Quran and Religious Enlightenment (قرآن و روشنگری دینی)

The Verse 59 of the Surah Al-ahzāb plays a key role in inferring the ruling on Hijab due to its legislative characteristics. Does this verse specify the scope and realm of hijab? Does it have a wisdom for a ruling or a cause? Does it show exclusive concepts, if it shows the hijab? Can we refer to the Arabic verb Yu'rafna as a word delineating the boundary between the free and salve women? Based on the document-analytical method, this article carefully examines the sources of both Shiite and Sunni sources and seeks to express the necessity of maintaining the hijab of women. It concludes that, the title of “observing the public chastity” is not mentioned in the words of the commentators and jurists. Additionally, since the people of the Book, slaves and those who did not observe Islamic Shari'ah lived in Media of the day, this verse means the very attention to the protection of privacy in the form of identification and security of the committed women, and so there is no obligation to wear hijab.

One of the important principles when studying religious texts, and especially interpreting sacred texts, is to pay attention to the historical debates on whether or not the sacred text has been distorted in the course of history. In other words, to what extent are these texts valid? Shiite and Sunni scholars have raised the issue of the Qur'an's immunity from distortion and falsification in their interpretations, which is in opposite to the view of Western scholars on the issue of distortion in the Testaments. Based on a qualitative method with a content analytical approach, this research examined the reasons for the distortion or non-distortion of the Holy Qur’an and the Testaments, in line with an investigation into the issue of distortion and its dimensions. Findings show that the distortion of the Qur’an may be considered only in terms of meanings while it is completely different in the Testaments. In fact, the problem of making Testaments by humans and the historic disappearance of the Torah and the divine Bible prove that we should speak of their falsification, not distortion.

At-Takāthur is one of the Meccan Surahs, which criticizes a part of the culture of the pre-Islamic society in terms of style and content. Like other Meccan Surahs it absorbs the audience to pay attention to Resurrection. A semiotic exploration of the signs of this surah, particularly its layered semiotics, reveals the messages behind its words and signs. In order to explain the first and apparent meaning of the verses, we analyzed the signs of this surah based on interpretive and literary sources. Findings show that in this surah on the horizontal axis, the choice of the words “Alhākum at-Takāthur” is reminiscent of a vain traditional behavior in the pre-Islamic era. This surah also considers visiting the graves with the intention of pride (extravagance) a fanatical approach to tribalism and a kind of irrational sanctification in pre-Islamic culture. On an intentional axis, the beginning words such as “Kallā” (the negative sign of the nexus-oriented) and “Thumma” (the connection of the nexus-oriented), “s” and “sawfa” refer to the condemnation and rejection of such useless behavior. These words also refer to the necessity of attention to a knowledge which will be occurred very soon.

Muslims are consensus on the principles of Islamic beliefs (‘usūl), though wide differences have appeared among them on the secondary beliefs (furūāt), including the infallibility (‘isma) of the prophets, especially the holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH). Some believe in the fallibility of the prophets and hence the holy Prophet of Islam, referring to some verses of the Holy Qur’an. They argue that although the prophet’s infallibility can be proved by rational reasons, rather than the words from God Almighty, as he himself took them from Him, if there are verses indicating the fallibility, then such infallibility shall be criticized and refuted through such verses. In this article, based on the analytical-citation method, different opinions on the holy Prophet’s (PBUH) immune from sin and their evidences are mentioned. In addition, the verses argued by the critics of the infallibility of the Prophet are mentioned. An investigation of the interpretations of these verses show that they not only do not indicate to this claim, but also prove the infallibility of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) at the highest level.

The Qur’anic and Hadith materials of medicine are crude propositions that without their systematization cannot be entitled as the science of “Islamic medicine”. Looking into the general position of medicine in the Qur’an, this article draws a thematic outline of medicine in the narrations through thematic classification. After identifying the materials, a process should be done in seven steps to reach the title of the Islamic medicine. According to these steps, after ensuring the authenticity of the hadiths, it is necessary to make sure that the narrations were recorded correctly by the authors of the narrative books. Then, through examining possible harms inflicted on the narrations, being in three stages of issuing, quoting, and understanding, it will be possible to know that the narrations have been protected or are amendable. Afterwards, we need to provide a proper translation, identify similar and conflicting hadiths, investigate the connected and separate evidence, and gather the opinions of scholars and commentators to have a fair understanding of hadiths. In the final step, the interdisciplinary interaction between the experts in the two fields of hadith and medicine should be established in a mutual, step-by-step and joint way.

The Holy Qur'an has ignited the torch of enlightenment in beliefs and raised the flag of the struggle against superstition, by which the true truth is known and the narrations can be evaluated. Among the realities of the universe are the angels whose infallibility are disputed; Some believe in the infallibility of the angels, while some do not. Each group brings its reasons for its special idea. This article aims to investigate the infallibility of angels based on the library method and by referring to the basic religious sources, i.e. the Qur’an, interpretive and narrative collections. So, it introduces a theory based on the Holy Qur’an. As a result, findings show that the three-fold reasons, not only lack strength and dynamism, they also support the infallibility of the angels in some cases. In other cases, the narrations about Hārūt and Mārūt are attributed to Ka'b al-Ahbār in the form of marfū' and date back to the Israelite. In terms of content, since they do not compatible to the Qur’an and there is no reason for their being a symbolism, they oppose the clear text of the Qur’an concerning the infallibility of the angels; for some verses affirm the appearance of the angels and some affirm their infallibility.

Meeting of marriage candidates each other before marriage to reach a final decision to marry or cancel it is so popular in the Islamic society of Iran that it is not even thought to be “denied” and even the most fanatical religious person cannot forbid it; While most jurisprudential schools have allowed seeing suddenly the girl’s face and hands to wrists for the proposal, and some have allowed the girl to see the boy’s face as well, provided that the proposal does not enjoy her if it happens involuntarily and by force, some have prescribed it only once for the proposal to see the girl, and some have prescribed to see her several times. Some jurists have prescribed seeing the female body more than the face and hands to wrists, and seeing the girl’s body behind a lace covering even with pleasure. However, most schools have forbidden meeting and talking, and some jurists have allowed it on the condition of not committing sin. The study of the opinions of all jurisprudential schools shows that these opinions are inferential and based on their own ijtihad. They are not an indisputable legal verdict. They are based on restricting marriage to the pleasure and enjoyment of couples, ignoring other aspects of marriage and limiting the relationship between men and women to a pleasurable relationship. Criticizing the jurisprudential opinions and their principles, it is concluded that the ruling to allow the marriage candidates to meet and talk to the extent of a definite.

Sometimes the audience's understanding of God's word in the Holy Qur'an is different, and sometimes a person's understanding of the divine revelations changes over time. The question is, what is the origin of the diversity and transformation of understanding of the verses of the Holy Qur’an? In this article, which has been done by descriptive and analytical methods, some of the various origins and changes in understanding the verses of the Holy Qur’an are the talent of endless research of the Holy Qur’an, human scientific capacity, evolution of human sciences and insights, differences in audience mores, differences in human needs in the face of the Holy Qur’an, considering or not considering the social bases of verses, taking a group of seemingly different verses and interpreting another group in front of it, differences in perspective, destination-oriented view to verses, using reason in understanding verses, interpretation of verses due to different narrations, differences in the principles of authenticity of appearances of the Holy Qur’an, referring to symmetry or not referring to the symmetry in obtaining the appearances of the verses, differences in recitation and differences in the Iʿrāb.

Raising issues thereby man is guided to the Right Path, the Holy Qur’an refers to scientific issues. One of the most important axes in the Qur’an is the origin and creation of man. The quality of his creation and the origin of his life are discussed fluently in 76 verses of 41 Surahs. With the growth of embryology in the twentieth century, some have sought to adapt such verses to it to clarify the truths of the Qur’an to the audience, while others have challenged such verses and raised misconceptions such as inconsistency of embryonic stages in the Qur’an with the embryology, semen coming out of the spine and ribs (solb and tarā’ib), devaluating semen, the creation of the fetus from the male sperm and not paying attention to the role of the female sperm, determining the time of the fetus sex, descripting sperm as amshāj, the difference of ‘alaq without “tā” and with “tā”, the difference between the adding letters of “thumma”, “fā”, and so on. As a result, the confirmation of embryological knowledge by the valuable Qur’anic teachings in the study of human creation is proved. Also the mentioned misconceptions have basic problems, for the issues referred in the Qur’an are consistent with the findings of modern science, as well as, there are reasonable answers to all these doubts and differences.

The light of science and civilization has absorbed the contemporary people as if it has led them to the promised palaces of humanity and all problems have been solved by the hands of these two elements. Nevertheless, the crisis of absurdity and frustration have destroyed man from inside. We believe that the shining teachings of the Holy Qur’an, which indeed originate from the source of revelation, can well guide the intellectual and then the practical dimension of man so that there will be no room for despair and spiritual gaps. The reason behind the success of this healing version is that it was issued by the Creator of man and the universe, Who, in addition to good qualities, demands the growth and development of man. This article aims to analyze the basic strategy of the Holy Qur’an for the intellectual nourishment of man, on the one hand, and to satisfy the practical dimension of man, on the other.     Keywords

In the Qur’anic verses and Islamic hadiths, human values rank such a high status that religious leaders have also emphasized to respect these values. Altruism and serving humans - in all religions and denominations - have also been emphasized by religious leaders theoretically and practically. Paying attention to such values can play an important role in the solidarity of human societies and the peaceful life of different ethnic groups and nationalities. Human values have also been considered by Iranian writers and mystics, some of whom have reflected those valuable lessons in their Persian poems and texts. Despite blind prejudices, “Religious Enlightenment” requires that those life-giving and altruistic teachings be discussed by scholars.

One of the controversial issues is the infallibility of the prophets, which has long been a point of contention among Islamic scholars. Hence, each of the Islamic sects has a different opinion on this issue; However, all of them have absolutely accepted the principle of the infallibility of the prophets. Among the Islamic sects that accept the infallibility of the prophets and have a different view from the other is the Shiite Imamiyah. A small number of Imamis do not consider infallibility from error and mistake in ordinary affairs necessary for an infallible person and consider negligence and forgetfulness in these matters permissible; However, according to Imami scholars, the prophets are immune from all minor and major sins from childhood and even before puberty, and they are infallible in all matters. Accordingly, this article, with the aim of “knowing and getting acquainted with the famous opinion of Imami scholars”, deals with the scope and realm of the infallibility of the prophets and answers some doubts about this issue in order to clarify it according to the famous imami scholars, which in fact originates from Imams’ words, the Shiite Imams accept the infallibility of the prophets and do not accept any negligence or forgetfulness in any of the affairs and stages of their lifetime.