Can WE interpret Quran's verses?

[Masuma]

Asalamu Alikum Wa Rehamtullahi Wa Barakatuh!

I wanted to ask that is it alright for a Muslim to think and ponder over the verses of Quran and then derive his/her own conclusions too? I mean, I sometimes think of the verses and new and new interpretations pop up in my mind. I find verses fitting even to some of the situations around me. So this is a miracle of the Quran, right? But I want to know whether deriving our own interpretations is permissible or not? And please, I do read scholars’ tafsirs but also that Allah has given everyone the ability to think and comprehend and so besides the tafsirs, we sometimes come up with our own interpretations too. And these interpretations are not at all contradicting the interpretations of the scholars but only that they provide a new angle of looking at the verses and provide more different meanings.

Umm… I think I should give an example. In the Quran we find these verses:

16:5 And cattle He has created for you (men): from them ye derive warmth, and numerous benefits, and of their (meat) ye eat.
16:6 And ye have a sense of pride and beauty in them as ye drive them home in the evening, and as ye lead them forth to pasture in the morning.
16:7 And they carry your heavy loads to lands that ye could not (otherwise) reach except with souls distressed: for your Lord is indeed Most Kind, Most Merciful,
16:8 And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.


About these verses, one brother gave his own interpretation in some book’s review as

I then think about small boys on foot in Nigeria with thin sticks driving along herds of cows. Should not we humans be grateful to God jall jalaalu for allowing use of creatures much more powerful physically than us? Now I know that archaeologists can trace the domestication of these animals, and I know that if you know what you're doing, you can reproduce the training of animals. So you don't need God to explain livestock. But gratefulness to God is still what I think about when hearing these passages.

Now I know that there can be hundreds of different interpretations of the above verses and I too came up with one.
Though my interpretation is only related to some part of the verses but here it is:

I think that Allah has given the example of livestock and mentioned this ordinary narrative especially in Quran for some particular purpose. We know that Vedantists (Hindus) worship many gods and they even worship cows! So maybe Allah mentioned these verses to tell the people that it is not right for anyone to take animals as their god as these animals have only been created for our service… And why would the Hindus worship cow seeing that it is also one among those animals! It doesn’t make sense to raise some animals to such a high status despite the fact that it has the same qualities as the other animals! And they should realize that cow has its own purpose in life and its purpose is not to rule the world as god but to provide diary products, milk etc. Heehee!

So there is always a special purpose behind each and every verse of the Quran. So is it right to make such type of my own interpretations? This is not even contradicting any scholars’ tafsir but is just providing a different meaning.

Jazakamullahu Khair!

All praise is for ALLAH. :statisfie

 

[Hamza Asadullah]

Asalamu Alikum Wa Rehamtullahi Wa Barakatuh!

I wanted to ask that is it alright for a Muslim to think and ponder over the verses of Quran and then derive his/her own conclusions too? I mean, I sometimes think of the verses and new and new interpretations pop up in my mind. I find verses fitting even to some of the situations around me. So this is a miracle of the Quran, right? But I want to know whether deriving our own interpretations is permissible or not? And please, I do read scholars’ tafsirs but also that Allah has given everyone the ability to think and comprehend and so besides the tafsirs, we sometimes come up with our own interpretations too. And these interpretations are not at all contradicting the interpretations of the scholars but only that they provide a new angle of looking at the verses and provide more different meanings.

Umm… I think I should give an example. In the Quran we find these verses:

16:5 And cattle He has created for you (men): from them ye derive warmth, and numerous benefits, and of their (meat) ye eat.
16:6 And ye have a sense of pride and beauty in them as ye drive them home in the evening, and as ye lead them forth to pasture in the morning.
16:7 And they carry your heavy loads to lands that ye could not (otherwise) reach except with souls distressed: for your Lord is indeed Most Kind, Most Merciful,
16:8 And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.


About these verses, one brother gave his own interpretation in some book’s review as



Now I know that there can be hundreds of different interpretations of the above verses and I too came up with one.
Though my interpretation is only related to some part of the verses but here it is:



So there is always a special purpose behind each and every verse of the Quran. So is it right to make such type of my own interpretations? This is not even contradicting any scholars’ tafsir but is just providing a different meaning.

Jazakamullahu Khair!

All praise is for ALLAH. :statisfie

Asalaamu Alaikum Wr Wb, I apologise for taking long to answer your question as i was abroad and have just got back. There is nothing wrong with using ones own knowledge and experience of life to contemplate and ponder over verses of the Qur'an. Allah has said many times in the Qur'an that we should ponder over his words as well as over his creations so that we may realise and try and comrehend his magnificence.

[(It is) a Book We have revealed to you abounding in good that they may ponder over its verses, and that those endowed with understanding may be mindful. ] (Saad 38:29)

So to ponder and contemplate over his creations and verses is what we are meant to do but we should always first refer to reliable scholarly tafsir of the particular verses just to make sure we have a correct understanding of those verses and then we can use our own knowledge and experiences of life to ponder and contemtplate upon those verses.

We should also implement those verses into our lives. Some of the sahaba's took a very long time reading the Qur'an because they wanted to implement what they read into their lives for that is where we will derive the true benefit of the Qur'an.

and Allah knows best in all matters

 

[syed_z]

(29:45)Convey (unto others) whatever of this divine writ has been revealed unto you, and be constant in prayer (Salah) for, behold, prayer restrains (man) from loathsome deeds and from all that runs counter to reason; and remembrance of God is indeed the greatest (good). And God knows all that you do.


If you think that why we always Seek Protection in Allah (swt) from Shaytan Accursed before recitation... we can understand why Allah (swt) mentions the condition in the above Verse, to ALWAYS keep rememebring Him and be constant in our Prayers and Salaah, because with our Hearts attatched to Allah (Swt), we may get many messages from the Quran when pondering over those Verses while recitation.... we may share them with others.
But if we do not continue to Remember Him (swt) and Pray to him or if we slow down on our Worship, then Shaytan might be able to influence our thoughts...in that case we might make serious errors without even knowing...


So the above Verse alludes to the Prophet (Saw), but it is addressed to all believers till the end of the World, who ponder over the Verses of QUran... they may share whatever Messages they get while pondering...

However, whatever is laid down clearly in terms of Law in Islam, Quran and Sunnah, we cannot substitute those terms with Implied Meanings which we understand while reading..


Another Verse which Taught me not to extract hasty conclusions from Quran... which i was doing at one time...


..and DO NOT approach the Quran in Haste ere it has been revealed un to you in full, but (always) say "O my Sustainer, cause me to grow in knowledge." (20:114)


so Allah (Swt) always puts emphasis on the readers, who are not scholars i believe, to read the whole of Quran 1st and let the Quran as a whole to be revealed to ones mind, before making any assumptions, because by reading many Verses in Isolation, many people make serious errors. As all Verses of Quran are connected with each other.... and so Allah (Swt) also gives the Beautiful Dua, that may open the doors of Knowledge as we read the Quran and so with more knowledge, our understanding of the Quran can get deeper while reciting those Verses which we would not, otherwise with less knowledge....
Salaam

 

[Masuma]

(29:45)Convey (unto others) whatever of this divine writ has been revealed unto you, and be constant in prayer (Salah) for, behold, prayer restrains (man) from loathsome deeds and from all that runs counter to reason; and remembrance of God is indeed the greatest (good). And God knows all that you do.
...........

SubhanAllah! Like I said before; WE HAVE GOT YOU (O BROTHER) AS A BLESSING ON IB FORUM!

SUBHANALLAH!!! :statisfie

 

[cat eyes]

making your own interpretations on it if your not learned i will personally say is dangerous for example when i had first read holy Qur'an, i assumed in one of the surahs that Allah said christcians and jews will go to jannah it was only when i had found interpretation on it that i had realised i clearly and obviously made a major error lol

so i think it might be dangerous in some ways to kinda make your own conclusion on it i suppose it depends how learned you are in the deen.. like for a muslim who is not learned they will come out with crazy stuff altogether. of course you can ponder over it no ones stopping you dear but id highly recommend you take tafsir classes inshallah

 

[Masuma]

making your own interpretations on it if your not learned i will personally say is dangerous for example when i had first read holy Qur'an, i assumed in one of the surahs that Allah said christcians and jews will go to jannah it was only when i had found interpretation on it that i had realised i clearly and obviously made a major error lol

so i think it might be dangerous in some ways to kinda make your own conclusion on it i suppose it depends how learned you are in the deen.. like for a muslim who is not learned they will come out with crazy stuff altogether. of course you can ponder over it no ones stopping you dear but id highly recommend you take tafsir classes inshallah

SubhanAllah! sis meow, Jazakamullahu khair for the help!

sis, I always consult tafsir books. I first try to read the interpretations by the scholars and then ponder over the verses. And it raises like a zillion questions in my mind and no one answers them for me. imsad But one thing I noticed is that after some time, Allah helps me and gives me the answers through other sources. Allah always helps us if we beg Him to. :statisfie

Again thank you soooo much for your time sis! May Allah bless you!