Esoteric interpretation of the Qur'an
Encyclopedia
An esoteric interpretation of the Qur'an is an interpretation
of the Qur’an which includes attribution of esoteric or mystic
meanings to the text by the interpreter. In this respect, its method is different from the conventional exegesis
of the Qur’an, called tafsir
. Esoteric interpretations do not usually contradict the conventional (in this context called exoteric
) interpretations; instead, they discuss the inner levels of meaning of the Qur'an. A hadith
from Prophet Muhammad which states that the Qur’an has an inner meaning, and that this inner meaning conceals a yet deeper inner meaning, and so on (up to seven levels of meaning), has sometimes been used in support of this view.
Esoteric interpretations are found in Sufism
and in the sayings (hadith
s) of both Twelver and Ismaili
Shi'a Imams. In Arabic
, batin
refers to the inner or esoteric meaning of a sacred text, and zahir
to the apparent or exoteric meaning.
s that the Qur’an has concealed meanings. The existence of the Qur'anic initial letters is often mentioned in connection with this belief. The authority of the person who extracts these meanings is a matter of debate.
Naturally, Muhammad
is considered to be the authority on interpretation of the Qur'an in any form, but his interpretations, even when discussing esoteric matters, are actually standard definition
s of Qur'anic concepts due to his position as prophet
of Islam
.
There is a verse in Qur'an related to esoteric interpretations:
He it is who has sent down to thee the Book: In it are verses basic (of established meaning); they are the foundation of the Book: others are allegorical. But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical, seeking discord, and searching for its hidden meanings, but no one knows its hidden meanings except God. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord:" and none will grasp the Message except men of understanding.(Sura 3:7http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/003.qmt.html#003.007)
In the verse quoted above, there is a stop between …except God and And those who.. and reading this way the verse attributes the knowledge of the Qur'an's hidden meanings to God alone. By removing the stop it becomes:" ...no one knows its hidden meaning except God and those who are firmly grounded in knowledge, they say…" which suggests that those firmly grounded in knowledge can extract these hidden meanings.
Both forms are valid in the Arabic language
; Sunni Muslims usually read the verse with the stop, while Shi'a Muslims usually read it without the stop, and consider their Imams, who, according to Shi'a belief, are the heirs of Muhammad
's knowledge, to be authorized to explain these hidden meanings.
In Sufi tradition, it is believed that the esoteric meanings of the Qur'an can be extracted through mystic experiences, and as such, esoteric interpretations presented by Sufi Shaykhs are considered authentic. Today, the majority of Muslims (except Salafi
s) respect Sufi interpretations at least as an alternative view of the Qur'an.
has widely used esoteric interpretation of the Qur'an. The metaphysical basis of a Sufi interpretation is Kashf (unveiling) or Zawq (tasting). Sufi writings make frequent references to the Qur'an and present esoteric interpretations either explicitly or implicitly. Implicit forms being quoting a verse in a certain context which suggests that the meaning of the verse is related to the ideas presented.
There are some verses in the Qur'an whose conventional interpretations suggest mystic ideas and Sufis have commented extensively on them. While all Sufi interpretations are basically mystic
, three major trends in Sufi interpretations can be recognized, mystic
, philosophic, and esoteric.
The distinction is not always clear and sometimes these coexist in works of a particular Sufi author. Historically the mystic interpretations were the first to appear in Sufi writings, the second and third being philosophic and esoteric interpretations.
A famous Sufi commentary on the Qur'an, the Persian
book Kashf Al Asrar (The Unveiling of the Mysteries) by Meybodi, mentions conventional interpretations as the first level of meaning and esoteric interpretations as a deeper level. It is common in Sufi writings to explain three or four levels of meaning of a Qur'anic concept.
Some examples include:
These interpretations are sometimes mystic comments on religious concepts.
For example in " Say: O unbelievers! I worship not that which you worship"(109/1-2) unbelievers is taken to mean individual self, or the women of paradise
, houri
, are interpreted as divine visions.
These interpretations are aimed at explanation of the mystic meaning of the stories and are found frequently in Sufi poems and prose, for example in The Conference of the Birds
, Attar, in reference to the Qur'anic story of descent of Adam and Eve
to Earth, writes that "Adam was too lofty to be satisfied with paradise and an unseen messenger cried to him to leave his attachments to everything that hampers his journey towards God, be it paradise".
These interpretations view Qur'an from a poetic perspective and seek to find subtle meanings related to divine love in the verses , an example which is found frequently in Sufi writings, specially poems, being the interpretation of "By the glorious morning light, And by the night when it is still" (93/1-2) as God's reference to the face and hair of Mohammad.
For example in his book Tamheedat, Ayn-al-Qudat Hamadani
interprets "The fire of God kindled ablaze, which doth mount to the hearts"(104/6-7) which conventionally refers to the punishment in hell , as passion of divine love and interprets "the day Earth becomes that which is not Earth" which conventionally describes the day of judgment
as a description of the moment of spiritual
awakening or enlightenment
.
Sometimes only a vague comment and sometimes a comment on each letter is given. Although Sufis insist that these initial letters conceal mysteries that can not be fully expressed in words and should be understood by means of mystic experiences.
philosophy
.
Hallaj was one of the early Sufis who presented such interpretations .For example he deeply speculated on Qur'anic idea of creation by the word Be! , which appears frequently in Qur'an e.g. : "...When He determines a matter, says to it, "Be", and it is."(19/35)
The most influential works in this area are those of Ibn Arabi
.Each chapter of his book Fusus al-Hikam (The Bezels of Wisdom) http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=102546743 , is dedicated to a prophet mentioned in Qur’an which he attributes to a particular word (logos) or divine manifestation that is the subject of the chapter. Throughout the book (and all his works indeed) he proposes thoughtful and courageous esoteric interpretations of Qur'anic verses. He also wrote two commentaries of the Qur'an.
Many similar Sufi interpretations are inspired by Ibn Arabi
' works, specially works of Akbari school.
.
belief is possession of knowledge of hidden meanings of Qur'an. Although it is believed by Shi'a Muslims that they revealed only a small portion of their knowledge. All hadiths of Imams are considered sources of conventional interpretation of Qur'an, tafsir
, in Shi'a Islam.
Shi'a Muslims sometimes refer to the twelfth Shi'a Imam , Mahdi, as Baqiyyat Allah literally meaning that which is left by God, the term is originally derived from a Qur'anic verse (Sura 11:86 , http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/011.qmt.html#011.086) according to an esoteric interpretation.http://www.e-resaneh.com/English/Imam%20MAHDI/HAZRAT%20IMAM%20MAHDI%20(A.S.)%20-THE%20QURANIC%20VIEW.htm
There are many esoteric interpretations presented by Shi'a Imams, most of them by Ja'far al-Sadiq
and Muhammad Baqir. These hadiths usually interpret certain verses in connection with Mohammad's house, Ahlul Bayt.http://www.tebyan.net/english/Hadith/default.aspx?c=5|Hadith&id=
A Shi'a hadith attributed to Ja'far al-Sadiq
, which is an esoteric comment on sura
Al-Qadr
:
Exegesis
Exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially a religious text. Traditionally the term was used primarily for exegesis of the Bible; however, in contemporary usage it has broadened to mean a critical explanation of any text, and the term "Biblical exegesis" is used...
of the Qur’an which includes attribution of esoteric or mystic
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
meanings to the text by the interpreter. In this respect, its method is different from the conventional exegesis
Exegesis
Exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially a religious text. Traditionally the term was used primarily for exegesis of the Bible; however, in contemporary usage it has broadened to mean a critical explanation of any text, and the term "Biblical exegesis" is used...
of the Qur’an, called tafsir
Tafsir
Tafseer is the Arabic word for exegesis or commentary, usually of the Qur'an. Ta'wīl is a subset of tafsir and refers to esoteric or mystical interpretation. An author of tafsir is a mufassir .- Etymology :...
. Esoteric interpretations do not usually contradict the conventional (in this context called exoteric
Exoteric
Exoteric refers to knowledge that is outside of and independent from anyone's experience and can be ascertained by anyone. Compare Common sense. It is distinguished from internal esoteric knowledge. Exoteric relates to "external reality" as opposed to one's own thoughts or feelings. It is knowledge...
) interpretations; instead, they discuss the inner levels of meaning of the Qur'an. A hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
from Prophet Muhammad which states that the Qur’an has an inner meaning, and that this inner meaning conceals a yet deeper inner meaning, and so on (up to seven levels of meaning), has sometimes been used in support of this view.
Esoteric interpretations are found in Sufism
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
and in the sayings (hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
s) of both Twelver and Ismaili
Ismaili
' is a branch of Shia Islam. It is the second largest branch of Shia Islam, after the Twelvers...
Shi'a Imams. In Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, batin
Batin (Islam)
Batin is defined as the interior or hidden meaning of the Quran. This is in contrast to the Quran's exterior or apparent meaning . Some Muslim groups believe that the Batin can only be fully understood and interpreted by a figure with esoteric knowledge, who for Shi'a Muslims is the Imam of the...
refers to the inner or esoteric meaning of a sacred text, and zahir
Zahir (Islam)
According to some Muslim groups, zahir is the exoteric or apparent meaning of the Quran. In other words, this refers to interpretations of Quranic doctrine that are conducted by normal human beings...
to the apparent or exoteric meaning.
Islamic legitimacy
There is almost no dispute among MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s that the Qur’an has concealed meanings. The existence of the Qur'anic initial letters is often mentioned in connection with this belief. The authority of the person who extracts these meanings is a matter of debate.
Naturally, Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
is considered to be the authority on interpretation of the Qur'an in any form, but his interpretations, even when discussing esoteric matters, are actually standard definition
Definition
A definition is a passage that explains the meaning of a term , or a type of thing. The term to be defined is the definiendum. A term may have many different senses or meanings...
s of Qur'anic concepts due to his position as prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
There is a verse in Qur'an related to esoteric interpretations:
He it is who has sent down to thee the Book: In it are verses basic (of established meaning); they are the foundation of the Book: others are allegorical. But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical, seeking discord, and searching for its hidden meanings, but no one knows its hidden meanings except God. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord:" and none will grasp the Message except men of understanding.(Sura 3:7http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/003.qmt.html#003.007)
In the verse quoted above, there is a stop between …except God and And those who.. and reading this way the verse attributes the knowledge of the Qur'an's hidden meanings to God alone. By removing the stop it becomes:" ...no one knows its hidden meaning except God and those who are firmly grounded in knowledge, they say…" which suggests that those firmly grounded in knowledge can extract these hidden meanings.
Both forms are valid in the Arabic language
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
; Sunni Muslims usually read the verse with the stop, while Shi'a Muslims usually read it without the stop, and consider their Imams, who, according to Shi'a belief, are the heirs of Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
's knowledge, to be authorized to explain these hidden meanings.
In Sufi tradition, it is believed that the esoteric meanings of the Qur'an can be extracted through mystic experiences, and as such, esoteric interpretations presented by Sufi Shaykhs are considered authentic. Today, the majority of Muslims (except Salafi
Salafi
A Salafi come from Sunni Islam is a follower of an Islamic movement, Salafiyyah, that is supposed to take the Salaf who lived during the patristic period of early Islam as model examples...
s) respect Sufi interpretations at least as an alternative view of the Qur'an.
Sufism
Throughout its history, SufismSufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
has widely used esoteric interpretation of the Qur'an. The metaphysical basis of a Sufi interpretation is Kashf (unveiling) or Zawq (tasting). Sufi writings make frequent references to the Qur'an and present esoteric interpretations either explicitly or implicitly. Implicit forms being quoting a verse in a certain context which suggests that the meaning of the verse is related to the ideas presented.
There are some verses in the Qur'an whose conventional interpretations suggest mystic ideas and Sufis have commented extensively on them. While all Sufi interpretations are basically mystic
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
, three major trends in Sufi interpretations can be recognized, mystic
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
, philosophic, and esoteric.
The distinction is not always clear and sometimes these coexist in works of a particular Sufi author. Historically the mystic interpretations were the first to appear in Sufi writings, the second and third being philosophic and esoteric interpretations.
A famous Sufi commentary on the Qur'an, the Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
book Kashf Al Asrar (The Unveiling of the Mysteries) by Meybodi, mentions conventional interpretations as the first level of meaning and esoteric interpretations as a deeper level. It is common in Sufi writings to explain three or four levels of meaning of a Qur'anic concept.
Mystic interpretations
These are purely mystical interpretations of the text and at times have a poetic nature which presents mystic insights to the meaning of the Qur'an.Some examples include:
- Interpreting religious terms as describing inner qualities:
These interpretations are sometimes mystic comments on religious concepts.
For example in " Say: O unbelievers! I worship not that which you worship"(109/1-2) unbelievers is taken to mean individual self, or the women of paradise
Jannah
Jannah , is the Islamic conception of paradise. The Arabic word Jannah is a shortened version meaning simply "Garden". According to Islamic eschatology, after death, one will reside in the grave until the appointed resurrection on . Muslims believe that the treatment of the individual in the life...
, houri
Houri
In Islam, the ḥūr or ḥūrīyah are commonly translated as " companions of equal age ", "lovely eyed", of "modest gaze", "pure beings" or "companions pure" of paradise, denoting humans and jinn who enter paradise after being recreated anew in the hereafter...
, are interpreted as divine visions.
- Interpreting Qur'anic stories from a mystic perspective:
These interpretations are aimed at explanation of the mystic meaning of the stories and are found frequently in Sufi poems and prose, for example in The Conference of the Birds
The Conference of the Birds
The Conference of the Birds is a book of poems in Persian by Farid ud-Din Attar of approximately 4500 lines. The poem's plot is as follows: the birds of the world gather to decide who is to be their king, as they have none. The hoopoe, the wisest of them all, suggests that they should find the...
, Attar, in reference to the Qur'anic story of descent of Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve were, according to the Genesis creation narratives, the first human couple to inhabit Earth, created by YHWH, the God of the ancient Hebrews...
to Earth, writes that "Adam was too lofty to be satisfied with paradise and an unseen messenger cried to him to leave his attachments to everything that hampers his journey towards God, be it paradise".
- Poetic interpretations:
These interpretations view Qur'an from a poetic perspective and seek to find subtle meanings related to divine love in the verses , an example which is found frequently in Sufi writings, specially poems, being the interpretation of "By the glorious morning light, And by the night when it is still" (93/1-2) as God's reference to the face and hair of Mohammad.
- Interpreting a verse in a sense very different from its conventional meaning:
For example in his book Tamheedat, Ayn-al-Qudat Hamadani
Ayn-al-Qudat Hamadani
Ayn-al-Qużāt Hamadānī, also spelled Ain-al Quzat Hamedani or ʿAyn-al Qudat Hamadhani , full name: Abu’l-maʿālī ʿabdallāh Bin Abībakr Mohammad Mayānejī , was a Persian jurisconsult, mystic, philosopher, poet and mathematician who was executed at the age of 33.-Origin of the title:Ayn-al-Qużat in...
interprets "The fire of God kindled ablaze, which doth mount to the hearts"(104/6-7) which conventionally refers to the punishment in hell , as passion of divine love and interprets "the day Earth becomes that which is not Earth" which conventionally describes the day of judgment
Qiyamah
In Islam, Yawm al-Qiyāmah or Yawm ad-Din is believed to be God's final assessment of humanity as it exists. The sequence of events is the annihilation of all creatures allowable, resurrection of the body, and the judgment of all sentient creatures.The exact time when these events are to occur...
as a description of the moment of spiritual
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
awakening or enlightenment
Enlightenment (spiritual)
Enlightenment in a secular context often means the "full comprehension of a situation", but in spiritual terms the word alludes to a spiritual revelation or deep insight into the meaning and purpose of all things, communication with or understanding of the mind of God, profound spiritual...
.
- Comments on Qur'anic initial letters:
Sometimes only a vague comment and sometimes a comment on each letter is given. Although Sufis insist that these initial letters conceal mysteries that can not be fully expressed in words and should be understood by means of mystic experiences.
- Mystic remarks concerning Qur'anic verses like the famous saying "I am the dot (Arabic alphabetArabic alphabetThe Arabic alphabet or Arabic abjad is the Arabic script as it is codified for writing the Arabic language. It is written from right to left, in a cursive style, and includes 28 letters. Because letters usually stand for consonants, it is classified as an abjad.-Consonants:The Arabic alphabet has...
: ب) (EnglishEnglish alphabetThe modern English alphabet is a Latin alphabet consisting of 26 letters and 2 ligatures – the same letters that are found in the Basic modern Latin alphabet:...
: B) of BismillahBismillahThere are multiple uses of Bismillah :* Bismillah is first word of the Basmala phrase of Islam.* Bismillah , born in Oruzgan, Afghanistan, in 1952...
" attributed to various Sufis including ShibliShibli NomaniAllamah Shibli Nomani was a respected scholar of Islam from Indian subcontinent during British Raj. He was born at Bindwal in Azamgarh district of present-day Uttar Pradesh. He is known for the founding the Shibli National College in 1883 and the Darul Mussanifin in Azamgarh...
. Many Sufis have commented on it as description of a form of union with the divineDivinityDivinity and divine are broadly applied but loosely defined terms, used variously within different faiths and belief systems — and even by different individuals within a given faith — to refer to some transcendent or transcendental power or deity, or its attributes or manifestations in...
essenceEssenceIn philosophy, essence is the attribute or set of attributes that make an object or substance what it fundamentally is, and which it has by necessity, and without which it loses its identity. Essence is contrasted with accident: a property that the object or substance has contingently, without...
.
Philosophic interpretations
These interpretations have a philosophical structure and sometimes serve as the basis of a mysticMysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
.
Hallaj was one of the early Sufis who presented such interpretations .For example he deeply speculated on Qur'anic idea of creation by the word Be! , which appears frequently in Qur'an e.g. : "...When He determines a matter, says to it, "Be", and it is."(19/35)
The most influential works in this area are those of Ibn Arabi
Ibn Arabi
Ibn ʿArabī was an Andalusian Moorish Sufi mystic and philosopher. His full name was Abū 'Abdillāh Muḥammad ibn 'Alī ibn Muḥammad ibn `Arabī .-Biography:...
.Each chapter of his book Fusus al-Hikam (The Bezels of Wisdom) http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=102546743 , is dedicated to a prophet mentioned in Qur’an which he attributes to a particular word (logos) or divine manifestation that is the subject of the chapter. Throughout the book (and all his works indeed) he proposes thoughtful and courageous esoteric interpretations of Qur'anic verses. He also wrote two commentaries of the Qur'an.
Many similar Sufi interpretations are inspired by Ibn Arabi
Ibn Arabi
Ibn ʿArabī was an Andalusian Moorish Sufi mystic and philosopher. His full name was Abū 'Abdillāh Muḥammad ibn 'Alī ibn Muḥammad ibn `Arabī .-Biography:...
' works, specially works of Akbari school.
Other esoteric interpretations
These are bodies of esoteric knowledge associated with Qur'anic concepts which have practical importance for some Sufis, a famous example is the theories concerning the six subtlities or lataif-e-sittaLataif-e-sitta
Lataif-as-Sitta are psychospiritual "organs" or, sometimes, faculties of sensory and suprasensory perception in Sufi psychology. They are thought to be parts of the self in a similar manner to the way glands and organs are part of the body...
.
Hadiths of Shi'a Imams
One of the essential characteristics of Imams in Shi'aShi'a Islam
Shia Islam is the second largest denomination of Islam. The followers of Shia Islam are called Shi'ites or Shias. "Shia" is the short form of the historic phrase Shīʻatu ʻAlī , meaning "followers of Ali", "faction of Ali", or "party of Ali".Like other schools of thought in Islam, Shia Islam is...
belief is possession of knowledge of hidden meanings of Qur'an. Although it is believed by Shi'a Muslims that they revealed only a small portion of their knowledge. All hadiths of Imams are considered sources of conventional interpretation of Qur'an, tafsir
Tafsir
Tafseer is the Arabic word for exegesis or commentary, usually of the Qur'an. Ta'wīl is a subset of tafsir and refers to esoteric or mystical interpretation. An author of tafsir is a mufassir .- Etymology :...
, in Shi'a Islam.
Shi'a Muslims sometimes refer to the twelfth Shi'a Imam , Mahdi, as Baqiyyat Allah literally meaning that which is left by God, the term is originally derived from a Qur'anic verse (Sura 11:86 , http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/011.qmt.html#011.086) according to an esoteric interpretation.http://www.e-resaneh.com/English/Imam%20MAHDI/HAZRAT%20IMAM%20MAHDI%20(A.S.)%20-THE%20QURANIC%20VIEW.htm
There are many esoteric interpretations presented by Shi'a Imams, most of them by Ja'far al-Sadiq
Ja'far al-Sadiq
Jaʿfar ibn Muhammad al-Sādiq was a descendant of Muhammad and a prominent Muslim jurist. He is revered as an Imam by the adherents of Shi'a Islam and as a renowned Islamic scholar and personality by Sunni Muslims. The Shi'a Muslims consider him to be the sixth Imam or leader and spiritual...
and Muhammad Baqir. These hadiths usually interpret certain verses in connection with Mohammad's house, Ahlul Bayt.http://www.tebyan.net/english/Hadith/default.aspx?c=5|Hadith&id=
A Shi'a hadith attributed to Ja'far al-Sadiq
Ja'far al-Sadiq
Jaʿfar ibn Muhammad al-Sādiq was a descendant of Muhammad and a prominent Muslim jurist. He is revered as an Imam by the adherents of Shi'a Islam and as a renowned Islamic scholar and personality by Sunni Muslims. The Shi'a Muslims consider him to be the sixth Imam or leader and spiritual...
, which is an esoteric comment on sura
Sura
A sura is a division of the Qur'an, often referred to as a chapter. The term chapter is sometimes avoided, as the suras are of unequal length; the shortest sura has only three ayat while the longest contains 286 ayat...
Al-Qadr
Al-Qadr
Sūrat al-Qadr is the 97th sura of the Qur'an with 5 ayat. It is a Meccan sura.إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ فِى لَيۡلَةِ ٱلۡقَدۡرِWe have indeed revealed this in the Night of Power: وَمَآ أَدۡرَٮٰكَ مَا لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ...
:
- One who understands the true meaning of the night of fateLaylat al-QadrLailatul Qadr , the Night of Destiny, Night of Power, Night of Value, the Night of Decree or Night of Measures, is the anniversary of two very important dates in Islam that occurred in the month of Ramadan...
, has understood the mystery concealed in Fatima.