A Critical investigation of Burqa‘ī’s Reasons for Qur’ān to be Needless of Interpretation

Document Type : Scholary

Authors

1 Level-four seminarian in Comparative Interpretation, Rafieh Al-Mostafa Seminary, Tehran, Iran

2 Full Professor, Department of Qur’ān and Ḥadīth Sciences, Faculty of Theology, Meybod University, Meybod, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Knowledge, Faculty of Medicine, Yazd Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences Campus, Yazd, Iran

Abstract

Noble Qur’ān contains all the knowledge and rulings and, therefore, needs to be explicated and elaborated by the Infallibles (a).  Overlooking the role of the Infallibles in the explication of verses brings about irrevocable consequences like failing to attain the purpose of God and misunderstanding the divine aim. Those who are known as Qur’ānists believe that Qur’ān is understandable by the public and is needless of interpretation, even of the interpretation of the Infallibles (a). This view causes wrong perception of the text of Qur’ān and results in the risk of deviation in belief and practice. Sayyid Abulfaḍl Burqa‘ī is a contemporary Iranian Qur’ānist. For his belief in Qur’ān’s being needless of interpretation, he refers to reasons such as the understanding of Qur’ān by Arabs of Ignorant  Era with no need for interpretation; lack of interpretation of Qur’ān by God, the Prophet (s), and the Infallibles (a); the Word of God’s being clearer than the interpretation by humans; attribution of superstitions to most verses by the interpreters; the impact of interpreter’s denomination and tendency on the interpretation of verses; the understanding of the Quran verses by its other verses with no need for interpretation; and completeness of the Book of God and its needlessness to be completed by the Servants. All of these reasons are controversial and the study at hand criticizes these reasons using a descriptive-analytical method. Nowadays, some, particularly Wahhabis, have tried to undermine Shī‘a view by resorting to the views of Burqa‘ī. Thus, probing and criticizing his views is necessary. The results of the present study which is done using a descriptive-analytical method show that  fallacy, misunderstanding, incomprehensiveness, inaccuracy, etc. have incurred the reasons provided by Burqa‘ī. The use of narrations by Burqa‘ī himself to explain some of the verses indicates that interpretation and elaboration by the Infallibles (a) is needed for a complete understanding of Qur’ān.   

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Classical and Contemporary Islamic Studies (formerly known as Journal of Contemporary Islamic Studies)
Volume 4, Issue 2
Summer & Autumn
July 2022
Pages 253-266

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