درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Translating the Quran is an extraordinarily sensitive and challenging task due to its miraculous eloquence, its position within religious texts, and its deep connection to the beliefs of Muslims. Furthermore, the complexity of certain verses and the inconsistency between their superficial translations and the definitive principles of Islam add further difficulty to this process. The second verse of Surah al-Fatḥ is one of these verses, which, due to its connection to the impeccability of the Prophet (PBUH) and the consensus of Muslims on this matter, requires greater attention and examination. The phrase "Mā Taqaddama wa mā Taʼakhkhara" in this verse has traditionally been translated by most Quran translators as referring to the past and the future, suggesting that Allah forgives the Prophet's past and future sins. While the forgiveness of past sins is understandable and reasonable, the forgiveness of future sins appears unacceptable. This study aims to resolve this issue by exploring an accurate and precise translation of this phrase through the theories of commentators and hadiths, employing a descriptive-analytical method.

Dating or arranging the surahs according to their order of revelation has long been considered, at least to the extent of identifying them as Meccan or Medinan. However, it has not received much attention in traditional Tafsir (exegesis). Today, descending (Tanzīlī) exegesis, relying on methods other than the customary reliance on narrations of the order of revelation, has attracted the attention of Quranic researchers to facilitate a better understanding of the Quran. Accordingly, the present study, using a descriptive-analytical method, aims to investigate the date of revelation of Surah al-Qalam, considered the second revealed surah according to narrations of the order of revelation.  This will be done by examining the surah's content and style, comparing it to the stages of Quranic revelation in terms of the arrangement of the Prophet's call, and referencing historical documents and the Prophet's biography (Sīrah). The findings indicated that this surah depicts an atmosphere of a period of revelation that is incompatible with the early period of the Prophet's mission and his cautious call, and its position as the second revealed surah. Therefore, considering the content analysis and stylistic features of the surah, as well as supporting historical evidence regarding the use of various methods by opponents to express their opposition and hostility towards the Prophet, and comparing these with the verses revealed in surahs al-Shuʻarāʼ and al-Aʻrāf onwards, and based on a comparison that shows historical similarities between surah al-Qalam and Surahs Yāsīn, al-Furqān, and al-Isrāʼ, it seems that the approximate date of revelation of this surah is during the second phase of the Prophet's mission, after the cautious call and after surahs al-Anʻām and al-Ṣāffāt, but very close to them