MidMustansir Some Features of Mawdudi's Tafhim Al-Qur'an 233 SOME FEATURES OF mWDUDI'S TAFHIM AL-QURAN Mustansir Mir* Abul-A'la Mawdlidi (1903-79) was a leading Muslim scholar of the twen- tieth century! H e has written extensively o n a variety of Islamic subjects.* He wrote in Urdu, but his works, quite a few of which have been translated into other language^,^ have exercised deep influence on educated classes, especially the youth, in many parts of the Muslim world. Though essentially a scholar of the traditional mold, Mawdudi, unlike many other Muslim scholars, is alive to the problems of modernity as they confront the Islamic *Dr. Mustansir Mir. teaches Islamic Studies at the University of Michigan. Ann Arbor. Michigan. His articles have appeared in many scholarly journals. I 2 3 Mawdlidi was born at Aurangabad (Deccan. India). Afte.r several years of religious educa- tion, he started his career as a journalist at the age of fifteen, becoming. in 1921 and 1925 respectively, the editor of AI-Muslim and Al-Jarn'iyyat, biweekly Urdu organs of a major organization of Indian Muslim scholars. At the suggestion of the poet-philosopher Muhammad Iqbal(1877-1938). Mawdudi in March 1938 moved to Pathankot (East Pun- jab, India) in order to start work on the recodification of Islamic law. But Iqbal, from whom the chief support for the project was to come, died in the following month, and the project never got off the ground. In 1941 Mawdudi founded the Jama'at-i Islami (Islamic Party) with the aim of bringing about social change in accordance with Islamic principles. In 1947 Pakistan came into being and the J m h t headquarters were moved to that country. The Jama'at turned political in 1957 and Mawdidi continued to lead it until 1972, when he had to resign on account of bad health. Although he was politically active for a long time. Mawdidi is best known as a thinker and writer. A number of biographies of Mawdlidi have been written, most of them in Urdu and practically all of them of poor quality. For a brief life-sketch of Mawdiidi in English, see Kurshid Ahmad and &far Ishaq Ansari's, MawliM Sayyid Abul A'la Mawdidi: An Introduc- tion to His Vision of Islam and Islamic Revival, Kurshid Ahmad and Zafar Ishaq Ansari (eds.), Islamic Perspectives: Studies in Honor of Mawlana Sajyid Abul A'la Mawdidi (Leicester: The Islamic Foundation, ImS), pp. 360-65). For a list of Mawdudh writings, see Ahmad and Ansari, pp. 3-10. Few modern Muslim writers have been translated into so many languages. Mawdudi's short Diniyit (available in English as Towards Understanding Islam [rev. ed.; Leicester: The Islamic Foundation, 19801) has alone been rendered into more than twenty languages. 234 American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences %I. 2, No. 2, 1985 world. It is this combination of the traditional and modern strains, and his skillful exposition of Islam, that makes him one of the most widely read Muslim authors of today.* 7izfii.m u l - Q ~ r i i n , ~ a six-volume commentary on the Qur’in, is Mawdiidi‘s magnum opus. It is not only a treasury of information, it is also a distillate of Mawdfidi‘s thought. In writing Zjhim, as he says in the Preface to the book, Mawdfidi has in mind the needs of those educated laymen who wish to unders- tand the message of the Qur’in but lack access to the original Arabic sources on the subject;6 the word tujhim, which means ”to make someone unders- tand,” aptly describes the nature of the book. The following pages analyze some of the features of the work. A Modern Commentary Even a cursory reading of E@im would show that the work is a “modern” one. Most Urdu Qur’an commentaries present a ”traditional” look in that they lack methodical arrangement of material. Tafhim seems to satisfy many of the formal requirements one expects a book of this kind to meet. A typical page of Tafhim is divided into three portions: one for the Qur’iinic text; one for the translation; and one for notes. It is thus possible to read the transla- tion uninterruptedly - a convenience appreciated by those familiar with the irksome pattern of interlinear Urdu translations of the Qur’in. The transla- tion is presented in logical paragraphs. Occasionally, extended quotations are set off from the main text, even given in smaller print. Each volume has a detailed analytical index of subjects treated in the notes. There are 32 maps of historic routes and important geographical locations, and 12 black-and- white photographs, most of them of buildings of Thamudan style of architec- ture. There are copious cross-references. Again, most of the Urdu Qur’in commentaries employ a highly Arabicized and Persianized idiom that proves to be prohibitive to most common readers. 7izfii.m is written in a style that an average reader not only finds comprehen- sible, but also delightful. Efiim has been called the first best-selling Urdu It may be mentioned here that Mawdudi commands a masterly prose style. Unfortunately, however, the English translations of his works fail to capture this. This is all the more unfortunate because it is these English translations that have often served as the base language for the translation of Mawdiidi’s works into other languages. Abb 1-A 1; M a w i d i , Tapllm al-Qur5In (6 vols. ; Lahore, 1949-72). An incomplete transla- tion of Tqplim (up to S. 17) is available in English under the title of 7%e Meaning of rhe Quriin, tr. Ch. Muhammad Akbar, 6 vols. [vols. 5-6 edited by A. A. Kamal]; Lahore, Islamic Publications, 1%7-?). Unless otherwise stated, all references to Mawdidi in this article are to %jhh (Urdu edition), with only the volume number and page(s) given. 1.6. Mir/Mustansir Some Features of Mawdudi's Tafhim Al-Qur'm 235 Qur'in commentary, and the main reason for its popularity is the limpid beauty of its style. Above all, Tajshim is modern in that its author evinces an awareness of the situations and problems of the present age. On quite a few occasions Mawdfidi cites, in support of his interpretation of Qur'anic verses, recent researches in the fields of physics, medicine, and archeology. And, as a study of Tajiim shows, its author addresses himself to many concerns and questions that a twentieth-century reader- Muslim or non-Muslin-of the Qur'in is likely to have. Translation In the Preface* to Tafhim, Mawdudi says that he has attempted to make an interpretive translation of the Qur'gn. Most of the Urdu translations of the Qur'an are literal and, as such, suffer from a number of drawbacks: they fail to convey in any degree the beauty and eloquence of the original; they disregard the fact that the Qur'anic style is that of an orally delivered discourse, and not of a written treatise; they fail to suggest the context and environment in which any given sura w a s revealed; and they do not adequately bring out the special meanings the Qur'in assigns to many It is with a view to rectifying these shortcomings of a literal transla- tion (lufii t u r j d ) that I have adopted the method of interpretive rendering (turjwmbzi) of the Qur'in. Instead of supplying a word- for-word translation, I have endeavored to convey in Urdu, with the utmost possible accuracy, the sense I gather from a Qur'inic verse and the impression the verse makes on my mind. Avoiding literalism, I have tried to render the flawless Arabic of the original into flawless Urdu; to bring out in written language, in an un- Mawdiidi writes: It should be pointed out, however, that M d G d i cites scientific researches for illustrative purposes only. That is, he cites such findings to substantiate Qur'in interpretations he has reached on extra-scientific grounds, but these findings do not form in him, as they do in some other Muslim scholars, the staple of Qur'in exegesis. He may be contrasted, for example, with the Egyptian Qur'rin commentator, m*i J a w h - (lsXnw0). author of Al-JawcihirJi Tafsir al-Quriin (26 vols. in 13, 2nd printing; Tehran: IntishiiGt-i Af- tib, 1931). Jawhari believes that one of the primary aims of the revelation of the Qur'n was to motivate Muslims to study the natural sciences and make advancement in scien- tific fields ranging from botany and zoology to oceanology and astronomy. For a brief introduction to Jawhari's a p p m h to the Qur'iin, see his Al-QurSin )1y1 l-'Ulum al-'Asriyya (2nd printing; Egypt: Mustafa al-Babi al-Halabi), 1951. * I have translated &ch& "preface." Mawdiidi also writes a dibachah to each sum, but there it is more appropriately translated "introduction," for that, in fact, is the nature of such dibachohs. ' I,6-10. 236 American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences Vol. 2, No. 2, 1985 consmined manner, the unbroken continuity of the oral communica- tion; and to reproduce not only the meaning and message of the Qur’iin, but, as far as possible, the power and magnificence of the Qur’iinic language as well!O Mawdudi’s is admittedly the most readable Urdu translation so far. An authority on the Urdu language and a great stylist. Mawdudi was ideally suited to the task. He has succeeded, better than anyone, in capturing in Urdu the vigor and eloquence of the Arabic original. We will distinguish three characteristics of his translation!’ First, the translation is expository. Sometimes in parentheses but usually woven into the translation itself we find interpretive material. Such material is used by Mawdudi to accomplish several purposes, for example, to expound Qur’anic laconicism: S. 8:19, wa in ta‘khi na ‘ud, “But if you turn around and repeat the blunder, we will repeat the punishment” (cf. Arberry, “But if you return, We shall return); to explain expressions with special meanings: S. 145, wa dhkkirhum bi ayyhm Allah, “And advise them by relating to them the significant events in the divine annals” (cf. Arberry, “and remind them thou of the Days of God); to supply the definite and the concrete for the in- definite and the abstract of the original: s. 1:63, wa‘adhkuri m h m i , “And keep in mind the laws and injunctions inscribed in it” (cf. Arberry, “And remember what is in it”); and to indicate the particular dimension of mean- ing of a verse, or a part of it, might have in a particular context: s. 2:220, inna Alliih ‘azizun W i m u n , “But, besides possessing power and authority, He is All-Wise” (cf. Arberry, “Surely, God is All-mighty, All-wise”). Mawdudi’s expository technique certainly works well and is largely respon- sible for the high degree of readability of Gflim. It is not without its pro- blems, however. For one thing, there is the risk of overplay. For instance, S. 2:178, al-burru bi al-hurri wa al‘abdu bi a1- ’abdi wa al-unthd bi al-unth& is clear enough as “freeman for freeman, slave for slave, female for female” (Arberry), but Mawdudi’s “If a freeman has committed the murder, then the freeman should be punished; if a slave is guilty of murder, then . . .” is needless- lo 1.10-11. I I I have given my own translation of the examples cited below. Since the examples are meant to illustrate aspects of Mawdudi’s Urdu translation, in rendering them I have generally tried to stay close to the Urdu text. I have also pmvided A. J. Arbeny’s transla- tion of the examples given (7ke kbmn Interpreted (2 vols. in 1,5th printing; New York: MacMillan, 1973j. This I have done not with a view to judging the merit of the one translation relative to the other, but in order to enable the reader to appraise Mawdiidi‘s translation with reference to a standard English translation that seeks to ensure fidelity to the Qur’inic text. In other words, I have used Arbeny’s translation as a “control.” For the translations, volume and page(s) from Mawdirdi or Arberry are not given. Mir/Mustansir Some Features of Mawdudi’s Tafhim Al-Qur‘an 237 ly drawn out and smacks of what Fowler has called “elegant variation.”’* Also, sometimes Mawdudi incorporates into the translation material that does not rightly belong there. S. n 4 9 , ka annahunna baydun maknunun, is rendered by him as: ”[women who are] delicate like the pellicle concealed under the shell of an egg.” Now the verse is saying no more than “as if they were carefully preserved eggs.”13 But to maintain, as does Mawdiidi on the basis of a hadith, that the reference here is to the pellicle of an egg,14 and to translate accor- dingly, is to exceed one’s limits as translator. Second, in translating Qur’inic idioms and idiomatic expressions, Mawdudi tries to provide equivalent Urdu idioms and idiomatic expressions. The thin film covering a datepit is called qipnir in Arabic, and the idiom la yamliku qitmiran means “he possesses nothing,” that is, not even a qipnir. The idiom occurs in S. 35:13, and the Arberry translates it “those. . .possess not so much as the skin of a date-stone.” Mawdudi’s rendering is: “they do not own so much as a blade of straw (par-i kiih).” S. 68:42 speaks of the panic that will occur on the Last Day, and reads: yawma yukshuji ‘an suqin. Arberry’s “Upon the day the leg shall be bared” is accurate but does not help the reader. Mawdiidi translates: “The day people shall have a hard time of it.” S. 23:82 contains the words idhri---kunnii turiban wa ‘iuiman. Arberry’s “when we are. . .become dust and bones’’ is faithful to the Arabic and clear in meaning. Mawdiidi’s translation is less faithful to the Arabic but gains in idiomatic force: “when we are. . . reduced to a bunch of bones ( M i y o n ka- pinjar).” And sometimes Mawdiidi achieves a happy synthesis of the literal and the idiomatic. S. 21:15 ends with ja‘alndhurn hasidan kharnidina, which is rendered by Mawdudi as: “until we mowed them down, and not a spark of life w a s left in them” (cf. Arberry, “until We made them stubble, silent and still”). Sometimes, however, Mawdudi’s quest for Urdu parallels does not produce propitious results. To give only one example, he translates S. 7 4 5 2 , suhufan munashsharatan, “open letters,” which considerably waters down the Arabic H. W. Fowler, A Dictionury of Modern English Usuge, rev. Sir Ernest Cowers (2nd ed.; The English Language Society and Oxford University Press, 1968), S.V. “elegant variation.” According to another Pakistani exegete. Amin Ahsan Isl$hi (b. 1906). the reference is to the eggs of an ostrich. The yellowish-white eggs, Islihi says, are jealously guarded by the ostrich, and the Arabs likened a chaste and crearn-complexioned woman to them. Tadabbur-i QurSin (8 vols.; Lahore, 1967-80), V,465. We may note that the pre-Islamic Arab poet, Imru’ alAQays in his mu hlfuquh (suspended ode) compares a woman to “the maiden egg of an ostrich, an egg that is cream-colored and has been nurtured by pure, unsullied water.” Abi-Zakariyyi Yahyii ibn ‘Ali al-Khatib al-Tibrizi, Sharh ul-Qu~U’ id ul- ‘Ash, ed. Muhammad Muhyi al-Din ‘Abd al-I-famid (2nd printing; Egypt: Muham- mad ‘Ali Sabih wa Awliduhi, 1964). p. 97. 1V.281-88, n. 30. 238 American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences Vol. 2, No. 2, 1985 expression (cf. Arberry, “scrolls unrolled”). In general, however, Mawdudi’s treatment of Qur’anic idioms and idiomatic expressions is very skillful and constitutes one of the strengths of E . i m ul-QurZn. Third, Mawdudi often tries to combine in translation the several meanings o r shades of meaning a word might have. The yundbll of S. 39:21 is “springs” in Arberry; in Mawdiidi it is “creeks, fountains, and rivers.” S. 68:25 con- tains the word hard, which, according to Mawdiidi, has three meanings: “to withhold something from someone,” ”to resolve to do something,” and “to act swiftly.”15 The sentence wu ghadaw cufi b r d i n qdirinu is translated by Arberry: “And they went forth early.” Mawdiidi translates: “Having resolved not to share it [garden produce] with anyone, they went forth in haste early in the morning.” An inclusive translation of this kind has the advantage of presen- ting before the reader the full range of a word‘s meaning. At the same time it runs the risk of losing the raciness of the original and becoming all too cumbrous. S. 102:l consists of only two words, ulhiikum al-tukiithuru, and Mawdiidi’s translation robs it of much of its incisiveness: “Your ambition to multiply your worldly possessions, in competition with one another, has made you heedless” (cf. Arberry, “Gross rivalry diverts you”). Moreover, the dif- ferent meanings of a word may not all be intended in every case and a com- bination of them might prove to be infelicitous. s. 53:61 is wu anturn scirnidunu. Trying to accommodate the two meanings usually given of sumcid, “to put some- off and ”to engage in singing and playing music,” Mawdiidi translates the verse: “and you put these [matters] off by busying yourselves in singing and playing music.”l6 It is quite unlikely that the two meanings are simultaneous- ly intended in the context (cf. Arberry, “while you make merry”). And yet the merits of Mawdiidi’s translation would seem to far outweigh the imperfections. It was Mawdiidi‘s objective to prepare a lucid and self- explanatory translation of the Qur’in, and, speaking overall, Mawdiidi achieves this objective with remarkable success. Introductions to Suras In the Preface to Tafhim, after defending his method on interpretive transla- tion, Mawdiidi writes: Moreover, in order to fully understand the Qur’in, it is imperative to keep in mind the background to its verses. Since it was not possi- ble to present this background in the translation, I have provided, to each sura, an introdu~tion’~ in which I have tried to show, after 15 VI,63, n. 15. l6 V.224, n. 54. I7 Di%chah. See n. 8 above. MidMustansir Some Features of Mawdudi's Tathim Al-Qur'an 239 thorough research, under what circumstances it was revealed. I have tried to determine what phase the Islamic movement was pass- ing through, what needs and requirements the movement had; and what problems it faced at the time of a given sura's revelationJ8 The introductions discuss the chronology of the suras, provide a historical background to the suras, and offer analyses of the suras. While sufficient historical information is available for the purpose of deter- mining the chronology of the Medinan s u m , there is, Mawdijdi says, only one way of arriving at the chronology of the Meccan s u m : by studying the internal evidence of these suras and checlung it for verification against M~&arn- mad's (SAAS) life. Using this method, Mawdudi makes a quadripartite divi- sion of the Meccan s u r a ~ , ' ~ and then tries to fix the period of each of them. It is notable that, to Mawdiidi, the internal evidence of a sura is an important determinant of chronology not only when the relevant historical information is lacking,*O but often also when such information is available.*l According to Mawdidi, the study of a sura's contents helps one decide whether it was revealed in Mecca or Medina,** whether it is an early or late Meccan or Medinan ~ u r a , * ~ and whether it is part Meccan and part Medinan.*' An important part of the introduction consists of historical backgrounds. These backgrounds, especially the ones to many of the long and medium- length suras, are of the nature of short essays that depict the sociocultural environment in which the suras were revealed. Containing as they do critical insights as well as useful information, they put a helpful perspective on the suras. Among the best are the introductions to S. 8, 9, 24, 33, 59, and 105. The introductions offer brief but compact analyses of the suras. In them Mawdiidi states the central themes of the suras, relating the themes to the suras' historical setting. He also uses the introductions to comment on the suras' structural compo~ition,*~ to deduce lessons from the stories narrated in a ~ u r a , * ~ to give his opinion on controversial issues,*' to point out differences between suras with similar or identical themes," and to explain aspects of 18 19 PO 21 22 23 PI 1 5 26 1 7 18 1,lI. 1,521-522. E.g.. IV,l72 (S. 34); IV,520 (S. 43); IV,576 (S. 45); V,336 (S. 58); V.452 (S. 61); VI.38 (S. 67). E.g., 1,434 (S. 5); 111,258 (S. 23); 111,552 (S. 27); V,68 (S.49). E.g., 11,258 (S. 10); V.244 (S. 55); VI,180 (S. 76); VI,402 (S. m). E.g., 11,440 (S. 13); 111,672 (S. 29); VI,418 (S. 99). E.g., 111,196 (S. 22). (S. 96). E.g., 1,229 (S. 3); 11,166-67 (S. 9); III,?28-29 (S. 30); V,482-84 (S. 62); V1.392-95 E.g., 11,321 (S. 11); 11,378-81 ( S . 12); 111,258-59 (S. 23); 111,610-12 (S. 28). E.g., VI,549-62 (S. 113-14). E.g., 11,320 (S. 10-11). 240 American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences Vol. 2, No. 2, 1985 complementarity between Until S. 18, with a few exceptions, Mawdudi presents the themes of the suras without regard to the order in which the themes occur in the suras themselves. Beginning with s. 18, he presents them in order of their occurrence in the suras. The first complete verse-by-verse analysis offered by Mawdudi is that of S. 33, but it is only from S. 55 onward that he generally follows this scheme. Together, the introductions make up a systematic guide to the Qur’inic suras, and perhaps it would not be a bad idea to publish them in a separate volume. An English translation of such a volume would be a good way of introducing Tujhim al-QuriIn to the English-speaking world. Explanatory Notes Mawdudi writes in the Preface to Tujhim: I have scrupulously avoided introducing in the explanatory notes any subject that might distract the reader from the Qur’in. I have written notes only on two kinds of occasions: 1) when I felt that the 1) when I felt that the reader would require an explanation, ask a question, or entertain some kind of doubt; and 2) where I was afraid that the reader would not pay sufficient attention to certain verses and, as a result, would fail to grasp their true s i g n i f i ~ a n c e . ~ ~ According to this statement, and as can be seen from the first two volumes of Tujhim, the explanatory notes were to have a small compass. But, beginn- ing with the third volumz, Mawdfidi casts his net wider and wider, and the notes gain in variety and detail.31 A study of the notes in Tujhim would in- dicate that they have three main functions: explanatory, integrative, and critical. The most important function, of course, is explanation. In the notes, Mawdfidi defends o r gives reasons for his translations; cites the shah al-nuzril (occasion of revelation) of certain verses if this differs from the general shah al-nuzul of the sura in which those verses occur; presents the multiple mean- ings certain verses have1 gives details of historical events and expounds the historical background of certain concepts; offers a compact, synoptic treat- ment of many key Qur’inic terms; quotes traditional exegetical opinions; and presents details of the Qur’inic legal injunctions with reference to the Sunna (normative conduct) of Muhammad (SAAS) and major (Sunni) legal works. Tujhim is quite free from theological discussions, and there is hardly any ex- ‘’ E.g., 111,314-17 (S. 24, 33); 111,610 (S. 26-28); IV.474 (S. 41-42); 1V.574 (S. 44-45). I,11. To give an example of the wider scope of the latter volume: S. 2:270 and S. 76:7 both speak of the making and fulfilling of one’s vows. To the former Mawdidi writes an eight- line note (1,208, n. 310), but the note to the latter covers several pages (VI.191-97, n. 10). Mir/Mustansir Some Features of Mawdudi’s Whim Al-Qur’an 241 tensive treatment in it of issues in the so-called Qur’inic science. Mawdiidi often tries to present the Qur’inic suras, especially the longer ones, as integrated wholes. This he does either by establishing structural links be- tween the various parts of a sura or by pointing out how the different parts of a sura make reference to the same central theme. For example, he writes about S. 3:190 ff.: “These are the concluding verses, and they bear a connec- tion not to the immediately preceding verses, but to the whole of the surah; it is especially important to keep in mind the opening verses of the s ~ r a . ~ ~ The critical function of the notes is important, too. Mawdiidi subjects the interpretations of traditional scholars to scrutiny and does not hesitate to re- ject them if he thinks they are not warranted by the Qur’inic context, con- travene the Qur’inic outlook or philosophy, o r are based on weak logic and r e a s ~ n i n g . ~ ~ On a number of occasions he declares a ?zudirh to be unaccep- table if it is found to be in conflict with the Q u ~ ’ i n . ~ * Also, Tafhim is rich in critical comparisons of the Qurfn with the Bible and the Talmud; pro- bably the most detailed comparison of this kind is to be found in Mawdiidi’s commentary on S. 12. Now and then, Mawdiidi criticizes Orientalist scholars’ interpretations of Qur’inic verses.35 But a treatment of the explanatory notes of Efiim would remain incomplete without considering some of the motifs that run through them and impart to Tafhim a distinctive character. Two such motifs are: Islam as a system of life, and the relevance of Islam in modern times. Islam as a System of Life The kingpin of MawdiidTs thought is that Islam is a system of life that deals with all spherer of human life and that, in order to be viable, Islam must be implemented in its entirety. Like many other works of Mawdiidi’s, %fiim presents this view with full force. The idea that Islam runs the whole gamut of life is, of course, not original to MawdGdi. However, what Mawdtidi tries to do is offer a set of clear and well-argued definitions of key Islamic concepts within a coherently conceiv- ed framework. As an illustration of Mawdidi’s view of Islam as the holistic approach to life, we will take the Qur’inic term din (religion, way of life) and see how it is treated in Ejhim. S. 39:2 reads, in part: “Worship God, making the din exclusively His.” 32 1,310-11, n. 134. 3s E.g., 1,332, n. 26 (S. 4:16); 11,252, n. 121 (S. 9:123); IV,235, n. 57 (S. 34:33); IV,44243, n. 12 (S. 41:lO). s4 E.g., 111,167-68, n. 60 (S. 21:63); 111,2404, n. 101 (S. 2252-54). E.g., III,36-37, n. 57 (S. 18:60 ff.); IV,404-05, n. 41 (S. 40:26 ff.); VI.59. n. 4 (S. 684). 242 American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences Vol. 2, No. 2, 1985 Mawdudi first gives the three meanings the word din has in Arabic- sovereignty, submission, and custom or habit- and then writes: In view of these three meanings, din in this verse represents the attitude and mode of behavior that man adopts in recognition of a being’s superiority to him, and in submission to that being. And making the din exclusively God‘s means that one should not associate anyone with God in worship, that one should worship only Him, follow only His guidance, and obey only His laws and injunctions. 36 [Italics added.] The italicized portion represents the emphasis Mawdudi places, here and elsewhere in Ejhim, on the social and legal aspects of dtn. Din, he says, has a strong this-worldly dimension in addition to its other-worldly dimension. Unfortunately, however, Muslims have only too often construed the word in a restricted sense. Discussing S. 12:76, MawdGdi writes: By using [in this verse] the word din for the law of the land, the Qur’iin has fully explained the wide range of meanings din has. This use of the word categorically refutes the view of those who believe that a prophet’s message is principally aimed at ensuring worship of the One God, adherence to a set of beliefs, and obser- vance of a few rituals; of those who think that din has nothing to do with cultural, political, economic, legal, judicial, and other mat- ters pertaining to this world. This view, which has been popular among Muslims for a long time, and which has largely been respon- sible for their failure to realize their duty to establish an Islamic order of life, is, according to this verse, utterly false. . . . 37 According to S. 42:13, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus were sent by God with the instruction, aqimu al-dina (establish the din). Mawdiidi comments on this verse at length. When the word i q 6 m (verbal noun form aqimii) is used for material or corporeal (mddi ya jism-ni) things, he writes, it means “to cause that thing to take an upright position” (as, raising an animal from the ground) or “to erect” (as, erecting a pillar). But when it is used for something abstract (m‘naw-, it does not simply mean “to preach that thing,” but “to act upon it, promote it, and actually enforce it.” A person’s i q u m of his rule does not mean that he is propagating his rule, but that he has established his authority over the people of the land and has so structured the various government depaitments that the entire ad- 36 IV.356, n. 3. 3 7 11,422. MidMustansir Some Features of Mawdudi’s Tafhim Al-Qur’an 243 ministration of the State is being run under his supervision. . . From this it should not at all be difficult to see that the prophets, when they were charged with the iqcima of din, were not simply expected to practice the din themselves, or to preach it to the people so that the latter might acknowledged it to be true. Rather, after the peo- ple had acknowledge it to be the true din, the prophets were sup- posed to take the next step and actually enforce the dfn, so that it should acquire mandatory power-and retain that power.38 These quotations indicate the emphasis Mawdtidi places on the socio-political aspect of the Qur5nic or Islamic scheme for human life. This emphasis is characteristic of Tajgtim and distinguishes it from most other Q u r k commen- taries, old and modern.39 Incidentally, one cannot help feel that, on a few occasions at least, MawdGdi’s preoccupation with this aspect of Islam unduly influences his interpretation of the Qur‘h. To illustrate: the Arabic word t a w l f i means “to turn away,” and also “to become a ruler or assume power.,’ S. 2:205 begins: wa idhi tawalki s a ‘ i f i al-ardi li yufiida _fi’hd. Mawdiidi translates: “And when he acquires power, all his activities in the land are aimed at spreading corruption.” Now if the verse is read in conjunction with the preceding verse, one would be disposed to think that the context requires the other meaning in a but his preference for the “political” type of mean- ing is rather obvious. Relevance of Islam Today This motif is closely linked in Mawdudi with the first. Islam, Mawdudi says, is not only a systematic religion, it is very much a workable proposition today. In order to establish his thesis, Mawdiidi deals with a number of issues and questions, raised in the Qur’in, from a “modern” perspective. S. 2975-76 distinguishes between ribci (usury or interest) and bay‘ (trade or commerce). It forbids the former and permits the latter, and remarks that God ”wipes out” ribu but lets p l a q u t (acts of charity) “grow.” Mawdiidi tries to vindicate the Qur‘inic position by discussing the matter not only from an ethical and spiritual viewpoint, but also from an economic angle.” Of considerable interest in TaJhim is M d i i d h treatment of the subject of Islamic law. Throughout Ta_pu’m, 38 39 40 41 IV,488. In this respect, TqpIim resembles, and invites comparison with, Fi&k;l ul-Quriin, the Qur’h commentary of the Egyptian scholar, Sayyid Qutb (1906-66),.(6 vols.; Beirut: Dir a l - S h u ~ q , 1973-74). 1,159-60, n. 225. 1,21143, nn. 317-18; 1,214-16, n. 320. For a detailed discussion of the question of rib& see M d d i ’ s Sud (Interest) (2 vols.; Lahore, 1948-1952). For related issues, see idem, Mu‘ushiyit-i Is& (Islamic Economics) (Karachi, 1970). 244 Vol. 2, No. 2, 1985 Islamic law. Throughout TaJhim, sometimes in the form of brief notes and sometimes in more detailed discussions, Mawdfidi clarifies for the modem reader aspects of the Islamic legal approach, and explains how Islam furnishes man with definite guidance in the fields of constitutional, social, civil, criminal, and international law. S. 6O:E reads, in part: wa ki ya'sinakafiinu'i%j%z (and that they [women who came to Muhammad (pbuh) to pledge allegiance] shall not disobey you in respect of anything that is maci%f [good, just, and reasonable]). Mawdiidi comments: "This statement in fact lays down the foundation-stone of the rule of law in Islam."4* Sometimes he points out the legal potentialities of certain verses: "The rules contained in the following verses [S. 49:ll ff.], together with their explication as found in &&I, can serve as a basis for the formulation of a detailed Islamic law of libel."45 Exactly how well Mawdudi has succeeded in explaining the relevance of Islam in modem times or in presenting Islam as an integrated system of life is certainly a question that may be discussed. But this much at least may be said, that Mawdudi is keenly aware of the importance of issues and problems of modernity which even today many Muslim Qur'in scholars refuse to recognize as proper grist for their mills. American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences 42 V,447, n. 22. 43 V,84, n. 19.