Key to al-Kahf. Abdur Rashid Siddiqui
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peace) presented a seminar paper entitled ‘A Study of al-Kahf in Relation to Our Times’ at the Islamic Foundation, then based at 223 London Road, Leicester. In this he attempted to present the Qur’ān as a living reality, which even after fourteen hundred years is still relevant. He explained at length that although the Qur’ān was revealed at a certain point in time and naturally reflects its own historical setting and the then state of man’s social and technological progression, nonetheless we have, by now, traversed a long distance and considerable technological and social changes have taken place in human society. New modes in human understanding, expression and action have emerged. Moreover, many people cannot be expected to absorb the idioms and metaphors of the Arabic language, so essential to exploring the depths of the Qur’ān. Yet its guidance, by its own claim, has an eternal relevance for all people, being the Word of Eternal God.
Brother Khurram maintained that to uphold the truth of this claim, it must be possible for us to receive, understand and experience the Qur’ān, as its first recipients did, at least in some measure and to some degree. We are all granted the inherent capacity to receive God’s Grace in all its fullness, richness and joy. In other words, despite the historicity of its revelation, because of the eternity of its message, the Qur’ān should be capable of being as much a part of our lives now as it was to its first recipients. In this respect, it still has the same urgent bearing upon our age and radiates the same deep relevance to our concerns and experiences.
Yet how is this possible? To put it very forthrightly, only if we approach the Qur’ān as if it was being revealed, now and today, translating each word of it in terms of our contemporary setting and bringing it to bear upon our own realities by breaking through the barriers of time, culture and change. What has changed is not the essence of man, which is permanent, but only his externalities – the forms, the modes, the degrees, and the technologies. Even man’s physical form has remained the same for more than two million years, whereas his history of only 2000 years ago is hard to separate from mythology. The pagans of Makkah may be no more; nor the Jews of Yathrib; nor the Christians of Najrān; nor even the ‘faithfuls’ and ‘hypocrites’ of the community at Madīnah, but the same characters breathe all around us. We are human beings exactly as the first recipients were, though we may find it extremely difficult to grapple with the very deep implications of this very simple truth, but it is only because of our own inner psychic inhibitions. Once we realize these truths, the Qur’ān may reveal to us, as it did to them; make partners of us, just as it did them. And only then, instead of being a mere revered fossil or a source of magic-like blessing, will the Qur’ān become a living force, impinging, stirring, moving and guiding us to deeper and higher achievements, just as it did before.
To be able to do so, we need a suitable methodology. The goal may seem formidable, but the results will be rewarding. And it need not prove so difficult a task in view of Allah’s assurance, at least to the extent of that part of the Qur’ān that relates to tadhkīr (reminder):
“We have made the Qur’ān easy for ‘dhikr’ (as a reminder). Is there, then, any who will take heed?” (al-Qamar 54: 17)
On this basis, Brother Khurram suggested some general principles for the purpose of studying the Qur’ān:
1. There is an overall framework of Islam pertaining to its spirit, temper, concepts, codes and systems as determined by the Qur’ān and the Prophet (peace be upon him) that we should always stay within.
2. Those Qur’ānic verses and sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) which pertain to any particular part of the Qur’ān should be brought to bear to the maximum possible extent on the understanding of that part. For this purpose, guidance from the Qur’ān can be divided into two broad categories:
i. Tadhkīr (reminder), which includes the imparting of understanding and generating responsiveness to truth; purifying – inwardly and outwardly, intellectually and spiritually, rationally and emotionally. This has reference to tilāwah’ (recitation) and tazkiyah (self purification).
ii. Taḥkīm (commands): mainly seeking codes and laws, systems and institutions. This has reference to the ta‘līm (teaching) of kitāb (scripture). In his view, one can take more liberty with the first category by translating it into new contexts without any grave risks to the overall framework of Islam.
3. Interpretation should not be stretched to include innovation and no meanings should be attributed that cannot be construed to have originally been intended.
4. No part or word should be torn away from its textual or historical context in translating and understanding it.
5. Language is mostly symbolic of human experiences and situations, which also shapes the mould and form of ideas and expressions. As situations and experiences change, it should be possible to translate the same language into a new context, without losing any of the narration’s original purpose.
6. Before any contextual or symbolic translation, the particular part should first be placed and understood in its original setting. Only then can the relationship with contemporary ideas, systems and other cultural, social and technological phenomena be established.
7. It may be possible to employ alternate terminology to elucidate the real intent and import of the Qur’ān, but only so long as the bearings with the original are clearly maintained and understood.
8. Specifics may be transformed into generalities to facilitate their transposition and application to new perspectives and, in a similar manner, generalities may be rendered into specifics.
In brief, the methodology would imply that we stay within the established framework, yet discover new dimensions of meaning and experience by looking at our times through the Qur’ān, and translating its meaning into contemporary contexts of man’s socio-technological progression and his cultural milieu.
The reason why Brother Khurram chose al-Kahf was simply because he felt that this sūrah has a more obvious and easily comprehensible bearing on us, especially in view of some aḥādīth of the Prophet. He devoted a considerable part of his paper to the phenomenon of Dajjāl (the Antichrist) as described in many aḥādīth that show the similarities and characteristics of our age with that of Dajjāl. Brother Khurram was not alone in taking this view. There have been at least two other eminent scholars of the Subcontinent who have taken a similar view in their study of Sūrah al-Kahf. In this respect, Brother Khurram expressed his debt of gratitude to one of them, namely Mawlānā Manāẓir Aḥsan Gilānī (1892-1956), whose book Tadhkīr be Sūrat-i-al-Kahf inspired him and set him on the trail of what al-Kahf contains. The other work was penned by an equally versatile scholar, Mawlānā Abul Hasan ‘Alī Nadwī (1914-1999). His book, Ma‘rka’-i-Īmān-o-Māddīyat (A Battle between Faith and Materialism), also studies Sūrah al-Kahf in the light of Ḥadīth literature, ancient history, modern scientific advancements as well as current affairs. Both these works contend that the present materialistic and secular civilization is very similar to that of the age of Dajjāl as described in many aḥādīth. As the Prophet (peace be upon him) advised us to recite Sūrah al-Kahf in order to counteract and neutralize the deceptions perpetrated by Dajjāl and, thus, save us from his fitnah (trial), we should, therefore, devote our special efforts to understand this sūrah and implement the antidote provided therein; to save us from the onslaught of our present materialistic and secular civilization.
With due respect to our very learned scholars, I have deliberately omitted the study of aḥādīth about Dajjāl as this distracts our attention from al-Kahf ’s central message; a brief note on the Phenomenon of Dajjāl is added as an Appendix. Instead, I have concentrated on the message that the Qur’ān expounds from the various episodes narrated in this sūrah. There are many books available on the phenomenon of Dajjāl and one can access them to gain precise information and interpretations of various aḥādīth about him, his deceptions and manipulations.* Some aḥādīth about the merit of al-Kahf quoted below in the Introduction mention Dajjāl in this context. Possibly one of the reasons why Brother Khurram did not publish his study may be that