Sura Fatiha. Al’hamdu. Tafsir
in lieu of a tafsiir of suurah faatihah, with apologies
Copyright munir hassan February 2008
Salaamat wa Aadaab
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preliminary comments
1.
In the Qur’an there is:
1.1 Raf’: raf’u Muhammadinil khalqa ilal laahi: Nabi Muhammad elevates khalq/creation to the Divine/Ja’ba’ruut, Ma’la’kuut, Ramamuut… he makes creations problems Divinity’s primary concern.
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1.2 Raf’un min jaa’ni’bil laah muhammadan: Allah raises Muhammad to itself(himself) – for this Muhammad must have certain qualities that answer Divinity’s concern for the human crises.
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2. Ta’raf’fu: ta’raf’fu’u muhammadin naf’sa’hu bi aq’saa gha’yaa’til ju’huu’di i’lal laa’hi wa fil laa’hi: by the exertion of great efforts Nabi Muhammad gains proximity to the Divine and enters into Allah (you will notice here echoes of Mulla Sadra – As’faar Ar’ba’ah).
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In a separate blog i will write more on this aspect.
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2.
Which Muhammad is it that enters the throngs and proclaims the quran?
That Muhammad who [Muhammad zaakal lazii...] experienced hunger, thirst, poverty, orphan-hood, persecution, exclusion… i say that there is intense da’waam/dai’muu’mah, an ever-presence, an ever-experience, an ever-awareness of these pains in Muhammad.
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3.
A tafsiiri technique, an exegetical device, a hermeneutical method:
Is’tin’taa’qul qur’aani is’tin’taa’qan dhi’d’diy’yan;
Is’tiq’raa’ul qur’aani is’tiq’raa’an dhid’diy’yan;
Is’ti’maa-in’saat i’laa aswaatin mu’aa’ri’dhatin “fil” qur’aani;
In’taa’qul qur’aani in’taa’qan dhid’diy’yan.
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By the above i mean that within the quran there are present contrary, oppositional and adversarial voices and for a fuller, richer, comprehensive understanding and use of the quran (taking hidaayah) extracting these embedded, just below the surface contrary, oppositional and adversarial voices is crucial. It is a slow, demanding and meticulous labor.
Example 1 (ONE):
in suurah 68 qalam: verse 2 we hear:
“You are not by the grace of your Rabb/sustainer a madman/village idiot.”
By this technique we hear that mockery, propaganda, disinformation and misinformation against Muhammad was carried out. “You/he is mad!”… There must have been so much effort, guile, intelligence, persuasion… dedicated to categorizing Muhammad as a madman-village idiot that it required a Divine rebuttal.
Example 2 (TWO):
In verse 2 “al’Hamdu lil laa hi rab bil aa la miin(All praise is only for Allah/ I -Muhammad- praise only Allah)” this technique asks
1. whom do Muhammad’s adversaries praise.
2. what are the normative political implications of the to conflicting adversarial praises/hamds
I hope to make a separate blog-post demonstrating this technique with several aayah clusters.
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4.
Muhammad has multiple addressees -
imagine him, in Makkah, in Madiinah… perceptive of schemes and agendas from diverse and competing power blocks: Byzantium, Persia, Africa-Egypt, Daa’run Nad’wah(the Makkan oligarchy)… Muhammad with every proclamation of the Quran addresses their spies, scouts, touts, agent provocateurs, henchmen, assassins… – they are in the crowds, he knows some of them, they exchange glances, read each others body language… It is the “Churning of the Oceans” in the Seas of Sands.
Abu Sufyaan and company do not get audience with a Roman emperor for chit chat.
Was there a new world order in the making?
YES.
Was there a cold war and a struggle for spheres of influences between “Rome” and Persia and Egypt and Abyssinia and the Ashaabul Fiil?
YES.
Were there Arabs jockeying for positions? YES.
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5.
THOROUGH and RIGOROUS ESTABLISMENT of CONTEXT
Can you see Muhammad going out, careful, cautious, courageous… to do qi’raa’ah, a’zaan, of the ii’haa’, to let gush forth from his mouth the pure, heavenly, life- giving rain/tan’ziil, in’zaal, but prior to letting these Divine, Maternal Loving waters gush forth he had to ascend to Allah, into Allah and from within the depths of Allah itself drink this tan’ziil, in’zaal, internalize it, digest it, imbibe it. He, Muhammad, had to make it ka’laam, make it bearable, make it drinkable for mere mortals.
Muhammad had to descend into himself, he had to traverse himself, traverse those nearly infinite a’waa’lim/universes contained within him. Muhammad had to enter into khalq, into the past of humankind, the present of humankind, the diversity of humankind (Rabbil Aalamiin-peoples) internalize, feel, contain and comprehend… humanity’s many pains and sufferings.
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6.
What is ii’haa-in’zaal?
It is hi’daa’yah(al’qaa’ri’ah: suurah 93 verse 7) after exhaustive dha’laa’lah/intense search for truth, solutions to society’s crises… a search which takes the searcher/dhaall to the edge of life and the precipice of death, it is air, oxygen to the breathless, water to one on the verge of death, warmth for one who is to die of cold, it is a coolness, a steadfastness for one who is engulfed in an inferno
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7.
The Quran is primarily political, economic, social… its religion, its religiousness, is the result of its politics, the child of its politics.
Suurah Faatihah: – [Declaration? of an oppressed man in Makkah (the person of Muhammad is the votex-nexus of the mus'tadh'a'fuun -oppressed, abused, wronged... of all the Aalamiin, this is a key meaning of Khaa'ta'mun Na'biy'yiin ) ]- – -
[Faatihah: an effort at opening a new way for the opressed. Moosa leading the oppressed Banuu Israaiil from Egypt is a Faatihah]
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8.
Ii’haa’-Tan’ziil-In’zaal is the fruition of these extremely intense FORTY YEARS!!! in the forefront of battles.
Ii’haa’-Tan’ziil-In’zaal results in a Jibriil(ian) encounter reaching: hat’ta ba’la’gha [jib'rii'lu] min’nil juh’da [minnii(l): fi ma'nal maf'uu'l: semantically in the meaning of object].
“Iq’ra!”: go out and proclaim loudly to all and sundry – Jibriil
“maa a’n’a bi’qaa’ri’in” – Muhammad: Maa, that is, What is it that i must proclaim? How must i proclaim (in “maa” “kai’fa/how?” is explicit)? By what authority, what locus standi? By what strength? Under whose auspices? Under whose protection? Standing on whose platform/ at whose podium? Resting on whose shoulder(this refers to manner and physical form relating to delivery) do i proclaim?
i maulana munir hassan, maulawi, aalim, faazil deny that maa is inkaari, that is that Muhammad refuses for whatever reason to read or that Muhammad states that he is unlettered – i hold that Muhammad was highly literate, multi-lingual…
The intensity of enabling, empowering (taq’diir) Muhammad is so immense that it reaches the point – hat’ta ba’la’gha [ji'brii'lu] min’nil juh’da] – interpretive and explicatory translation: in order to reach the threshold of that capacity that i could receive, internalize, deliver, explain, implement ii’haa’ there was a mutual exertion to the extent that i [the total Muhammad] was near death, or experienced a death, and traversed beyond it.
***Sura Faatiha***
1. [0:zero/Foundation(DNA)] Bis mil laa hirr Rah maa nirr Ra hiim)
i, Maulana munir hassan, hold that “Bis mil laa … Ra him” is not a part of suurah faatihah.
Bismill laah is a unique independent unit of the quran, it is a sura on its own. it is the foundation of the quran. the acorn from which the vast oak of the quran grows, the DNA of a universal order of mercythe Big Bang of the universe of mercy.
2. [1.1] al Ham du lil laa hi Rab bil Aa la miin
3. [1.2] arr Rah maa nirr Ra hiim
4. [2] Maa li ki Yau midd Diin
5. [3] Iy yaa ka na’ bu du wa iy yaa ka nas ta iiin
6.1 [4.1] Ih di nas si raa tal mus ta qiim
6.2 [4.2] Si raa tal la zii na an am ta a lai him
6.3 [4.3] Ghai ril magh dhuu bi a lai him
6.4 [4.4] wa ladh dhaall liin
Tafsir by me Maulana munir hassan (maulawi, Aalim, Faazil,) Khaliifa Rashiid Maulana Saalih Salaahuddiin
1. [0:zero/F] Bis mil laa hirr Rah maa nirr Ra hiim)
The implied verb is generally taken as ”ab’ta’di’u: i begin with (bi: preposition, harf jaarr)” this is too great a limitation of the nature of the qi’raa’ah, ni’daa, of the quran. The implied verb can be “as’ta’ii’nu/as’tan’si’ru: i seek the help of Allah”, “as’ta’ii’zu: i seek the protection of Allah in this dangerous, perilous undertaking” – proclaiming the quran was/is intrinsically an extremely dangerous task, it unleashes chain reactions of hostility. It causes men to unsheathe swords, plot assassinations… The proclamation of the quran unites against its qaa’ri/ proclaimer, diverse, international, hostile forces.
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i see ism(mudhaaf) as an emphasis(ta’kiid) of Allah(the mudhaaf ilaihi) and its(ismul jalaalah/Allah’s) adjectives/sifaat of Rahmaan and Rahiim.
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With the invocation of the “Al’laah” Muhammad the orphan son of Aaminah and Abdullaah, yavana to others, rejects the authoritative basis and metaphysical sources legitimating any and all zulm since his Allah is Rahmaan-Rahiim. These, Rahmaan-Rahiim are the defining characteristics if Allah and hence Islam and Iimaan. Through the Bismillaah, Rahmaan-Rahiim permeate the entire quran, they are also variously mentioned in the quran.
2. [1.1] al Ham du lil laa hi Rab bil Aa la miin
Interpretive Translation:
all/every praise is only for Allah, the Provider, Nourisher, Caregiver, Lover… of ALL PEOPLES
i hold this “al Ham du … Aa la miin” to be the first verse of sura faatihah.
i hold bismillaah to be an independent, suura-esqe unit.
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al Hamdu lil laah: all/every praise is for Allah.
To say a praise of a thing, to find some particular thing praiseworthy is to like, to LOVE, that particular thing. Muhammad finds Allah praiseworthy and Allah announces himself praiseworthy “because” Allah in light of the qualities that are outlined and the normative demands that these qualities make is able to help the mus’tadh’a’fuun/the oppressed, the dhaal’luun/those pondering solutions of humanities sundry crises…
Muhammad says that “al’hamd” is for (“li”) Allah” to the exclusion of other things, not for A, B, C… these are not praiseworthy, in fact they are blameworthy and the sources, contributory factors and catalysts for our problems because they lack even an iota of Rahmaaniyyah-Rahiimiyyah…
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Why does “al’Hamdu lil laah” as “ii’haa-in’zaal” issue forth from Muhammad? -
“ii’haa-in’zaal” issues forth from Muhammad because of his absolute certainty(ya’qiin-ii’qaan) of the total unworthiness of all anti-Allahs (the anti-Allahs wage wage AGAINST ALLAH by waging wars against Naas(people), these wars are of various types: military, slavery, riba…) for any praise – they are not worthy for being followed and do not have the capacity(qudra/qadiir, quwwah/qawiyy) to extricate humanity from the doldrums, the sinking sand of gross drunkenness, widespread sexually transmitted infections, oppressive economic systems and monetary policies, individual and group arrogance… Importantly, this particular praiseworthy Allah must of necessity also have the capacity to, so-to-speak, withstand the verbal and physical blows that the Anti-Naas(people) monsters-mobsters will direct at Him through and in Her khalq-i’yaal/creation. He must have the ability, so-to-speak, to parry, shield, and strike back.
He must have qud’ra; shid’da; quw’wah; mir’saad; in’ti’qaam…
Note that key qualities and capabilities that warrant of praiseworthiness; … are given after mentioning the name of this praised[loved] being.
These are:
1. Rab bil Aa la miin
2. arr Rah maan
3. arr Ra hiim
4. Maa li ki Yau midd Diin
5. na’ bu du
6. nas ta iiin
7. Ih di naa – haadii
8. si raa t mus ta qiim
9. an am ta – mun’im
10. magh dhuu bi a lai him – ghaadhib[huzn]
11. dhaall liin – hat’miy’ya’tu dha’laa’la’til kaa’fir/ghair-mut’ta’bi – any who does not follow the guidance and carry out the demands (such as: “do not pimp young girls or boys into prostitution”, must of necessity, by definition, ab initio be errant)
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This HAMD is intensely political. At first ii’haa-in’zaal Muhammad has a FORTY YEAR!!! history of intense political, economic, social, cultural, military, intellectual, ethico-moral… contemplation, debate, argument, dialogue, observation, “chewing”, agony(dhaall), pain(dhaall), protest, – this point cannot be overemphasized.
By listening to the converse, the verso, the dhiddiyyah, of “2. [1.1] al Ham du lil laa hi Rab bil Aa la miin” we understand that Muhammad is in a most pronounced way expressing his and others’ discontent with the order obtaining in Arabia-Ruum-Persia-Egypt, also by public proclamation(iq’ra!, a’zaan/az’zin!) he is rallying others under the banner of discontent. His act of qiraa’ah(reading) and iq’raa(teaching others to read) catalyze discontent, Muhammad will later clearly and eloquently point out reasons for his and Allah’s discontent – the oppression of Allah’s family (al’khal’qu i’yaa lul laa’hi). Allah’s discontent is actually the divine taking into itself the pains, cries, sufferings…. of the oppressed
Muhammad’s praise-love is a declaration to heed that Allah is “Rabbul Aalamiin”, the sustainer, provider, cherisher, LOVER… of ALL humanity without discrimination on any grounds whatsoever – all Arab tribes, not just those who of recent (in Muhammad’s time) had become wealthy (was not Muhammad passed over by many a wet nurse), all classes and castes of Byzantine, Persian, Egyptian, Abbysianian societies.
This genitive construction “Rabbil Aalamiin” (mu’rak’kab i’zaa’fi) asks that the manufacture of hunger be dismantled, it asks that the food rights of the under-classes, the hungry-ed, the starved… be secured and executed.
“Rabbil Aalamiin” highlights that there were major environmental crises battering the world at Muhammad’s time, crises that “originate”, have history from the time of Aadam, Ibliis(human), Shaitaan(human)…
“Rabbil Aalamiin” tells us that there is something very wrong with the political, economic… values and systems and their underlying logic, that distribute food staples.
This genitive construction “Rabbil Aalamiin” has a motive force, it is a clear statement that all is not well in the family (i’yaal) of God, Allah’s children are hungry, starving and dying of hunger and Allah is totally unhappy about this, things must change. “Rabbil Aalamiin” is the beating of the drum of revolution(yu’gai’yi’ru-tagh’yiir).
With “Rabbil Aalamiin” Muhammad enfranchises the disenfranchised, all must eat, citizen or non-citizen, tribesman or not, mu’saa’fir, fu’qa’raa, ma’saa’kiin, ib’nus sa’biil(itinerant, migrant laborers) orphans and widows(they must not be prostituted)…
All these categories will need visiting but as a starting point all must eat.
It is the task, duty of nubuwwaah, risaalah through the qualities “na’dhiir-ba’shiir: constant vigilance”, to strategize the treatment of these problems, to solutioneer. Key aspects of strategy are embedded in Rahmaaniyyah-Rahiimiyyah and its demand upon Allah’s children.
“Rabbil Aalamiin” sustainer-cherisher-nourisher… of all people irrespective, is intensely green and verdant in connotation. Its locus in creation is nature: the water cycle, the sprouting of plants, pollination, fruit, cereal, vegetables, milk, honey, herbs… Nature is that holy of holies were men touch Divinity, interact directly with Divinity. Humankind by its engagement with nature and its manner of distributing the sustenance of Allah in nature show themselves as either ungrateful (Kaafir/Kafuur) or thankful and appreciative (Shaakir)
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3. [1.2] arr Rah maa nirr Ra hiim
arr’Rah’maan: [vibrant, loud] full of compassion, Allah who runs to the aid of her children, creation. Allah whose eyes are always watching Allah’s children, creation.
Allah who will strike with an iron fist any who harm her children, creation
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arr’Ra’hiim: [subtle, delicate, serene] always loving]
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All explanation, commentary of these two names cannot do justice to them. The qis’sah of Moses Muu’saa comes to mind: he saw a bird drink from the ocean and learnt that human knowledge is, in comparison to the knowledge of Allah, like the drop the bird drinks from the vast ocean.
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Islam-Ii’maan is based on these two qualities: Rah’maa’niy’yah and Ra’hii’miy’yah. They define Allah and the way of life, the sha’rii’ah (shariah) Allah calls to. Rah’maa’niy’yah and Ra’hii’miy’yah must permeate the economic, political, legal… order that Muslims create.
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To engage classical ka’laam – Rah’maa’niy’yah and Ra’hii’miy’yah are the absolutely necessary qualities (si’faat laazima). All other qualities are born from and by informed these qualities and must be interpreted through them. Because Allah is Rahmaan-Rahiim, Allah has Ilm, Kalaam, is Hayy…
Rah’maa’niy’yah and Ra’hii’miy’yah serve a heuristic and exegetic purpose.
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How does the human reach divinity?
How does humanity comprehend divinity?
How does humanity feel divinity, psychologically and physically?
All disciplines must be brought to the task of understanding arr’Ra’hiim and Ra’hii’miy’yah, arr’Rah’maan and Rah’maa’niy’yah,
Field investigation is also necessary in the human, animal… and plant worlds.
i will in a separate post explore their usage in the quran with reference to their conceptual links in quran.
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4. [3] Maa li ki Yau midd Diin
Maalik: absolute sovereign, absolute judge, he who owns judgment
Maalik: Allah who is able to judge, many times a person sits as a judge but is not really able to judge, he may have racial prejudice, awe or fear of the rich…. Allah does not have any of these defects hence she is able to judge and is the rightful judge.
Yau midd Diin: the day when ALL debts; ALL deeds… must be accounted for.
With “al’Hamdu lil laahi rabbil aalamiin” Muhammad announced a non-deference to the powers that be in Makkah(Mecca), Madiinah(Medina), Persia, “Rome” and his total dissatisfaction with their orders, and praised Allah and His order[Rabbil Aalamiin implying that all must eat (see part one/1, previous blog-post)].
Now with 4. [3] Maa li ki Yau midd Diin Muhammad announces to the oligarchy,
their sa’ha’ra, the ideologues of the status quo,
the muscle, the military which keeps the oligarchy in power
the Aristocrates, the gentry …
that their reign is not eternal
that indeed Allah will call them all to account. He shocks the pseudo-theists and pseudo-deists who pretend* that they believe in GOD and accountability to HER in this life, in death and after.
*(never forget that the munaafiq, the conman/woman, the smooth talker is always a key addressee throughout the quran)
Yau midd Diin denotes that all humankind’s actions will come to an end on an individual level and at various collective levels and ultimately at a grand collective level.
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5. [4] Iy yaa ka na’ bu du wa iy yaa ka nas ta iiin
In charting a new path Muhammad is of course asked “With whom are you going to ally yourself? You are not a powerful man (a’ziim, a’ziiz), Whose agenda are you going to promote?”
Muhammad’s response is that he really does chart a new path, his discontent which has been developing since childhood is not hollow. In using the plural -na’bu’du; nas’ta’iiin- Muhammad appeals to his audience to join him, the plural is for appeal. Muhammad demonstrates to his adversaries that he is serious in confronting them. These plurals also sift and test his audience, Are you serious about making a change?, then let us join together, we must of necessity form an um’mah, a purpose driven community (am’ma-ya’um’mu: to intend; to go to…;), a community built on compassion, guided by compassion…(umm: mother).
One Muhammad Iqbal said, “The Quran is a book that emphasizes ‘deed’ rather than ‘idea.’ “
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6.1 [5.1] Ih di nas si raa tal mus ta qiim
Muhammad, having carefully interrogated the agendas of Persia, Egypt, Ruum, Daa’run Nad’wa… knows well that these are not in the interests of the oppressed and suffering, the i’yaalul laah. The Allah explained above(Rah’maan, Rahiim, Maa li ki Yau midd Diin…) will show another way, a si’raat mus’ta’qiim.
as’Si’raa’tul Mus’ta’qiim: the way of integrity, honesty, morality, doing the right thing… which is in this world a very difficult way.
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The quraan is Muhammad’s attempt to find that other way – Laa shar’qiy’yun wa Laa ghar’biy’yun, to find shade under a tree that is Laa shar’qiy’yun wa Laa ghar’biy’yun.
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6.2 [5.2] Si raa tal la zii na an am ta a lai him
This aayah has a deep sense of history, in it Muhammad protests the present. There definitely must be, he means, past efforts of reformation. Humankind cannot have been totally silent in the face of various oppressions – zulm, zulumaat… One needs to go into the past and present of humanity, dig deep, very carefully peel of the whitewash, remove the distortions, then one meets jesus (ii’saa), moses (muu’saa), aaron (haa’ruun), noah (nuuh).
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6.3 [5.3] Ghai ril magh dhuu bi a lai him
Not the path of those against whom people are angry, this anger of the people results in the anger of Allah, arr Ra’hiim arr Rah’maan. The economic, social, political systems germinate anger in the hearts of the populace, the people, an’Naas.
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6.4 [5.4] wa ladh dhaall liin
those who, even though they see the harm that their policies wreck on humanity, are unheeding to the cries of the oppressed, the young girls raped as the booty of war, the cries of hunger… People of hard hearts, cruel women and men. They take joy in the suffering of the oppressed.
