Fathu Rahman: The Paradigm of Retaining Real Sharia

‘Fathu Rahman fee Tafseer Quran’ is The masterpiece text of venerable scholar and founding father of Darul Hidaya, K.V Muhammed Musliyar. Through the explicit interpretation of the Holy Qur’an, the texts retain the vital values of Ahlu-sunna. It unearths the jurisprudential laws of Islamic Karma and scientific views explaining the verses based on factual evidence.

Composition Background

K.V Usthad thought about writing this Thafseer at a time when modernists tried to distort and misstate the Holy Quran like the interventions and distorted thoughts of CN Ahmad Moulavi, K Umar Moulavi, and Amanullah Moulavi that led the traditional Muslim community to such a big tragedy. They rejected many rituals and religious practices that were being followed by the great Sunnis. Subsequently, the common uneducated Muslims were attracted to their erroneous thoughts and deviating path. They misunderstood that these Moulavis have a divine power to embody the inner core of the Quran.

But, Muslim scholars as they realized the reality and the consequence of these immoral activities upon all Muslim society, came forward to prevent and protect Muslims from these illusions. Among them, the role of K.V Muhammed Musliyar  Koottanad was very significant. He played a crucial role in resisting these deviated ideas. He strongly opposed these twisted ideas through continuous speaking and writing. and it was then, the great scholar Sayyed Abdu Rahman Bafaqi suggested writing an Interpretation. K.V Muhammed Musliyar himself describes this incident “when I saw the innovators had distorted the interpretations of Holy Quran for their impartial ideas, I desired to write a book according to the core ideas of Sunnat jamaat. Then I decided to write it in a way that is accepted by our respected interpreters without making any change in its meaning.

The first volume of this work was published in 1980. Although, due to the interpretation of the Quran into Malayalam, some of the Ulamas criticized him strongly and even cursed him “K.V out of Islam”. As a retaliation to this controversy, he wrote another book entitled ‘Tarjumatul Quran fee Louhil Burhan’ which describes the principles that are valid and invalid in the case of the translation of the Quran.  Later, the second, third, and fourth volumes were published in 1981,1983, and 1985 respectively.

Methodology

The methodology he accepted in his writing was very attractive. He Chose the crystal clear Malayalam language for writing instead of the Arabic Malayalam style which has been followed by the scholars of Kerala for ages. And this change has marked a big mark in the whole series of Quran interpretations especially at a time when the innovators write their books in the Malayalam language. It was very important to answer them vigorously.

He presented the verses of the Quran and the translation very clearly with writing the verses at first and then gives its exact interpretation below with indulging into its meaning from various dimensions and later pinned the in-depth sources below them to root his arguments. And this type of presentation made readers understand them straightforward as well as authentically. He never liked the method of such books with mere translation and verses or the way of presenting the translation and commentaries without verses. And the author believed that the presentation without giving the verses in the Arabic language will lose the spiritual feeling of the Quran to readers.

When he refuted the allegations of modernists, he also mentioned their names in those places. In addition to ideal contradictions, it also mentioned the essential karmic judgments and historical events. Besides, This Fathu Rahman fee Tafseer Quran had some peculiarities. Firstly, it contains a special introduction in all  Surahs along with a prophetic verse that might magnify the greatness and glory of certain surahs. Secondly, the author has completely succeeded in avoiding the Israeeliyyath.

Scientific thoughts

Despite the propagation and the survival of Ahlussunna wal jamaat, it also contains many scientific ideas. By providing the scientific analysis and observations related to the verses of the Quran Fathu Rahman, guides the reader to the in-depth knowledge of the Quran. Under the title of atheists and rationalists, Fathu Rahman quotes the words of many eminent scientists explaining the inadequacies of science. In surah Ra'd while explaining the phenomenon of thunder and lightning, the scientists theorized that lightning is the light produced by the emission of atmospheric electricity and the thunder is its sound. If the holy Quran turned the attention of people to this before fourteen centuries it is only before just two and half centuries Benjamin Franklin made his first research on this topic.

While explaining the glory of a bee, it says that it is estimated that a bee has to climb up to 100 flowers for a single drop of honey. It travels four kilometers from its hive with a 29 km speed per hour. And honey is available in white yellow and red colors. In India, there are four species of bees: Epis Indica, Apis Florea, Apis Dorseta, and melipona. Despite these examples, there are many scientific observations in Fathu Rahman

Sources

The sources he adopted for the work of Fathu Rahman are astonishing. When the modernists write their books based on thoughts and logic, K.V Muhammed Musliyar accepted the famous and notable books in the Islamic world as his sources. Major references he depended on are: Tafseer Ibn kaseer, Mafatihul ghaib, Qurtubi, Jamiul bayan, Tafsir twabari, Addurarul Mansoor, Roohul bayan, Madariku tanzeel, Bailavi, Hashiyatu Sheikh zada,Qasin, Hashia sowy, Jalaline, Swafwatu tafaseer, Irshadu aqli saleem (Abu Saeed), Roohul ma'ani, Al bahrul muheet,Lubabunnuqool(Suyooti), Al jawahir for Tantawi, Kasshaf, Tafseer jawzi, Fee lilalil Quran, Asbabunnuzool(wahidi),Yasaloonaka, Lubabu tafseer fee ma'ani tanzil, Tanveerul miqbas min tafseer Ibn Abbas, Attasbeeh fee uloomi tanzil, Ravaeul bayan, Mahasinu ta'weel, Tafseerul maraghi, Swafwatul Irfan, Ma'atwibi fil Quran, Ghoraebul Quran, Swahahu sittha, Muwatta, Musnad, Sunau darimi, Fathul bari, Sharah Muslim, Al bahr, Zadul maseer, Al qala' wal qadr(Shaikh Muhammed mutawalli sha'ravi), Al manloomatu shukriyya, Kitabul insaf(immam nasruddeen Maliki), Mua'jamul buldan, Jamul jawamia', Al ibhaj fee sharahil Minhaj, Al mavahibu nadiya,Al mustasfa,Ia'tiraf, Al meezan,Jamal, Mufradat(imam raghib), Sharahil mavahib, Khulasatul kalam(sainee dahlan), Qafaji, Al futoohatul ilahiyya, Ithqan, Fatawal kubra, Al jamiu swaeer,Tajul aroos,Al jareedatu nafeesa fee tareekhil kaneesa, Al munjid, Shirkul ausat, Christian philosophy (Dr J.kattakkal,Face the fact, Beason Bible commentary, Dictionary of the Bible, The Bible, The Quran, Bible and Science.