INTERPRETATION BASED ON PERSONAL INSIGHT
Interpreting the Quran based on one’s personal opinion without proper knowledge and understanding is a sinful act. If someone deliberately misrepresents the meaning of any verse in the Quran, it is regarded as distortion (tahrif) (Quran 2:75), and such distortion is undoubtedly an unforgivable offence in the eyes of the Quran.
This matter is so delicate that even if someone interprets the Quran accurately—yet does so solely based on personal opinion—there remains a risk of it leading to sin. A hadith states that the Prophet Muhammad said: “Whoever speaks about the Book of God based on his own opinion, and even if he is right, he has still made a mistake.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith No. 3652)
Explaining the Quran’s meaning without meeting the proper requirements for interpretation—and relying solely on one’s own reasoning—is a careless approach. Therefore, even if such an individual’s interpretation happens to be correct by chance, they are still considered at fault due to their reckless method. Such a person cannot be rewarded for arriving at the right interpretation.
Based on a literal reading of the hadith, some believe that interpreting the Quran should be confined to what is recorded in hadith or explained by early Muslim scholars. From this perspective, later Muslims are expected only to repeat the opinions and interpretations of the earliest commentators. However, this hadith should not be taken to mean that Quranic interpretation must be restricted exclusively to explanations found in hadith, early reports, or the statements of the first scholars.
The Quran itself states that it is a blessed book which We have sent down to you so that people may ponder its verses, and so that those with understanding may learn a lesson from it (38:29). Since the Quran is meant to be reflected upon by every reader, this cannot mean that one should only read the earlier interpretations and simply repeat them. The very word “reflection” demonstrates that readers of the Quran are expected to think deeply and uncover new meanings, which will strengthen their understanding and faith. Without this quality, the Quran could not be a source of guidance or a means of increasing faith. True insight comes through discovering new meanings—not by repeating a few familiar and limited ideas.
This is not merely a matter of reasoning; it is also fully supported by Hadith. According to one narration, the Prophet of Islam said, “Its wonders will never cease” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 2906). Another narration states, “Its wonders will never be exhausted.” (Sunan al-Darmi, Hadith No. 3375). These “wonders” refer to the deeper meanings of the Quran—indicating that its meanings are so vast that scholars across all eras will continue to discover new insights. And this process will persist until the Day of Judgment.
Throughout history, people have continued to discover new meanings and insights in the verses of the Quran—a process known as istinbat. Examples of this can be found in every book of Quranic commentary. This process is ongoing even today. For instance, the Quran, under the command to gather strength, instructs the preparation of warhorses (8:60). In modern times, warhorses have been replaced by contemporary war machines. Consequently, scholars now explain that, due to changing circumstances, this verse should be understood as referring to the preparation of war machines and technology instead of horses. This is because warhorses no longer offer the strategic advantage mentioned in the verse as the goal of gathering strength; that advantage is now linked to mechanical and technological power.
The Quran has always been a source of intellectual and scholarly growth for Muslims. Its most significant feature is that it challenges the human mind and continually encourages reflection and deep thought. Due to its infinite meanings, the Quran acts as a foundation for intellectual development among Muslims. Shutting the door to new discoveries in such a book would contradict its very purpose. If that were to occur, Muslims would face intellectual stagnation. They would neither advance themselves nor will they be able to lead humanity in knowledge and thought.
The fact is, there are two types of interpretations of the Quran. One is the interpretation carried out with careful reflection, and the other is done without it. The second type is known as Tafsir bil-ra’y—interpreting based on personal opinion. Interpreting with reflection means the reader should have a strong understanding of the Arabic language, as well as knowledge of Hadith and early Islamic sources. He shouldn’t interpret the Quran by focusing on just one verse in isolation, but should consider the overall message and purpose of the Quran as a whole. He should also have deep knowledge of other subjects related to the Quran. Similarly, he should be well-acquainted with the interpretations offered by recognised religious scholars from the earliest times to later periods. Alongside all this, he should cultivate the quality of piety within himself, which the Quran describes as the source of true knowledge (Al-Baqarah: 282). This is the proper way to interpret the Quran.
In contrast, tafsir bil-ra’y (interpretation based on personal opinion) occurs when someone relies solely on their own reasoning. Any thought that occurs to them about a verse, they start to present it as the Quran’s interpretation—regardless of whether it fits the context of the verse or aligns with the Quran’s overall teachings. Here are some examples of such personal interpretations.
1. One type of tafsir bil-ra’y is so inappropriate that any serious-minded person would reject it immediately after hearing or reading it. For example, the Quranic verse says: “Wa rabbaka fakabbir” (74:3). Some people have translated this as: “And make your Lord great.”
Based on this translation, they explained the verse to mean: Establish God’s political greatness in the world, raise the flag of God’s rule on earth. This translation and interpretation are among the worst forms of opinion-based interpretation. Common sense alone is enough to see that it’s wrong. God is already great in Himself. He doesn’t need any of His creation to make Him great in any way. According to the verse, what a person must do is recognize God’s greatness within their own heart and mind. A sense of God’s majesty should fill their soul. Realizing their own smallness and God’s greatness should make them a truly humble human being—a man cut to size. That is the real meaning of “declare the greatness of your Lord.”
The correct translation of the mentioned verse is: “And proclaim the greatness of your Lord,” or “Speak of the greatness of your Lord,” or “Declare the greatness of your Lord.” According to this translation, the takbeer (the declaration of God’s greatness) mentioned in the verse is not related to any external political issue. Instead, it concerns a person’s inner state. It means that a person’s mind should consciously recognize God’s greatness. Their heart should be stirred with the feeling of His greatness. The acknowledgment of God’s greatness should naturally come to their lips. This is the takbeer of the Lord that the Quran instructs.
2. At the beginning of the Quran, there is a verse: “Dhalika al-kitab la rayba fihi” (2:2), which means: “This is the Book (from God); there is no doubt in it,” or, “This is a Book in which there is no doubt.” There is some disagreement about the grammatical structure of this verse. However, every commentator has understood “al-kitab” here to mean an actual book. One person, however, has written that all commonly accepted translations that render “dhalika al-kitab” as “book” are incorrect. According to him, the Quran is a treasure of all knowledge. Therefore, the closest translation of “dhalika al-kitab” would be: “This is an encyclopedia.”
This translation is clearly based on personal opinion rather than on factual knowledge. An encyclopedia is a book that compiles various kinds of information. However, the Quran is not an encyclopedic collection of facts. Instead, it is a compilation of knowledge and insight. It is certainly a treasure of wisdom but not, in the traditional sense of the word, a storehouse of facts.
For example, the Islamic declaration of faith is La ilaha illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah—”There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.” Yet, this full statement does not appear in one place in the Quran. In Islam, five daily prayers are obligatory, but the Quran does not specify this number clearly. In an encyclopedia, when people are mentioned, their year of birth and death are usually included. But in the Quran, the birth or death year of the Prophet—or of any other prophet—is not mentioned. There are thousands of such factual details that are simply absent from the Quran. Therefore, translating the word kitab (book) in the Quranic verse as “encyclopedia” is a personal idea. There is no scholarly basis for it.
3. In the Quran, there is a command expressed in the words: “Aqeemuddeen” (42:13). A simple translation of this verse is: “you should remain steadfast in religion.” Some people have interpreted this to mean that “ad-deen” refers to all the religious and legal rulings found in the Quran and Hadith. According to this view, the verse is instructing believers to implement all these religious rulings in the world as a complete system.
However, this interpretation clearly falls within personal opinion because it contradicts well-established principles for understanding the Quran. For example, this verse specifically commands the establishment of the part of religion that was traditionally associated with Prophet Noah, Prophet Abraham, Prophet Moses, Prophet Jesus, and Prophet Muhammad. Due to this specific wording, all commentators agree that “ad-deen” here refers solely to the core teachings of religion. This is because the common message of these prophets was limited to these foundational teachings. Regarding detailed laws, the Quran itself (5:48) states that these varied from one prophet to another.
The instruction in this verse is: “You should remain steadfast in religion and not become divided in it.” (Quran 42:13) Since unity in religion can only be achieved through its core teachings, this command to “remain steadfast” should be understood as referring solely to those fundamental principles. Including all legal rulings within its scope would inevitably lead to division—the very outcome the verse warns against.
