/lit/ - Literature

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

This is the commencement of a thread series where we will go through the entire Quran إن شاء الله تعالى and go over its meanings in depth.

See background here

>>19675348

>Introduction

Ibn Kathir in his introduction to his tafsir states, “[W]hether one is an Arab or a non-Arab, black or red, human or Jinn, whoever this Qur’an is conveyed to, it is a warning for them all.” He then says scholars are charged with keeping and conveying the meaning of Quran and to ensure it doesn’t get distort rot neither twist it to suit their ends as rabbis do with Torah.

>Methodology
In interpretation of Quran the first resource is the Quran itself. This helps determine usage and many other things, because the Quran is nonlinear offer reverses have a reciprocal explanation of each other. A scholar of serious standing must have the whole Quran memorized. The next source of exegesis is the Sunnah given in authentic hadiths. For this it’s also important a scholar have thousands memorized and it helps if he can grade them and give their chains as well. The next source is the opinion of those who directly knew the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in interpretation. Then early scholars after them. For Arabic usage outside these sources using poetry contemporary or prior to Quran is a big source for linguistic experts, and back in the day spending time with very isolated Bedouin tribes was as well. It is not permissible to speculate on the meaning, you either have to have learned it or have the expertise to give it. Speculation leads to making the religion subjective

>Introduction to Al-Fatiha

Fatiha comes from an Arabic word meaning to open what was unlocked. Fatha is used in Quran to mean conquest. Fatha is also the term for an unlettered vowel notation that sounds like a short a, describing the opening of the mouth. The h in this word is ح meaning it’s pronounced like blowing on your glasses. It’s called Fatiha because it opens the Quran and prayers. It’s also called in authentic Hadiths, Umm al-Kitab, the mother of the book. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم says it is the best chapters in Quran although scholars differed over if that meant it should be recited a lot, Imam Malik disliked that. It is confirmed as a halal ruqiyyah in Hadiths, meaning a charm. Because of this Hanafis allow charms with Quran or the like written on them, but Hanbalis dislike that practice (charms are normally considered lessor shirk—shirk which isn’t apostasy but a big no no).

I would go into a lot more depth but I know I can’t demand extremes. Next thread إن شاء الله we will go into the meaning of the very first very verse including the Arabic nuance