Taswibat fi Fahm Bad al-Ayat
- Author died
- 1443 AH
- Editions
- Dar Al-Qalam
Taswibat fi Fahm Bad al-Ayat (Corrections in Understanding Certain Verses) is a single-volume work on Quranic exegesis and hermeneutics by the contemporary Jordanian scholar Salah Abd al-Fattah al-Khalidi (d. 1443 AH / 2022 CE), dedicated to identifying and correcting common contemporary misinterpretations of selected Quranic verses.
Background and Purpose
The book is the fourth title within al-Khalidi’s overarching series on Quranic themes and sciences, titled Min Kunuz al-Quran ("From the Treasures of the Quran"). Al-Khalidi completed the manuscript on Monday, 1 Rabi al-Thani 1407 AH (1 December 1986 CE) in Suwaylih, and it was published in Damascus and Beirut by Dar al-Qalam in 1407 AH / 1987 CE.
Al-Khalidi authored the work to address what he viewed as widespread ignorance and distorted deductions surrounding Quranic meanings in modern times. He observed that certain contemporary readers and writers interpreted verses based on personal predispositions, moods, or cultural viewpoints without proper grounding in exegesis, thereby altering the intended meanings of the text and obstructing its practical guidance.
Structure and Content
The book opens with introductory chapters examining the foundational principles of engaging with the Quran. Al-Khalidi emphasizes the religious obligation of reflecting upon the Quran (tadabbur), its inherent accessibility for comprehension, warnings against speaking about Quranic interpretation without requisite knowledge, and the categories of Quranic verses in terms of their interpretation. He also details the necessary disciplines and etiquettes required of the exegete, alongside the intellectual and spiritual obstacles that impede proper understanding.
To establish an authoritative precedent for correcting misunderstandings, the author provides historical examples from early Islam:
- Six examples from the prophetic era where Prophet Muhammad corrected unintentional misunderstandings of verses that occurred among his companions.
- Twelve examples where the Companions (Sahaba) intervened to correct mistaken interpretations and misapplied deductions made by others.
The primary body of the work is dedicated to thirty specific Quranic verses whose meanings had been corrupted or misunderstood in contemporary discourse. These verses encompass a range of topics, including creed (aqidah), struggle (jihad), advocacy and Islamic activism (dawah and movement), economics, sociology, politics, history, and personal status, selected primarily for their direct relevance to modern life.
Methodology
Al-Khalidi adopts a consistent analytical method when addressing each verse:
- He presents the faulty interpretation accurately, explaining how its proponents derived their arguments.
- He explicitly refrains from naming individual contemporary authors or opponents, stating that his objective is to refute erroneous concepts rather than engage in personal disputes or ad hominem attacks.
- He interprets the verse through internal Quranic context, gathering and cross-referencing related verses addressing the same theme (interpreting the Quran by the Quran).
- He corroborates the sound interpretation using authentic traditions from the Prophet, the Companions, the Successors (Tabi'un), and classical authoritative Quranic commentators.
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