Debate on Interpretation of Scriptures
By Dr Basheer Khan
Garden Grove, CA

There is no contradiction between pure intellect and the revealed text. That is why Socrates and Luqman the wise arrived at the same conclusions that were made by Abraham (PBUH). For more on this topic one may read my article “Socrates and Luqman the Wise part 1 and 2” in October 2014 issues of Pakistan Link. As we read the scriptures with a polluted intellect to suit our personal agendas;  and as some of them have been even changed for the same purpose we have this discussion of text or context, literal or allegorical and this discussion is going on for ages and will go on for ages.

When this discussion was at its peak during the Abbasids time then Imam Abul Hasan AshAri (260-324 AH), adopted the middle path. Maulan Ali Miyan writes about him: Imam AshAri adopted a middle path in the discussion between scholastics and scholars of Hadith on this matter. He neither accepted intellect to be infallible in understanding the spiritual and metaphysical world, nor did he accept the position of some Muhaddiseen who thought that it was necessary to deny or denigrate intellect to safeguard the Islamic values (Tareekh e Dawath Vol 1).

Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi (604-672AH), AKA Maulan Rome (RA) in his Masnavi has stressed how important it is to understand the meaning of the words correctly to understand the person who is speaking them. To understand the value of Masnavi one should know what the huge number of Christian monks and priests told the ruler of Qaunia, Mueen ud Deen Parwana, when he asked them as to why they were attending this funeral which marched for a full day to reach its resting place. They said: We understood the reality of the prophets of the past and understood reality of genuine Sufis through him. Maulana Rome says:

Gufta E Oo Gufta ye Allah Bood

Gar Chay Az Hulqoom e Abdullah Bood

Whatever the prophet said was the word of Allah even though it came out from the lips of the prophet. He further says:

Dar Sukhan Makhfi Manam

Choon Boo ye Gul Dar Barg e Gul

Har kay Deedan  Mail Darad

Dar Sukhan Beenad Mura

Referring to Allah, Maulana Rom says in the above couplet; Allah is hidden in the words of the scriptures like the (unseen but felt) fragrance which is hidden in the petals of a flower. Whoever wants to see Him should see Him in his scriptures. He admits his inability to give a full meaning to the words of scriptures in more than 28000 couplets of His Masnavi because words of a person are deficient in explaining the reality of the words of scriptures. He says:

Sad Hazaran Daftar e Ash’aar Bood

Peesh e Harf e Maish Aan Aar Bood

Religion is spirituality in action. Scriptures are a source for it. The question as to how we should understand these scriptures is as old as history of the inquiry of human minds from the age of Socrates to the times of the scholars of renaissance and will continue perhaps till the end of the world. This is a pastime for the idle minds and a serious endeavor for those whose hearts ached at the suffering of mankind. Most of the scholars of Renaissance did not have their own personal spiritual experience and based their philosophies upon the spoiled world they inherited. When the nexus between the so called religious people and religious institutions on one hand and the kings and ruling elites at the other worked for long to exploit their subjects and bring the world to its abyss, then the scholars of renaissance revolted against religion to base life on science theology and ethics, excluding God from the whole discussion. These “intellectuals” erred in the opposite direction to bring our world to the condition which it is in today.

Religion is not theology and study of some cold facts which are embraced by some so called religious people and religious institutions. It is the practical soul stirring journey of sincere people from the first man Adam to people of our time to understand life in correct perspective and to better the living condition of mankind. Scriptures are not books of science that are understood on the basis of a formula or experiments. They are not a choice between text and context. They are manuals of the history of our journey in thought, spirituality and actions over several millenniums. They can be understood by only those who have the mind and metal to face the hardship of this journey and a genuine concern for mankind.

Qur’an said about itself: Surely this book is a cure for the diseases of the heart and a mercy for the people of faith, but for transgressors it is a loss (Ch17 V82), because of their wrong interpretation of it to support their desires and vain thoughts. Scriptures are for people who believe in God (Ch2 V2-5), not simply for the sake counting themselves as part of a group; but to use this belief in the Omniscient, Omnipresent and Omnipotent God and accountability before Him positively to correct their behavior on the foundation of this belief.

Human mind has the uncanny knack of giving his own meaning to the word of God and argue endlessly to his advantage (Ch18 V54). That is why Allah said to Moses (PBUH) when He gave him the Ten Commandments: Hold them firmly and command the people to follow its best interpretation (Ch7 V145). Literal, contextual or allegorical is not mentioned here because these are the ways through which a person understands the words. They are all OK as long as they give the best interpretation, not to serve the interest of self or clan but to serve the interest of the whole mankind, which is the purpose of all religion. Allah shows the way to this perfect understanding of scriptures only to those who cling to Him with all sincerity and not with the purpose of evasion for some worldly gains (Ch3 V101).

Muslims should assume a proactive role to defend the scriptures. We should fulfill the role which the theosophical society under Annie Besant assumed in the last century to defend scriptures and religion. Alhamdulillah many Young Islamic Scholars are fulfilling this role with great wisdom and courage. These scholars must never forget the advice of Qur’an in this matter: Argue with the people of the book nicely and to those who are inimical towards you say that we believe in what was revealed to you and to us through our prophets. He is the same One Lord for you and for us and we submit to Him with all our heart mind and soul (Ch29 V46). If some politicians want to exclude Muslims from this debate or from “their countries” for the sake of gaining power it is their way of achieving their goals and we do not have much reach and resources to counter it. Our role as Muslim is to show the correct way (Ch10 V99-101, Ch28 V56).