Useful Hints for a better understanding of the Quran
By: A. Muhammad
Rule 1: The Straightforward Meaning
On the Day of Judgment, every nation will be held accountable to its Book (45:28). The receivers of the Torah will be held accountable to their Book, and the receivers of the Injeel will be held accountable to their Book and so will the receivers of the Quran, they will be held accountable to the Quran and to the law of God contained therein.
As per 3:7, we learn that the Quran contains two types of verses: clear-cut verses and multiple-meaning verses. The clear-cut verses are those which contain the law of God, they are the 'law-giving' verses of the Quran. Since God is the fairest Judge, these 'law-giving' verses are given in very clear and straightforward language. Nevertheless, as a reader, one often comes across a situation where one has just read one of these clear 'law-giving' Quranic verses only to find that it has been given a completely different meaning by the interpreter. In addition, one finds that many words that do not appear in the Quranic verse are added to justify such an interpretation. If one should inquire into the reason behind this discrepancy one is told that the Quran is very difficult to understand and that the proficient interpreters have spent many years of their lives mastering the science of Quranic interpretation, and thus their interpretation is the one to be trusted.
To the majority of readers, these answers will be sufficient and to them, this will be the end of the matter, even though they may still harbour an uneasy suspicion deep inside. Only a very small minority of readers will seek to find satisfactory answers to the following questions:
1- How can God say one thing yet the interpreters tell us that God really meant something totally different?
2- How can an interpreter tell us that without his inspired interpretation we would not be able to understand the Quran?
3- Is God inefficient in expressing the meanings of the verses and so God relies on the interpreters to enlighten the reader?
4- How can God assert that the Quran is clear and easy to understand, yet the interpreters and scholars claim that the Quran is difficult to understand?
A.L.R. These are the signs of the clear Book. 12:1
We have made it easy and in your own tongue, so that they may be reminded. 44:58
5- How can God tell us that the Quran is fully detailed yet the interpreters add a whole host of words in their interpretations, none of which are found in the text of the Quran, then claim that the meaning is incomplete without these added words?
6- God informs us that He is the One who is able to bless anyone with the correct understanding of the Quran and the understanding of the Quranic message (55:1-2 and 75:19). Still, the scholars tell us that no one can understand the Quran without their interpretations.
The Almighty taught the Quran. 55:1-2
Then upon Us is its explanation. 75:19
The genuine believers will always choose to believe God's words rather than the words of an interpreter. They will always accept the straightforward meaning of the Quranic verse rather than any vague and far-fetched meaning. In return, God has rendered the Quran easy for genuine believers to understand. As for those who choose to believe other than God, God has placed veils over their eyes and hearts which prevent them from understanding the Quran. They are not permitted access to the Quranic truth even though they may be professors of the Arabic language and may have spent all their lives with their heads immersed in what they call "the science of Quranic interpretation".
Who is more transgressing than one who was reminded of his Lord's revelations, but he turned away from them and forgot what his hands have put forth? We have placed veils over their hearts so that they would not understand it, and deafness in their ears. If you invite them to the guidance, they will not then be guided, ever. 18:57
The following example demonstrates one such case where we have a very clearly worded 'law giving' Quranic verse. The words in this verse can only have one meaning, yet the majority of Muslims have been led to reject the straightforward meaning and instead accept a twisted meaning:
The Hajj is during the known months, so whoever executes the Hajj in them (the known months) shall refrain from sexual contact, wickedness and arguing during the Hajj. 2:197
The above words state clearly that God has decreed Hajj is to be observed anytime during the specified months. These are the four months that God calls "Hurum" in 9:36. However, to comply with various hadith, the interpreters have restricted the Hajj to the first 10 days of the month of Dhu Al-Hijjah (12th month of the Islamic calendar).
When they are asked why they restrict Hajj to only 10 days when God has allowed Hajj to be observed any time during the 4 Hurum months, they come up with the most irrational explanations, one of which is:
- In the old days, people used to travel by camel, and so it would take months to arrive at Mecca. So 2:197 does not really say that Hajj can be observed any time during the 4 months, what 2:197 really means is that people can make the intention for Hajj during the 4 months.
Besides the fact that this explanation defies the universality (time and place) of the Quranic law by making the law of Hajj in the Quran modelled purely on the camel travellers of the 7th century, still, let us assume that this explanation is legitimate, we would have to conclude that a camel traveller who makes the intention for Hajj on the first day of the 4 months, then getting on his camel and arriving one or two months later, would have actually missed the 10 days of Hajj.
- Some others will tell us that this Quranic verse (2:197) has been abrogated by a certain hadith. Needless to say, the concept of Quranic Abrogation is a great lie and insult to God's Words which we are told are unchangeable:
There is no alteration to the Words of God. 10:64
Verily, only the straightforward meaning of the 'law giving' verses should be accepted. We should accept without any reservation that God is the most competent and able to express any meaning. God is not in need of the interpreter's additions to render the meaning clear. God is the Omnipotent. His ability is unrestricted; He is Sovereign over all things.
To Him belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. He brings to life and puts to death, and He is capable of all things. 57:2
It is quite insulting to God to assume that the words of the Quran that stipulate His Law could mean anything but their literal meaning. God's Words are chosen with optimum precision so as to best convey the meaning. To interpret any 'Law giving' Quranic verse by adding or subtracting even one word to it is to commit a gross sin. We must check any such attempts and guard against them.
The genuine believers, upon discovering that they have not been following the literal meaning of the Quran, will always, and without any hesitation, change their old ways rather than continue to follow inaccurate interpretations of the Quranic text.
We should be especially alert to Satan's numerous tricks of deception. On this particular subject, he will fabricate fancy words and attribute them to various prophets:
And thus, We have made for every prophet enemies from among the human and jinn devils. They inspire one another with fancy sayings in delusion. Had your Lord willed, they would not have done it. So disregard them and what they fabricate. 6:112
In the verse to follow (6:113), we are told that God allows this to happen to expose the hypocrites who would rather uphold the dubious fabrications rather than the certainty of the Quranic words. Not surprisingly, the very next verse (6:114) confirms that God is the only lawmaker and that the Quran is 'fully detailed'.
Shall I seek other than God as a lawmaker when it is He who has brought down to you the Book fully detailed? 6:114
Rule 2: Never add one word to the Quranic text nor remove any
It is quite common when reading an interpretation of one Quranic verse or another to find the interpreter added words that do not appear in the Quranic text. These words invariably add an element to the interpretation that is not derived from the text itself. It is thus crucial when reading the Quran, and especially the law-giving verses, to discard any interpretations that are based on words not found in the Quranic text.
We must accept that God is the most efficient in conveying the message of every verse in the Quran. Had God seen it necessary to add such words, God would have added them Himself. The correct meaning of any Quranic verse is thus the meaning that is based on nothing other than the actual words of the verse.
The same problems can result from omitting any words of the verse or discarding their significance when we read the Quran. One of the examples of how the addition of only one or two words can completely lose the meaning is found in the following verse:
When God alone is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter are filled with aversion, but when others are mentioned beside Him, they rejoice. 39:45
Various interpreters when interpreting this verse inserted the words (other gods) to their interpretation so as to mean, 'but when (other gods) are mentioned beside Him.....'
This seemingly innocent addition to the Quranic text strips this verse of its universal application.
The addition of these 2 words changes the potent message of this verse. The Arabic word used in the Quranic text is 'dunihee' which means 'others beside Him'. Therefore, to restrict the meaning to 'other gods' when the word 'others' includes all other than God and not just 'other gods', is a corruption of the verse. The unrestricted Quranic word 'others' includes other gods as well as angels, prophets, saints and so on. Surely if God wanted the meaning to be restricted to 'other gods' God would have said: 'but when other gods are mentioned'. God is never short of words.
Rule 3: Looking for the 'Keywords'
God, in His infinite wisdom, and His knowledge of the 'ghayb' (unseen), is well aware of the manipulations that will enter into the interpretations of various Quranic verses.To counteract such errors of interpretation, God gives us various keywords within such verses which God knows will be subject to manipulation. The role of the keywords is to assist us in deriving the correct meaning of the verse and also to expose the falsehood within the manipulated interpretations.
The following are some examples of such glorious keywords:
Example 1- The words "farada feehinna"in 2:197
The Hajj is during the known months, so whoever 'farada al-Hajj' (executes the Hajj) in them (the known months) shall refrain from sexual contact, wickedness and arguing during the Hajj. 2:197
Despite the certainty embodied in the words 'The Hajj is during the known months' in defining the duration of Hajj to be the known months, this verse has been subject to erroneous interpretations resulting in the Hajj being restricted to the first few days of the month of Dhu Al-Hijjah. This implication of this deliberate manipulation of 2:197 results in millions of Muslims being deprived of observing their religious practice of Hajj. The number of people granted visas to visit the Masjid Al-Haram, Saudi Arabia, to observe Hajj is very small in comparison to what it would be had God's law of the four months been respected and implemented. The four months of Hajj are the 4 Hurum Months (9:36).
When the scholars are asked as to why they disregard the Quranic law of 2:197, they say that the months mentioned in 2:197 speak of the journey of Hajj or the intention of Hajj and not the Hajj itself. However, God gave us keywords in the verse to expose false interpretations. They are the 2 Arabic words "farada feehinna".
1- The first word is "farada" which is the verb from the noun 'fard'. The word 'fard' means an obligatory duty set by God upon the believers. The Salat is a 'fard' so is the Zakat and Hajj. Thus the verb "farada" (verb) means to execute the obligatory duty.
2- The second word, "feehinna", is two Arabic words joined together. They are 'fee' which means (in), and 'hinna' which means (them) and is used in the feminine gender to refer to the 'known months'. Thus the whole word means (in them). By placing these words inside the verse we get:
Whoever executes the Hajj in them (the specified months) shall refrain from sexual contact, wickedness and arguing during the Hajj. 2:197
In the two Arabic words 'farada fihhinna' (execute in them), God endorses the legality of executing Hajj anytime during the specified months.
The Rule 4: The Quran is its own dictionary
When we read the Quran we find specific words in all verses that are instrumental in defining the correct meaning of the verse. Apart from a relatively small number of words that are used only once in the Quran, most words appear in multiple verses.
With regards to the law-giving verses, the understanding of the correct meaning of its keywords is essential in order to follow the law contained within. To do so, it is not sufficient to look up such words in a dictionary. The dictionary is a man-made book and is only able to provide us with the current and acceptable meaning of words but not necessarily the Quranic meanings of such words. In fact, many words when looked up in a dictionary are given meanings totally different from how these words are used by God in the Quran.
The words: 'ummi', 'shaheed' and 'rajeem' are some examples of such words. The currently accepted meaning of these words is as follows:
- ummi = illiterate
- shaheed = someone who dies in the cause of God
- rajeem = stoned
The meanings of these words, as used in the Quran, are quite different.
1- The words 'Ummi' (singular) and 'Ummiyoon' (plural)
This word means a person (or a people) who has never received a Scripture from God. The confirmation of the correct Quranic meaning of this word is found in a number of verses:
He is the One who has sent to the 'ummiyyeen' a messenger from among them. 62:2
God sends a messenger to a people who have not received a Scripture before and not to a people who cannot read or write.
Say to those who were given the Scripture and the ummiyyeen', "Have you submitted?" 3:20
The word 'ummiyyeen' is used in 3:20 as an antonym for 'those who were given the Scripture'. In addition, God was not instructing His messenger to ask the ones who could not read or write if they submitted.
2- The word 'shaheed'
The word 'shaheed' is used consistently in the Quran to mean 'witness'. However, the meaning that is generally accepted today is a person who dies in the cause of God or a 'martyr'. The correct meaning (witness) is confirmed in numerous Quranic verses such as:
On the Day We raise from every nation a 'shaheed' (witness), no permission will be given to those who disbelieved, nor will their repentance be accepted. 16:84
So how will it be when We bring a 'shaheed' (witness) from every nation and bring you as a 'shaheed' (witness) over these? 4:41
God is 'shaheed' (Witness) over all things. 4:33
I have not said to them other than what You commanded me to say, that: 'You shall worship God, my Lord and your Lord.' I was 'shaheed' (witness) over them for as long as I was among them. When You took me back, You were the Watchful One over them. You are Witness over all things. 5:117
The words in 5:117 are of particular interest since they were spoken by Jesus and in which he states he was 'shaheed' for as long as he was alive. Not only is the currently accepted meaning of 'shaheed' contrary to the Quranic use of the word, but the whole concept of martyrdom is contrary to Quranic truth.
Those who advocate the incorrect meaning of the word 'shaheed' as (martyr) extend the scope of this incorrect concept to include those who die in fires, drowning, victims of terrorist attacks and so on. In contrast, we read in the Quran that the manner by which a person dies has absolutely no relevance to his fate in the Hereafter:
- A sincere believer is destined to Paradise regardless of the way he dies. He could have died in war or in his sleep. His admittance to Paradise is warranted by virtue of his belief and deeds and not by the manner of his death.
And whoever does good deeds, male or female, and is a believer, those will enter Paradise. 4:124
- Equally, for a disbeliever: the manner by which he dies or is killed will never change his fate; he will never be admitted to Paradise. This is confirmed in the following verse:
Whoever associates anything with God, God has forbidden Paradise for him, and his refuge will be the Fire. 5:72
Neither of the 2 verses above attaches any significance to the manner of death in deciding the fate of either the believers or the disbelievers.
Finally, the following verse provides even more conclusive evidence:
If you get killed in the cause of God or die, the forgiveness from God and mercy are better than whatever they can amass. 3:157
The underlined words confirm that the believers who strive in the cause of God are promised forgiveness and mercy from God, whether they die in the cause of God or they die a natural death. Once again confirming that the manner of death plays no role whatsoever in deciding the fate of the person in the Hereafter.
3- The word 'rajeem'
This word has been interpreted to mean 'he who is stoned'. Based on this interpretation, the non-Quranic ritual of 'stoning the devil' (rajm) has been justified. The Quranic meaning of the word 'rajeem' is quite different. When Satan rebelled and disobeyed God, God told him:
He said, "Then get out of it, for you are 'rajeem' (outcast). 38:77
Satan was not being told that God would stone him, but that God banished him and that he was outcast.
Ultimately, the best dictionary for Quranic words is the Quran itself. To arrive at the correct Quranic meaning of a word, we need to collect all the verses where that word is used. By looking into those verses and comparing the use of the word in each of them, the correct meaning will be the one that is in harmony with every one of the verses reviewed. If a meaning agrees with some verses but not with another, then it is not the correct meaning.
Rule 5: Related Verses
When studying any subject in the Quran we must thoroughly look into all the verses that deal with that specific subject. To deduce any conclusion or rule from one verse in isolation can often be misleading.
In many ways, the Quran is unlike any other book. It is neither an academic book nor is it a book of poetry as such. Nevertheless, it contains a wealth of knowledge delivered with a commanding style. While an academic book, when dealing with a specific subject, would normally adopt the accustomed pattern comprising an introduction, a presentation and a conclusion, the Quran differs in as much as it does away with all traditional formalities.
In any book other than the Quran one would expect to find each chapter dealing with one major topic. This is not always the case with the Quran, for although many of the shorter Suras deal with one specific topic or incident, it is not uncommon to find other Suras that cover most of the main subjects of the Quran (e.g. Sura 2). Therefore, we often find the same Quranic subject addressed in more than one chapter. Moreover, within the same chapter, we often find the topic categorically changed from one verse to the other without any due preparation. The reason for that is that the Quran is a Book of Divine Truth and not views. Divine Truth, unlike human views, is not in need of elaborate presentation or skilful justification. Every single Quranic verse is Divine Truth and is well capable of revealing an independent truth, wherever it is placed inside the Book. Each independent truth forms part of the overall picture that emerges when studying a particular Quranic subject. The Quranic verses have been perfected (11:1) that no verse will violate or invalidate another, yet at the same time, no overall Quranic concept may be deduced from one verse in isolation.
Rule 6: Adhering to the correct context
Another important rule that must be followed to attain the correct meaning of the Quranic words is to make sure to adhere to the correct context of the Quranic words we are reading. A common error, found in numerous books of Quranic interpretation, is taking some Quranic words out of the context of the verse they appear in, thereby implying an incorrect meaning to God's words. One such example is in the interpretation of the following words:
What God bestowed on His messenger from the people of the villages belongs to God and the messenger, and the relatives, and the orphans, and the needy, and the homeless. This is so that it would not circulate merely around the rich among you. Whatever the messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he withholds from you, do without it. And reverence God. Indeed, God is severe in punishment. 59:7
The above Quranic words ascertain the following important issues:
1- The words in 59:7, and the verses before it, speak specifically about the spoils of war. The words "What God bestowed to His messenger from the people of the villages" confirm that the subject is the spoils of war.
2- The source of what is given to the people by the messenger "whatever the messenger gives you" is God and not the messenger. This is confirmed by the words "what God bestowed on His messenger". This means that whatever is given to the believers, even though it is given by the messenger, the source is still God. The spoils of war were given to the messenger in order for him to distribute them in accordance with God's rules.
3- The messenger is to distribute the spoils of war, restored to him by God, to the following groups: "the relatives, the orphans, the needy and the homeless."
4- Following these words, God says that the believers should accept what the messenger gives them (of the spoils) and do without what is not given to them. In other words, God is telling the believers to accept the way the messenger distributes these spoils of war without expressing dissatisfaction.
5- The words "thus it will not revolve merely around the rich among you" are further conclusive proof that God is not speaking about the hadith or sunna of the messenger but is speaking about material gains, i.e. the spoils of war.
6- The same call from God to the people to accept the manner by which the prophet distributes the spoils of war (59:7) is repeated in relation to the distribution of charities. In 9:58-59, we also read the instruction from God for people to accept the distribution of charities by the prophet without any resentment:
Some of them criticise you regarding the charities. If they are given part of it, they are content, and if they are not given part of it, they become resentful. If only they were content with what God and His messenger had given them and had said, "God suffices us. God will provide for us from His favour, as will His messenger. It is God whom we seek." 9:58-59
Despite the above assertions, we find a large number of interpreters guilty of the following:
1- Taking the sentence "whatever the messenger gives you" in 59:7 out of the context of the verse.
2- It is claimed that the words "whatever the messenger gives you" refer to the hadith of prophet Muhammad, when in fact they refer to the spoils of war.
3- It was also claimed that the source of 'what is given' and 'what is withheld' is the prophet when the Quranic words state clearly that the source is God "what God bestowed".
4- As a result of this manipulated interpretation, the duty assigned to the messenger in 59:7 was changed from distributing the spoils of war in accordance with the rules outlined in the same verse to someone who is given authority to be a lawmaker besides God.
Rule 7: Universal Address
The Quran, being the final revelation from God, is addressed to all mankind and for all times. Unless the Quranic verse under study specifically stipulates that it is confined to a particular people or era, it addresses all people at all times. Furthermore, all the verses that start with 'say', unless they clearly address the messenger or a specific person, address all believers at all times. We witness that in the last 3 Suras in the Quran. They all start with the word "say" and they all address all believers.
This rule has been violated and greatly abused by many interpreters in order to imply a meaning that better suits their claims. To demonstrate this issue, consider the following example:
Suppose we are given the following information about a particular school:
'Half of the students in the school are male.'
If we wish to alter this simple statistic we could interpret these words to imply that half the students who are over twelve years old are male. Or we can state that only between certain years, say 1986 till 1988, half the students were male. Obviously, both of these imposed restrictions on the original statement are corruptions. The original text contained no restrictions on the age of the students nor did it specify a specific time. To read this statement correctly we must maintain that half the students, at all times and of all ages are male.
God's Law in the Quran is for all people and for all times unless the verse specifically states otherwise. When certain verses speak of a specific people or time, God makes this restriction very clear to us within the verse. An example of this can be found in the verses that detail some of the prohibitions that were imposed on the Jews as a punishment for their transgression:
Due to transgressions on the part of the Jews, We prohibited for them good things that used to be lawful for them, and for their repelling of many from the path of God. 4:160
Consequently, the claim that a certain verse addresses only certain people or a certain period of time, without the existence of clear evidence in the verse to indicate such a restriction, is a deliberate manipulation of God's Words.
Rule 8: The Significance of the Historical Background
A special word has to be mentioned here about what is commonly referred to as 'Asbaab Al-Nuzool' which means the historical reasons behind the revelation of various Quranic verses.
Many of the Quranic verses are connected to particular incidents that took place at the time of the revelation of the Quran. The following verses are examples:
1- When you said to the one upon whom God had bestowed favour, and you bestowed favour, "Hold on to your wife, and reverence God," and you hid inside yourself that which God decreed to be known; you feared the people when it was God who is more worthy for you to fear. Then when Zeid dissolved his union with her, We had you marry her to confirm that no blame falls on the believers for marrying the wives of their adopted sons if the latter have dissolved their union with them. God's command is to be carried out. 33:37
2- O you prophet, why do you prohibit what God has made lawful for you, seeking to please your wives? God is Forgiver, Merciful. 66:1
It has been said in connection to the first of these two verses, that the historical background goes that Zeid and Zeinab's marriage was blessed by the prophet. Since Zeid was a freed slave and Zeinab was among the upper class of Mecca, their marriage was a symbol of the brotherhood of Islam. However, their marriage was not a happy one. Zeinab looked down on Zeid because of his background. Zeid wished to divorce Zeinab and asked for the prophet's approval. The prophet, having blessed the marriage for what it stood for, feared that a divorce would incur the ridicule of the people, and thus advised Zeid against the divorce. The prophet feared the people's reaction when he should have feared God alone.
The historical background of the second verse goes that the prophet went to visit one of his wives, Hafsa, and remained with her for a while and she offered him some honey. When he returned to his other wives, Aisha and Sawda, they were jealous and accused him of spending more time with Hafsa than with them. They said that they too had honey to offer him. They caused him great distress that he said that he would never ever taste honey again (prohibited on himself).
Like all historical accounts, there will always be the true ones as well as the false ones. When we come to the historical accounts above, we find that they are not given in the Quran. The reason is that even though they may have historical value, they do not directly contribute to the message of the Book. In essence, the historical background of any Quranic verse should never alter or invalidate the law inherent in the verse. The two verses above proclaim the following laws:
Verse One (33:37)
1- Believers should not fear the people. They should fear none but God.
2- It is not prohibited for a man to marry the divorced wife of his adopted son.
Verse Two (66:1)
1- The prophet, or indeed any human being, is not given the authority to prohibit anything that God has made lawful.
By incorporating the above historical backgrounds, some scholars have interpreted these two verses in a totally inaccurate way by saying:
1- Verse 1 of Sura 66 applies only to honey and that the prophet was allowed to prohibit other things.
2- That the law allowing a man to marry the divorced wife of his adopted son applied only at the time of the prophet and not to all times.
Perhaps God, being aware of all future corruptions, has deliberately avoided the mention of the article which the prophet had prohibited on himself (66:1) so as to indicate to the true believers that the nature of the article in itself is of no significance. It could have been honey, milk or peanuts. What matters is that the prophet of God, or any human being, does not have the authority to prohibit anything made lawful by God.
We can conclude from the above that whether we read up on the historical background of these events or not, our understanding of the laws God placed in these two verses should not be affected. Therefore, before being sucked into the so-called science of historical reasons, the reader should bear in mind the following:
1- The claim that God revealed a certain verse containing one rule or law, which was in direct response to a specific historical event, would imply that if this historic event did not take place we may not have been given that rule/law from God.
It would be a total misconception to imply that the divorce of Zeid and Zeinab (33:37 above) was the reason for the legislation which God decreed in 33:37. It is more in line with Quranic truth to state that God's Law is independent of any historical event. With this in mind, the term 'Asbaab Al-Nuzool' (Historical reasons behind the revelations) becomes misleading in concept. Any Quranic verse, containing God’s Law, is never revealed to accommodate a historical incident.
2- To claim that a certain historical event was the reason behind the revelation of a certain Quranic verse, which is often the claim of various interpreters, implies that the rule or law contained in such verse is related only to local places and specific times. This contradicts the universal nature of God's Law which is applicable to all people and all times, regardless of what historical event took place at the time. The Law of God stands independent of all incidents pertaining to a time or a place. God's law was going to be revealed whether these incidents took place or not.
3- The Quran indeed speaks of numerous historical events, not because the Quran is a book of history, but because the narration of these events contributes to the Quranic message as a whole. For that, we are not given all the details of those historical events but only the details that serve the message of the Quran.
As a result, to claim that the historical details given in the Quran related to any historical event are not sufficient and that we need to read up on that event from other sources in order to understand the Quran is to contradict God's assurance that the Quran is fully detailed.
Rule 9: Believe God: The Quran contains all the details
On first reading of the above rule, some may feel perplexed, and others even offended. They will quickly say: Of course we believe God!
However, in response to the Quranic assurance that the Quran is fully detailed (6:114), and that nothing has been left out of the Book (6:38), some will nevertheless expose their disbelief in this attribute of the Quran by asking questions such as:
Shall I seek other than God as a lawmaker when it is He who has brought down to you the Book fully detailed? 6:114
There is not a creature in the earth or a bird that flies with its wings that are but communities like you. We did not leave anything out of the Book; then to their Lord, they will be gathered. 6:38
"If the Quran contains everything as you say, then where can I find in the Quran the recipe for cooking a curry?"
Needless to say, the Quran does not contain cooking recipes or how to drive our cars, etc, is given in the Quran. The purpose of the Quran (or any Scripture) is defined very clearly, and it is to provide mankind with the means for salvation. Therefore, since the way we cook a curry or the way we drive our cars does not affect our fate on Judgement Day, their details are not included in the Book. Most assuredly, the Quran is all we need for salvation.
To understand the meaning of 6:114 and other verses that assure us that the Quran contains all we need, we must read a number of other verses as well:
First:
We are told in 2:38 that God's offer to redeem mankind involves sending guidance to mankind and that the ones who will accept this guidance, which in verse 2:39 is connected to 'Ayat Allah' (God's revelations), will be redeemed while those who reject it will end up in Hell.
We said, "Go down therefrom, all of you. Then when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance, no fear will there be concerning them nor will they grieve. And for those who disbelieved and denied Our revelations, they are the companions of the Fire. Therein, they shall permanently remain." 2:38-39
Second:
We also read that God sent the guidance through the Quran:
These are the signs of the Wise Book. A guide and a mercy for the good-doers who observe the Salat, give the Zakat, and of the Hereafter, they are certain. 31:2-4
For previous people, the guidance was also given to them in their Scriptures:
And He brought down the Torah and the Injeel previously providing guidance for the people. 3:3-4
Third:
With the above confirmation of the role of the Quran (and all the other Scriptures) in providing the means for salvation, God then states that the Quran contains all the details. It is only logical to understand the completeness of the Quran in relation to its function, which is to provide guidance and the means for salvation.
Fourth:
The verse which gives us the attribute of the Quran being fully detailed is 6:114. The opening words of the verse are: Shall I seek other than God as a lawmaker? God's Words then continue to describe the Quran as being "fully detailed".
As a result, we are given the precise meaning of the fully detailed attribute of the Quran. The Quran is fully detailed in respect of containing all the laws of God which we need to practice Islam and to attain salvation. Let us consider the following situation:
You are studying in school for a physics exam, and your teacher gives you a book and tells you it contains everything you need to pass the exam. You cannot one day complain to him that you did not find in the book how to cook a pizza.
The teacher never claimed that the book contained information on how to cook a pizza, he only said it contained everything to pass the exam.
Moreover, you should not go and acquire a book from any other source and follow it, since the questions you will get in your exam will be based on the book the teacher gave you and not any other book.
Similarly, since God defined for us the function of the Quran (or any Scripture), which is to provide the complete rules to attain salvation (2:38-39), then we must understand the completeness of the Quran according to the function ascribed to it and not in an absolute sense.
Once again, all this confirms the fact that to attain salvation and to redeem our "nafs" (self) and be admitted into God's Paradise, we only need the rules and laws which are set for us and not the rules and rituals which were decreed for those before us.