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Waxing Crescent
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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 19.07.2010 05:03:28
Posts: 171,
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The best way I guess to understand Quran is to learn it from historical context.
There is nothing called Literal for every one, at every time. it depends on you, your state.
Every Ayath of the Quran, was reveled at specific time, specific incident and specific context.
If you are in similar context then it becomes literal for you, otherwise its contextual for you.
Meaning read the first verse that was reveled, know what is the historic context. See what Allah wanted to tell you, at that time, situation and context. If you face a similar situation then it becomes Literal meaning for you.
Let me give an example
( I may be wrong with exact time line of the revelation, But general idea is correct)
Historically this Ayath came first:
1] It forbidden for Muslims to attend to prayers while intoxicated
Now if you are a alcoholic, You see this was reveled to people who were at that time alcoholic. See what Allah wants from you. He wants you to reduce the consumption of alcohol, at least during prayer. Now if you are not alcoholic then this becomes contextual for you.
2] Alcohol has more evil than good :
Now if you were an alcoholic, and were trying to reduce the consumption of alcohol, You have been given another reason to reduce further. This becomes literal for you. But if you are not Alcoholic then you take it in the contextual saying if there was a alcoholic then This is reason for them to reduce consumption
3] Stop drinking Alcohol :
Now if you person, who is trying to reduce and have been given reason to reduce and you have done that also at few times now is the time to take it to next level and stop it completely. If you are person who have never drank alcohol and were thinking to try then again this literal for you to not even try. Now if you are person who never drank alcohol and don't intend to do it also, then this becomes contextual for you.
Now coming to the Ayath, to kill all non Muslims, It was told to the people who were prosecuted, the people even left the city and went to another city. They were hunted down and attempted were made to kill them. It had come to point where the whole community was at the verge of inhalation. Then Allah Reveled this Aytah.
If all the conditions that melted to the people at that time are given to you then, this Ayath becomes literal for you. Generally speaking, Now because these situation can not happen to any one, I mean migrate and then still people what to kill you. I mean where will this happen. If the historical situation and context has not happened then its becomes its just contextual for the people whom it happened, not for you.
Once you read the full Quran and see at, different situation, at different context, what did Allah want. And as you progressively apply the same logic to you life you will be fallowing Allah's will.
Quran is continuous process even after you finish reading it.
For Example, Slave Trade:
What does Quran says, Show compassion to the slaves, Free the salves, They are Equals as you are in front of Allah. Now just fallow the same logic and reasoning successively it let to complete eradication of Slave trade from the Islamic world. It went out just like that. No need to start a war and pass a law to prohibit it.
Now Quran did not Prohibit Slave Trade directly but it lead to total eradication of slave trade.
The best way i Feel, is to see everything in the historical context, what Allah wants us to do in that context. And apply same logic to other things in life in similar but different context.
Let me give another example
1] One Man, has a worker at home, he feels sad that worker is eating lot of food, As prices are increasing for food, he wants to reduce is food cost. He feels, it should be the worker who should start eating less and says to to worker to eat less food to save money. He continues to eat full stomach.
If you try to reason with him, literally providing Verse from Quran and Hadith, Then he will say this is for the slave that you need to treat as equal and give same food as you eat. But now this is worker who works for me for a salary, i Pay him for what he works and food that he eats, in my house is not in exchange for some service he provided, but just as charity i am giving him. No i want to do less charity, if he wants more food then he needs to go and spend his money that i pay him as salary.
What the person says is logical by Literal interpretation. But if you see at what Allah wants at what context Allah asked to treat the slave a equal, What context Allah has asked us to give him Same food as we eat. Then it becomes clear what the man needs to do in the case of the worker mentioned above. Both need to eat less food to same money. I mean its just nice to do that way.
Everything in Quran has to be taken by the historical contextual meaning only. It becomes Literal meaning, if you are in similar historical contextual.
Again, I am no full Alim, I mean Dint undergo any Alim course nor do i hold any regonition of an Alaim nor hold any certifiacte.
So what i said may be worng, At this point its only Hypothises and my thinking.
Please Unless an Alaim says, what i said is correct then only this becomes correct.
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New Moon
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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 24.04.2010 00:21:17
Posts: 21,
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Together lets spread the message of Islam. Share this article to everyone, or you can learn from it yourself - http://linuses.blogspot.com , if you have a blog/website, please create a link to it so that it will reach other people. May Allah reward you.
Lets tell people about Islam - http://linuses.blogspot.com - If you have a blog/website please create a link to it so that it would reach more people. May Allah reward you.
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