Verse of Shura

Verse of Shura

Verse's Information
Name	The Verse of Shura
Sura	al-Shura
Verse	38
Juz'	25
Content Information
Cause of Revelation	Praising the tradition of the Ansar in engaging in consultation.
Place of Revelation	Medina
Topic	Ethical
About	The necessity of conducting public and governmental affairs based on consultation
Related Verses	Qur'an 3: 159, Qur'an 2: 233

The verse of Shūrā (Arabic: آية الشُورىٰ) (Qur'an 42: 38) describes some of Muslims' positive characteristics, including accepting the call of the Lord, spending in charity, establishing prayer, and consulting one another. According to commentators, this verse emphasizes the importance of consultation by mentioning it alongside matters such as faith in God and prayer.

It is also said that in the verse of Shura, the most important characteristic of believers is responsiveness or acceptance of their Lord's call, which encompasses all goodness and virtue. From the perspective of commentators, "responsiveness" in this verse means performing all the good deeds that God has asked humans to do and not opposing God in any command or prohibition.

Introduction, text, and translation

Qur'an 42: 38, continuing from the previous verses that describe the attributes of the believers, addresses several other characteristics of theirs, including their acceptance of the call of the Lord, establishing prayer, spending in charity, and conducting their affairs through consultation and mutual counsel. 'Allama Tabataba'i has considered this verse as evidence of the importance of consultation in Islamic society, viewing it as a sign of human growth. He states that whenever believers intend to undertake any task, they hold a council and consult with wise individuals to arrive at the correct opinion.

Religious scholars believe that Qur'an 42: 38, along with Qur'an 3: 159, contributed to the expansion of consultation in society, allowing all people to participate in the decision-making process. Tabrisi, in his commentary Majma' al-Bayan, cites a narration from the Prophet (s) regarding finding the right path through consultation, considering this verse as evidence of the virtue of consultation.

“ "those who answer their Lord, maintain the prayer, and [conduct] their affairs by counsel among themselves, and they spend out of what We have provided them" ” — Qur'an, 42:38

Occasion of Revelation

Fadl b. Hasan Tabrisi, a Quran exegete of the 5th and 6th/11th and 12th centuries, interpreted Qur'an 42: 38 as referring to the Ansar, who, even before Islam and prior to the arrival of the Prophet (s) in Medina, conducted their affairs through consultation. He states that God has praised them in this verse. It is also narrated from Dahhak ibn Muzahim al-Hilali (d. 102 or 105/720- 1 or 723- 4), a commentator and one of the Followers, that this verse refers to a group of the Ansar (Helpers) who, upon hearing that the Prophet of Islam (s) had appeared, gathered in the house of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari to consult with each other. They believed in him before the Prophet's (s) migration to Medina and pledged allegiance to him at 'Aqabah. According to Makarim Shirazi, although there is a context for the revelation of this verse, it is not limited to its specific occasion of revelation and conveys a general and universal message.

What does responding to the call of the Lord mean?

According to Makarim Shirazi, the most important characteristic of believers mentioned in the verse of Shura is their acceptance of the call of their Lord, which encompasses all goodness and virtues. In the view of the exegetes, acceptance in this verse means performing all the good deeds that God has asked of humans and not opposing God in any command or prohibition. According to 'Allama Tabatabai, the mention of daily prayer among the good deeds is due to its virtue and nobility.

The Importance of Consultation in Life

Consultation among the attributes of believers ranked alongside faith in God and prayer is considered a sign of its extraordinary importance. According to Makarim Shirazi, the Qur'an emphasizes conducting affairs through consultation because, no matter how intellectually capable a person may be, he still tends to view issues from only one or a few perspectives, often neglecting other dimensions.

Obligation of Consultation

Sayyid Muhammad-Taqi al-Mudarrisi, in his interpretation of Man huda-l-Qur'an under the Qur'an 42: 38, states that some researchers have considered consultation obligatory. They believe that even if the religious authority is a just jurist, he should not manage the community affairs solely based on his own discretion. Rather, it is obligatory for him to utilize the knowledge and understanding of others in advancing the affairs. Additionally, he believes that advising the religious authority by the people is one of the manifestations of consultation. Mudarrisi argues that consultation ensures the freedom of opinion and the right to choose.