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ALIGARH JOURNAL OF QURANIC STUDIES • VOLUME NO. 1 • ISSUE 1 WINTER 2018
87
Maqṣadiyyah (Purposefulness) and Maqāṣid al-Qur’ān (Objectives
of the Qur’ān): A Study 1
Gowhar Quadir Wani D/o.Islamic Studies, AMU
ABSTRACT
he Noble Qur’ān, the Divine Scripture of Islam, lays an unequivocal
emphasis on purposiveness and purposefulness. This is testified by the
frequent and recurrent references to the wisdom and purpose in various
Divine acts like the creation of the universe and the multitude of phenomena
occurring in it continuously. Given that human beings represent the pinnacle of the
Divine act of creation being honored with the status of the cream of creation, human
life cannot be meaningless. The Qur’ān draws our attention to the meaningfulness
of human life. It asks its adherents to refrain from living a vain life and exhorts
them to search for the meaning in their lives thereby adopting a purposive attitude
to the same. In the modern period, humanity has severed its connection with the
Transcendent due to its over-reliance on matter and over-confidence in its
exploitation by the human reason. This, ultimately, culminated in increased
nihilistic tendencies in human beings as testified by the surge of postmodernism in
various domains of being and becoming. In this backdrop, highlighting the Qur’ānic
discourse on purposiveness and meaningfulness becomes all the more important as
it is an ultimate source of optimism in the worst pessimistic milieu. The present
paper seeks to discuss the importance of purposiveness in the light of Qur’ānic
teachings along with the objectives of the Qur’ān itself.
Keywords: Maqṣadiyyah (Purposiveness), Maqāṣid al-Qur’ān, Qur’ān
The Noble Qur’ān, the Divine scripture of Islam, is replete with verses that
highlight the significance of purposefulness in the Divine scheme of creation, in
general, and human life, in particular. A cursory look at the Qur’ānic content
reveals that it recurrently and frequently draws our attention towards the objectives
of and wisdom in the creation of life and death, universe and everything therein,
sending of messengers, its own revelation as well as the commandments and
prohibitions it lays down for its adherents. One of the Beautiful Names (Asmā’ al-
Husnā) of Allah (SWT) is al-Ḥakīm—The Absolute Wise (Q. 02: 32, 129, 220,
etc.).i Likewise, the Qur’ān is qualified by the adjective al-ḥakīm in several
Qur’ānic verses (e.g., Q. 36: 02). All this but testifies that the Creator has created
1 Senior Research Fellow, Dept. of Islamic Studies, AMU, Aligarh.
T
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the universe and everything therein on the basis of wisdom and not for the sake of
futile play. Given this, it is inconceivable that the Sharī‘ah—the Divine path laid
down for the human beings to live their life in accordance with the approval of their
Creator—established for the one who is most advanced in intelligence and intellect
(i.e., human being) in the whole creation consists of mere rulings devoid of any
wisely set objectives. Thus, it becomes imperative to undertake a purposive
(objectives-based) reading of the Qur’ān, the primary source of the sharī‘ah, so that
the overriding objectives of its revelation are identified. This will facilitate the
realization of these objectives in human life on one hand, and on the other, it will
prevent the readers/adherents of the Qur’ān from resorting to fragmented/atomist
approach to the Qur’ānic text that violates its spirit and higher objectives. The
Qur’ānic verses highlighting the wisdom/objectives in different Divine Acts are
discussed below followed by the verses reflecting the objectives of the Sharī‘ah.
Finally, the objectives of the Qur’ān (Maqasid al-Qur’ān) are discussed briefly.
Objectives of Human Creation (Maqāṣid Khalq al-Kawn wa al-Insān):
ٱلذى خلق ٱلموت وٱلحيوة ليبلوكم أيكم أحسن عمل ا ٱلو ي و ٱل و
He Who created death and life, that He may try which of you is best in deed. And
He is the exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.ii
بدون نس إل لي وما خلقت ٱلجن وٱل
I have only created jinns and men, that they may serve me.iii
و من لا لذين ك لل و وي ن لذين ك ل ض وما بيهما باطل وما خلقا لسماء و ل
Not without purpose did We create heaven and earth and all between! That were the
thought of Unbelievers! But woe to the Unbelievers because of the Fire (of Hell)!iv
لمون م ل ي كن أڪث ـ هما إل بٱلحقل ول ـ بين ما خلق ـ ض وما بيہما ل وٲت وٱل ـ م وما خلقا ٱلس
We created not the heavens, the earth, and all between them merely in (idle) sport:
We created them not except for just ends: but most of them do not understand.v
ض جمي ا ا ى ل و لذى خلق لـكم م
It is He Who hath created for you all things that are on earth; then He turned to
heaven and made them into seven firmaments; and of all things He hath perfect
knowledge.vi
ة ا مه ض و سبغ عليكم ن ا ى لسموت وما ى ل لكم م سخ و ن للاه باطة لم ت من و ومن لا
ي ي ل كتب م د ى و ل علم و بي جادل ى للاه
Do ye not see that Allah has subjected to your (use) all things in the heavens and on
earth, and has made His bounties flow to you in exceeding measure, (both) seen and
unseen? Yet there are among men those who dispute about Allah without
knowledge and without guidance, and without a Book to enlighten them!vii
All the above verses make it clear, explicitly or implicitly, that both the
creation of the universe as well as that of the human beings are purposeful and
based on wisdom. While the objective of human creation is to subject them to a test
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and trial in this worldly life so that they prove themselves worthy of the eternal
blessings in the afterlife, the objective of the universe and everything therein is to
remain in the service of humankind and help them realizing the creation plan of the
Creator.
Objectives of Sending Prophets (Maqāṣid ’Irsāl al-Rusul): According to the Qur’ān, Almighty Allah has sent messengers and revealed books
on them throughout human history closing the chain of Prophets at Prophet
Muhammad (SAAW). The Qur’ān is replete with the account of how these prophets
conveyed the Divine message to their peoples, how they responded in turn, and
what the ultimate fate of both believers and disbelievers was. A considerable
portion of the Qur’ānic text is composed of only the stories of these Prophets. What
is significant to mention here is that the Qur’ān recurrently mentions the objectives
of this Divine scheme of sending guidance to humanity through the Prophets and
Divine Books.
نا اعبد سول ل نوحى ليه نه ل له ل من سلا من قبل ون وما
Not a messenger did We send before thee without this inspiration sent by Us to him:
that there is no god but I; therefore worship and serve Me. viii
و جتبو لطاغوت سول ن عبدو للاه ة ل م ن حقت عليه ولـقد بثا ى ك ومهم م دى للاه ن مهم م
للة بين لض كان عاقبة لمكذل و كي ض انظ و ى ل سي
For We assuredly sent amongst every People a messenger, (with the Command)
"Serve Allah, and eschew Evil": of the people were some whom Allah guided, and
some on whom Error became inevitably (established). So travel through the earth,
and see what was the end of those who denied (the Truth).ix
ا لى قومه قال يقوم سلا نوح يم لقد ه نلى خاف عليكم عذ ب يوم ع ن له غي ما لـكم مل عبدو للاه
We sent Noah to his people. He said: "O my people! worship Allah! ye have no
other god but Him. I fear for you the punishment of a dreadful Day!x
ود و م ه ل تتقون لى عاد خا ن له غي ما لـكم مل قال يقوم عبدو للاه
To the Ad people, (We sent) Hud one of their (own) brethren: he said: "O my
people! worship Allah! ye have no other god but Him. Will yet not fear (Allah)?" xi
بت قوم نوح سلين كذ م نوح ل تتقون لم قال لهم خو سول مين و طيون نلى لـكم اتقو للاه
The people of Noah rejected the messengers. Behold, their brother Noah said to
them: "Will ye not fear (Allah)? "I am to you an messenger worthy of all trust: "So
fear Allah, and obey me.xii
ة و حدة م ين كان لا ين ومذ ن مبشل لبيل بث للاه
Mankind was one single nation, and Allah sent Messengers with glad tidings and
warnings; and with them He sent the Book in truth, to judge between people in
matters wherein they differed; but the People of the Book, after the clear Signs
came to them did not differ among themselves, except through selfish contumacy.
Allah by His Grace guided the believers to the Truth concerning that wherein they
differed. For Allah guides whom He will to a path that is straight.xiii
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ا حكيم ي ع وكان للاه س د ل ة ب حج على للاه ين لئل يكون للا ين ومذ بشل سل م
Messengers who gave good news as well as warning, that mankind, after (the
coming) of the messengers should have no plea against Allah: for Allah is Exalted
in Power, Wise.xiv
ين و ين ومذ سلين ل مبشل لم س نون ما ن م يح ل خوف عليهم ول ل من من و
We send the Messengers only to give good news and to warn: so those who believe
and mend (their lives),― upon them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. xv
The above verses highlight the various objectives and purposes of sending Prophets
for the propagation of the Divine message. These include, as is explicit from the
above verses textually, calling people towards the worship of Allah (‘ibādah), His
awful reverence and fear (taqwā), giving glad tidings (bashārah) to the believers,
and warning (indhār) the disbelievers. An exhaustive study of the Qur’ān reveals
that these objectives are universal as they are common to all prophets. However, in
case of Prophet Muhammad (SAAW), the Qur’ān makes a special mention of some
objectives of his messengerhood in an emphatic way. These are discussed below
under a separate heading.
Objectives of the Sending Muhammad (SAAW) as a Messenger
(Maqāṣid ’Irsāl Muḥammad {SAAW}):
لمين ـل حمة لل ل سل وما
We sent thee not, but as a mercy for all creatures. xvi
ن نسهم يتلو عليهم يته و سول مل بث يهم على لمؤمين يهم ويللمهم لكتب و لحكمة لقد من للاه كل ي
بين و ن كانو من ق م ى ضل ل ب
Allah did confer a great favour on the Believers when He sent among them a
Messenger from among themselves, rehearsing unto them the Signs of Allah,
sanctifying them, and instructing them in Scripture and Wisdom, while, before that,
they had been in manifest error.xvii
بل من ل لي سول بللغ ما ن ـايها لسلـته ي ت ما بل و ن لم ت من لا م ي ل وللاه ن للاه
ين يهدى لقوم لـك
O Messenger! proclaim the (Message) which hath been sent to thee from thy Lord.
If thou didst not thou wouldst not have fulfilled and proclaimed His Mission: and
Allah will defend thee from men (who mean mischief). For Allah guideth not those
who reject Faith.xviii
ه لمش ه ولو ك ين كلل ه على لدل ه لي سوله بالهدى ودين لحـقل س كون و لذى
It is He who hath sent His Messenger with Guidance and Religion of Truth to
proclaim it over all religion, even though the pagans may detest (it).xix
ٮث م عليهم لخب ل يلبت ويح لهم لط ويح وف ويهٮهم عن لمك م بالم م يام عهم ويض
لتى كانت عليهم ل مه الذين م و لغل لذى ن وه و تبـو لو وه ون م و به وع ٮ ول
لحون لم
… for he commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil: he allows them
as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad (and
impure); He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are
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upon them. So it is those who believe in him honour, him, help him, and follow the
Light which is sent down with him― it is they who will prosper."xx
ا مو تسليم ا قضيت ويسلل م ج ا مل بيهم ثم ل يجدو ى نسهم ح موك يما شج ل يؤمون حتهى يحكل بل ل و
But no, by thy Lord, they can have no (real) Faith, until they make thee judge in all
disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against thy decisions,
but accept them with the fullest conviction. xxi
It can be easily discerned from the above verses that Prophet Muhammad (SAAW)
was sent as a messenger to fulfill the objectives of showering mercy on the
creatures especially humankind, propagating the Divine message, reciting the verses
of the Holy Qur’ān, purifying his followers of the filth of disbelief and misdeeds,
teaching the Book (Qur’ān) and wisdom (ḥikmah) establishing the truth of Islam
against all forms of falsehood, commanding good, forbidding evil, settling the
disputes and relieving humanity from the burden and chains of false customs,
beliefs, practices that had troubled it for a long time. It is noteworthy that the
objective of (teaching) wisdom (Q, 03: 164) is intricately linked to the maqāṣidī fiqh so much so that maqāṣid are sometimes defined in terms of ḥikmah. Likewise,
the objective of relieving humanity from the shackles and burdens (of false
customs, beliefs, practices) as mentioned in Q, 07: 157, is glaringly reflective and
reminding of the very definition of maṣlaḥa (a key term in maqāṣidi fiqh) as “jalb
al-manfa‘ah wa daf‘u al-madarrah (attainment of benefit and removal of harm).”xxii
Objectives of the Revelation of the Qur’ān (Maqāṣid Inzāl al-Qur’ān):
قان ن لهدى و ل و بيلت مل د ى لللا ن ل يه لق مضان لذى ن شه
Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur’ān as a guide to mankind
also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong).xxiii
ـقوم يؤمون حمة لل د ى و له على علم ولقد جئهم بكتب
For We had certainly sent unto them a Book, based on knowledge, which We
explained in detail― a guide and a mercy to all who believe.xxiv
لمتقين ة لل موع د ى و و لا ذ بيان لل
Here is a plain statement to men, a guidance and instruction to those who fear
Allah! xxv
قد جاءتكم ايها لابلكم وشا ي ن ة مل وع ـلمؤمين ءللما ىم حمة لل د ى و و دو ل
O mankind! There hath come to you an admonition from your Lord and a healing
for the (diseases) in your hearts and for those who believe, a Guidance and a
Mercy. xxvi
للاه ٮ بما لتحكم بين لا لكتب بالحـقل لا لي ا نا ن يم ـلخاٮين خ ول تكن لل
We have sent down to thee the Book in truth, that thou mightest judge between
men, as guided by Allah: so be not (used) as an advocate by those who betray their
trust.xxvii
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ولو للباب و يته وليتذك يدب ك لل مب له لي كتب ن
(Here is) a Book which We have sent down unto thee, full of blessings, that they
may meditate on its Signs, and that men of understanding may receive
admonition.xxviii
The objectives of the revelation of the Holy Qur’ān become all the more clear from
the above verses. These include guidance, differentiating criterion (between truth
and falsehood), Divine admonition and address to human beings, arbitrator and
judge in mutual disputes, and a source of reflection and contemplation. The Muslim
scholars have pondered over the content of the Qur’ān to identify its grand
objectives. Al-Tabari, one of the earliest Qur’ān commentators, is of the view that
the Qur’ān comprises three things: Tawḥīd (monotheism), akhbār (stories of early
nations or information on important events of human history) and diyānat
(legislation).xxix
For Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, the ultimate objective of the Qur’ān is
calling people unto Allah. On the basis of this objective, the verses and chapters of
the Qur’ān can be classified into six categories including three fundamental
principles and three complementing accessory principles. The former includes
introducing the One towards Whom people are called, description of the right path
and the ultimate destiny (of humanity). The latter includes the description of the
fate of those who respond positively to the Divine call with the aim of encouraging
them, description of the fate of the disbelievers with the aim of warning them and
description of the means and capabilities for traversing the right path.xxx
It is quite
obvious that the objectives of the Qur’ān as identified by the eminent Muslim
scholars are but the major themes of the Qur’ān. That is why the debates and
discussions revolving around these objectives have led to the evolution of a separate
full-fledged sub-field of Qur’ānic Studies termed as ‘thematic exegesis of the
Qur’ān’ or al-tafsir al-mawdu‘i or al-tafsir al-maqasidi. It is worth pondering that
the significance of purposefulness in Islamic perspective is such that a separate
genre of Qur’ānic commentary and Qur’ānic studies has come into existence only
for the sake of the understanding and explaining the objectives of the Qur’ān. It is
beyond the scope of the present paper to go into the details of maqasid al-Qur’ān or
al-tafsīr al-mawdū‘ī. However, to cut a long story short, it will be beneficial to
discuss the objectives of the Qur’ān as mentioned by Tahir ibn Ashur in the
introduction to his voluminous commentary of the Qur’ān, Al-Tahrīr wa al-Tanwīr.
After undertaking an exhaustive survey of the Qur’ānic content for about
forty years, Ibn Ashur arrived at the eight objectives of the Qur’ān. These include
guidance towards right creed (iṣlāh al-i‘tiqād), refining of morals (tahdhīb al-
akhlāq), legislation (tashrī‘), governing of ummah (siyāsah al-ummah), educating
the addressees as per their requirements (al-ta‘līm bi mā yunāsib hāl al-
mukhāṭabīn), admonitions and warnings (al-mawā‘iẓ wa al-tahdhīr) and
establishing the miraculousness of the Qur’ān.xxxi
These objectives of the Qur’ān are briefly discussed below:
Iṣlāh al-I‘tiqād: Even a cursory look at the Qur’ān reveals that guiding people
towards the unity and unicity of Allah (SWT) is the most fundamental objective of
its revelation. Tawḥīd is the foundation of all principles and the purpose of all
purposes. It is the necessary condition for the acceptance of the righteous deeds. For
Ibn Ashur, it is the most important objective of the Qur’ān and the essence of the
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Islamic faith. It is the strong rope (connecting humanity to the Transcendent) that is
never meant to be severed as is testified by the verse: Whoever submits his whole
self to Allah, and is a doer of good, has grasped indeed the trustworthy hand-hold:
and with Allah rests the End and Decision of (all) affairs.xxxii
According to Ibn
Ashur, the Qur’ān seeks to discuss and explain the Islamic faith, especially Tawḥīd,
in different phraseologies and employing varied styles. No chapter of the Qur’ān,
rather no single page, misses the mention of the unity of Allah (SWT). Allah
created this universe to manifest His glorious attributes: existence, knowledge,
power; and enabled human beings to acquire from these attributes in proportion to
their inherent capacities. Besides, Allah bestowed human mind and soul with an
insatiable urge towards gradual perfection so that human beings ever-increasingly
benefit from the grace of the Divine attributes.xxxiii
Ibn Ashur discusses at length the
Qur’ānic discourse on Tawḥīd and its antithesis, polytheism (shirk), so much so that
the realization of Tawḥīd can be genuinely and inarguably regarded as the
overarching objective of the Qur’ān. Besides, he has not failed to mentioned belief
in prophethood and hereafter while discussing the teaching of right creed as the
objective of the Qur’ān. Regarding the first five verses of Chapter 96, the first
revelation on Prophet Muhammad (SAAW), Ibn Ashur says: These five verses
encompass the principal Divine attributes. The attribute of al-Rabb is reflective of
God’s existence and unity, khalq and ‘ilm are the attributes of Divine action (ṣifat
al-af‘āl) and the word al-Akram is indicative of God’s transcendent perfection.xxxiv
Tahdhīb al-Akhlāq: The attainment and realization of lofty morals has been much
lauded in Islam. In the traditions of Prophet Muhammad (SAAW), one who is best
in morality has been regarded as the best in the sight of Allah.xxxv
Likewise, the
Prophet is reported to have said, “I have been sent to perfect the lofty moral
virtues.”xxxvi
Drawing on some important verses of the Qur’ān as well as some
aḥādīth, Ibn Ashur discusses the refinement of morality as an objective of the
Qur’ān. For him, one of the biggest concerns of the Qur’ān is the ultimate
amelioration of ummah and righting the conduct of believers by strengthening their
morals, keeping them steadfast and guiding them towards salvation.xxxvii
Legislation of Universal and Particular Rulings: Drawing on some
significant Qur’ānic verses, Ibn Ashur opines that the Qur’ān is inclusive of the
universal rulings as well as important particular ones. He interprets the Qur’ānic
phrases of “tibyānan li kulli shay’in” and “al-yawma akmaltu lakum dīnakum” as
the completion of the universals which serve as the foundation for analogical
reasoning to arrive at the particular rulings. Likewise, he sees the objective of the
prohibition of interest as the fellow-feeling and kindness on the part of the rich for
the poor in times of need.xxxviii
Governing the Ummah: A considerable portion of the Qur’ānic content grapples
with the various aspects of the socio-politico-economic life of the Muslim society.
Based on such Quranic verses like Q. 03:103, Q. 04: 59 and Q. 42: 38, Ibn Ashur
discusses the importance of mutual consultation, obedience to the rulers and those
in charge of the affairs and paying heed to the call of Allah and His Prophet for the
health and well-being of a Muslim society.xxxix
These verses testify in the most
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unambiguous terms that siyāsah al-ummah is one of the important objectives of the
revelation of the Qur’ān.
Qur’ānic Stories: The Qur’ān bears a good number of stories of the earlier nations
and important events in the Divine scheme of creation. The creation of Adam is an
important case in this regard. The purpose of these Qur’ānic stories is to serve as
the historical testimony to the truth Qur’ān stands for. Besides they serve the
purposes of admonition, glad tidings to believers and warning to the disbelievers.
That is why these stories are not mentioned in a sequential way but are apparently
scattered throughout the Qur’ān. However, whatever story or its part is mentioned
at any place in the Qur’ān, it is thematically related to the objective of that chapter
or the immediate discussion.xl
Ibn Ashur has discussed the other objectives of the Qur’ān, too, properly
substantiated by the related Qur’ānic verses and convincing argumentation. He
holds the purposive approach to the Qur’ānic interpretation in such a high esteem
that he makes it mandatory for a Qur’ānic exegete to be cognizant of the objectives
of the Qur’ān.xli
Objectives of the Practical Commandments/Rulings:
The above discussed verses of the Qur’ān are sufficient enough as an inspiration
and authentication of the purposive reading of the Qur’an including fiqh, the
practical commandments and prohibitions. However, there are also certain verses
that bring to fore the objectives of the practical commandments (al-aḥkām al-
‘amalī) like regular prayers, fasting, pilgrimage, etc. These are more emphatic
Qur’ānic proofs of the maqāṣidī fiqh as fiqh is essentially the science of such
practical commandments laid down by the Sharī‘ah . Some representative verses in
this regard are:
ى لوة لذك و قم ل
… and establish regular prayer for celebrating My praise.xlii
يام کما كتب على لذين من قبلکم للكم تت ل قون يـايها لذين مو كتب عليکم ل
O ye who believe! fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before
you that ye may (learn) self-restraint.xliii
ى وألن ٱلا يأتوك بٱلحجلجال ا ل وعلى ا ڪ ل من يأتين ضام ك لليشهدو ظ عميق جل ـ و ظ لهم م ويذڪ
ٱسم ت أياما ى ٱلل ـ لوم زقهم ما على م ن م بهيمة مل ـ مو ظ مہا كلو ظ ٱلن ٱلباٮس وأط ٱلقي
“And proclaim the Pilgrimage among men: they will come to thee on foot and
(mounted) on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and
distant mountain highways;” That they may witness the benefits (provided) for
them, and celebrate the name of Allah, through the Days appointed over the cattle
which He has provided for them (for sacrifice): then eat ye thereof and feed the
distressed ones in want.xliv
As is manifested by the above verses, the most fundamental practical
commandments of Islam which are designated as its pillars (arkān) are not devoid
of purposes. The Qur’ān highlights their purposes in the most unambiguous terms.
These purposes include remembrance of Allah, attainment of piety and God-
conciousness along with a number of benefits (manāfi‘), both material and spiritual,
for the human beings. The Qur’ān not only mentions the purposes of these specific
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ritual practices but also draws our attention to the general purposes in unconditional
terms.
بكم لذى خلقكم و لذين من ق عبدو ايها لا بلكم للكم تتقون ي
O ye people! adore your Guardian-Lord, who created you and those who came
before you, that ye may have the chance to learn righteousness.xlv
ج ن ح عليكم مل ليج يد للاه ما ي
Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty ….xlvi
يد بکم لس ول ي بکم ليس يد للاه ي
Allah intends every facility for you He does not want to put you to difficulties….xlvii
ج ين من ح عليكم ى لدل وما ج
… and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion.xlviii
While the first verse mentioned above establishes the attainment of taqwā as the
objective of the all forms of worship, the rest three verses declare in general terms
that facilitation (taysīr), prevention and elimination of harm (raf‘ al-ḥarj) are the
objectives of Islamic Sharī‘ah . The maqāṣidī fiqh is but grounded on and revolves
around these Qur’ānic themes that relate the Divine commandments as well as
prohibitions with their objectives impregnated with profound wisdom.
Discouraging Aimlessness: The Qur’ān not only emphasizes purposefulness and
highlights its own objectives, as discussed above, but also discourages aimlessness.
It asks its readers, in general, and its adherents, in particular, to remain conscious of
what they do, refrain from living a purposeless life by just satisfying their material
needs and carnal pleasures, and be sagacious enough not to waste their
achievements. Some of the illustrative verses in this regard are mentioned below:
سوله و أيہا ٱلذين ء مو ظ أطيو ظ ٱلل ـ ۥ ول تولو ظ عه وأنتم تسمون ي
م ل يسمون ا و إن ول تكونو ظ كٱلذين قالو ظ سم عد ٱلدو بل ش م ٱلل قلون ل ٱلذين ٱلبكم ٱل ي ولو علم ٱلل
هم سم ا ل ضون يہم خي م م هم لتولو ظ و ولو أسم
O ye who believe! Obey Allah and His Messenger, and turn not away from him
when ye hear (him speak) Nor be like those who say "we hear", but listen not: For
the worst of beasts in the sight of Allah are the deaf and the dumb― those who
understand not. If Allah had found in them any good, He would indeed have made
them listen; (as it is) if He had made them listen, they would but have turned back
and declined (faith).xlix
و ظ ويلههم ٱلم م يأڪلو ظ ويتمت لمون سوف ي
Leave them alone, to enjoy (the good things of this life) and to please themselves:
let (false) hope amuse them: soon will knowledge (undeceive them).l
كم دخل بيكم ـ ا تتخذون أيمث ا ـ ة أنڪ د قو لها من ب ة ول تكونو ظ كٱلتى نقضت غ بى من أم ى أ ة أن تكون أم
بهۦ مة ما كتم يه تختلون وليبيلن إنما يبلوڪم ٱلل ـ لكم يوم ٱلقي
And be not like a woman who breaks into untwisted strands the yarn she has spun,
after it has become strong. Nor take your oaths to practise deception between
yourselves, lest one party should be more numerous than another: for Allah will test
you by this; and on the Day of Judgment He will certainly make clear to you (the
truth of) that wherein ye disagree.li
يدو بہم بٱلدوة وٱلشىل ي ٱلذين يدعون م س ن ب يد زية ٱلحيوة ۥ ن وجهه وٱ د عياك عہم ت ول ت
من أغلا قلبه ٱلدنيا ه ول تط وٮه وكان أم نا وٱتب ك ا ۥ عن ط ا ۥ
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And keep thy soul content with those who call on their Lord morning and evening,
seeking His Face; and let not thine eyes pass beyond them seeking the pomp and
glitter of this Life; nor obey any whose heart We have permitted to neglect the
remembrance of Us, one who follows his own desires, whose case has gone beyond
all bounds.lii
ء يتبهم ٱلاو ل و دا يهيمون ۥن وٱلش أنهم ى ڪ لون ألم ت وأنہم يقولون ما ل ي
And the Poets― it is those straying in Evil, who follow them: Seest thou not that
they wander distracted in every valley?― And that they say what they practise
not?liii
لون أيہا ٱلذين ء مو ظ لم تقولون ما ل ت ـ لون ي أن تقولو ظ ما ل ت مقت ا عد ٱلل ڪب
O ye who believe! why say ye that which ye do not? Grievously odious is it in the
sight of Allah that ye say that which ye do not.liv
The above verses make it clear that the Qur’ān discourages and warns against
aimless attitude and actions. It calls for attentive listening in a gathering and
ridicules absent-minded physical presence. Again, it disregards such false claims
that are not supported by actions as they serve no purpose either for the individual
or for the community. Likewise, it does not approve of such vain poetry that is but
an aimless wandering here and there and contradictory to the poets’ real life actions.
Conclusion: It can be justifiably concluded from the above discussion that Islam lays an
unequivocal emphasis on purposiveness in almost everything. It draws our attention
to the objectives, purposes, and wisdom in the creation of the universe, human life,
Divine scheme of sending Prophets, etc. frequently and recurrently. The Qur’ān
does not impose its teachings on its adherents but highlights their objectives that
strengthen one’s conviction in it. Besides, the Quran does not miss to mention its
own objectives The Qur’ānic verses discussed above are a convincing proof of the
fact that the maqāṣidī approach to interpret the Qur’ān and develop Islamic
jurisprudence is not a modernist innovation but rooted in Qur’ānic inspiration and
authentication.
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References and Notes
iThe references to the Qur’anic verses (āyāt) are given as Q followed by the numeric
figures separated by the colon mark. The numeric figure before the colon mark
represents the Chapter (sūrah) number and the one after it represents the verse (āyah)
number. iiQ. 67:02, Abdullah Yusuf Ali (tr.), The Glorious Qur’an, 2
nd Edition (USA: American
Trust Publications, 1977), p.1576. The English rendering of all the verses mentioned in
this paper is from the same translation. iiiQ. 51: 56.
ivQ. 38: 27.
vQ. 44: 38-39.
viQ. 02: 29.
viiQ. 31: 20.
viiiQ. 21: 25.
ixQ. 16: 36.
xQ. 07: 59.
xiQ. 07: 65.
xiiQ. 26: 105-108.
xiiiQ. 02: 213.
xivQ. 04: 165.
xvQ. 06: 48.
xviQ. 21: 107.
xviiQ. 03: 164.
xviiiQ. 05: 67.
xixQ. 61:09; 09:33.
xxQ. 07: 157.
xxiQ. 04: 65.
xxiiAbū-Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī, Al-Mustaṣfā Min ‘Ilm al-‘Uṣūl (Beirut: Dār al-Kutub al-
Islāmiyyah, 1998), vol.1., p. 174. xxiii
Q. 02: 185. xxiv
Q. 07: 52. xxv
Q. 03: 138. xxvi
Q. 10: 57. xxvii
Q. 04: 105. xxviii
Q. 38: 29. xxix
Al-Tabari quoted in Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti, Al-Itqān fī‘Ulūm al-Qur’ān (Beirut: Dar al-
Kitab al-Arabi, n.d.), vol.2, p.266. xxx
Al-Ghazali, Jawāhir al-Qur’ān, p.4. [Online Version] xxxi
Tahir ibn Ashur, Al-Tahrīr wa al-Tanwīr (Tunisia: Al-Dar al-Tunisiyya, 1984), vol.1,
pp. 39-41. xxxii
Q. 31: 22. xxxiii
Ibn Ashur, Al-Tahrīr wa al-Tanwīr, vol.1, p.182. xxxiv
Ibn Ashur, Al-Tahrīr wa al-Tanwīr, vol.30, p.440. xxxv
Muḥammad ibn Ismā‘ῑl al-Bukhārῑ, al-Ṣaḥῑḥ (Kitāb al-Adab), ed. Muṣṭafa al-Bughā, 5th
ed. (Beirut: Dār ibn Kathῑr, 1993), vol. 5, p. 2243 (Hadith No. 5682). xxxvi
Zurqani, Sharh al-Zurqani ala Muwatta Imam Malik (Commentary on Malik’s
Muwatta), ed. Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Mara‘shali (Beirut: Dar Ihya al-
Turath al-Arabi, 1997), vol.4, p. 344(Hadith No. 1742). xxxvii
Ibn Ashur, Al-Tahrīr wa al-Tanwīr, vol.1, p.81. xxxviii
Ibn Ashur, Al-Tahrīr wa al-Tanwīr, vol.3, p.86-87
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xxxix
Ibn Ashur, Al-Tahrīr wa al-Tanwīr, vol.5, p.98 xlIbn Ashur, Al-Tahrīr wa al-Tanwīr, vol.1, p.64.
xliIbn Ashur, Al-Tahrīr wa al-Tanwīr, vol.1, pp.39-41.
xliiQ. 20: 14.
xliiiQ. 02: 183.
xlivQ. 22: 27-28
xlvQ. 02: 21.
xlviQ. 05: 06.
xlviiQ. 02: 185.
xlviiiQ. 22: 78.
xlixQ. 08: 20-23.
lQ. 15: 3.
liQ. 16: 92.
liiQ. 18: 28.
liiiQ. 26: 224-226
livQ. 61: 2-3.