Always Read The Fine Print

I was thinking long and hard about what I would like to discuss for this post. After a while, I decided 'lets risk a fatwa' by talking about interpreting religious text - Specifically, interpreting the Muslim Holy Book, The Quran.

The Quran is an enigma for many people and if your Muslim you need to be able to read it. Most who aren't facing Mecca to pray have no idea what Islam's holiest book is about; while many of those who do claim Islam as their religion almost never question anything in their scriptures.

I've also heard the expression that to question the Quran is to blaspheme against Islam - sometimes even punishable by death (tough finding hobbies in the dessert I'd imagine). Is that a fact? Could one of the largest religious communities in the world really prevent its followers from taking a closer look at the foundations of their faith?

After looking into the issue, I found the following passage directly form the Muslim holy book - the original Arabic passage is followed by three translations which simplify the concept of interpreting the Quran (read any or all the translations if you like; they are all very similar):

The Qur'an: chapter 3 (Surah Al-Imran), verse 7:

Arabic (http://www.openburhan.net/):

هُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ آيَاتٌ مُّحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَاءَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَابْتِغَاءَ تَأْوِيلِهِ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلاَّ اللّهُ وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ رَبِّنَا وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلاَّ أُوْلُواْ الْأَلْبَابب

Huwa allathee anzala AAalayka alkitaba minhu ayatun muhkamatun hunna om-mualkitabi waokharu mutashabihatun faammaallatheena fee quloobihim zayghun fayattabiAAoona ma-tashabaha minhu ibtighaa alfitnati wa ibtighaa ta-weelihi wa ma yaAAlamu ta-weelahu ilallaahu war-rasikhoona fee al-AAilmi yaqooloona amanna bihi kullun min AAindi rabbina wama yaththakkaru illa oloo al-albabi

Translations - provided for a fair comparison (http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/003.qmt.html):

• YUSUF ALI: He it is Who has sent down to thee the Book: In it are verses basic or fundamental (of established meaning); they are the foundation of the Book: others are allegorical. But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical, seeking discord, and searching for its hidden meanings, but no one knows its hidden meanings except Allah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord:" and none will grasp the Message except men of understanding.

• PICKTHAL: He it is Who hath revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture wherein are clear revelations - they are the substance of the Book - and others (which are) allegorical. But those in whose hearts is doubt pursue, forsooth, that which is allegorical seeking (to cause) dissension by seeking to explain it. None knoweth its explanation save Allah. And those who are of sound instruction say: We believe therein; the whole is from our Lord; but only men of understanding really heed.

• SHAKIR: He it is Who has revealed the Book to you; some of its verses are decisive, they are the basis of the Book, and others are allegorical; then as for those in whose hearts there is perversity they follow the part of it which is allegorical, seeking to mislead and seeking to give it (their own) interpretation. but none knows its interpretation except Allah, and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge say: We believe in it, it is all from our Lord; and none do mind except those having understanding.

This passages is pretty cut-and-dry, and it should be obvious to anyone who bothers to read with their eyes open. Religious scriptures contain both, literal truth and allegorical examples. Also, this verse states the Quran IS open to interpretation; and that the various meanings of religious passages should be discussed and debated in order to be understood more clearly.

It goes on that misguided figures may interpret various parts scriptures without understanding what to focus on in the passage. And of course there's always someone who "interprets" religious books in order to influence people **cough, Bin Laden, Billy Graham, any run of the mill cult leader, etc. cough**.

This passage from the third chapter of the Muslim holy book encourages people to study the meaning behind words, and to differentiate between allegory and literal meanings. This also goes to show that reasoning and rationality is the highest faculty of insight and intellect.