Quran and Exegesis

Divine help comes from God alone; every kind of help, whether direct or through an intermediary, ultimately comes from Him. In the verse from al-Baqarah, patience and prayer are presented as means of seeking God’s help. The verse from al-Mā’idah also enjoins cooperation in goodness and God-consciousness, thereby sanctioning this kind of mutual assistance. Recognising that all means of help are ultimately from God guards against shirk.

The phrase “Glory be to Him who placed His treasures between the kāf and the nūn” alludes to the letters kāf and nūn in the verse «كن فيكون». It expresses the inner reality of the Divine Will, which is embodied in God’s Most Beautiful Names, from which all existence has come forth.

Although Adam repented, his descent to earth did not mean a loss of spiritual rank. Rather, it offered an opportunity for growth and elevation through divine guidance, strengthened faith, and righteous deeds. The verse emphasizes that those who follow God’s guidance will have no fear, nor will they grieve.

The verse «لکل امة جعلنا منسکا» does not endorse the freedom to choose one’s religion. Rather, it affirms the authenticity of Islam and its acceptance by God, with the wilayah of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) at its heart. A narration from Imam Musa al-Kazim (AS) also supports this interpretation, identifying the “manasik” with the Imam.

In the Holy Quran, the phrase “هَٰذَا مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ” refers to the quarrel between two men—one of Moses’ followers and the other his enemy—not to Moses’ killing of the Egyptian. This interpretation is based on a report from Imam al-Rida (AS), related in al-Ma’mun’s court.

The trials of prophets and believers are part of divine guidance: a form of special providential attention and a distinct classroom. The trials of prophets transcend general mercy and belong among the ranks and honors bestowed by God. For prophets, tribulation is a means of elevation; for the friends of God, it is an honor. The greater the reward, the greater the trial.

The fish in the story of Jonah (AS) was specifically chosen by God to carry out a divine purpose, and it fulfilled its task perfectly. The choice of a fish gives the manifestation of the divine miracle a distinctive quality: the fish that became Jonah’s moving prison also became his place of worship and the setting for his repentance and supplication, before finally bringing him to the shore of safety.

The prayer of Prophet Jonah (AS), mentioned in the Qur’an, has become one of the most renowned prayers associated with an answer to supplication because of its distinctive qualities. Offered in his deepest distress and accompanied by an admission of wrongdoing, it brings together the affirmation of God’s oneness, glorification of Him, and a plea for help. Numerous narrations emphasise the importance and effects of this intimate prayer, describing it as a key to drawing near to God and the most beautiful supplication of those who repent.

The deeds of unbelievers, even when they appear good, are deemed invalid and without effect because they lack a foundation in monotheism and sound belief. Such deeds may be superficial, incomplete, self-serving, or performed without sincere devotion to God; alternatively, they may lose their worth because of rejecting the authority of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) or committing what is forbidden. Islam rests on five foundations, and wilayah is the key to them all; without it, deeds are but scattered dust.

In the Qur’an, a “generous reward” is one bestowed with special love, unstinting generosity, exceptional grace and abundance; it is usually accompanied by forgiveness and blessing. A “great reward” also conveys intensity and power, in addition to divine grace, and the Qur’an can speak of a great punishment as well. It does not describe punishment as “generous” in this way. Every generous reward is great, but not every great reward is necessarily generous.

When the prophets in Sūrat Yā Sīn say, «مَا عَلَيْنَا إِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ» (“Our duty is only to deliver the message clearly”), they are not saying that this is their sole proof; rather, it is one part of their argument. Commentaries cite reports of debates in which the prophets established the truth of their mission through miracles—for example, restoring sight to the blind and healing the bedridden. These reports show that the prophets also used miracles to affirm their prophethood.

God’s greeting of peace to John (SA) at three stages—his birth, death, and resurrection—expresses divine care, grace, security, and well-being; on its own, however, it does not indicate infallibility, since this greeting also extends to the faithful. Jesus, son of Mary, likewise invoked peace upon himself at these stages.

The existence of the Hereafter can be established through rational and Quranic arguments. Rational arguments include the instinct for survival, sleep and wakefulness, the renewal of nature, and the course of the universe. The Quranic verses also explicitly affirm resurrection, the reward of the righteous in Paradise, and the punishment of the disbelievers in Hell, and describe them as everlasting.

Describing Paradise with material blessings such as gold and pearls is a way of appealing to hearts drawn to worldly things, while reminding us of the far greater and unimaginable delights of the hereafter. In Paradise, these blessings bring a joy beyond the fleeting pleasures of this world, and serve as good news for those who worship God in hope of reward. Yet the greatest blessing is God’s good pleasure.

The Qur’an’s combination of anthropomorphic language and divine transcendence holds a mystery rooted in tawhid. Anthropomorphic language serves as a bridge for reflection and spiritual journeying toward God. Such language belongs to the category of ambiguous verses and must be understood in light of the clear, decisive verses. The sound doctrine of tawhid is the one set out in the Qur’an: neither absolute negation nor likening God to created beings, but affirmation of God’s existence and attributes without resemblance to creation.

The apparent difference between the accounts of the creation of the earth and the heavens in Sūrat al-Baqara and Sūrat al-Nāziʿāt is resolved by reference to exegetical reports. According to these reports, God first created the earth, then formed the heavens, and finally spread out the earth. Thus, the verse «و الأرض بعد ذلک دحاها» means that the earth was spread out after the heavens were created, not that it was created then.

In the verse “کل شیء أحصیناه فی إمام مبین,” “احصاء” means recording something quantitatively and qualitatively, with all its calculations and attributes; providing a complete and precise record, down to every nuance and subtlety; making a comprehensive and complete record of it in knowledge; and encompassing and mastering it in all its general and particular details. The Clear Imam is the very reality of the wilayah of the Immaculate Imams, peace be upon them, in whom the knowledge of all things is encompassed.

Lady Maryam’s (SA) wish for death in the verse «يا ليتني مت قبل هذا وكنت نسيا منسيا» was a heartfelt cry for help and refuge, and a sorrowful plea for the Lord’s special grace. This expression of helplessness was a knocking at the door of divine mercy and a way of seeking His response and special attention—not a sign of weak trust in God or a contradiction of contentment with His decree.

Reports describe writing Qur’anic passages and drinking them for healing, but these practices are said to involve particular principles and mysteries and to require expertise. God is the true Healer; no remedy can be effective without His permission. The Qur’an itself is a healing for what is in the hearts, and a guidance and mercy for the believers.

In verse 6 of Sūrat al-Furqān, “secret” refers to anything hidden from sight and beyond the reach of the senses, intellect, perception, time, and place. This “secret” has a special connection to the Qur’an: what remains hidden from creation in the Qur’an is far greater than what is manifest and apparent. The Qur’an is God’s secret, revealed to us only to the extent that He wills.