiritual elevation and of these, elevation in terms of material affairs such as wealth and money was the prevalent view. The social currents study of this approach in the interpretation of the verse under discussion shows that the “master-subject” system that ruled over many of the societies played an influential role in the emergence as well as the spread of such an approach in the thoughts of the exegetes. However, after the beginning of the fourteenth century, the previous view of the verse faced a great transformation. By interpreting the elevation of ranks in the sense of potential, individual capabilities, posts, and occupations, the exegetes have strived to interpret taskhīr as a mutual and two-way matter that refers to the cooperation, participation, and service of all people to each other. The social currents study of this approach to the verse shows that the emergence of the system of socialism has played an influential role in this exegetic change.
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* Received: 2023 May 25 | Recieved in revised form: 2023 Jun 25 | Accepted: 2023 Jul 22 | Published: 2023 Dec 21
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