How far does the Qur'an suffice for whom?

We said that an approach which claims that the Qur'an is sufficient and nearly forbids recourse to other sources is very far from recognizing the Qur'an as a revealed book.

In fact, not only by the nature of "the Qur'an as a revealed book," but a simpler question, the question of what suffices for what and how much, is in itself a question that can light our way. For whom is the Qur'an sufficient, how far is it sufficient, what does it say to whom, and what does it not say to whom?

What kind of common ground could there be that binds all people at the same time on this matter? The Qur'an itself said that its effect on everyone may differ, and this very statement is in itself a tremendous verse, a miracle, for whoever can understand, see, witness. Because when we look at people's relationship with the Qur'an, we can see this diversity among people realized exactly as the verse describes and depicts it. Thus we also live the interpretation of the Qur'anic verse in these universally shared experiences of ours. Thus, as against those who, though they have eyes, do not see, who, though they have ears, do not hear and do not reason, we can also live the difference in understanding of those whose hearts tremble in awe when they hear the verses, as the interpretation of this verse.

Therefore the Qur'an's "insufficiency" is, first of all, a problem related to the condition of the person reading, their preparation, their purification, their taqwa, and thus their mode of existence. The first verses of the Qur'an, the Fatiha of the book, consist of the prayer of the person approaching the reading of the book: a prayer "that He guide us to the straight path, the path not of those who have gone astray or are heedless, who have incurred wrath, but of those upon whom He has bestowed favor."

And immediately afterwards, as a very clear answer to this prayer, "a book in which there is no doubt" is given as a guide to "the muttaqin who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend from the sustenance God has given them, and who believe in what was sent down to Hz. Muhammad and to the prophets before him and in the Day of the Hereafter." So the understanding of this book depends on its fulfilling its function as a guide, and for it to be able to do so, those who read it need to have the qualities mentioned: one who does not believe in the unseen cannot possibly understand anything from this book. One who does not pray, and above all one who has no experience of giving up and spending from the possessions he loves from the heart, from the sustenance God has given, from his wealth, cannot possibly see the verses of this book in all their brilliance, hear them in all their beauty, and understand them.

By going through these verses alone, much can be seen about the conditions, experience and horizon of understanding a text. Consider, if you will, once more within this framework, the claim "the Qur'an is sufficient" made by someone without these qualities.

And not only that. Undoubtedly the most important and widespread implication of the phrase "the Qur'an is sufficient" is that the Qur'an is a book that opens itself so much that it needs not even the Prophet, that has plain meanings, and that will light our way in every situation. That is, "the Qur'an is sufficient" carries an emphasis that somewhat ignores, and at times even denies, the Prophet's role in the understanding of the Qur'an.

Doubts raised about the degrees of authenticity of some hadiths can lend strength to these emphases. But it must be recalled that even those who take the saying "the Qur'an is sufficient" in its most radical sense do not approach the Qur'an solely through the Qur'an; they cannot. They approach it with a series of lived experiences, meanings, language, culture, ideological conditionings or prejudices right beside them. Let no one presume to be bold: this baggage is not baggage that a person can abandon whenever he wishes, or suspend, or remain immune to its effect. What we mean by our hermeneutical limitedness is, at the same time, this mortality of ours.

We merely suppose that we have deliberately abandoned everything outside the Qur'an and are content with the Qur'an alone. Without knowing, without realizing, we do not even see what kind of culture, what kind of ideological viewpoint, our historicity, pre-understandings or prejudices, our personal feelings and ambitions direct our readings of the Qur'an.

Of course, the whole hermeneutical effort is the effort to be aware of these influences. At this point it is very important for a person to know himself and to purify himself; he can then, of course, become aware of what he understands and how much. For this he also needs the training of someone who will purify him, and only great gratitude is felt toward the one who meets this need. That is why, in exactly four places, the Qur'an "confers a favor upon mankind" for sending us a messenger "from among ourselves," that is, someone who understands us, whom we understand, who knows our troubles, our past, our history, our culture, "to recite to us God's verses and purify us," that is, to prepare us with a consciousness of what we stand before, to free us from our personal ailments, our limitations, our narrow-mindedness so as to enable us to understand within a wider horizon, and "to teach the book and wisdom," that is, to teach not only the book but also how to understand the verses of that book in their place, in their context and in an appropriate manner. This is truly a great grace, but of course again for whoever can see. It is an unbelievable opportunity, for whoever can understand.

Indeed, given that he does all this, how can a Prophet be distinguished from revelation? How can this tremendous grace, which requires infinite gratitude to God, be ignored by saying "the Qur'an is sufficient"? And how could this be possible in practice? When the Qur'an and the Prophet are already so intertwined, referring to one another everywhere to such an extent, how can one say "the Qur'an is sufficient" in a way that disregards the Prophet?

With all this, of course, narrow-mindedness aside of those who say the Qur'an is sufficient, the warnings against them that almost aim to remove the Qur'an's centrality constitute another point of excess. After all, it is beyond dispute that the Qur'an is the most important source that builds, nourishes and shapes the intellectual structure of the Muslim subject. Even the undeniable presence and importance of the Prophet in understanding it is, in the final analysis, a matter of gratitude we owe to God for its being better understood..