Verse: Difference between revisions

The Prophet (s) said, the greatest verse is [[al-Kursi verse]].

 

[[Imam 'Ali (a)]] said, the most promising verse of the Qur'an is the verse 5 of [[sura al-Duha]] (93).

There are two opinions about the order of the verses; most of [[Shi'a]] and [[Sunni]] scholars believe that the place of verses in [[sura]]s, is [[Tawqifi]] (specified by [[God]]), so the existing order is fixed and it's [[forbidden]] to change it.

In the contrary, some think that although maybe the verses are ordered in the lifetime of the [[Prophet (s)]], but after him, taste and [[ijtihad]] of some of the [[companions]] has effected the existing order. According to [['Allama Tabataba'i]], the reports of the first collection of the [[Qur'an]] in the time of [[Abu Bakr]], confirms that the ijtihad of the companions had role in the order of the verses; and if we agree that all the verses are first ordered by the command of the Prophet (s), it doesn't mean that what the companions have collected is with the order the Prophet (s) had commanded. And the claimed [[ijma']] (consensus) that the existing order is the order of the lifetime of the Prophet (s) is only a "reported Ijma'" which is not reliable.

The "coherence of a group of the verses in a [[sura]]", means either the "unity of the context", which is accepted among the [[exeget]]es, or it means the" coherence of all of the verses of a sura". According to the latter meaning, every sura has one or more point/points, and after fulfilling it, the sura ends. The length of a sura is also dependent to the point/points it implies.

Some other exegetes, although believing in the coherence of the verses, say that the Qur'an is not a technical or educational book that have a specific segmentation and compiling order. It's good to understand the coherence of the verses, but only in the parts that have a connection. So there shouldn't be any false connection attributed to the [[word of God]]. According to [['Allama Tabataba'i]], even sometimes a verse interject two other coherent verses, so there is no need to take the trouble for finding a connection between the verses, except for the verses which are [[revelation|revealed]] together or the verses which connection is obvious.

For the word "aya" (Arabic: آیة) there are other general meanings mentioned; divine ayas are things which show the existence of [[God]] and His power, [[wisdom]], greatness, and his other attributes; so the word "aya" could be used for all of the creatures, because all of them are signs of their [[creator]]. Many times in the Qur'an, after describing the phenomena of the world, it is said, "They (the wonders of the world) are indeed signs (of God and his attributes)".

It also must be noted that in the Qur'an, the word "[[mu'jiza]]" (Arabic: "معجزة", [[miracle]]) isn't used and instead, the word "aya" (sign) and "[[Bayyina]]" (Arabic: "بینة", evidence) is used; the word mu'jiza is mainly used by theologians.

The Qur'an verses are miracles, as no one can bring something like it; and in the same time are the sign of the truth of its conveyor, and a lesson, proof and [[reason]] for its content, which is the guidance and [[knowledge]] for the mankind, and the indication of the knowledge, power, wisdom and other divine attributes.

The whole of the Qur'an is an aya (miracle) of [[God]] because no one can bring something like it. Divine rulings and obligations are also ayas (signs) as they are means of approaching God. Existing creatures are ayas (signs) of God as their existence indicates the existence and greatness of their creator. The [[prophet]]s are the ayas (signs) of God as they invite people to believing and worship God. Wonders and miracles of the prophets are also ayas (signs) because they have a clear indication of the power of God and also are signs of the truth of the mission of the prophets.

The ayas (signs) of God could be divided into the two categories of "tashri'i" (creation) and "takwini" (legislation). Tashri'i signs are mainly the [[Qur'an]] and other [[divine books]], which are about the divine rulings, theological knowledge and ethics which are the means of approaching God. Although some of the Qur'an verses are takwini, which express the wonders of the [[creation]].

Takwini signs are the existing matters which indicate the existence, creation, knowledge, and other divine attributes. These signs also make two subcategories: ordinary and extraordinary. The ordinary signs includes all of the phenomena of the world, and the extraordinary signs includes the miracles of the [[prophet]]s.

* Studying the signs that exist outside of the human, in nature and creatures, which are the "Afaqi" ayas (literally: signs in the horizons).

In the Qur'an and [[hadith]] studying and thinking about both Anfusi and Afaqi ayas is emphasized on.  

In hadith the importance of the attention to the Afaqi and Anfusi signs is noted, [[the Prophet (s)]] said: "the one who knows himself, had known his [[God]]".

[[Imam 'Ali (a)]] says about the Afaqi signs: "so think about the sun and the moon, and the tree and the plants, and the water and the stone, and the alternation of the day and night, and the flow of the seas, and the large number of the mountains, and the height of the peaks, and the diversity of languages, and the differences of tongues, -which are the clear signs of God- so, woe be to one who does not accept the Designer and rejects the Manager. They thought that they are like the plants and don't have any farmer, and there's no maker for the differences of their shapes. They don't have any reason for their claim, could there be any building without a builder?..."

The Afaqi and Anfusi signs are also discussed in Islamic [[philosophy]] and [[mysticism]].

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