The Truth Seeker
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Indeed the historical narrative provides context to both the Quran and Hadith.
Without the contextual underpinning eveything is capable of being misunderstood and misrepresented.
The modern day revisionists and rejectionists, want 'just the Quran'. That was also the call the khawarij and others misguided who claimed that 'Quran is sufficient for us' (ie without the Prophetic guidance).
The result of that are now patently clear... extremists such as Bin Baaz and Osama who justify killing of innocent women and children supposedly justify it on the basis of the Quran.
Well that is not the interpretation of the Quran within the tradition I seem to follow.
The other problem with the 'Quran-only' group is whose interpretative rules are to be followed? They interpretative rules lie outside of the Quran itself.
Additionally, the Quran itself introduces itself in 2:2 as "a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqûn [the pious and righteous persons who fear Allâh". Immidiately, by definition, it can also mislead those who are not within that definition. So the interpreters of the Quran have to be located.
Are we then to determine who the Al-Muttaqûn are or are we to take the cue from the Blessed Prophet SAW. If we want to discover who the Blessed Prophet SAW introduced as the Al-Muttaqûn, then we are back to looking at history.
Rejectors of history are those who find it uncomfortable...
Sis Royer + Bro Ibrahim - thank you, with such insightful comments it forces one to further develop and extends one thinking. The way I see it is that the Quran provides the framework in textual form and the Prophet SAW informs and instructs its actual implementation. His interpretation/intervention reflects both the fulfilment and mercy. How would we have known how to practically offer salat or perform hajj, had he not instructed.
Without the contextual underpinning eveything is capable of being misunderstood and misrepresented.
The modern day revisionists and rejectionists, want 'just the Quran'. That was also the call the khawarij and others misguided who claimed that 'Quran is sufficient for us' (ie without the Prophetic guidance).
The result of that are now patently clear... extremists such as Bin Baaz and Osama who justify killing of innocent women and children supposedly justify it on the basis of the Quran.
Well that is not the interpretation of the Quran within the tradition I seem to follow.
The other problem with the 'Quran-only' group is whose interpretative rules are to be followed? They interpretative rules lie outside of the Quran itself.
Additionally, the Quran itself introduces itself in 2:2 as "a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqûn [the pious and righteous persons who fear Allâh". Immidiately, by definition, it can also mislead those who are not within that definition. So the interpreters of the Quran have to be located.
Are we then to determine who the Al-Muttaqûn are or are we to take the cue from the Blessed Prophet SAW. If we want to discover who the Blessed Prophet SAW introduced as the Al-Muttaqûn, then we are back to looking at history.
Rejectors of history are those who find it uncomfortable...
Sis Royer + Bro Ibrahim - thank you, with such insightful comments it forces one to further develop and extends one thinking. The way I see it is that the Quran provides the framework in textual form and the Prophet SAW informs and instructs its actual implementation. His interpretation/intervention reflects both the fulfilment and mercy. How would we have known how to practically offer salat or perform hajj, had he not instructed.