Holy Qur’an: Guidance, mercy to mankind

By the Sky and the Night-Comer!
And what will make you realise what is the Night-Comer?
It is the pulsating star of piercing brightness.
And, indeed, even thus, there is not a single soul but that over it
there is a guardian angel recording everything.
Then let man consider the substance from which he is created.
He is created from a spurting fluid, issuing from between the backbone
of a man and the breast of a woman.
Indeed, He who created him is, most surely, well able to return him to life anew –
On a Day Hereafter when all man’s inner secrets shall be examined!
Thus, for him, there shall be neither power nor helper against God’s punishment.
By the sky ever returning water to the earth in rain!
And by the earth ever cleaving and sprouting with vegetation!
Indeed, this Qur’an is, most surely, a distinguished word from God –
and it is not conveyed in jest!
Indeed, they who disbelieve are devising a plan against faith.
Yet I devise a plan to thwart them.
So, bear with the disbelievers, O Prophet.
Bear with them just a little. Qur’an 86V1-17

Brethren, our Khutbah (sermon) today is a continuation of the decolonisation of the Muslim Minds. In this Khutbah, we continued the conversation on the Qur’anic attitude to knowledge with focus on the goal of knowledge and its acquisition. But we wish to remind ourselves that we are now in the second half of Sha’ban. May Allaah (SWT) see us through Sha’ban and preserve us beyond Ramadhan.

The following is summary of today’s Khutbah: Allaah guides and teaches us by three means: through (a.) the correct knowledge about the World we live in, ourselves and Himself. (b.) Through narration of stories and direct instructions on dos and donts and (c.) through prediction and prophesies of ends and consequences.

The goal of the Qur’anic teachings about Allaah, the world, and ourselves is to reverence Allaah and do good in preparation for Qiyamah (Hereafter). That is why the beginning of the revelation (Q95:1-5) references Allaah in relation to the lowly origin of man and his upgrading to the highest level in creation through knowledge.

There is a narration that states, “Record knowledge by writing.” There is also a saying which states, “Whoever acts according to what he knows, Allaah will make him inherit knowledge that he did not know.”

The purpose of knowledge acquisition is clear, though we use it today to find food to eat by all means. Otherwise, there won’t be more rancour in the Faculties of Arts across Nigerian Universities in which Departments of Arabic and Islamic Studies are embarrassingly not excluded.

It is clear from Suratu Tariq (Chapter 86 quoted above) and every similar Surah also that every scientific information about mankind and the physical world is linked with an article of Faith. Knowledge is, therefore, a means of enhancing FAITH to drive faith-based ACTIONS. When a man or woman of knowledge is, therefore, found tragically wanting, it is either Shytan is at play or his intentions to acquire the knowledge is not for good.

The decolonizing contents of the epistemic system in the Qur’an is unfolding as a strategic revolutionary implements rather than garbs of brazing brags of specialists nor a door of initiation into thelemic magic or other occult groups as we invite innocent drones into perdition through the manipulation of their earthly problems as if we don’t have. A Muslim cleric is, therefore, not an equivalent of a Pastor, Babalawo, dibia or bawka, it doesn’t matter whether this is what we find today.

The fact that we did not find this situation in the scripture and in the history of our teacher and models in the first three centuries of Islam knocks out any argument in favour of commercialisation and weaponisation of Qur’anic or Islamic knowledge no matter the eloquence of the argument including commercial RUQYA. Allaah (SWT) asked the Prophet to say: “Say, (O Muḥammad), “I do not tell you that I have the depositories (containing the provision) of Allāh or that I know the unseen, nor do I tell you that I am an angel. I only follow what is revealed to me.” Say, “Is the blind equivalent to the seeing? Then will you not give thought?” Al-An’am 6:50.

And also in Al-A’raf 7:188: “Say, I hold not for myself (the power of) benefit or harm, except what Allāh has willed. And if I knew the unseen, I could have acquired much wealth, and no harm would have touched me. I am not except a warner and a bringer of good tidings to a people who believe.”

As we continue on this theme, we ask Allaah (SWT) to continue to guide and protect us against ourselves and grant us peace to be able to worship Him alone.

Let us remind ourselves that Sha’ban is running to the end and Ramadhan is fast approaching (just few days away). Let us prepare for the great Month of the Qur’an. May we not be in the grave then. Those who are in the grave, especially our late Vice Chancellor, Professor Nuh Omeiza Yaqub, may Allaah forgive him and admit him into Al-Jannah as He grants the families the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. May Allaah not let him die in vain as he was greatly concerned about the University till death. May Allaah grant us peace in the university, in our homes in the land of Nigeria.

“Our Lord! Hold us not accountable if ever we forget or we have erred. Our Lord! Neither lay upon us a burden like that which You have laid upon those before us. Our Lord! Nor lay upon us that which we do not have the strength to bear. Rather, pardon us, And forgive us. And have mercy upon us. You alone are our Patron. So, give us victory over the disbelieving people.”

• Professor Taofiq Adesina Azeez is Chief Imam, Muslim Community, University of Abuja.