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thāniya ʿiṭfihī li-yuḍilla ʿan sabīli llāhi lahū fī d-dunyā khizyun wa-nudhīquhū yawma l-qiyāmati ʿadhāba l-ḥarīqi
turning aside disdainfully to lead [others] astray from the way of Allah. For such there is disgrace in this world, and on the Day of Resurrection We will make him taste the punishment of the burning:
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Al-Hajj – Verses 8 - 10
8. “And among the people there is such a one that disputes about Allah without knowledge, without guidance and without any enlightening Book.”
9. “Turning away in pride to lead (men) astray from the path of Allah: for him there is disgrace in this world and We shall make him to be on the Day of Judgment the punishment of the burning (Fire).”
10. “(And unto him it will be said): ‘This is for that which your two hands have sent before, and that (verily) Allah is not unjust to His servants’.”
If disputation is based on knowledge, it does not matter. The discussion in these verses is upon some people who disputed about the origin and the end without having any fundamental knowledge. At first, it says:
The first sentence of this verse contains exactly the same meaning which was mentioned in the former verses, and its repetition here shows that the previous verse points to one group while this second one refers to another group. Some Islamic commentators have considered the difference between these two groups in that former verse states the status of the followers of the unaware misleading group.4 The Qur’anic phrase /liyudilla ‘an sabil-il-lah/ (to lead (men) astray from the path of Allah) shows that the program of this group is to mislead others and this is counted a clear frame of reference upon that difference.
This is exactly like the sentence which was recited in the former verse saying:
It speaks about the following of the Satans and which makes this meaning more clear, too. In relation to the difference between the meanings of the terms ‘knowledge’, ‘guidance’, and ‘enlightening Book’, the commentators have also offered some discussions, among which the one that seems closer to the mind is: ‘knowledge’ refers to intellectual reasoning, ‘guidance’ refers to the leading and guiding of the Divine leaders, and ‘enlightening Book’ refers to the heavenly Books.
In a simpler style, it reiterates the same three known reasonings, consisting of: ‘Book’, Sunnah (practice), and ‘intellect’; and regarding to the fact that according to the researches of the scholars, consensus returns to ‘practice’, all four evidences are gathered in this phrase. Some other commentators also believe that ‘guidance’ may refer to the spiritual guidance which can be obtained under the light of self-improvement, virtue, and purification of the carnal soul. (This meaning, of course, can be gathered with what was said in the above.)
In fact, a scientific discussion or disputation can be useful when it is based on one of these reasonings: the reason of intellect, the reason of the Book, or the reason of Sunnah (practice). Then, in the next verse, the Holly Qur’an refers to one of the causes of the aberration and mislead of the leaders of the misguidance in a short and expressive sentence, where it says:
The Arabic term /ani/ is derived from /anaya/ in the sense of ‘to turn’; and the word /‘itf/ means ‘side’, so, ‘turning the side’ here is an implicit declaration of pride and their heedlessness, that they hinder people from the path of truth. In any rate, the Qur’an explains their intensive retribution in this world and the Hereafter as follows:
And then he will be told this is the consequence of what his hands have sent before for him. The verse says:
It is in case that Allah is never unjust to the servants. He neither punishes anyone unduly, nor does He increase the chastisement of anyone unreasonably, and His manner is absolute justice and absolutely just. This verse is one of the verses that not only negates the school of Fatalist, but also proves the principle of Justice with respect to Allah’s deeds.
A Few Traditions
1- Imam Amir-ul-Mu’mineen, Ali (as) said:
“Whoever seeks guidance other than the guidance of Allah, goes stray.” 6
2- Amir-ul-Mu’mineen, Ali (as) said:
“Whoever obeys his Lord, fears his sin, is guided.” 7
3- Imam Ali (as) said:
“The guidance of Allah is the best guidance.”
And he (as) also said:
“He who is in the clothing of religion is guided.” 8
Footnotes