Transliteration:( Afalaa yatadabbaroonal Qur'aan; wa law kaana min 'indi ghairil laahi la wajadoo fee ikhtilaafan kaseeraa )
261. Reflection, consideration and deliberation over the verses of the Holy QURAN is in itself an act of worship. According to the learned scholars of Islam to recite one verse with proper understanding is far better than reciting a thousand verses without any understanding.
Discussion about the QURAN, looking at the QUR'AN with reverence to reflect and ponder over the verses of the QURAN are all acts of worship. However, it should be remembered that every Tom, Dick and Harry do,es not have the right and capacity to reflect and comment on the issues in the QURAN.
Once this happens the Religion of Islam will be distorted and destroyed. If an ignorant begins to give personal opinions in medical matters and starts prescribing treatment, he will be a threat to people's lives.
Likewise, if he begins to delve in QURANIC issues he will be a threat to people's Faith. It should also be remembered that the reflection and deliberation on the QURAN differs from person to person.
The purpose of deliberation on the QUR'AN by the jurists should be to extract laws of Religion. The Sufis (Saints) should extract Divine hidden mysteries from it; the learned scholars should extract the wisdom behind religious laws, while the common people should ponder over the QURAN to revitalize their faith.
Every person should not attempt to dive into the ocean.
262. By "discrepancy" is meant that its prophecies would not be accurate and based on truth; or that some of its verses would be eloquent and of good literary style while others would be of poor quality thereby bringing about inconsistencies in the verses.
From this we learn that there are no inconsistencies in the verses of the QURAN, and if one does find any inconsistencies in the verses it is due to our own lack of knowledge and understanding.
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82. Do they not then consider the Qur’an carefully Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely, have found therein contradictions in abundance. 83. When there comes to them some matter touching (public) safety or fear, they make it known (among the people); if only they had referred it to the Messenger or to those charged with authority among them, the proper investigators would have understood it from them (directly). Had it not been for the grace and mercy of Allah upon you, you would have followed Shaytan, except a few of you.
Allah commands them to contemplate about the Qur’an and forbids them from ignoring it, or ignoring its wise meanings and eloquent words. Allah states that there are no inconsistencies, contradictions, conflicting statements or discrepancies in the Qur’an, because it is a revelation from the Most-Wise, Worthy of all praise. Therefore, the Qur’an is the truth coming from the Truth, Allah. This is why Allah said in another Ayah,
(Do they not then think deeply in the Qur’an, or are their hearts locked up (from understanding it)) Allah then said,
(Had it been from other than Allah,) meaning, had it been fraudulent and made up, as the ignorant idolators and hypocrites assert in their hearts,
(they would surely, have found therein contradictions), discrepancies and inconsistencies,
(in abundance). However, this Qur’an is free of shortcomings, and therefore, it is from Allah. Similarly, Allah describes those who are firmly grounded in knowledge,
(We believe in it, all of it is from our Lord.)(3:7) meaning, the Muhkam sections (entirely clear) and the Mutashabih sections (not entirely clear) of the Qur’an are all true. So they understand the not entirely clear from the clear, and thus gain guidance. As for those in whose heart is the disease of hypocrisy, they understand the Muhkam from the Mutashabih; thus only gaining misguidance. Allah praised those who have knowledge and criticized the wicked. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Amr bin Shu`ayb said that his father said that his grandfather said, “I and my brother were present in a gathering, which is more precious to me than red camels. My brother and I came and found that some of the leaders of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah were sitting close to a door of his. We did not like the idea of being separate from them, so we sat near the room. They then mentioned an Ayah and began disputing until they raised their voices. The Messenger of Allah was so angry that when he went out his face was red. He threw sand on them and said to them,
(Behold, O people! This is how the nations before you were destroyed, because of their disputing with their Prophets and their contradicting parts of the Books with other parts. The Qur’an does not contradict itself. Rather, it testifies to the truth of itself. Therefore, whatever of it you have knowledge in, then implement it, and whatever you do not know of it, then refer it to those who have knowledge in it. )†Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr said, “I went to the Messenger of Allah one day. When we were sitting, two men disputed about an Ayah, and their voices became loud. The Prophet said,
(Verily, the nations before you were destroyed because of their disagreements over the Book.) Muslim and An-Nasa’i recorded this Hadith.
Allah said,
(When there comes to them some matter touching (public) safety or fear, they make it known (among the people);) chastising those who indulge in things before being sure of their truth, disclosing them, making them known and spreading their news, even though such news might not be true at all. In the introduction to his Sahih, Imam Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet said,
(Narrating everything one hears is sufficient to make a person a liar.) This is the same narration collected by Abu Dawud in the section of Adab (manners) in his Sunan. In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Al-Mughirah bin Shu`bah said that the Messenger of Allah prohibited, “It was said,†and, “So-and-so said.†This Hadith refers to those who often convey the speech that people utter without investigating the reliability and truth of what he is disclosing. The Sahih also records,
(Whoever narrates a Hadith while knowing it is false, then he is one of the two liars (who invents and who spreads the lie).) We should mention here the Hadith of `Umar bin Al-Khattab collected in the Two Sahihs. When `Umar was informed that the Messenger of Allah divorced his wives, he came from his house, entered the Masjid and found the people talking about this news. He could not wait and went to the Prophet to ask him about what had truly happened, asking him, “Have you divorced your wives†The Prophet said, “No.†`Umar said, “I said, Allahu Akbar…†and mentioned the rest of the Hadith. In the narration that Muslim collected, `Umar said, “I asked, `Have you divorced them’ He said, `No.’ So, I stood by the door of the Masjid and shouted with the loudest voice, `The Messenger of Allah did not divorce his wives.’ Then, this Ayah was revealed,
(When there comes to them some matter touching (public) safety or fear, they make it known (among the people), if only they had referred it to the Messenger or to those charged with authority among them, the proper investigators would have understood it from them (directly).) So I properly investigated that matter.†This Ayah refers to proper investigation, or extraction of matters from their proper resources. Allah’s statement,
(you would have followed Shaytan except a few of you. ) refers to the believers, as `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas.
111. The main reason for the attitude of the hypocrites and lukewarm believers was their lack of conviction that the Qur’an came from God. They did not believe that the Prophet (peace be on him) had received the messages and directives that he preached from God Himself. Hence, when they are censured for their hypocritical conduct, they are told that they do not reflect upon the Qur’an. For the Qur’an itself is a strong, persuasive testimony to its divine origin. It is inconceivable that any human being should compose discourses on different subjects under different circumstances and on different occasions, and that the collection of those discourses should then grow into a coherent, homogeneous and integrated work, no component of which is discordant with the others. It is also inconceivable that such a work would be permeated through and through with a uniform outlook and attitude, a work reflecting a remarkable consistency in the mood and spirit of its Author, and a work too mature ever to need revision.
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