Quran and Quran Tafsir (تفسير) Lecture 18

Irrational Thinking: Quran (القرآن) and Quran Tafsir with Islamic Shaykh Ali Gomaa (على جمعة)

I have been studying chapter 6 of the Qur’an and have been learning from Ali Gomaa; a leading Islamic scholar – the second highest Sunni author­ity in Egypt.  In this episode Ali Gomaa discusses irrational thinking and mocking in Quran 6:10-11,

Quran 6:10
YUSUF ALI: Mocked were (many) messengers before thee; but their scoffers were hemmed in by the thing that they mocked.
PICKTHAL: Messengers (of Allah) have been derided before thee, but that whereat they scoffed surrounded such of them as did deride.
SHAKIR: And certainly messengers before you were mocked at, but that which they mocked at encompassed the scoffers among them.

Quran 6:11
YUSUF ALI: Say: “Travel through the earth and see what was the end of those who rejected Truth.”
PICKTHAL: Say (unto the disbelievers): Travel in the land, and see the nature of the consequence for the rejecters!
SHAKIR: Say: Travel in the land, then see what was the end of the rejecters.

Quran 6:10

0:00-2:37

“And if We had made him an Angel, We would indeed have made him a man.”

“Taking into consideration the universal traits that Allah (SWT) created the seen and unseen worlds, the witnessed and unwitnessed worlds, and how Allah connected between these two worlds Jibril shall be transformed to a man as long as he was not using the features Allah has created in him and permitted him to appear in his form as an angel.”  “We would indeed have confounded for them whatever they are confounding.”  Thus, back to irrational thinking which made them disbelieve, repulsed and withheld them from Allah’s way.  “And indeed Messengers were already mocked at even before you.”  It is the way Allah created for people to deal with their prophets.  When there is a call to reject irrational thinking and adopt common sense, mocking becomes a way to escape reasonable talks and evidences.”

“And indeed Messengers were already mocked at even before you; then what they were scoffing at redounded upon the ones who mocked at them.”

Ali Gomaa says, “When reason breaks, mocking arises.  This is also a way to set the principles for the Islamic call to Muslims.  Allah forbids people to mock each other.  Thus, a Muslim should never mock others as a part of his religion and Islamic call and as an integral part in his relationship with Allah.  “And indeed Messengers were already mocked at even before you.”  Therefore, mocking others is not of the Muslim’s traits the Muslim may not do such thing that Allah dislikes.”

Quran 6:11

2:38-4:22

“Say, Travel in the earth; thereafter look into how was the end of the beliers.”

Ali Gomaa says, “This is another verse in which Allah draws the Muslims’ course and way to Allah.  This should be established on knowledge.  Based on a certain method, which starts with observation and trial.  This principle and method should be build on facts.  These facts shall lead to awareness as per Imam Al-Ghazally’s teachings.”

“All sciences lead eventually directly or indirectly to awareness.  Its result is the awareness of humans to their surrounding world, aiming at knowing the truth.  So, they, through this religion, dealt with this universe as the seen book of Allah and with the Qur’an as the written book of Allah and with humans as the destined book of Allah.  That Allah created all.  Allah created the universe, descended Qur’an, and created people.  No contradiction shall arise because all are from the same origin created by Allah (SWT).”

4:23-end

“Thus, there is no contradiction or dispute or difference between results of experimental science and true faithful Qur’anic facts, nor in divine truth related to humans in the origin of the Islamic creed. So, there were no dispute or argument, or battle between science and religion.”

” A conflict may, however, arise between science and some Muslims, maybe because those Muslims do not understand well.  So they collide with facts, universe and Islamic law.  It happens…they might not understand Islamic law but science and Islamic religion do not contradict.  The assumption that there is no contradiction is a part of the Muslim’s beliefs.”

“Read: In the Name of your Lord.  Who created man from clots.  Read: And your Lord is the Most Honorable.  Who taught by the pen.  He taught man what he did not know.” ¹“Scientific exegesis (tafsīr ʿilmī) is to be understood in light of the assumption that all sorts of findings of the modern natural sciences have been anticipated in the Quran and that many unambiguous references to them can be discovered in its verses.  The scientific findings already confirmed in the Quran range from Copernican cosmology to the properties of electricity, from the regularities of chemical reactions to the agents of infectious diseases. The whole method amounts to reading into the text what normally would not ordinarily be seen there. Often trained in medicine, pharmacy or other natural sciences, even agricultural sciences, scientific exegetes are, for the most part, not professional theologians. This kind of exegesis has, however, gained entry into the Quran commentaries of religious scholars as well” (Rotraud Wielandt, “Exegesis of the Quran: Early Modern and Contemporary;” Encyclopaedia of the Quran). Allah ordered us to read the universe and the Qur’an as well.  “The All-Merciful, He taught the Qur’an.  He created man.  He has taught him distinct.”  So, there is the Merciful, the Qur’an and the human and there is an education for the evident demonstration.  All this from Allah (SWT).”

“Whatever comes from Allah cannot imply contradictions such creed is strengthened by this verse.”

The Quran and Christianity

There is a contradiction between what was observed in the death and burial of Jesus and the claims of the Quran hundreds of years after the event.  The Quran is not true because it contradicts the science of history by denying Jesus’ death on the cross.

The Quran contradicts the law because the testimony of Scripture concerning Jesus’ death on the cross is valid.