Meaning of the Quran (54:17)

6-10-2010 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalamu alaikum.Verse 54:40 says Allah made Quran easy to understand.Based on this Verse my friend here who starts reading the Verses and make her own interpritations which is dangerous.We know we cannot interprit on our own and have to look into Tafseers/Hadees and contact trustable Scholars.So what does this Verse exactly mean so that I can advice her the correct meaning of this Verse and it is not what she meant that anyone can easily understand Quran just by reading the Verses and come to conclusions.I expalined to her even Prophet peace and blessings of Allah be upon him would not know exactly what Verses meant unless Allah explained it (75:19)and taught it(4:113)and so we have Tafseer of Swahabah Allah be pleased with them and Hadees.But then she asks what about above Verse 54:40? Jazakhallahu Khairain.
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

The saying of Allaah (which means): {And We have certainly made the Quran easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?}[Quran 54:17] is not evidence to speak about the Quran without knowledge. Rather, the interpreters of the Quran mentioned that the meaning of the verse is that the Quran is made easy for recitation and memorization, and also it is easy to learn its interpretation [Tafseer] for whoever seeks knowledge. As-Sa’di may Allaah have mercy upon him said while interpreting this verse: “We [i.e. Allaah] have made this Quran easy and simplistic: its words for memorization and recitation, and its meanings for understanding and knowledge… and this is the beneficial knowledge, if a person seeks it, he will be helped to achieve it. Indeed, some scholars among the Salaf (righteous predecessors) said about this verse: “Is there any seeker of knowledge to be helped to achieve that?” It is for this reason that Allaah calls His slaves to be dedicated to the Quran and to remember His Saying (which means): {… so is there any who will remember?} [Abridged from the Tafseer of As-Sa’di]

Therefore, if someone is eligible to learn the Tafseer of the Quran, then he will be facilitated by Allaah to learn this knowledge, but if one engages himself in interpreting the Quran without knowledge, then this is an act of speaking about Allaah without knowledge and this is one of the greatest prohibitions. Ibn Taymiyyah may Allaah have mercy upon him said: “It is forbidden to interpret the Quran just by one’s own opinion… Ibn ‘Abbaas may Allaah be pleased with him said: “The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Whoever speaks about the Quran without knowledge, then let him have his seat in Hellfire.” Moreover, Jundub may Allaah be pleased with him said: “The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: ''He who speaks about the Quran on the basis of his own opinion, he commits an error even if he is right.” [At-Tirmithi said this Hadeeth is Ghareeb] Hence, whoever interprets the Quran by his own opinion, he has said what he has no knowledge of, and he had followed a path other than what Allaah has ordered him to follow. So, even if what he says is right, he would be wrong, as he did not take the proper means to say it… [From Fataawa of Ibn Taymiyyah]

For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 84520.

Allaah Knows best.

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