A thematic approach to study Quran
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From www.clearvision.com.pk
Essay No.1a in a series of essays on Community
For more info contact [email protected]Community the central theme of Quran
Feb 2006QURAN presents a holistic view of all the aspects of human reality, which emphasizes the importance of our nature and the interdependence of its different parts. It denies nothing about actual human behavior and experience. It tells us, through stories, metaphors and parables, about many facts which we already know, but often fail to appreciate because of our preoccupations. It reminds us that our life on the face of earth is brief, fragile and only because nature, in its benevolence, has subjected its forces to our benefit, without which life on the face of this planet is incomprehensible.
Quran tells us about our creation, our identities and also about our shortcomings as part of this reality. It tells us that humans are hasty, impatient, easily deceived by the beautiful things of this life, often ungrateful to their creator and that the human self is inclined to evil.
Ennoblement of humankind
But Quran also tells us how the human condition can be improved by overcoming these shortcomings. It tells us that God sent messengers with scriptures for this purpose. Quran uses the metaphor ?to lead humankind out of darkness into light? for this process of improvement.
This metaphorical darkness is that aspect of human behavior which is harmful to humankind. It is the inability to think beyond the life of this world, refusal to accept the benevolence and mercy of the creator, rejection of the power of the creator to resurrect and as a result, refusal to surrender before the creator and instead surrender before one?s own vain desires. As a whole this darkness dehumanizes us because of the denial of the relationship between us and the creator.
The opposite of this darkness is the light which ennobles the humankind by improving their behavior. Quran emphasizes that those who are in light are not equal to those who are in darkness. Those who improve their condition will be rewarded and darkness and disgrace will never touch them. Quran says that God does not change good condition of people, who have improved themselves, to evil unless they change their own state of goodness.
Community the driver for change
Improvement in the human behavior is neither self acting nor a function of time. This improvement would be impossible without human cooperation and organization since cooperation is basic to human nature and organization of groups is basic to cooperation. Humans always form groups to solve their problems. These social groups give identity and support to their members and bring many insights that would be more difficult to stimulate by an individual
The improvement, which we discussed in the previous sections, happens when people, who believe in what God has sent towards them, cooperate and organize and strive to change their values and condition. This is what Quran calls; struggle against evil and collectively the people who drive this change are what the Quran calls, the community of believers.
Quran emphasizes that this community is the spirit behind the process of improvement and maintaining the state of goodness. The importance of this perspective in Quran demands that community must be given central importance in studying Quran. In other words, we consider the community of believers as the central theme of Quran and relate other subjects to this central theme. In the next section we discuss how this thematic approach helps us understand the message of Quran.
Thematic Approach in study of Quran
Quran bears a remarkable degree of thematic unity. This reflects the fundamental principle of ?Tawheed? or doctrine of unity in Quran. The use of this approach helps us to comprehend Quran?s message by avoiding pitfalls and misuse of phrases by picking them out of context.
This approach organizes subject matter around a unifying theme, thus, building them into a whole and enabling the readers to make important connections between them. A thematic approach more closely approximates the human experience of how things happen than looking at information in isolation.
A thematic approach offers many advantages.
It allows for a broad treatment of the subjects.
It provides the focus for understanding by giving a purpose and meaning.
It creates a need to inquire, to do purposeful research, to communicate, and to solve problems.
It provides a stimulating approach to see knowledge and concepts in larger contexts.Therefore, we have taken a thematic, rather than chronological approach - which examines the sequence of events -, approach to the study the Quran.
Some arguments favoring Community as the central theme
? All the Prophets were founders of communities. They invited the people of their era to join their community and to help improve their own conditions. They were often rejected but they demonstrated resilience and determination in leading their communities.
? Quran promotes a strong sense of Community by stating that God united the hearts of believers and this could not be achieved even by spending all the wealth of the earth.
? In Quran, God has directly addresses the community numerous times, including the following
O you who believe!
? Seek help in patience and prayers
? Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you
? Be afraid of God and give up what remains from usury, if you are believers
? When you contract a debt for fixed period, write it down.
? You are forbidden to inherit women against there will and you should not treat them with harshness
? Remember God with much remembrance.
NOTES AND REFERENCES
A theory that the universe and especially living nature is correctly seen in terms of interacting wholes (as of living organisms) that are more than the mere sum of elementary particles .
1845 And put forward to them the example of the life of this world, it is like the water (rain) which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, and becomes fresh and green. But later it becomes dry and broken pieces, which the winds scatter. And God is able to do everything.
786 - 16
913 ?O humankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another?.?
2137
1860-82
314
2266
1253
141 , 145, 579, 6511
2544 ?Or do you think most of them hear or understand? They are only like cattle; nay, they are even farther astray from the path?. 7179 ? They have hearts wherewith they understand not, they have eyes wherewith they see not, and they have ears wherewith they hear not. They are like cattle, nay even more astray; those! They are the heedless one.
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6122, 1316
1026
1311
Jihad
7181 ?and those whom we have created, there is a community who guides with the truth, and establishes justice therewith?. ?And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of God, and be not divided among yourself??..Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting all that is good, enjoining good things and forbidding bad things??you are the best community raised from the humankind, you enjoin good things and you stop from the bad things?.?
1148 ?It was said ?O Noah! Come down with peace from Us and blessings on you and on the people who are with you?..?
1098 was there any town that believed and its faith saved it? ? except the people of Yunus (PBUH); ??
6114 O you who believe! Be you like helpers of God as said Jesus (PBUH) son of Mary (PBUH) to the disciples ?who are my helpers in the cause of God? Disciples said ?We are God?s helpers?. Then a group of Children of Israel believed and a group disbelieved??
1158 and when our commandment came, we saved Hud and those who believed with him by a Mercy from Us, and we saved them from a severe torment.
863
We counted 88 times by using search.
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Peace pisces69,excellent analysis. !
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Quran tells us about our creation, our identities and also about our shortcomings as part of this reality. It tells us that humans are hasty, impatient, easily deceived by the beautiful things of this life, often ungrateful to their creator and that the human self is inclined to evil.
...hmmm.., a little intriguing. I've heard the word "hanif" for sometimes. It's used to refer to "the nature of human of being in the good path, doing the right thing". If someone knows about this, please enlighten me. So far, all I can understand is we have been given heart by God to judge between the good and the evil thing every time in our lives. Maybe this is why there's the word "hanif".
My point is, "hanif" is a little contradictive with what has been described. So, please enlighten me )