نشریه قرآن پژوهی خاورشناسان (قرآن و مستشرقان)
سال پنجم شماره 1 (پیاپی 8، بهار و تابستان 1389)

The Orientalists have employed variety of methods in Qur’anic instructions and Islamic teachings such as phenomenology, sociology, semantics, psychology and comparative studies. Each of these methods has likely a contribution in unveiling the truth and cognition. But if these methods are utilized merely (particularly if used exclusively) and without applying other manners as complementary, it would entail some improper and erroneous results.

A contemporary French Orientalist Averoés in internet website www.baldi.net, with propounding some fifteen subjects and ascribing each of them in the holy Qur’an has tried to prove this point that there exists no tradition except the holy Qur’an and the divine instructions are available in Qur’an merely. The Prophet has not interpreted the holy Qur’an and the wisdom which is granted to the Prophet is not hadith (tradition) rather is the holy Qur’an. Since God, the Almighty is one the source of decrees is also one. Those who follow hadiths do not bear faith on resurrection day. Qur’an has directly declared the nullification of hadiths. The best hadith is the holy Qur’an. The holy Qur’an can be understood without hadiths. The narrators of hadith are the foes of the Prophet. The hadiths are not written by the Prophet rather it’s a factor which divides the holy Qur’an. In the following, the writer has criticized the French Orientalist's accounts and finally has proved via internal and external demonstrations that the prophet's hadiths existed and are considered as authority for all.

The article of Jihad written by Ela Landa Tasron possesses a forward and other two sections whereas the writer considering various concepts of Jihad has divided it into two sets: 1. more general than waging battle, 2. in meaning of battle. In the first section he does illustrate the concept of jihad in the holy Qur’an literally and tries to shed light on various meanings of this word under the shadow of Qur’anic verses. He in some cases sees the meaning of Jihad ambiguous and tries to clarify them with the exegetical explanations. In the second section taking the etymology of jihad in mind the writer studies the theory of battle in the holy Qur’an. He is of the idea that the verses pertaining this point is contradictory and the exegetes employing various exclusive skills such abrogation, particularization, occasions of revelation and resorting the full meaning of the text by holding certain words to be understood have resolved the contradictions of these verses. The writer in the following observes the classified verses and the suitable behavioral commands engaged in jihad. After finishing the translation of article, the critic starts reviewing and is of the view that thought the article is a value laden one but suffers abundant amount of negative flaws in the second section. The writer in the second section with the claim of Qur’anic contradictions and incompatibility of verses wants to assert that there exists no exclusive standpoint in regard to battle in Islam, while this is untrue. Another point is to be treated noteworthy is this that the sources he has referred to are mostly from the Sunnite books and has not seriously taken the Shiite sources into account. Moreover, the studies and reference to words he has made in respect to jihad does not seem sufficient. The claim that the word of jihad had never been used in the battles waged before advent of Islam is in dire need of an extensive research and the writer relying only on one book cannot deny that. Since the writer has not observed other words pertaining to battle more common than the derivatives of (ja-ha-da) an etc and has not employed the grammar rulings for accurate understanding of the holy Qur’an prompted that he should be involved in problems of either ambiguity or contradiction of verses related to battle.

Cosmology discusses about general and evolutionary regulations of the world and its material structure. Studies on galaxies and star's situation, creation of heavens and also the expansion of universe are from the important discussions of this discipline. Roughly talking, this major covers some main purposes such as: verification of (regulator) he who enforces order, divine unity and demonstration of divine majesty, approval of possibility and actuality of resurrection day, persuasion to utilize the nature, declaring the genesis of creation and the quality of formation of creatures, stating order and solidarity of nature, recalling of divine bounties, exhilarating towards thankfulness and explaining of some cosmological facts.The author later points that the value of such cosmological hints and cosmographical reports would be viewed on structural functions in particular framework (Sura). This point should not be left unstated that the Qur’anic cosmological expressions enjoy divine purposes (understanding the creator and creating the motives of thankfulness). Thus it should be noted that the realm of cosmology covers the heavens, earth and sun, moon and other stars and bodies. The creation of human is in that process and apparently the verses and exegetical points pertaining to cosmology are divided. We with a comparative approach try to have our critical remarks declaring the borders of these two subjects and responding the doubts rose in this respect.

The article of "Qur’an and science" written by M. Shamshir Ali tries to explain the standpoint of the holy Qur’an in regard to experimental sciences. The writer in order to respond the quest of "whether there exist any contradiction between the holy Qur’an and sciences?" draws the conclusion that scientific quest and investigation is verifiable from the holy Qur’an's perspective. In the following he propounds the root of non-contradiction between the holy Qur’an and experimental sciences which is truthfulness of the holy Qur’an and the points it contain. The writer elucidates implicitly that the holy Qur’an has not been distorted. Then he explain the scientific rules and principles the holy Qur’an points such as that all the creatures are useful and that there exists the principle of suitability. Finally he attracts the attention of all to the holy Qur’an for advancement of experimental sciences.

The article with the title of Torah is printed in Leiden encyclopedia of Qur’an by Camilla P. Adnaj and the secondary themes of the article are as following: References made to Torah in the holy Qur’an, references to Musa's book in the holy Qur’an, the abrogation of Musawi law, the holy Qur’an's verification by Bible is not be accepted, distortion of Torah by various factors, the dual behaviors of some Muslims toward Torah, tracing the name of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his households) in Torah, the fabricated states and quotations from Torah, the resemblance of the Torah and the holy Qur’an and their differences in some basic affairs are translated and eventually the writer has tried to prove the supremacy of the Torah over the holy Qur’an. The translator after translation of the article reminds us of the positive points of the paper and quotes the reasons testifying the distortion of Torah and supremacy of the holy Qur’an over the Torah. Then he studies the article from two aspects of structure and content voice. In the structural section he criticizes the second hand and non variety of sources. Moreover, he raises remarks on marginal points which have been brought in the main text. In the content voice he unveils the contradictory sayings of the writer and responds those problems which he has raised against the Muslims.

The writing would firstly touch the history of impressionability in the sense that the west is the origin and background of this theory. Whereas they have accepted that the Bible has been impressed from culture of the era. Then some Orientalists like Geiger, Yusof Dore Haddad and etc… have applied this theory to the holy Qur’an and propounded the impressionability of the holy Qur’an from Jewish and Christian culture prevailing on Arabia. They cross the limits and have recognized Bible as sources of the holy Qur’an. In the following the writer strives to respond the remarks and reasons made by Abdulrahman Badavi. The most important problem of this theory faces is this that the owner and adherents of theory do not pay attention to the existent differences between the holy Qur’an and Bible. For the holy Qur’an is the word of divinity and has never been distorted. Noting is neither added to it nor eliminated from. Moreover, the holy Qur’an has opposed the Bible's instructions and the Jewish and Christian culture such as trinity, crucifix of Jesus the Christ and etc… and if some similarities exist between these two books in regard to system of beliefs, morals and rulings is due to oneness of the source. In another word, the source of the holy Qur’an and the Bible are one and that is God, the Almighty. In conclusion the common and different cases in both the holy Qur’an and the Bible are stated.

In this writing the biographies and works of some orientalists and Islamologists is going to be studied. The holy Qur’an according to the western Qur’anic researchers and orientalists has importance to the extent that they have all offered their researches in the form of papers, books and encyclopedias for the worldly scientific circles. Their identification and recognition of their works are inevitably necessary for the Muslims, for there lays some colonial and missionary purposes behind these writings. Thus the writer is engaged introducing some of those orientalists briefly in particular those whose works are closely related to Qur’anic studies.