More Close With Quran Part 5

Commentary of the Qur’ân

One who studies Qur’anic commentary will find that it adheres to the following methodology:

1. The Qur’ân as commentary on itself:

The best way to ascertain exactly what a speaker intends from a specific statement is to refer to other statements of that speaker, taking into consideration the linguistic norms of the speaker’s language. This means that it is necessary to know the language in which the Qur’ân was revealed as well as Arabic usages and idioms. The Qur’ân is in Arabic. The Messenger that it was revealed to was an Arab. The first people to receive the message were Arabs. The Qur’ân came in a style that was familiar to them.

A Qur’anic commentator might have to collect all the relevant verses in one place and then look at them together to find how they are interrelated. For example, one verse might specify the general import of another, qualify it, or clarify its meaning.

2. The words of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as commentary on the Qur’ân:

When it is not clear from the Qur’ân itself what a verse means, its explanation is sought from the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). The Sunnah comes to explain the Qur’ân. Allah says:

And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Remembrance that you may explain clearly to the people what has been sent down to them, that perhaps they might give thought.

The Sunnah explains some things in detail that are mentioned in the Qur’ân in the most general terms, like the details of the obligatory prayer, the fast, the Zakâh tax, and the Hajj pilgrimage. The Sunnah gives the details on how to perform these acts of worship, what is necessary for their proper performance, what is recommended, and what is prohibited.

It also discusses when these acts of worship are to be performed and in what measure. The Sunnah goes into far greater detail on these matters than the Qur’ân. The Sunnah also comes to specify what is general in the Qur’ân, qualify what is unqualified, and clarify what is difficult to understand. For this reason, Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “I have been given the Qur’ân and something else like it.”

3. The commentary of the Companions:

When the Qur’ân and Sunnah are not enough to get a clear understanding of a certain text, its commentary is sought from the words of the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him). They were the best acquainted with it, having witnessed the circumstances surrounding the revelation firsthand. Their understanding of the Qur’ân was the most complete. They were the most knowledgeable and most righteous, especially the scholars among them.

4. The commentary of the Successors:

When the correct understanding of a Qur’anic text cannot be ascertained from the previous sources, then the commentator may turn to the following generation, because they were closer to the time when the revelation came down and were more familiar with its language and style. They had more knowledge of the Sunnah and of the Companion’s statements. They were, moreover, from the generations whose preferential status was attested to by the Prophet (peace be upon him).