Uqud al-Jawhar al-Thamin Nazm Qawaid al-Tarjih Ind al-Mufassirin
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- Uqud al-Jawhar al-Thamin Nazm Qawaid al-Tarjih Ind al-Mufassirin
Uqud al-Jawhar al-Thamin Nazm Qawaid al-Tarjih Ind al-Mufassirin (The Necklaces of Precious Jewels: Versification of the Rules of Exegetical Weighting among Exegetes) is a didactic poem on Quranic hermeneutics composed by Abd Allah bin Abduh al-Awadi . It renders into verse the methodological principles used by Quran commentators to weigh competing interpretations (qawaid al-tarjih) .
Background and Composition
Al-Awadi composed the work as a poetic rendition of the prose treatise on exegetical weighting by Hussein al-Harbi . The author noted in his introduction that variations in human understanding had led to diverging and sometimes flawed interpretations of the Quran; having examined al-Harbi's compilation of exegetical principles and evidence, he chose to versify them to make the rules easier for students of Islamic knowledge to memorize . The composition of the poem was completed in Dhu al-Hijjah 1429 AH (December 2008–January 2009 CE) .
The text includes an introductory commendation by Abd al-Wahhab bin Lutf al-Daylami, who praised the author's poetic skill, the comprehensive scope of the rules included, and recommended the work to students for memorization, comprehension, and practical application .
Structure and Contents
The poem opens with an introduction and concludes with an epilogue, organizing the principles of exegetical weighting into several thematic sections :
- Rules Pertaining to the Quranic Text, Recitations, and Script: Outlines the strict conditions for accepting claims of abrogation (naskh), emphasizing that semantic transfer (naql), particularization (takhsis), implicit ellipsis (idmar), homonymy (ishtirak), and metaphorical usage (majaz) take precedence over asserting abrogation when texts appear in tension . It prohibits rejecting authenticated variant recitations (qira'at), gives precedence to mutawatir over anomalous (shadhdh) readings, and requires selecting grammatical parsings and interpretations that conform to the standard codex established under Caliph Uthman .
- Rules Pertaining to Quranic Context: Directs the exegete to interpret verses in continuity with their preceding and succeeding passages, adhere to the apparent wording (zahir) absent contrary evidence, and favor meanings that align with predominant Quranic stylistic usage .
- Rules Pertaining to the Sunnah, Early Reports, and Contextual Indicators: Prioritizes explicit, authentic Prophetic traditions in explaining verses, mandates discarding interpretations that contradict the Quran, authentic hadith, or scholarly consensus (ijma), and requires relying solely on textual revelation regarding unseen matters (al-ghayb) . It favors interpretations supported by sound occasions of revelation (asbab al-nuzul) or verified revelation chronology, prioritizes the understanding of the early generations (al-salaf) and the majority consensus of narrators over later or solitary opinions, and obliges the acceptance of interpretations that safeguard prophetic honor and infallibility (ismah) .
- Rules Pertaining to Arabic Language and Grammar: Establishes that interpretations must stem from established Arabic linguistic norms rather than weak, irregular, or rejected constructions . It outlines the hierarchy of meanings, giving priority to literal over figurative speech, legal/religious (shari) definitions over customary (urfi) or purely linguistic ones, independent constructions over implied additions or deletions, foundational meaning over claims of pleonasm, and general over restricted scope .
- Rules Pertaining to Pronouns and Syntax: Formulates rules regarding pronoun antecedents (marji al-damir), such as returning pronouns to explicitly mentioned and proximate referents rather than distant or implied ones, avoiding the pronoun of the matter (damir al-shan) unless necessary, and choosing sound, mainstream grammatical analyses (irab) over weak or obscure parses .
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