A Qur'an-Alone Commentary (Sura 3)
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Ayat relevant to the issue are presented with my interpretations below. I intend to cover all the Qur'an and prove that it is all we need for our religious guidance.
?Allah, no god but He, the Everliving, the Self-subsisting by Whom all things subsist. He has revealed to you the Book with truth, verifying that which is before it, and He revealed the Taurat and the Injeel aforetime, a guidance for the people, and He sent the Furqan. Surely they who disbelieve in the communications of Allah they shall have a severe chastisement; and Allah is Mighty, the Lord of retribution.?
2-4
For each people, one God, one Book. It is the truth, verifying what came before (hence passing on the complete religion (see 53)), providing the guidance we need and the Criterion of right and wrong. We must believe and follow the Qur?an.
?He it is Who has revealed the Book to you; some of its verses are decisive, they are the basis of the Book, and others are allegorical; then as for those in whose hearts there is perversity they follow the part of it which is allegorical, seeking to mislead and seeking to give it interpretation. but none knows its interpretation except Allah, and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge say We believe in it, it is all from our Lord; and none do mind except those having understanding.?
7
The commandments of the Qur?an are clear and detailed. Other ayat are less clear but are not necessary for our salvation.
?Our Lord! make not our hearts to deviate after Thou hast guided us aright, and grant us from Thee mercy; surely Thou art the most liberal Giver.?
8
When we understand the Qur?an, it is all that we need.
?Indeed there was a sign for you in the two hosts met together in encounter; one party fighting in the way of Allah and the other unbelieving, whom they saw twice as many as themselves with the sight of the eye and Allah strengthens with His aid whom He pleases; most surely there is a lesson in this for those who have sight.?
13
The Qur?an provides numerous examples (1854). Only those who are not satisfied with the Message will need to know more.
?Allah bears witness that there is no god but He, and the angels and those possessed of knowledge, maintaining His creation with justice; there is no god but He, the Mighty, the Wise. Surely the religion with Allah is Islam, and those to whom the Book had been given did not show opposition but after knowledge had come to them, out of envy among themselves; and whoever disbelieves in the communications of Allah then surely Allah is quick in reckoning. But if they dispute with you, say I have submitted myself entirely to Allah and every one who follows me; and say to those who have been given the Book and the unlearned people Do you submit yourselves? So if they submit then indeed they follow the right way; and if they turn back, then upon you is only the delivery of the message and Allah sees the servants.?
18-20
The Shahada ?I bear witness that there is no god but Allah. I submit to the Lord of the Universe (Who has revealed the Qur?an through Muhammad).? The Book contains the knowledge that we need for guidance, but it is not enough for disbelievers.
?Those are they whose works shall become null in this world as well as the hereafter, and they shall have no helpers.?
22
No intercession is provided (or guaranteed) on the Day of Judgement).
?Have you not considered those who are given a portion of the Book? They are invited to the Book of Allah that it might decide between them, then a part of them turn back and they withdraw.?
23
The Book is the Criterion of right and wrong.
?Say If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your faults, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. Say Obey Allah and the Messenger; but if they turn back, then surely Allah does not love the unbelievers.?
31-32
There is a distinction between ?following Muhammad (SAW)? as a community leader and ?obeying Allah and the Messenger?. Muhammad (SAW) is to be obeyed because he is a believer in what is being revealed and he judges by it (see notes for 2124). Hence we are expected to follow suit. To ?obey Allah and the Messenger? is to obey one source. See 820
?O you who believe! obey Allah and His Messenger and do not turn back from Him while you hear.?
The phrase ?while you hear? suggests that to obey Allah and His Messenger is to obey the Revelation. See 2451
?The response of the believers, when they are invited to Allah and His Messenger that he may judge between them, is only to say We hear and we obey; and these it is that are the successful.?
If ?Allah and His Messenger? means that Muhammad (SAW) is to judge between people, this judgement must certainly be based on the Qur?an since Allah (SWT) does not consult Muhammad (SAW) regarding decision-making. The first ayah of sura 9 declares that an ultimatum is issued from Allah (SWT) and His Messenger. We know that the verses about the ultimatum are entirely from Allah (SWT) because He does not consult Muhammad about the ultimatum. Muhammad?s (SAW) only mission was to deliver Allah?s (SWT) Message (1635, 2454). Thus, the reason that Allah (SWT) included the Messenger in 91 is because he participated as deliverer of the ultimatum. Similarly, because people received Allah?s (SWT) Message through Messengers, they were ordered to obey the Messengers. This is repeated in 93. We also know that the Quran is a permanent messenger (6511), and that the Qur?an is a reminder and deliverer of good news (414, 112).
?There did Zakariya pray to his Lord; he said My Lord! grant me from Thee good offspring; surely Thou art the Hearer of prayer.?
38
?Allah hears those who call on Him.?
?This is of the announcements relating to the unseen which We reveal to you; and you were not with them when they cast their pens which of them should have Marium in his charge, and you were not with them when they contended one with another.?
44
Muhammad (SAW) knows of the ?unseen? only that which is disclosed to him (via Revelation) (7188, 469). 7226-28 states that Allah (SWT) does not reveal the unseen to anyone except to whom he chooses as Messenger. The ?unseen? here is specified in 7227 to be the Message (Qur?an).
?And He will teach him the Book and the wisdom and the Taurat and the Injeel.?
48
We know that both the Taurat and Injeel are (in part) the Book (differentiated from that in 8521-22 containing all of mankind?s deeds (3511)), whilst the wisdom is granted by Allah (SWT) and is contained within the Qur?an (1739, 3334, 362, 434, 4363, 545).
?And a messenger to the children of Israel That I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I determine for you out of dust like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird with Allah's permission and I heal the blind and the leprous, and bring the dead to life with Allah's permission and I inform you of what you should eat and what you should store in your houses; most surely there is a sign in this for you, if you are believers. And a verifier of that which is before me of the Taurat and that I may allow you part of that which has been forbidden t you, and I have come to you with a sign from your Lord therefore be careful of Allah and obey me.?
49-50
Allah (SWT) declares what is right and wrong (allowed and forbidden). Messengers enjoin it on their peoples by delivering and following the Message (also see 260-61). Isa (SAW) is instructing people to obey him, and thus obeying the Messenger does not require any source beyond the Book or else Christians could not obey Isa?s (SAW) true Message today (they have no ahadith beyond the Injeel).
?Our Lord! we believe in what Thou hast revealed and we follow the messenger, so write us down with those who bear witness.?
53
Following the Messenger is obeying the Message.
?And when Allah said O Isa, I am going to terminate the period of your stay and cause you to ascend unto Me and purify you of those who disbelieve and make those who follow you above those who disbelieve to the day of resurrection; then to Me shall be your return, so l will decide between you concerning that in which you differed.?
55
Following the Messenger is obeying the Message.
?This We recite to you of the communications and the wise reminder.?
58
The Message contains ?the wisdom?.
?Ibrahim was not a Jew nor a Christian but he was upright , a Muslim, and he was not one of the polytheists. Most surely the nearest of people to Ibrahim are those who followed him and this Prophet and those who believe and Allah is the guardian of the believers.?
67-68
Ibrahim (SAW) was a good example, and so was Muhammad (SAW) (see 3321).
?O followers of the Book! Why do you disbelieve in the communications of Allah while you witness ? O followers of the Book! Why do you confound the truth with the falsehood and hide the truth while you know? And a party of the followers of the Book say Avow belief in that which has been revealed to those who believe, in the first part of the day, and disbelieve at the end of it, perhaps they go back on their religion. And do not believe but in him who follows your religion. Say Surely the guidance is the guidance of Allah-- that one may be given the like of what you were given; or they would contend with you by an argument before your Lord. Say Surely grace is in the hand of Allah, He gives it to whom He pleases; and Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing.?
70-73
The truth is in the Book alone. Believing it in one part of the day but not another is like praying silently in Dhuhr and Asr salaat despite us being ordered to keep it moderate (17110). Guidance comes from Allah (SWT) and is contained in the Qur?an.
?Most surely there is a party amongst those who distort the Book with their tongue that you may consider it to be of the Book, and they say, It is from Allah, while it is not from Allah, and they tell a lie against Allah whilst they know.?
78
Divine law and the Word of Allah (SWT) must come from the Qur?an.
?It is not meet for a mortal that Allah should give him the Book and the wisdom and prophethood, then he should say to men Be my servants rather than Allah's; but rather Be worshippers of the Lord because of your teaching the Book and your reading .?
79
Obeying the Message through the Messenger is obeying Allah (SWT) (480). People are expected to read and teach the Book themselves and not to worship Messengers.
?And neither would he enjoin you that you should take the angels and the prophets for lords; what! would he enjoin you with unbelief after you are Muslims??
80
Do not in any way set up angels or prophets as equals (or associates) of Allah (SWT). Worship is for Allah (SWT) alone (6162, 2014).
?And when Allah made a covenant through the prophets Certainly what I have given you of the Book and the wisdom-- then a messenger comes to you verifying that which is with you, you must believe in him, and you must aid him. He said Do you affirm and accept My compact in this ? They said We do affirm. He said Then bear witness, and I am of the bearers of witness with you.?
81
The wisdom comes from Allah (SWT) and is in the Qur?an (1739, 3334, 362, 434, 4363, 545).
?Say We believe in Allah and what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Ibrahim and Ismail and Ishaq and Yaqoub and the tribes, and what was given to Musa and Isa and to the prophets from their Lord; we do not make any distinction between any of them, and to Him do we submit.?
Islam was passed down via Ibrahim (SAW). The Message as revealed by Allah (SWT) through the Messengers is unchanged and all that we need for guidance (238-39, 2951). We should not make distinction amongst Messengers.
?How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their believing and they had borne witness that the Messenger was true and clear arguments had come to them; and Allah does not guide the unjust people.?
86
We are ordered to follow the Message alone. The Message is clear and complete (6154, 7145).
?All food was lawful to the children of Israel except that which Israel had forbidden to himself, before the Taurat was revealed. Say Bring then the Taurat and read it, if you are truthful. Then whoever fabricates a lie against Allah after this, these it is that are
the unjust. Say Allah has spoken the truth, therefore follow the religion of Ibrahim, the upright one; and he was not one of the polytheists.?93-94
We should not create religious laws contradictory to the Qur?an nor prohibit that which is not prohibited by Allah (SWT) via the Message. His is the final Word, unchanged since Ibrahim (SAW).
?But how can you disbelieve while it is you to whom the communications of Allah are recited, and among you is His Messenger? And whoever holds fast to Allah, he indeed is guided to the right path.?
101
The communications of Allah (SWT) are Revelation. The Messenger is amongst the people and hence they will receive the Revelation. Whoever holds fast to the Message given by the Messenger holds fast to Allah (480).
?And hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited, and remember the favor of Allah on you when you were enemies, then He united your hearts so by His favor you became brethren; and you were on the brink of a pit of fire, then He saved you from it, thus does Allah make clear to you His communications that you may follow the right way.?
103
Allah (SWT) makes clear his communications by example (1854).
?And from among you there may be a party who invite to good and enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong, and these it is that shall be successful. And be not like those who became divided and disagreed after clear arguments had come to them, and these it is that shall have a grievous chastisement.?
104-105
The leaders/wise people are those who proclaim the Message and enact divine laws. Communities should never be divided because the Qur?an and its guidance are clear.
?These are the communications of Allah which We recite to you with truth, and Allah does not desire any injustice to the creatures.?
108
The communications of the Qur?an are truth.
?Ye are the best community that hath been raised up for mankind. Ye enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency; and ye believe in Allah. And if the People of the Scripture had believed it had been better for them. Some of them are believers; but most of them are evil-livers.?
110
Believers are the best people raised up for mankind because they enjoin correct conduct according to the Message. Anyone who believes will follow suit.
?They are not all alike; of the followers of the Book there is an upright party; they recite Allah's communications in the nighttime and they adore . They believe in Allah and the last day, and they enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong and they strive with one another in hastening to good deeds, and those are among the good.?
113-114
Believers are those who believe in the Message, and not just follow their orders (although they are rewarded for their deeds) (4914). The enjoining of what is right and the forbidding of what is wrong is the not the exclusive right of the Messenger since it is done by obeying the Message.
?O you who believe! do not take for intimate friends from among others than your own people; they do not fall short of inflicting loss upon you; they love what distresses you; vehement hatred has already appeared from out of their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater still; indeed, We have made the communications clear to you, if you will understand.?
118
The instructions of the Qur?an are clear.
?Lo! you are they who will love them while they do not love you, and you believe in the Book the whole of it; and when they meet you they say We believe, and when they are alone, they bite the ends of their fingers in rage against you. Say Die in your rage; surely Allah knows what is in the breasts.?
119
We must believe in the whole Book (and therefore not claim that some ayat abrogate others).
?And obey Allah and the Messenger, that you may be shown mercy.?
132
See notes for 331-32.
?And those who when they commit an indecency or do injustice to their souls remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their faults-- and who forgives the faults but Allah, and do not knowingly persist in what they have done.?
135
It is not necessary to ask Muhammad (SAW) to ask forgiveness for one?s sins.
?Indeed there have been examples before you; therefore travel in the earth and see what was the end of the rejecters.?
137
There are good examples alongside some bad examples. The Qur?an contains all relevant examples (1854).
?This is a clear statement for men, and a guidance and an admonition to those who guard . And be not infirm, and be not grieving, and you shall have the upper hand if you are believers. If a wound has afflicted you, a wound like it has also afflicted the people; and We bring these days to men by turns, and that Allah may know those who believe and take witnesses from among you; and Allah does not love the unjust.?
138-140
The Qur?an is a clear statement, a guidance and an admonition for the true believers. Those who embrace and follow Islam properly will not be in a state of dejection (except by turns).
?And Muhammad is no more than a messenger; the messengers have already passed away before him; if then he dies or is killed will you turn back upon your heels? And whoever turns back upon his heels, he will by no means do harm to Allah in the least and Allah will reward the grateful.?
144
Muhammad (SAW) was nothing more than a Messenger and a plain warner (7184). If Muhammad (SAW) had died then Islam would be unchanged and still be able to be practiced.
?We will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve, because they set up with Allah that for which He has sent down no authority, and their abode is the fire, and evil is the abode of the unjust.?
151
Establishing religious mandates never authorised by Allah (SWT) is an offence.
?Thus it is due to mercy from Allah that you deal with them gently, and had you been rough, hard hearted, they would certainly have dispersed from around you; pardon them therefore and ask pardon for them, and take counsel with them in the affair; so when you have decided, then place your trust in Allah; surely Allah loves those who trust.?
159
Muhammad (SAW) is commanded to deal gently and justly as well as to consult his followers during the making of practical (non-Revelational) decisions.
?Certainly Allah conferred a benefit upon the believers when He raised among them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting to them His communications and purifying them, and teaching them the Book and the wisdom, although before that they were surely in manifest error.?
164
See notes for 2128-129.
?On no account will Allah leave the believers in the condition which you are in until He separates the evil from the good; nor is Allah going to make you acquainted with the unseen, but Allah chooses of His messengers whom He pleases; therefore believe in Allah and His messengers; and if you believe and guard , then you shall have a great reward.?
179
Allah (SWT) does not disclose the unseen to believers (except Revelation (7226-2).
? who said Surely Allah has enjoined us that we should not believe in any messenger until he brings us an offering which the fire consumes. Say Indeed, there came to you messengers before me with clear arguments and with that which you demand; why then did you kill them if you are truthful? But if they reject you, so indeed were rejected before you messengers who came with clear arguments and scriptures and the illuminating book.?
183-184
Muhammad (SAW) is only another Messenger. Each Messenger brings clear signs with scriptures containing the path to salvation.
?And when Allah made a covenant with those who were given the Book You shall certainly make it known to men and you shall not hide it; but they cast it behind their backs and took a small price for it; so evil is that which they buy.?
187
The word for ?make it known? (proclaim) is ?litubayyena?. This is similar to the word used for ?proclaim? in 1644
?With clear arguments and scriptures; and We have revealed to you the Reminder that you may proclaim to men what has been revealed to them, and that haply they may reflect.?
However, some scholars opted the irrelevant and alternate meaning for the word in 1644 by claiming that it means ?explain?. If the Qur?an is a clear Message explained by Allah (SWT) (7519) then it is impossible for someone to claim that ayah 44 of sura 16 tells Muhammad (SAW) to explain it. He was only a plain warner (7184).
?Most surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day there are signs for men who understand.?
190
An example of a clear sign from the Book.
?Our Lord! surely we have heard a preacher calling to the faith, saying Believe in your Lord, so we did believe; Our Lord! forgive us therefore our faults, and cover our evil deeds and make us die with the righteous. Our Lord! and grant us what Thou hast promised us by Thy messengers; and disgrace us not on the day of resurrection; surely Thou dost not fail to perform the promise.?
193-194
An example of following the Messenger by obeying the Message.