Deferring Matters of Islamic Law to Religious Scholars Is Not Permissible. Studying and Understanding the Quran is Required.

Following is proof that Muslims must study the Quran in an effort to understand it and that simply deferring matters of Islamic to other people, e.g. the Ulama, is not allowed.

Is it better to memorize the Quran or to read the Quran?

Many Muslims go through the huge effort of memorizing the Quran, even if they don’t speak Arabic. In general, many Muslims are also very impressed to hear of someone who has memorized the entire Quran. Sadly, when you ask these people if they understand what they memorized, they say they don’t understand it. In other words, many of these people have managed to memorize the sounds of the Arabic Quran without understanding the meaning of what they’ve spent so much time trying to memorize. According to verse 2:2, the Quran is a guide for people who believe in God.

ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah – (2:2)

And according to verse 47:24, the Quran should be studied and understood.

أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا
Then do they not study / think deeply about / understand (yatadabbaruna) the Qur’an, or are there locks upon [their] hearts? (47:24)

While there is nothing wrong with memorizing the Quran, it should be clear that understanding the meaning of the Quran should be a priority. After all, how can you be guided by a book that contains guidance if you don’t understand what you are reading, let alone have memorized?

Is it better to read the Arabic Quran or a translation?

Many non-Arabic-speaking Muslims diligently read the Arabic Quran throughout their lives. Sadly, most of them have no idea of the meaning of the words they read. As such, it doesn’t seem fitting to even say that they are “reading” the Quran since “reading” implies an understanding of the words being read. As such, a possibly more appropriate description of their actions is that they are “making the sounds of the Arabic Quran.” The word Qur’an is an Arabic word that translates to “Reading” in English. It is called as such because it’s supposed to be read. In addition to reading it, God expects you to think deeply about it and understand it (47:24).

أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا
Then do they not study / think deeply about / understand (yatadabbaruna) the Qur’an, or are there locks upon [their] hearts? (47:24)

God makes it clear in 2:2: that the Quran is a guide.

ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah – (2:2)

Obviously, in order to be “guided”, you need to understand the meaning of the guide. And obviously, you can understand a guide if you don’t understand the language of that guide. Therefore, it should be obvious that non-Arabic speakers will benefit most from reading a translation of the Quran to satisfy verse 47:24 and be “guided.” People don’t magically get guidance by reading a book they don’t understand. If one feels it important to read the Arabic Quran, they can read both the Arabic version and a translated version side by side.

Are you allowed to sing the Quran?

Many Muslims think that it is better to recite the Quran with a certain intonation. The resulting effect can be somewhat like they are singing a song with or without instruments.

Here’s an example without instruments.

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Watch on YouTube

And here’s an example with instruments.

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Watch on YouTube

There doesn’t appear to be any ruling against singing the Quran. However, one should keep in mind the purpose of the Quran and what God expects everyone to do with it. As stated earlier, the Quran is a book of guidance (2:2) and God expects everyone to read, understand, and think deeply about it (47:24).

QURAN — UNDERSTANDING

The Quran forbids you from following or believing in something without understanding it

In verse 17:36, God clearly tells people not to follow and believe in what they have no knowledge of. For example, if someone tells you that Muslim men are forbidden from wearing gold and silk, then you shouldn’t just believe what they say, regardless of whether they are learned scholars or imams. You must know what you are doing so that you are not guilty of becoming a blind believer. Examples of blind believers are idol worshippers of the time of Prophet Abraham. When Abraham proved to them, including his own father, that the idols were not God, and told them to stop worshipping them, they refused saying that they wanted to continue worshipping whatever their forefathers worshipped, even though they had no proof that their idols were God.

وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ ۚ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَٰئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولًا
And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart – about all those [one] will be questioned. (17:36)

As a Muslim, do you have to understand the Quran?

Many Muslims believe that they can just read the Quran without understanding and thinking deeply about its verses. However, God says in verse 47:24 that you are expected to study and think deeply about its verses. The expectation that you understand the Quran is so serious that not doing it is as if your heart was locked up. This expectation is very rational. After all, if you don’t understand the Quran, then your practice of Islam would be based on assumption rather than proof. Furthermore, since verse 17:36 forbids you from blindly following what people tell you without your own personal knowledge or proof of a matter, one obvious way to acquire knowledge of Islamic matters is by studying and thinking deeply about the Quran.

أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا
Then do they not study / think deeply about / understand the Qur’an, or are there locks upon [their] hearts? (47:24)

Note the keyword “yatadabbaruun” in this verse which is defined in the Edward Lane’s Lexicon as follows (highlighted).

QURAN — FOLLOWING / JUDGING BY OTHER THAN IT

God forbids people from following any law except God’s laws in the Quran

This is understandable and is proven in verse 6:114. The Quran is the word of God. Other books, e.g. the book of Prophet Muhammad’s sayings (hadith), are not from God but from humans (e.g. indirectly via a chain of people who claim they heard Muhammad say something). Muhammad is not God. Muhammad has no right or authority to make Islamic law. And God never gave Muhammad the authority to make Islamic law as we will prove below.

أَفَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ أَبْتَغِي حَكَمًا وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكِتَابَ مُفَصَّلًا
[Say], “Then is it other than Allah I should seek as judge while it is He who has revealed to you the Book explained in detail?” … (6:114)

Whoever judges by other than the Quran, they are wrongdoers and Kafir (disbelievers)

Many people, usually very religious people, like to tell others that something is haram. Unfortunately, their justification of their statements is based on the supposed sayings of Prophet Muhammad (hadith) and not the Quran. For example, some people tell others that men are forbidden from wearing gold and silk. This information is found in the hadith but you will never find it in the Quran. According to verse 5:45, these people who judge by the hadith think that they are doing the right thing and are very religious but in actuality, God considers them wrongdoers.

وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ
… And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed – then it is those who are the disbelievers. (5:45)

In addition to being wrongdoers, in verse 5:44 God even considers them to be disbelievers (kafir). This verse indicates that

  • God sent down the Torah
  • The prophets, Jewish rabbis and scholars used it to judge the Jews

There is no mention of the man-made Jewish Talmud book containing supposed sayings (hadith) of prophet Moses nor opinions of rabbis to be used in place of or in conjunction with the Torah for matters of Jewish law. The same, obviously, would apply to the Quran.

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ ۚ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُوا لِلَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالْأَحْبَارُ بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُوا مِن كِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَكَانُوا عَلَيْهِ شُهَدَاءَ ۚ فَلَا تَخْشَوُا النَّاسَ وَاخْشَوْنِ وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا بِآيَاتِي ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۚ وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ
Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light. The prophets who submitted [to Allah ] judged by it for the Jews, as did the rabbis and scholars by that with which they were entrusted of the Scripture of Allah, and they were witnesses thereto. So do not fear the people but fear Me, and do not exchange My verses for a small price. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed – then it is those who are the disbelievers. (5:44)

Regarding matters of religion, do not follow or believe in hadith besides the Quran

Verses 45:6 and 77:50 should be sufficient proof for everyone that only the Quran, which is God’s sayings (hadith) should be followed and believed in. Any saying (hadith) after that should not be believed in let alone followed as supplementary or overriding laws in the Quran.

تِلْكَ آيَاتُ اللَّهِ نَتْلُوهَا عَلَيْكَ بِالْحَقِّ ۖ فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَ اللَّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ
These are the verses of God which We recite to you in truth. Then in what statement after God and His verses will they believe? (45:6)
فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَهُ يُؤْمِنُونَ
Then in what statement after it (the Qur’an) will they believe? (77:50)

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