Chapter VIII: Excellence of the Quran
of men who interpret it according to their opinions. At first, there is necessity of Hadis and Tafsir for external meanings in order to be free from mistakes and then with the advancement of knowledge, meanings come out from intellect. He who claims to have internal meanings of the Quran without at first being expert in its external meanings is like a man who claims to have reached the interior of a house without first approaching its door or like a man who claims to have understood the object of a Turk without understanding his language. To learn open meaning is like learning a language. In Tafsir, there is explanation of also interna] meanings. For instance, God says : I gave to the nation of Samud a she-camel as open sign but they made oppression on account of it. Here the word 'sign' is omitted. He will interpret it openly by saying that the she camel had power of sight and was not blind. God says : On account of their infidelity, dring of calf was given to their hearts. In other words, they thought the worship of calf as dear on account of their indfidelity. Here to think 'dear' has been omitted. God says : I gave you to taste of life on the taste of death. In other words: I gave you the taste of severity of punishment of life and of death. The word 'punishment' has been omitted in this verse. God says : Ask the city where we were and the mountain to which we proceeded. In other words. Ask the inhabitants of the town and the mountain.
The word 'inhabitants' have been omitted. God says : It has become heavy in heavens and earth. In other words: It has been made secret for the inhabitants of the heavens and earth God says : You make your provision such as if you are telling lies. In other words : You express gratefulness for your provision. God says : I have revealed it in the Blessed night. In other words, I have revealed the Quran in the Blessed night. God says : Till it became covered with screen. 'It' means here sun. God says : Peace be on Al Yasin. The latter word means Elias.
The word 'Qareen' has got different meanings. It means angel in this verse : His companion (angel) said : He who is near me is a rebel. It means the devil in this verse : His companion (devil) said : O our Lord, I have not misguided him. Similarly, the word "Ummat" has got different meanings in the Quran. It means a group of men in this verse : He saw a party of men to give drink of water. It means the followers of a Prophet in this verse: We belong to the followers of Muhammad (P.H.). It means the possessor of all virtues in this verse : Abraham was possessor of
228 RECITATION OF THE QURAN Vol-I
all virtues. It rheans an age in this verse : Up to a fixed age. Similar is the case with the meaning of the word "Ruh."