Qur’ān kee Pehli Surah: Al-Fatiha aur Aakhri 30 Surahs
Dr. Irfan Ahmad Khan
Tr. (Hindi): Syyed Mansoor Agha
Published by
Qur’ān Foundation, D-82, Abul Fazl Enclave, Jamia Nagar,
New Delhi-110025, India,
in collaboration with
The Association for Understanding Qur’ān, U.S.A.
Distributors:
MMI Publishers, D-307- Dawat Nagar, Abul Fazl Enclave,
New Delhi-110025
and
Islamic Book Foundation, 1781, Hauz Suiwalan, New Delhi-110002
Year: 2012
Pages: 208
Price: Rs. 100
Reviewed by ABU SYED
The book is a compilation by Syyed Mansoor Agha in easy-to-follow Hindi from two books, “Insight into the Qur’ān, Reflections upon Divine Signs” and “An Exercise in Understanding the Qur’ān; An outline study of last thirty Divine Discourses,” authored by Dr. Irfan Ahmad Khan.
Prof Khan (b.1931) is a science graduate. He excelled in classical Arabic and Qur’ānic studies at Sanwi Darsgah, Rampur. He took his Master’s degree in philosophy (1958) and taught Western Philosophy, Indian religions and Muslim Theology at AMU, Aligarh (1958-1973). He was on board of Editors of a well reputed magazine Islamic Thought. In 1974 he moved to the USA to pursue his Ph.D. from Illinois University and later taught Western and Islamic Philosophy in various institutions there.
A founding trustee of the Parliament of World’s Religions and International Committee for Peace Council and the founding President of World Council of Muslims of Interfaith Relations and Interfaith Engagement Project, he is at present Director of the Association for Qur’ānic Understanding. The two books he authored on Qur’ān have been well received all over the world by eminent scholars with interest in the Divine Book.
Prof. Mahmood Ghazi, former President, International Islamic University, Islamabad comments, “Based on half a century’s study and reflections, the author got in line with recent trends in Qur’ānic Exegesis, a new method for Qur’ānic understanding, and combines it with the result of his enquiries in thematic structure of the Qur’ānic Surahs. It is the combination that the uniqueness of the book lies in.”
“Professor Khan’s interpretive approach supported by his penetrating explorations of the inner harmony of the Qur’ān is of remarkable importance. His passionate devotion to Qur’ānic truth has led him deeply into the relationship with the text that transcends textual analysis. He proposes a relationship between the reader and the Qur’ānic Text that has the enticing power to draw out the full engagement of the seeker of guidance in inspired understanding of the revelation,” wrote Stephen Young, Global Executive Director, Caux Round Table.
Professor Joseph Elder, Department of Languages and Cultures of Asia, University of Wisconsin, USA admired his work and wrote, “Dr. Khan’s path breaking contribution helps understanding the Qur’ānic texts with one’s own mind. To him, for example, the command to honour orphans includes honouring all alienated and marginalised. It is a remarkable achievement for which readers will be deeply grateful.”
Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan, Editor Milli Gazette and a prominent scholar of Arabic,wrote, “Here is a book that does not awe inspire by its scholarly erudition. This book becomes unique in the sense that it discourages the reader to be spoon-fed. On the contrary, it warns the reader … And remember: Allah will not appreciate if other people’s understanding of the Divine Text is, all the time, standing between you and the Divine Speech (Kalam Allah) which Allah wants you to listen with your own ears and understand with your own aql” (p. 3).
“In the Salah, there is a communication in which the devotee is the speaker and Allah the listener with no one in between to interpret (and intervene); so must be in the recitation of Qur’ān in which Allah is the speaker and reader the learner. Why should there be an intermediary” Dr. Irfan Khan argues.
Dr. Irfan Khan writes, “We can help each other in understanding the book better but no one has the ability to communicate with us like Allah Himself. Exhorting devotees to directly connect their mind with the Divine Word, he stresses none shouldremain between Allah and His servants.”
M.G. Khan notes, “This book enables the initiator, step-by-step, how to approach the Divine Text. He takes the beginner from scratch. He starts guiding him from the smallest “meaningful” unit of the Qur’ān, i.e., ayah. What to look for in an ayah and what constitutes the “ayah-consciousness?” Once the reader develops this, he is advised to understand the structure of each Surah which is not just a bundle of scattered ideas. Every Surah has its own unique style of elaborating its central theme (p. 4). Through repeated readings, the reader would discern how various themes of the Surah are united throughinvisible thread (p. 5). Understanding a Surah involves developing an insight into the Surah as a whole and only those who fully comprehend the thematic structure of a Surah, can understand the Surah (p. 5).
“The author has not left the reader in dark and groping for meaning. Very often people suggest the best way of teaching how to swim is to push the person into the pond and watch him how does he manage the crisis. He takes 30 Surahs and one-by-one shows the structure, the theme and the uniting thread in the last (85-114) Surahs,” he pointed out.
The Hindi book under review consists of four parts. The first chapter deals with important terms and concepts of the Qur’ān and explains their meanings and scope in the Qur’ānic perspective. This helps the reader to understand the divine text in desired perception. The second chapter deals with meaning and importance of swearing in the Qur’ān. The third chapter is taken from “Insight into Qur’ān, Understanding Surah Al-Fatiha and Al-Baqrah.” Understanding Al-Fatiha is bedrock of understanding the Qur’ān. This is the opening chapter of the divine book and pondering over it helps prepare mindset to listen the voice of Allah recorded in the Qur’ān. The last chapter contains outline study of last 30 Surahs, which are short discourse generally recited in Salah.
The study of each Surah starts with Arabic Text followed by meaning of every word in vertical columns. In the next step meaning of each ayah is given in easily graspable style. Important part of the lesson is the structure of the Surah. Then in a few lines the essence and message makes the lesson complete.
This approach is beneficial for both new readers of the Qur’ān and devoted readers who want to connect themselves with the word of Allah directly. End result is mesmerising. Printed on fine white paper with attractive get-up, the book is hoped to be useful for a meaningful introduction of the Qur’ān to non-Muslims as well.