Quran is Simple
The messenger said, “My Lord, my people have abandoned this Quran.” [Quran- Surat l’Furqan; Surah # 25; Ayah # 30]
Quran is a book of God which was revealed on our beloved prophet Mohammad pbuh and revealed for the whole of mankind, for people of all generations, races, languages and times for years to come until the end of the world. It is so unfortunate that there is a high and mighty virtual wall engulfed between Quran and us as Muslim Ummah. This wall has been created on the pretext of Islamic Qualification/ Certification and Arabic language literacy, whereby we, as Muslim Ummah, have been made to believe that only a certified Islamic Scholar or the one who is Arabic language literate can understand Quran. It is through this perceived barrier that we, as a normal Muslim, have actually abandoned this Quran leaving it in the hands of and to be understood/taught by Certified Islamic Scholars and Arabic language experts only.
The messenger said, “My Lord, my people have abandoned this Quran.” [Quran- Surat l’Furqan; Surah # 25; Ayah # 30]
The Concept of certification or qualification is only a recent innovation amongst Muslim Ummah. In our history of over 1400 years of Islam, if we consider all the major scholars such as Imam Bukhari, Imam Hanafi etc. none had any certification or qualification since this was never required. Unfortunately, we as Muslim Ummah have been divided into many sects /groups and this Islamic Certification is to certify that one individual belongs to one school of thought. Certification, therefore, issued by one sect is unacceptable to another and vice versa. We have witnessed that Muslims from one sect consider the Muslims from all the other sects as kafir.
Quran is the book of God which has been revealed for Humans all around the world, for people of all generations and races and for times to come until the end of the world. There is no jurisdiction of anyone over Quran. There is no certification here, there is no authority here except God Almighty and there is no teacher here except Quran. Quran is not just for Arabic Speaking People but for the whole of Mankind. If the qualification to speak Arabic language was required to understand Quran, then it would have been next to impossible to spread Islam all across the world. Additionally, this requirement of Arabic Speaking would have been mentioned in Quran Itself, had this be required to understand Quran. On the contrary as per Quran, in multiple Ayahs in Surat L’ Qamar, God Almighty says,
“[Quran Surat L’ Qamar; Surah # 54; Ayah # 17, 22, 32 & 40] We have made the Quran easy for Zikr, but is there anyone who would pay attention?”
The word Zikrhas been used in Quran in multiple meanings. Its used for Quran itself. Understanding, Believing & following Ayats of God almighty is also termed Zikr. Zikr also means remembering and being grateful for God’s blessings as well as taking lesson (Ibrat) from previous storied (in Quran) is also Zikr as per Quran. Therefore when God says that “Quran is made Simple and easy for Zikr” it means the word “Zikr” is used in all the above meanings including understanding Quranic Ayahs, believing and following these Ayahs has been made simple and easy for each and every one of us by our creator.
The only criteria for Quran to be simple and easy, as per the above ayah is to pay attention, i.e. to do thinking and pondering and utilizing all our God Given faculties to understand these ayahs. The ability to understand Arabic language is not mentioned as this criterion. In fact, God Says in multiple ayahs to utilize all our faculties, all our six senses and use our faculties of thinking and pondering if we are to understand Allah’s Ayaat. Basically, what Quran says that in the eyes of Allah, the worst of all creatures (not just all human beings) are the ones who do not use their human reason (Aqal).
[Quran Surat L’ Anf’al Surah # 8; Ayah # 22] Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allah are the deaf and dumb who do not use Aql/Reason.
It is clear from many Quranic verses that Allah puts an extraordinary emphasis on utilization of all our faculties, (human) reason and intellect. Those who do not use reason are called worse than animals by Allah. Those who do not use their faculties, it’s like all their faculties – the 6 senses that they are blessed with; are of no use to them. These humans, as per Quran, are all destined for hell.
[Quran Surat L’ Ara’f Surah # 7; Ayah # 179] We have destined many men and jinn for hell. They have hearts but do not understand, eyes but do not see. They have ears but do not hear. Those are like Animals; Nay, they are more astray. It is they who are the heedless.
The revelation from Allah i.e. Quran is meant to be used with reason and understanding in order to enlighten our minds and hearts and not to be followed blindly. Blind Faith of any type, to any person or even on Quranic Ayah, is discouraged as per Quran. We can not even fall deaf dumb and blind on Quranic Ayahs, but have been advised to use our faculties.
[Quran Surat L’ Furqan Surah # 25; Ayah # 73] And those who, when reminded of the Ayahs of their Lord, do not fall upon them deaf and blind..
Hence, God forbid, I would be among one of the Munkareen if I deny these very clear Quranic Ayahs by saying that only a scholar or an Arab speaking expert can understand Quran. If anyone says that you can not understand Quran if you are not a Certified Scholar or if you don’t know Quranic Arabic, then that person is actually strengthening the virtual wall between us and Quran by asking us to rely on him/her/Islamic Certified Scholar/Arabic language expert only discouraging us to pick Quran by ourselves.
“[Quran Surat L’ Qamar; Surah # 54; Ayah # 17, 22, 32 & 40] We have made the Quran easy for Zikr, but is there anyone who would pay attention?”
Each and every one of us can understand Quran as its been made simple for Zikr as per God Almighty. In fact, as a member of Muslim Ummah, as a Muslim, it is our duty to pick up Quran ourselves. Rather than following anyone other than God and Prophet, be it a person or a scholar or an Arabic expert; it’s our first and foremost duty as a Muslim, to understand Quran by ourselves; i.e. to pick up Quran, utilize all our faculties and abilities to do thinking and pondering on Quranic Ayahs, and understand Deen through Quran, as Quran is Hikm (the lawmaker, embodiment of all laws of Deen); Haq (the ultimate truth, justice as per God’s solid judicial principals) and Furqan (the Ultimate Criteria of Right and Wrong) as per the Quran itself. Its only by doing this, that we, as Muslim Ummah, would be able to follow this guidance, the revelation and shatter this high and mighty wall between us and Quran.