Endnotes

1. From the Munājāt Shaʿbāniyya

2. Editor's note: This characteristic highlights the Qur'an's unique role as not just a repository of divine laws but as a guide for spiritual purification and ethical living. It blends legal instructions with moral and spiritual guidance, showcasing its comprehensive approach to fostering righteousness and purity among its followers. Through its distinct methodology, the Qur'an transcends the conventional functions of textual works, offering a holistic blueprint for both individual and societal well-being.

3. Editor's note: This verse (4:32) encourages contentment and fairness, setting a moral foundation before delving into specifics about inheritance rights, demonstrating the Qur'an's holistic approach in weaving ethical considerations seamlessly with legal directives. Through this method, the Qur'an not only instructs but also cultivates a moral and spiritual consciousness in its readers, guiding them towards righteousness in both belief and action.

4. Editor's note: This integration fosters a more profound appreciation of the natural world, not just as a series of physical events or entities but as manifestations of divine wisdom and intent.

5. Editor's note: The original text says: "The Qur'an is not an empty table for anyone to bring and consume their home-cooked food." used by the author as a metaphor.

6. Editor's note: This methodology not only underscores the Qur'an's divine coherence but also serves as a testament to its authenticity and authority, inviting readers to recognize and appreciate the Qur'an's unparalleled integrity.

7. Biḥār al-Anwār, v. 40, p. 180, 232

8. Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī, v. 1, p. 230

9. Editor's note: Imām Jawād (a.s.)'s approach exemplifies the depth of understanding embedded in the tradition of the Prophet's Household, prioritizing a holistic and compassionate application of Islamic law that aligns with the spirit of the Qur'an's teachings.

10. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, v. 5, p. 538

11. In Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 133: Imām ʿAlī speaks about how certain verses in the Qur'an support each other. This doesn't just mean agreeing in theory, but it's like they're speaking and confirming each other's message. According to Imām ʿAlī (a.s.), if one verse's meaning matches that of another clear verse, it is like one verse is backing up the other. This happens when the context or purpose of one verse is clarified by another verse that's easier to understand or more direct. This method of understanding is supported by the teachings of the Prophet (s.a.w.), and this is called interpreting the Qur'an by the Qur'an. So, when one verse helps explain another verse's meaning or purpose, it's not something that only happens after the first verse's meaning is clear; it's part of how we understand the Qur'an from the Qur'an itself. This idea is explained in more detail in Manāhij al-Bayān fī Tafsīr al-Qurʾān, v. 1, pp. 17-18.

12. A reference to Dīwān Ibn Fāriḍ

13. A poem by Ḥāfiẓ

14. The essence of the term "abrogation" (naskh) in Qur'anic studies refers to temporal specification. Just as the Qibla for Muslims was initially Jerusalem and later changed to the Ka'ba, the period of the ruling explained in the abrogated verses is limited from the start, and its limit is known to God. However, this limitation is not clarified from the beginning but is explained with the revelation of the abrogating verses.

15. Imām al-Ḥusayn (a.s.) said with regards to the Imāms (a.s.): "We are... one of the two weighty things that the Messenger of God placed second to the Book of God, blessed and exalted be He" (Biḥār al-Anwār, v. 44, p. 205).

16. Jawāhir al-Kalām, v. 13, p. 71, 76

17. Kashf al-Ghiṭāʾ, Kitāb al-Qurʾān, p. 298: "The fourth discussion is that [the Qur'an] is more virtuous than all the books revealed from heaven and the speech of prophets and the chosen ones, but it is not more meritorious than the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family ..."

18. Uṣûl al-Kāfī, v. 1, p. 207; Biḥār al-Anwār, v. 23, p. 206

19. The noble life of those great ones is solely for the encounter with God, and even in their apparent existence, they do not sacrifice themselves for anything else.

20. Biḥār al-Anwār, v. 89, p. 13

21. Taqiyya, meaning the expression of something that is not true, has no place in the Qur'an. However, the Qur'an does allow for certain matters, like the explicit identification of the Prophet's successors, not to be mentioned and left to the discretion of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family; but this is not taqiyya.

22. Uṣûl al-Kāfī, v. 1, p. 67

23. Ibid., p. 84

24. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, v. 18, p. 80

25. Note that The practice of comparing narrations directly with the Qur'an does not encompass reports directly heard from the Imām. This is because someone who had the privilege of being in the presence of the Prophet or an infallible Imām (a.s.), heard a statement from their sacred tongue, and ascertained the reason for its issuance in such a way that the possibility of taqiyya (dissimulation) was completely out of question, would not entertain any doubt about its contradiction. Hearing a statement from the speaker brings about certainty. Therefore, the practice of comparing narrations with the book pertains only to indirect narrations, and that too when their issuance is not established as certain.

26. Uṣûl al-Kāfī, v. 1, p. 69

27. Ibid.

28. Ibid.

29. Ibid.

30. Ibid.

31. Editor's note: This historical context highlights the critical need for a stringent evaluative process to discern the authenticity of traditions, ensuring they align with the incontrovertible truths of the Qur'an.

32. Uṣûl al-Kāfī, v. 1, p. 62

33. Khamsûn Māʾa Ṣaḥābī Mukhtalif, v. 1, p. 31

34. Al-Fawāʾid al-Madaniyya, p. 47-48

35. Biḥār al-Anwār, v. 89, p. 91

36. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, v. 18, p. 30

37. Ibid., 136

38. See Qawānīn al-Uṣûl, v. 1, p. 397

39. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, v. 18, p. 136

40. Editor's note: This is in reference to verses 33:33 and 56:77-80

41. Biḥār al-Anwār, v. 2, p. 100; v. 23, p. 108

42. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, v. 12, p. 353

43. Ibid

44. Uṣûl al-Kāfī, v. 1, p. 91

45. Ibid

46. Al-Ṭabrisī, al-Iḥtijāj, p. 97-108; Biḥār al-Anwār, v. 29, p. 220

47. Biḥār al-Anwār, v. 10, p. 218

48. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, v. 2, p. 957

49. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, v. 1, p. 327

50. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, v. 5, p. 538

51. Biḥār al-Anwār, v. 89, p. 216

52. Nahj al-Balāgha, sermon no. 193

53. Rawḍat al-Kāfī, p. 53

54. Nahj al-Balāgha, sermon no, 158

55. Nahj al-Balāgha, sermon no. 18

56. Nahj al-Balāgha, sermon no. 91

57. Nahj al-Balāgha, sermon no. 110

58. Nahj al-Balāgha, sermon no. 127

59. Nahj al-Balāgha, sermon no. 133

60. Nahj al-Balāgha, sermon no. 156

61. Nahj al-Balāgha, sermon no. 176

62. Biḥār al-Anwār, v. 89, p. 88

63. Ibid., 89

64. Ibid., 89

65. Biḥār al-Anwār, v. 89, p. 89

66. Ibid., 98

67. Editor's note: This is in reference to verse 4:59.

68. Manāhij al-Bayān, v. 1, pp. 45-53

69. Editor's note: Such a sentence, inserted within existing verses is also termed as a "parenthetical sentence." Another example of this is verse 5:3.

70. Rûh al-Maʿānī, v. 8, p. 351

71. Jawāhir al-Kalām, v. 26, p. 67

72. Tafsīr al-Manār, v. 8, p. 446, concerning 7:54

73. ʿAwālī al-Laʾālī, v. 4, p. 104

74. Nahj al-Balāgha, letter no. 77

75. Manāhij al-Bayān, v. 1, p. 15

76. Uṣûl al-Kāfī, v. 2, p. 415

77. Usul Kafi, 1/23

78. Usul Kafi, 1/23

79. Biḥār, 8/133

80. Nahj al-Balāgha, Sermon 186, Section 15

81. Nahj al-Balāgha, Sermon 189, Section 4

82. Uṣūl Kāfī, 1/401

83. Nahj al-Balāgha, Sermon 147, Section 2

84. Biḥār, 74/286

85. Editor's note: The statement "How much better it is to derive one's own benefit from oneself and not to borrow from others" echoes the wisdom found in various cultures regarding the perils of indebtedness. This sentiment is akin to a Swahili proverb, "Kukopa harusi, kulipa matanga," which translates to "To borrow is like a wedding and to pay back is like a funeral." This proverb highlights the contrast between the initial joy and ease of receiving through borrowing and the subsequent hardship and sorrow associated with repaying the debt. It serves as a cautionary reminder of the burdens that borrowing can impose, encouraging self-reliance and caution against the allure of easy gains through indebtedness.

86. Biḥār, 100/141

87. Translator's note: The meaning of ʿitra (peace be upon them) in the Ḥadīth al-Thaqalayn is their legal persona. The true persona of the ʿitra is not accessible to many Muslims. Therefore, referring to the Imām means referring to the Imāmate and the rulings and decrees issued from that position.

88. With the exception of proving the existence of God, which can only be proven by reason and not only cannot be proven by transmitted proof, but also cannot be proven by miracles; because miracles are for affirming the claim, not proving the validity of the call to the original origin. The content of the call, as far as it goes back to proving the origin, must only be proven by reason, and thereafter, even in matters related to monotheism, one can rely on the words of the infallible (a.s.).

89. What has been said by the ancients about astronomy was mathematical, not physical; that is, they drew orbits for the motion of the solar system in order to justify the order of motions and movers. Gradually, in the next stage, it acquired a physical aspect among the ancients, and celestial bodies, celestial spheres, and natural bodies were imagined for the celestial bodies, and then its requirements, such as rupture and healing, were discussed and debated, and then it was the turn of the later ones, and the same view of the ancients about the motion of the earth as well as the mathematical nature of the solar system, not its physical nature, was strengthened.

90. Al-Durr al-Manthūr, 2/8

91. Nahj al-Balāgha, Sermon 133, Section 8

92. Tafsīr al-Kāshif, 1/15

93. Al-Jāmiʿ li-Aḥkām al-Qurʾān, 1/44

94. Nūr al-Thaqalayn, 1/24-25

95. Tafsīr ʿAyyāshī, 1/10

96. Editor's note: This distinction highlights that miracles, which might defy habitual expectations, do not necessarily challenge the foundational principles of reason or the laws of nature as understood through empirical certainty.

97. Tafsīr Burhān, 1/18

98. Tafsīr Burhān, 1/18

99. Ibid., 19

100. Tafsīr Burhān, 1/19

101. Biḥār, 75/247

102. Editor's note: This verse emphasizes the importance of basing interpretations on informed understanding, as each aspect of our perception and cognition is accountable.

103. Tafsīr Ṭabarī, 1/27

104. Khabar, consensus and the like thereof are all forms of the Sunnah, and consensus, in any way it is expressed, is included within the scope of the Sunnah, not outside of it.

105. Nahj al-Balāgha, Sermon 186, Section 2

106. Mathnawī, Book Three, Verses 2517, 2520, and 2525

107. Mafātīḥ al-Jinān, Duʿā Abū Ḥamza al-Thumālī

108. In the era of the late Jahāngīr Khān Qashqāʾī and Ḥājj Ākhūnd Kāshī, may God sanctify their secrets, from whose presence the late Fāḍil Tūnī, may God sanctify his soul, studied under those two great philosophers.

109. The Mathnawī is a profoundly educational book whose being in Persian, being in verse, and containing some stories, satires, and allegories does not detract from its scholarly grandeur in the least, so that it can be learned without an expert and specialised mystic teacher.

110. See Sharīʿa dar Āyina-yi Maʿrifat, the discussion of the accompaniment of revelation and reason, 207.

111. Ḥāfiẓ's Dīwān

112. Ḥāfiẓ's Dīwān

113. Editor's note: We have simplified this part for the benefit of the readers. Here, the focus is on distinguishing between different types of certainty—particularly, psychological certainty versus logical or empirical certainty. Psychological certainty refers to a subjective state of being convinced about a matter without necessarily relying on objective proof or rational deduction. This contrasts with logical certainty, which is based on clear, rational evidence, and empirical certainty, which relies on direct observation or conclusive experimental results.

114. Nahj al-Balāgha, Sermon 1, Section 41

115. Editor's note: This phenomenon is beautifully illustrated in the form of a parable in verse 13:17 of the Qur'an. See Al-Mīzān Eng. vol. 5 under the discussion about the presence of allegorical verses in the Qur'an.

116. Al-Mīzān, 3/75-87

117. Nahj al-Balāgha, Sermon 176, Section 12

118. Ibid., Sermon 138, Section 1

119. Al-Mīzān, 3/87

120. Manāhij al-Bayān, 1/45-53

121. Editor's note: This perspective underscores the notion that The Qur'an's wisdom is designed for humanity's benefit, from the dawn of existence to the end of time, illuminating the path for both the living and the memorialized dead.

122. Biḥār, 89/15

Editor's note: This statement by Imām al-Ṣādiq (a.s.) underscores the universality and perpetual novelty of The Qur'an, emphasizing its applicability and significance across all ages and cultures. Unlike texts that become dated or lose relevance, The Qur'an remains a continuously unfolding revelation, providing guidance, wisdom, and solace to each generation anew. Through this divine intention, The Qur'an stands as a living document, eternally relevant and perpetually vibrant, ensuring its teachings remain accessible and applicable to humanity until the end of time.

123. Biḥār, 75/269

124. Jāmiʿ Aḥādīth al-Shīʿa, 15/6

125. Jāmiʿ Aḥādīth al-Shīʿa, 15/7

126. Jāmiʿ Aḥādīth al-Shīʿa, 15/7

127. For further exploration of this topic, refer to another work by the author titled ‘ʿAlī ibn Mūsā al-Riḍā wa al-Qur'an al-Hakim'

128. Jāmiʿ Aḥādīth al-Shīʿa, 15/9

129. Ibid., 10

130. Biḥār, 89/17

131. Jāmiʿ Aḥādīth al-Shīʿa, 15/9 (Qurʾān 3/79)

132. Uṣūl Kāfī, 1/34

133. Jāmiʿ Aḥādīth al-Shīʿa, 15/15

134. Ibid., 27

135. Ibid., 17

136. Biḥār, 77/319

137. Jāmiʿ Aḥādīth al-Shīʿa, 15/19

138. Jāmiʿ Aḥādīth al-Shīʿa, 15/20

139. Ibid., 21

140. Jāmiʿ Aḥādīth al-Shīʿa, 15/24

141. Nahj al-Balāgha, Sermon 110, Section 6

142. Nahj al-Balāgha, Sermon 198, Section 25

143. Jāmiʿ Aḥādīth al-Shīʿa, 15/7

144. Ibid., 16

145. Jāmiʿ Aḥādīth al-Shīʿa, 15/26