Why is it discouraged to understand the Qur'an on your own?

[mudkipz]

i have heard deoband/tabligh elders/scholars have started stopping people from reading the quran because they might misinterpret it.

surely this is a gross innovation, if there ever was one???

[Jawad_ Khan]

Its strange that you made such a serious allegation without confirming or trying to understand why this is being said.

Your statement starts with " I have heard....".....

So brother i would suggest that you first confirm this and then ask for the reason......Accusing Ulama, without knowing the complete details is something inadvisable. ........I hope you could clarify this.

[Abu_Bilal]

i have heard deoband/tabligh elders/scholars have started stopping people from reading the quran because they might misinterpret it.

surely this is a gross innovation, if there ever was one???

Assalam Alaikum.

We can divide the Quran into two parts (this is for the ease of a layman). Firstly, those Quranic verses which have fiqhi masail, and secondly those Quranic verses which don't have any fiqhi masail.

The verses which do not have fiqhi masail can be read by a layman. For example, the verses which tell us about Heaven, Hell, The Hereafter, the mercies of Allah, the punishments of Allah, the stories of the previous Prophets/people, etc. These verses can be read (and should be read), so that people may take heed.

But the verses which have Orders, should not be read by common laymen. Instead, Ulema should be consulted to avoid any confusion.

[ENIGMA]

Assalam Alaikum.

We can divide the Quran into two parts (this is for the ease of a layman). Firstly, those Quranic verses which have fiqhi masail, and secondly those Quranic verses which don't have any fiqhi masail.

The verses which do not have fiqhi masail can be read by a layman. For example, the verses which tell us about Heaven, Hell, The Hereafter, the mercies of Allah, the punishments of Allah, the stories of the previous Prophets/people, etc. These verses can be read (and should be read), so that people may take heed.

But the verses which have Orders, should not be read by common laymen. Instead, Ulema should be consulted to avoid any confusion.

sORRY??!!!

Are you talking about tafseer or actual recitation??

Im confused here as your post is not that clear what you mean.

Are you saying that laymen shoudl not even recite verses which have orders?

I think yuo need to make yuorself crystal clear.

[Abu_Bilal]

sORRY??!!!

Are you talking about tafseer or actual recitation??

Im confused here as your post is not that clear what you mean.

Are you saying that laymen shoudl not even recite verses which have orders?

I think yuo need to make yuorself crystal clear.

Assalam Alaikum.

Relax brother. Read my post again.

I said that, Ulema should be consulted to avoid any confusion, when a person tries to read/understand the Quran directly, through any translation.

But if a person is reading a tafseer, of an authentic mufti/aalim, then ofcourse he can read all the verses.

[True Life]

:salam:

There are clear verses [Muhkamat] and there are verses that are not clear in their meaning [Mutashabihat]. Now, if a layman like you and me start interpreting and try understanding the verses of the latter kind, i.e. the Mutashabihat, on our own we most probably will go astray. Because they require further explanation.

Learn more about Muhkamat and Mutashabihat at the following link:
http://www.sunnipath.com/library/Books/B0040P0018.aspx

[bugmenot]

:ws:
the more we read from it, the better. There's no such restrictions.

[Abu_Bilal]

:salam:

There are clear verses and there are verses that are not clear in their meaning. Now, if a layman like you and me start interpreting and try understanding the verses of the latter kind we most probably will go astray. That's what is meant in general.

Walikum-us-salam.

Exactly. Specially the verses about wirasat (inheritance) and talaaq (divorce).

[ENIGMA]

Assalam Alaikum.

Relax brother. Read my post again.

I said that, Ulema should be consulted to avoid any confusion, when a person tries to read/understand the Quran directly, through any translation.

But if a person is reading a tafseer, of an authentic mufti/aalim, then ofcourse he can read all the verses.

:ws:

Sorry Maulana

In the original post, it seems the thread starter was saying that reciting the Quran, not interpreting was being discouraged.

Maulana,read normally means reciting and thus your post caused me confusion. If you had stated interpret,then it would have stopped the confusion.

normally,reading and reciting are thought to be one and the same.

[Abu_Bilal]

:ws:
In the original post, it seems the thread starter was saying that reciting the Quran, not interpreting was being discouraged.


Assalam Alaikum.

I think the brother mudkipz asked about interpretation.


i have heard deoband/tabligh elders/scholars have started stopping people from reading the quran because they might misinterpret it.

surely this is a gross innovation, if there ever was one???

[True Life]

:salam:
:ws:

Sorry Maulana

In the original post, it seems the thread starter was saying that reciting the Quran, not interpreting was being discouraged.

Maulana,read normally means reciting and thus your post caused me confusion. If you had stated interpret,then it would have stopped the confusion.

normally,reading and reciting are thought to be one and the same.Brother, calm down. These are not new allegations: But none ever said anything similar or even anything close to it, that Mutashabihat are not to be RECITED. Always when it comes to this point just to give their claim some sense they stop to differentiate between reciting and understanding/interpretating/studying. And there arises another problem that often these people regard simply reciting without understanding as useless. So, it would mean reciting Alif-Laam-Meem is useless, too?

[Colonel_Hardstone]

Asslamo Allaikum,

The Aqeedah of Deobandi Ulama (inline with Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaah) is that Qur'aan is Afdhaludh-Dhikr (the best for of Dhikr) and each and every Muslim should immerse himself/herself in the recitation of the Qur'aan as it is a magnificant and best means of getting closer to Allah (SWT).

Deobandi Ulama (inline with Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaah) say that a Non-Scholar shouldn't try to interpret the Qur'aan themselves rather:

1) They should study the interpretation and Tafseer of the Qur'aan under qualified and authentic scholars

OR as a second resort...

2) Read Tafseer of the Qur'aan by qualified and authentic scholars and even then refer their questions to qualified and authentic scholars

Don't forget that Shaykhul-Hadeeth Maulana Zakarriya Kandhalwi (RA) wrote Fadhail-e-Qur'aan (http://www.central-mosque.com/quran/fazaile_quran.pdf) to encourage people to learn, memorise and recite the Qur'aan, how can they discourage people from reciting the book of Allah (SWT)?

[urban guerilla]

salaam.

what about those laymen who understand arabic?

they would understand both the fiqhi ayats and non fiqhi ayats. what are they supposed to do?

[Colonel_Hardstone]

salaam.

what about those laymen who understand arabic?

they would understand both the fiqhi ayats and non fiqhi ayats. what are they supposed to do?

:ws:

Sahaba (RA) also understood Arabic yet there are plenty of instances where Sahaba (RA) consulted knowledgable people amongst them about the Qur'aan obviously Rasul-ullah (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) when he was alive and others afterwards.

Knowing Arabic is perhaps the first step, not the last step.

Remember that there are many Tafaseer written in Arabic so if knowing Arabic was sufficient there would have been no need to have Tafseers in Arabic. As a matter of fact look at Tafseer Jalalain (http://quran.al-islam.com/Tafseer/DispTafsser.asp?l=arb&taf=GALALEEN&nType=1&nSora=1&nAya=1) it explains Arabic in Arabic and its not a full Tafseer more like a translation with a bit of explaination.

[True Life]

salaam.

what about those laymen who understand arabic?

they would understand both the fiqhi ayats and non fiqhi ayats. what are they supposed to do?Sahabah and the people of Makkah in general were experts of the Arabic language, but what does Allah say?

"As also We have sent in your midst a messenger from among you, who recites to you Our verses, and purifies you, and teaches you the Book and the wisdom, and teaches you what you did not know. Remember Me, then, and I will remember you. And be thankful to Me, and be not ungrateful to Me. (Verses 151 - 152)"

So, even these Sahabah depended on the explanation of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam). Nowadays, we know a little Arabic and think we have already opened the gates to divine 'Ilm. Many Talib-e-'Ilm don't even know better Arabic than Abu Jahl did, but still the latter remains "father of the ignorant" and the afore mentioned remain "students of divine knowledge".

[urban guerilla]

:ws:

Sahaba (RA) also understood Arabic yet there are plenty of instances where Sahaba (RA) consulted knowledgable people amongst them about the Qur'aan obviously Rasul-ullah (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) when he was alive and others afterwards.


i absolutely agree with you. not just anyone has the capability to do tafseer of the quran. mastering the arabic language is definately the first step amongst many other steps a person needs to take before he can begin to say that he has the ability to do tafseer of the quran.

what i am asking is, is it ok for a lay person to read the translation of the whole quran, but keeping in mind that he should not try to interpret the quran according to his understanding.

it seems strange that a muslim should be restricted from reading the entire quran in a language that he understands. if this is the case then whats to say that those who understand arabic should not read the fiqhi parts of the quran at all!

i dont think anyone should be restricted about which parts of the quran he should read or not read. the quran is a guide sent down by Allah for ALL MUSLIMS.

[urban guerilla]

Sahabah and the people of Makkah in general were experts of the Arabic language, but what does Allah say?

"As also We have sent in your midst a messenger from among you, who recites to you Our verses, and purifies you, and teaches you the Book and the wisdom, and teaches you what you did not know. Remember Me, then, and I will remember you. And be thankful to Me, and be not ungrateful to Me. (Verses 151 - 152)"



im sorry but are you doing a tafseer of this ayat.

[Colonel_Hardstone]

i absolutely agree with you. not just anyone has the capability to do tafseer of the quran. mastering the arabic language is definately the first step amongst many other steps a person needs to take before he can begin to say that he has the ability to do tafseer of the quran.

what i am asking is, is it ok for a lay person to read the translation of the whole quran, but keeping in mind that he should not try to interpret the quran according to his understanding.

it seems strange that a muslim should be restricted from reading the entire quran in a language that he understands. if this is the case then whats to say that those who understand arabic should not read the fiqhi parts of the quran at all!

i dont think anyone should be restricted about which parts of the quran he should read or not read. the quran is a guide sent down by Allah for ALL MUSLIMS.

Asslamo Allaikum,

The laymen are encoraged to recite the Qur'aan & learn and understand it (in original Arabic) OR read the translation in their Native language.

They are supposed to consult scholars thats all or read the opinions of Scholars.

There are plenty of Qur'aan translations done by scholars in many Non-Arabic language, there would be no point in translating if they didn't want people to read them.

Not restirction rather supervision is what is called for.

[Talib84]

1. Do not try to understand the Qur'ân ever. Else, you will go astray. Fifteen “Uloom” (sciences) are required to understand the Book. (“Maulana” Zakaria Kandhalwi, Fazael Amaal, p.2)

It is written in Fazae Amal, Virtues of Quran p 15 that:

The Mashaik have mentioned six external and six internal rules of reverance for reading the Holy Quran, whihc are given below:

Rules of internal reverance

4) Dwell upon the meanings and enjoy reading it

The quote mentioned is actually referring to giving commentary of the Holy Quran:

Hadhrat Ibn Masud RA said: “If you seek knowledge, you should meditate on the meanings of the Quran, because it embodies the history of former as well as of latter times.”
It is, however, essential to observe the prerequisites for interpreting the Quran. An unbecoming present day fashion is that even tose who possess little or no knowledge of Arabic vocabulary offer their personal opinión on the basis of vernacular translations of the Quran. Specialists have laid down that anyone attempting a commentary of the Holy Quran should be well versed in 15 subjects. These, as briefly given below, Hill show that it is not posible for everybody to understand the underlying significance and real meanings of the Holy Quran.
P 28



2. Do not read the Qur'ân with understanding, you will go astray. (Fazaael Aamal, “Maulana” Ashraf Ali Thanwi, p. 216)

I could not find this quote, but it is probably referring to giving commentary of the Quran as well.


http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/archive/index.php?t-23088.html

[sudoku]

:salam:


1. Do not try to understand the Qur'ân ever. Else, you will go astray. Fifteen “Uloom” (sciences) are required to understand the Book. (“Maulana” Zakaria Kandhalwi, Fazael Amaal, p.2)

2. Do not read the Qur'ân with understanding, you will go astray. (Fazaael Aamal, “Maulana” Ashraf Ali Thanwi, p. 216)
I cannot find either of these quotes actually, though I do find the claims in the first post rather absurd as in the same book they advocate, nay the same part of that book has several ahadeeth pertaining to the recitation of even one ayaat.

Hm, a question. Why are there quotation marks around the word "Maulana"? I suspect it is because you are quoting someone? Even so, it does seem rather rude to the respected Alims.