The Comprehensiveness of the Holy Quran as Expressed in al-Mizan Commentary

The comprehensiveness of the Quran is one of the fundamental principles of interpreting this book. The perspective of Allama Tabatabai, the contemporary influential commentator is of high significance in this regard. It can be a key to solve certain theoretical problems in the field of religious thought, model, and practice. The present article reveals different aspects of Allama's view on the comprehensiveness of the Quran as stated in al-Mizan commentary. By the comprehensiveness of the Quran, Allama means its being perfect. Allama refers to three aspects of this perfection as follows:1. Its being comprehensive as compared to earlier revealed books. 2. Comprehensiveness as to thorough and all-embracing presentation of ideas or issues. 3. Comprehensive as to the wide domain of issues covered in the Quran. Allama expresses this point in two ways: a) All-embracing comprehensiveness. b) Comprehensiveness as far as guidance and the needs relevant to the happiness of human being are concerned.Allama proves the comprehensiveness of the Quran and explains its quality in different ways. He establishes a link between the comprehensiveness of the Quran and the perfection of religion or of the Quran. He also refers to a direct link between the quality of the final religion-as responsive to the needs of man whatsoever-and the quality of the Quran as the clarifier of everything. Further he holds that two qualities of the Quran, i.e. clarifying everything and distinguishing everything, indicate its being comprehensive. The Quran as the clarifier of everything (Tibyān) is supposed to show clearly whatever man requires in treading the path of happiness. Furthermore, according to Allama, the universality of the Quranic challenge requires that this book have materials and messages in every controversial field of knowledge, materials which are inimitable. Therefore, the universal challenge implies the comprehensiveness of this book in every aspect. Enumerating various types of issues raised in the Quran.Allama elaborates on the wide domain of Quranic themes in more detail.