Secularist, Selective Approaches to Quran Verses Rejected
The two approaches to the verses of the Quran, secularist and selective, are harmful when referring to the Quran.
This is according to member of the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council Hassan Rahimpour-Azghadi, while speaking at a gathering of the country’s Quran activists titled “Quranic Community, Basirat (insight), Missions, and Harms”.
Following is a summary of Mr. Rahimpour-Azghadi’s speech at the conference.
There are two unacceptable uses of the Quranic verses. The first is making use of the verses and teachings of the Quran to serve the interests of certain individuals, groups, parties, or factions. This selective use of the verses, as well as Hadiths and Sunnah, has always happened in history and will happen again. It is a betrayal and an insult to the Quran and to the intelligence of the religious community.
Therefore, it is wrong to select some verses of the Quran and ignore others to serve our own interests. This is an approach that can be seen in all areas including political, social, family, ethical, etc.
The second unacceptable approach is viewing the Quran’s verses from a secularist perspective. It means reading, and memorizing and reciting the Quran and at the same time putting aside the Quran and its teachings when it comes to economy, governance, education, lifestyle, family, media, etc.
In other words, according to the secularist approach one can read the Quran, respect the Quran and honor the Quran activists but does not implement the teachings of the Quran in their life.
This is what the Khawarij did. They, who assassinated Imam Ali (AS), claimed to be Quranic and read and memorized the Quran much more than many other Muslims, but their lifestyle and their life were not Quranic.
Thus, it is necessary that these two wrong approaches to the Quran must be avoided. A Quranic community should be careful not to become one that memorizes and recites the Quran and has Quran copies embellished with gold but one before whose eyes Ali Ibn Abi Taleb (AS) is martyred.
Also, we must avoid separating the Quran from different areas of life, from politics, economy, education, etc.
1228256
Following is a summary of Mr. Rahimpour-Azghadi’s speech at the conference.
There are two unacceptable uses of the Quranic verses. The first is making use of the verses and teachings of the Quran to serve the interests of certain individuals, groups, parties, or factions. This selective use of the verses, as well as Hadiths and Sunnah, has always happened in history and will happen again. It is a betrayal and an insult to the Quran and to the intelligence of the religious community.
Therefore, it is wrong to select some verses of the Quran and ignore others to serve our own interests. This is an approach that can be seen in all areas including political, social, family, ethical, etc.
The second unacceptable approach is viewing the Quran’s verses from a secularist perspective. It means reading, and memorizing and reciting the Quran and at the same time putting aside the Quran and its teachings when it comes to economy, governance, education, lifestyle, family, media, etc.
In other words, according to the secularist approach one can read the Quran, respect the Quran and honor the Quran activists but does not implement the teachings of the Quran in their life.
This is what the Khawarij did. They, who assassinated Imam Ali (AS), claimed to be Quranic and read and memorized the Quran much more than many other Muslims, but their lifestyle and their life were not Quranic.
Thus, it is necessary that these two wrong approaches to the Quran must be avoided. A Quranic community should be careful not to become one that memorizes and recites the Quran and has Quran copies embellished with gold but one before whose eyes Ali Ibn Abi Taleb (AS) is martyred.
Also, we must avoid separating the Quran from different areas of life, from politics, economy, education, etc.
1228256
