Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Raziyeh Sadat Seyyed Khorasani ¹
• Mohsen Qasempour ²
• Khadijeh Hosseinzadeh ³

¹ Researcher of Islamic Studies Research, Center of Alzahra Community, Lecturer of Farhangian University, Fatemeh Alzahra Campus, Isfahan, Imam Khomeini Branch. Kashan Iran

² Professor of Quran and Hadith Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran

³ 4th Level Student of Comparative Tafsir, Alzahra Community, Researcher in Quran and Hadith Studies, Research Institute of Islamic Studies of Alzahra Society, Qom, Iran

Abstract

One of the controversial and fundamental issues in the interpretation of the Qur'an is the completeness of the Qur'an. Comprehensiveness is one of the important foundations of interpretation, and there is a difference of opinion in its methods and examples, so that each of the commentators, by citing evidence in each of the fields of inherent and comparative comprehensiveness, have become inclined towards one of the perspectives of comprehensiveness. Examining the views of Ayatollah Javadi and Ayatollah Misbah as influential commentators of the contemporary period can open the way to solve some theoretical issues in the field of religious thought and practice. The present article tries to explain, analyze and evaluate the views of these two thinkers in two areas of comprehensiveness with a descriptive and analytical method and with library collection. According to the works of Ayatollah Javadi, two conditions are necessary in the realm of inherent comprehensiveness. By examining the works of Ayatollah Misbah, we can also find that he accepts the moderate view of the comprehensiveness of the Qur'an in the two areas of intrinsic and comparative comprehensiveness; Because the Qur'an was revealed in the direction of human guidance and nothing has been omitted in this regard and although the main point of view of these two contemporary commentators is acceptable and can be proved, but from another point of view, these attitudes are faced with considerations and rather shortcomings that are addressed in this essay.
Introduction
One of the controversial and fundamental issues in the interpretation of the Qur'an is the question of the comprehensiveness of the Qur'an. Comprehensiveness is one of the important fundamentals of interpretation, and there is a difference of opinion in its methods and examples, in a way that each of the commentators has become inclined towards one of the views of comprehensiveness by citing evidence in each of the fields of inherent and comparative comprehensiveness.
The comprehensiveness of this holy book is sometimes compared to other books of divine religions respecting the scope of the discussions and topics discussed in the divine books in relation to the religious and non-religious areas of human life, which is called comparative comprehensiveness, and sometimes comprehensiveness per se without comparison with other divine books respecting inclusiveness and comprehensiveness of Quranic verses in relation to religious and non-religious fields of human life, which is called the inherent comprehensiveness of Quran.
Scholars have presented three general views about the inherent comprehensiveness of the Qur'an: extreme (Tafriti), moderate (I’tidali), and minimal (Tafriti) comprehensiveness. According to the extreme point of view, all human and natural sciences exist in the appearance of the words of the Qur'an; therefore, the Qur'an includes general and partial issues, humanities and empirical sciences, history, etc. Among those who believe this point of view, Ibn Mas’ud, Feyz Kashani, and Alusi can be mentioned. In the extreme view, the Qur'an is neither responsible for human sciences, nor includes everything in the religious category, but it has comprehensiveness in expressing the general values and Shariah rulings; among those who hold this view, Sheikh Tusi; Zamakhshari; Fakhr Razi; Ibn Ashur can be mentioned. From a moderate point of view, the Qur'an expresses general principles and values, and accordingly, a legal, political, social, etc. system can be defined. This view has three different interpretations: comprehensiveness in the category of guidance and education, and comprehensiveness for the special audiences. i.e. the Prophet and the infallibles, and comprehensiveness about the rules of religion; Darwazeh, Allameh Tabatabai and Makarem are among those who hold this view. Examining the views of Ayatollah Javadi and Ayatollah Misbah as influential commentators and Quran scholars of the contemporary period can be the solution to some theoretical issues in the field of religious thought and practice.
Literature Review
Several researches have been conducted regarding the comprehensiveness and explanation of the views of different thinkers; but among them, Ayatollah Javadi's point of view and Allameh Misbah's point of view have not been investigated. For example, in the article “A Comparative View on the Comprehensiveness of the Qur'an from the Point of View of Shahid Motahari and Ayatollah Javadi” and the article “The Comprehensiveness of the Qur'an from the Point of View of Allameh Tabatabai and Ayatollah Javadi Amoli in a Comparative View” the authors did not mention Ayatollah Javadi's approach to the inherent and comparative comprehensiveness. Also, the analytical and comparative review of the views of Ayatollah Javadi and Allameh Misbah has not been addressed in any article. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct independent research in this field, know the views of these two thinkers, and compare their views with each other.
Methodology
The present article tries to explain, analyze, and evaluate the views of these two thinkers in two areas of comprehensiveness with a descriptive and analytical method and by collecting data via desk study.
Conclusion
According to their works, both thinkers agree on the comparative comprehensiveness of the Qur'an and both of them consider the Qur'an to be more complete than other divine books and contain all the issues and knowledge useful for worldly and hereafter happiness. But regarding the inherent comprehensiveness, there is a little difference of opinion.
Ayatollah Javadi accepts the view of the comprehensiveness of the Qur'an in the two areas of inherent comprehensiveness and comparative comprehensiveness. In the field of inherent comprehensiveness, he admits that he accepted maximal comprehensiveness with two conditions; one is that the instructions of the Qur'an include the appearance (Zahir), inside (Batin), Tanzil, and Ta’wil of this book, and the other is that these instructions are provided by the infallible. By referring to various proofs such as the contents of verse 79 of Nahl and similar verses, and infallible narrations, he has asserted his point of view. Also, the holder of this theory clearly states that this theory should not be a justification for imposing human knowledge on the Qur'an.
In the field of comparative comprehensiveness, citing the immortality and supremacy of the Qur'an over other holy books, he accepted the Qur'an including the range of issues and the completeness of the Qur'an's expression in every issue, and explained the possibility of the Torah's comprehensiveness only in the issues of guidance.
In terms of evaluation, by analyzing this point of view, the basis of this theory can be considered to be the acceptance of the religious nature of all sciences; because according to this commentator, all sciences are involved in human happiness. Also, although in general, the principle of the view of this contemporary wise commentator is acceptable and can be proved, some of his reasons are not without weaknesses, and on the other hand, other narrative reasons can be presented in support of this extreme theory.
Ayatollah Misbah also accepts the moderate view of the comprehensiveness of the Qur'an in the two areas of intrinsic comprehensiveness and comparative comprehensiveness. He does not consider all sciences to be involved in human happiness, and he has considered demarcation among sciences. Some sciences look after the happiness of man and some look after his worldly and material needs. The Qur'an seeks to satisfy the basic needs of man. The Holy Quran has answered all the needs for the happiness of mankind in this world and in the hereafter, sometimes in detail and sometimes in brief.
Ayatollah Misbah is committed to this point of view considering the guidance role of the Qur'an and his arguments were within religion and based on verses and hadiths.
This research, while explaining the principle of the view of these Quranic thinkers and evaluating it properly, has achieved the fact that although the principle of the view of these two contemporary wise commentators and thinkers is acceptable and can be proven, from another point of view, these views are faced with considerations and shortcomings, which are discussed in this essay.
 

Keywords

• Ayatollah Javadi Amoli
• Ayatollah Misbah Yazdi
• Inherent Comprehensiveness
• Comparative Comprehensiveness
• Evidence of Comprehensiveness

Main Subjects

• قرآن پژوهی