Living with the Qur’an through recitation, contemplation, reflection, deduction, and adherence to the commands of Allah has always been the path of the devoted scholars and sincere seekers of knowledge.

By Allah’s will, I had the opportunity to explore the book “The Intermediate Tafsir of Surah An-Nisa: Reviving Human Life, Its Divine Legal Organization, and Protecting the Vulnerable, Especially Women and Children, from Oppression” by Sheikh Dr. Abdul Salam Muqbal Al-Mujidi Al-Yamani. ⁽¹⁾ This book is part of the encyclopedia Basair Al-Ma’rifah Al-Qur’aniyyah and spans 256 pages. I found it to be distinct and innovative in its approach, with an eloquent style and profound interpretation of the ayahs of the Qur’an. The words seemed to accompany me during the reading, illuminating meanings and bringing me closer to a deep understanding of this exalted science.

 Basair Al-Ma’rifah Al-Qur’aniyyah

During my reading, I noticed that the Sheikh addressed a universal audience, reflecting the global message of the Qur’an, in a simple yet expressive language infused with high literary quality. This approach achieved its purpose, as Sheikh Al-Mujidi sought to reach the mind, stir emotions, touch the heart, and awaken the innate nature of humanity.

An expert in Qur’anic tafsir would notice how much he benefited from earlier scholars in the field, such as Al-Tabari, Ibn Kathir, Al-Qurtubi, Al-Zamakhshari, and others among the classical scholars, and from contemporary scholars like Sheikh Mutawalli Al-Sha'rawi and Sayyid Qutb. He merged their knowledge with his own insights, presenting them in artistic and literary compositions that will delight seekers of Qur’anic understanding.

To the best of my modest knowledge, the Sheikh uniquely titled his works. For instance, for Surah An-Nisa, he titled it “Reviving Human Life, Its Divine Legal Organization, and Protecting the Vulnerable, Especially Women and Children, from Oppression”. This comprehensive title adequately reflects the content of the surah and the findings of his research and study.

The Sheikh discussed the historical context of Surah An-Nisa, not as a mere narrator but as a critical scholar to those before him. He interpreted some ayahs based on the reasons for their revelation, supported by evidence from the Prophet’s Sunnah, employing the methodology of specialized scholars in this field.

He focused on rulings related to orphans, women, and inheritance, providing a schematic representation of the insights offered by Surah An-Nisa to express its comprehensive image.

The Book’s Content

The book’s introduction outlined fundamental legal principles that ensure the “revival of human life,” divided into seven key themes:

1. The Beginning of Human Life – Children and Women
   • This section elaborated on the surah’s discourse on orphans, women’s rights, and the protection of the vulnerable in society, safeguarding them from injustice and oppression based on divine legislations found in the Qur’an.
2. The Formation of the Central Family
   • This section delved into the laws of marriage, emphasizing the establishment of family stability and humanity’s right to security and growth. He expanded on the relevant ayahs in his extensive three-volume tafsir and condensed them into “The Intermediate Tafsir.”
3. Fortifying Family Stability to Ensure Human Flourishment
   • Under this theme, he explained the ayahs in a unique and exceptional way, characterized by his analytical reasoning, emotional fervor, and profound discussions aimed at guiding humanity.

Reflections on the Encyclopedia and the Book

The Sheikh’s exceptional writings in “Basair Al-Ma’rifah Al-Qur’aniyyah” indicate that this eminent scholar devoted decades of his life to this grand project. Its outcomes, by Allah’s grace and favor, are now manifest: “That is the bounty of Allah; He gives to whom He wills, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty.” (Al-Jumu’ah: 4)

The tafsir Basair Al-Ma’rifah Al-Qur’aniyyah, as I studied and benefited from it, is not a mere replication of Al-Tabari, Al-Razi, Al-Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Al-Sha’rawi, Al-Sa’di, Qutb, Al-Nabulsi, Al-Zuhaili, Al-Shanqiti, Al-Nasafi, Al-Naysaburi, or others.

It is uniquely Al-Mujidi’s work, characterized by his distinct approach, taste, and methodology. His innovative, blessed methodology reflects the spirit of our times in terms of structure, illustrations, idea distribution, lessons, and the use of expressions to convey the essence of the Qur’an’s meanings. He addresses individuals, families, societies, human rights organizations, women, judicial institutions, and humanity at large through the Qur’an’s divine discourse. He also derived numerous legal principles from the ayahs, such as:

• The Islamic Law of Inheritance, which revolves around six objectives: human propagation, justice, mutual support, rights, duties, and aiding heirs according to current and future responsibilities. This law exemplifies true mercy to humanity, helping them achieve stability, expansion, growth, and constructive development. In his commentary on Allah’s command: “Allah instructs you concerning your children.” (An-Nisa: 11)
  He emphasized the importance of current generations caring for future ones. The term “instruction” signifies a divine mandate, reflecting the profound care and attention required for those entrusted to us. The addressed parties include parents, relatives, and governmental and non-governmental organizations.

The idea of extracting principles rooted in justice, wisdom, and benefit from Qur’anic ayahs is a brilliant one, rarely found in the tafsir works I’ve encountered, according to my humble knowledge.

 How I View the Basair Al-Ma’rifah Al-Qur’aniyyah Project

Discussing Dr. Abdul Salam Al-Mujidi Al-Yamani’s project Basair Al-Ma’rifah Al-Qur’aniyyah is extensive. In my view, this project represents one of the pillars of Islamic civilizational renaissance. It contains elements and insights capable of significantly contributing to combating the invasive ideologies targeting the Islamic Ummah’s doctrinal, ethical, and spiritual foundations, which stem from the Qur’an and the exalted status of our Prophet ﷺ and his noble companions.

In his tafsir, the author concluded Surah An-Nisa with a universal declaration of divine law, inviting all nations to adhere to it as a comprehensive methodology that combines reason and divine guidance, providing solutions to humanity’s problems. This invitation underscores the Qur’anic values as a foundational source for safeguarding humanity from going astray.

Dr. Abdul Salam Al-Mujidi Al-Yamani’s tafsir stands out for its deep analysis, clear focus on humanitarian and legislative aspects of the Surah, and its endeavor to highlight how the surah establishes principles of social justice, protects vulnerable groups like orphans and women and entails the intricate social and economic relationships, aiming at enhancing familial and societal cohesion.

In conclusion, I can only praise the blessed effort exerted in the interpretation of Surah “An-Nisa,” “Al-Baqarah,” “Al-A'raf,” and other books. The author presented profound insights that guide the reader towards a comprehensive understanding of Quranic concepts and human rights. Dr. Al-Mujidi here demonstrates a precise understanding of the meanings and divine purposes conveyed in these blessed surahs, as well as his diligence in explaining the divine wisdom behind Islamic legislation concerning the rights of the vulnerable, including women, children, and others.

This tafsir is not just an explanation of the ayahs; it is a presentation of the human and social dimensions built upon these ayahs, making it a distinctive reference for anyone seeking a deep understanding of the Quran. It reflects the message of Islam in justice and mercy and shows how tafsir can be a practical guide illuminating the paths of those who follow it. We ask Allah, the Exalted, by His beautiful names and attributes, and by His Greatest Name, to ease the difficulties and remove the obstacles in the path of our sheikh and teacher, Dr. Abdul Salam Al-Mujidi. May He grant him both material and spiritual strength, and provide him with those who will assist him in achieving this noble goal and lofty purpose, so that the light of this work may be fully realized, with acceptance extended across time and place until Allah inherits the earth and all that is on it. May He grant success to all those working to support the religion of Islam wherever they may be.

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(1) Currently serves as the professor of Islamic Sharia at Qatar University.

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The Palestinian preacher and writer Haidar Quffa, in his book “The Contemporary Muslim Woman: Commitment and Dawah,” discusses personal experiences during his travels. He reflects on the state of women adorned with makeup and revealing attire on a flight he was on and describes how he indirectly advised and guided them. He later addressed Muslim women directly through this book, offering a roadmap for moving from ignorance to the light of Islam.

The book, published in 1408 AH / 1988 CE, highlights the virtues promoted by Islam, emphasizing that this religion is not merely about appearances or superficial manners. Instead, it is a comprehensive system of ethical values that translate into real-life actions. Among these virtues are truthfulness, trustworthiness, keeping promises, cheerfulness, generosity, humility, attentive listening, and valuing others—traits that capture hearts and ears alike.

Quffa elaborates on the Muslim woman’s relationship with the Quran, encouraging its recitation, memorization, and practical implementation of its rulings, commandments, and prohibitions. He reminds every Muslim man and woman of the importance of understanding and reflecting upon Allah’s ayahs, studying the Quran’s rulings, and adhering to them. This adherence involves two dimensions, temporal commitment as regularly reading the Quran daily and practical and intellectual commitment , applying its teachings and making it the guiding principle of one’s life and decisions.

The author asserts that a Muslim woman should be a Quranic woman, with the Quran shaping every aspect of her life—her speech, attire, adornment, and actions—so that she becomes known among people for this distinct character. He affirms that this is achievable for anyone who sincerely seeks goodness and dedicates their intention to Allah.

Regarding the woman’s relationship with the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, Quffa delves into its significance and emphasizes imitating the Prophet’s example. He warns against hypocrites and those who cast doubt on the Sunnah. He suggests several approaches to strengthen this relationship:

1. Investigating the origins of customs and traditions.
2. Following the example of the Prophet ﷺ without procrastination.
3. Encouraging others to adhere to the Sunnah.

He stresses that the Sunnah, alongside the Quran, should govern all aspects of human life.

In the section titled “Your Duty towards Islam” the author highlights the primary mission of human beings on earth: worshiping Allah, calling others to Him, spreading Islamic values, encouraging adherence to them, combating wrongdoings and misguidance, and not evading responsibility. He calls on women to be proactive, never despairing of reform, and tirelessly promoting virtue.

Quffa, the member of the International Union of Muslim Scholars and the World Association of Islamic Literature, underscores the importance of winning hearts and freeing them from the false allure of materialism. He urges Muslim women to fulfill their dawah duties by using wisdom and kind advice. This includes utilizing gifts, visits, and personal example in calling others to Allah, promoting modesty, confronting immodesty, and correcting the flaws of their peers with gentleness and humility. He encourages women to endear others to goodness and modesty while asking Allah for sincerity in their efforts.

The author poses the question, “Are you alone on this path?”, and answers that the path of dawah is difficult and long, yet its reward is immense. He emphasizes that calling to Allah is not the sole responsibility of men but a duty for women as well. He encourages Muslim women to expand their dawah efforts and attract others, ensuring that they persevere with sincerity and dedication despite obstacles like rejection, indifference, or resistance. The goal is to transform society into the ideal Islamic community.

Quffa also discusses aspects of modern life that originate from the West—elements that neither align with Islamic values nor reflect the traditions of Muslim societies. He points out the consequences of this cultural and intellectual invasion, such as the erosion of identity, the promotion of strange fashion trends, revealing clothing, and bizarre hairstyles. These are marketed through massive advertising campaigns, leading to weakened resistance among women and diminishing the ability of men to curb these influences. Consequently, social norms have unraveled, and moral breaches have widened.

The book warns of the Zionist agenda behind promoting immodesty and moral decay. It highlights the dangers of television, cinema, theater, sports, and other distractions that cause people to neglect their prayers, waste their time, and lose focus on the remembrance of Allah. These distractions not only hinder people from fulfilling their worldly and religious duties but also actively divert them from the path of righteousness.

In the final section, titled “A Dynamic Cultural Methodology,” Quffa outlines several steps to guide the contemporary Muslim woman toward achieving the balance between commitment and dawah. These steps include:

1. Spiritual Development: Purifying the soul through consistent prayer, fasting, remembrance of Allah, supplication, seeking forgiveness, performing night prayers, and self-accountability.
2. Intellectual Growth: Educating oneself and nurturing the mind with beneficial and useful knowledge, staying informed about one’s surroundings, family, and community.
3. Active Application: Implementing Islam in all aspects of life, broadening the scope of reform, and calling others to Allah. This includes attracting new women to the path of righteousness and strengthening the field of commitment and dawah.

By embodying these qualities, the contemporary Muslim woman can become a role model, a source of inspiration, and a driving force for her community toward the path of truth, goodness, and success.

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The Noble Quran came to the believers as a guide, leading them out of the darkness of misguidance and deviation, illuminating their path amidst the shadows of ignorance. It leads them to the way of repentance and recovering from sins and misdeeds. To achieve this, there is an essential matter that Allah's Book urges us to do, which is to reflect upon the ayahs of Allah. By doing so, we can find solutions to all the material and spiritual problems we face as we walk towards Allah in this world.

In light of this, we wanted to pause and contemplate a single ayah from Allah's Book as a practical lesson in the exercise of reflecting on the Quran, unveiling the treasures and precious gems it contains. Our diligent effort to extract these gems will allow us to reap the rewards offered by Allah to His sincere servants who genuinely seek the Hereafter and its bliss, which Allah has prepared for His pious servants.

To make our lesson today both practical and scholarly, we have chosen to reflect upon an ayah that speaks of seeking forgiveness and declaring sincere repentance to Allah. This is to ensure we gain Allah's forgiveness in the Hereafter and avoid exposing ourselves to His wrath at a time when regret will no longer be of any use. The selected ayah may be memorized by many, but perhaps only a few truly grasp its precious gems.

Allah the Almighty says in His Noble Book, “And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allah will find Allah Forgiving and Merciful.” (An-Nisa: 110) This ayah, though comprised of few words, offers numerous and abundant rewards to those who comprehend it. The etiquettes, rulings, and benefits of this ayah for the believers are as follows:

1. An invitation to all sinners on earth to repent, including disbelievers and hypocrites.
2. Assurance that Allah forgives the sin of His servant, no matter how great, and that nothing can prevent this.
3. A confirmed promise from Allah to accept the repentance of His servants, provided it is sincere.
4. Notification of Allah's boundless generosity in granting the repentant broad mercy after forgiveness.
5. Acknowledgment of the greatness of the Creator of this universe, who responds to wrongdoing with forgiveness and to self-oppression with mercy and acceptance of repentance.
6. The vast difference between sinning and seeking forgiveness, as indicated by the expression “then.”
7. The information that Allah's beautiful names and supreme attributes have meanings and effects in this worldly life.
8. The indication that repentance is valid even if the sin recurs repeatedly, as implied by the use of the verbs “does” and “wrongs” in the present tense, denoting continuity and renewal.
9. The acknowledgment that despite being distinguished from other creatures by intellect, a human can still be an enemy and oppressor to himself.
10. The indication that it is possible for the sinner to recover lost goodness and blessings due to committing sins, and that he can achieve perfection after shortcomings.

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The Quran gives great importance to the intellect, relying on it in matters of belief and obligations, and praising it in many places. This is a distinction not found in the scriptures of other religions, where one might notice a tendency to undervalue or caution against the intellect, considering it a door to doubt and denial.

The significance of the intellect is evident from the fact that its root word “ʿa.q.l” appears in the Quran approximately 50 times, accompanied by meanings of praise, exaltation, and the necessity of using it, while frequently uses words that carry the meaning of intellect or are close to it.

When the Quran refers to the intellect, it does not use it in a nominal form but in a verbal form to affirm that the intellect is not an essence or material in itself, as philosophers believe. This was understood by Ibn Taymiyyah in his “Majmoo' al-Fatawa” when he said: “The term 'intellect' in the language of Muslims is not the same as the term 'intellect' in the language of these Greeks, for the intellect in the language of Muslims is a source of reasoning, as in the Quran: 'And they will say, 'If only we had been listening or reasoning, we would not be among the companions of the Blaze' (Al-Mulk: 10) The intellect in Islam refers to the innate faculty given by Allah to humans to reason with, while for them, the intellect is an independent entity like the rational being, which does not correspond to the language of the messengers and the Quran.”

Some contemporary scholars, like Arkoun, assume that the absence of the nominal form indicates that the Quran does not recognize the concept of intellect in its modern philosophical sense. Zaki Al-Milad attributes this preference for the verbal form to two factors:

First: The Quran is a book of action and behavior, not a book of opinion and theory. Its logic is the logic of action, not opinion, and it always calls for action, addressing individuals, groups, societies, and even nations, saying, “And say, 'Do [as you will], for Allah will see your deeds, and [so, will] His Messenger and the believers.'” (At-Tawbah: 105)

Second: The verbal form in the Quranic discourse indicates movement as opposed to stillness, meaning that the intellect should always be in a state of constant movement, not stillness.

Additionally, the Quran uses the root “ʿa.q.l” with different meanings to encompass the various functions of the human intellect in its diverse tasks and characteristics, deliberately differentiating between these functions and characteristics in different contexts and situations. These functions include:

• The ethical function: In its general sense, the intellect is a faculty responsible for moral restraint or preventing forbidden and reprehensible acts, derived from “ʿaql,” meaning restraint and prohibition. Al-Jahiz says: “The intellect is called so because it restrains the tongue and bridles it from going excessively in the way of ignorance, error, or harm, just as a camel is restrained.”
• The cognitive function: A primary function of the intellect that contemplates what it perceives, reflects on its aspects, extracts its inner secrets, and builds upon it conclusions and judgments, avoiding falling into dangers. As Al-Ghazali says: “Intellect is not striving oneself to resolve a matter once involved in it, but intellect is to avoid putting oneself in a situation that requires resolution.”
• The inferential function: One of the highest functions of the intellect, which thinks and deduces opinions after thinking, contemplating the potential outcomes of human actions. The Quran expresses this with various words of similar meaning such as reflection, sight, contemplation, consideration, and other mental faculties, as in the ayah: “Say, 'Observe what is in the heavens and the earth.' But of no avail will be signs or warners to a people who do not believe.” (Yunus: 101)

The intellect cannot perform these and other functions without the critical faculty that allows it to distinguish between good and evil and issue rational judgments. Although the concept of criticism or its derivatives is not explicitly mentioned in the Quran, it calls for it clearly: “O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful.” (Al-Hujurat: 6)

Several Quranic terms imply the meaning of criticism, including advice, which involves calling for righteousness and forbidding corruption of any kind. When comparing advice and criticism, they share meaning and purpose, as advice involves exposing flaws and errors, similar to criticism. Islamic scholars practiced scientific criticism extensively, among them Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali, who stated: “Refuting weak articles and reports and clarifying the truth with valid religious evidence is not disliked by sincere scholars; rather, it is something they commend, even if it exposes their mistakes.”

Another term is “enjoining good and forbidding evil,” which correlates with criticism in that enjoining good distinguishes and highlights what is good and virtuous from other condemnable concepts and behaviors, which is the essence of criticism.

Another term is “nullification,” a Quranic term referring to negative criticism that leads to destruction, unlike positive criticism aimed at rectification, as in Allah’s saying: “And do not be like she who untwisted her spun thread after it was strong.” (An-Nahl: 92)

Criticism in Quranic usage comes in two forms: self-criticism, meaning self-accountability and examining one's words and actions, as in: “And I swear by the reproaching soul [to the certainty of resurrection].” (Al-Qiyamah: 2), and collective criticism, where members of society critique their faulty thoughts and behaviors. An example is the story of the owners of the garden who wanted to deviate from their father's way of giving the poor their share of the garden's produce. When punishment befell them, they returned to their senses: “They said, 'Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers.' Then they approached one another, blaming each other.” (Al-Qalam: 29-30), where mutual blame signifies criticism among themselves, their first act after the punishment.

From the above, it is understood that the Quran calls for the use of the intellect, establishing religious and legal matters upon it, and there is nothing in it that invites disdain or disregard for its judgments.

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Today, it is evident to every Muslim the urgent need to return to the Book of Allah and contemplate its ayahs to face the endless challenges of life. Additionally, the current events in Muslim lands, both East and West, are distressing and cause hearts to tighten. How beautiful it is to return to the primary source of legislation and the divine methodology that came to be our life's constitution and a source of happiness in this world and the Hereafter!

Many may complain about the inability to reflect on the ayahs of Allah, and this may be due to several barriers that stand between the servant and the Book of his Lord. These barriers may be related to the presence of one's heart, approaching the words of Allah with a renewed spirit to draw from its goodness and treasures. Other barriers may be related to the whispers of Shaitan, his distractions, and the endless preoccupations of life.

Therefore, a serious effort is needed to find a way to solve this dilemma and assist Muslims, especially in these times filled with disasters and crises everywhere.

From this perspective, we propose several means to help reflect on the Quran and make the most of its endless blessings, including:

1. Listening to and reciting the Quran correctly, observing the rules of recitation; this is the fundamental basis for a Muslim's connection with the Quran.
2. Attempting to understand its words and the simplified meanings of the ayahs, and being familiar with the meanings of difficult words; this is the second essential step in an era where the Arabic language has become foreign among its own people.
3. Memorizing as many ayahs as possible to recall them when facing life's situations, to come up with solutions and face emerging problems.
4. Holding regular sessions for reflection after reading the daily or weekly portion of the Quran, extracting three general directives from the portion read, whether these directives are educational, ethical, doctrinal, or otherwise.
5. Striving to apply these directives, and feeling that you are personally addressed and responsible for them.

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