Question:Is it true that the verses of legal rulings (Āyāt al-Aḥkām) range between 1,000 and 500 verses, as one scholar has mentioned?

Answer:In the name of Allah, this has been stated, and the number may in fact be higher. A ruling may be derived through various types of implicative indication, even if the verse initially relates a story, or mentions the reward Allah has prepared for the righteous, or the punishment for wrongdoers. Through these implicative indications, legal rulings can still be extracted. Allah is the Guide, and He grants success. Allah knows best.

Question:Why did Mary, the daughter of Imran, wish for death? Would it not have been better for her to be patient and await what Allah had destined for her?

Answer:In the name of Allah, a noble man or woman, when thinking soundly, may prefer death over facing a false accusation of immorality. Mary feared such an accusation, so Allah caused Jesus to speak while still before her: “He called her from below her, ‘Do not grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream.’” Through this, she became assured that someone would testify to her innocence. The words of Jesus served as encouragement, showing that she would have a defender. Therefore, she returned to her people with her head held high. Peace be upon them both, and may Allah grant them success in serving the Awaited Proof (AJ). Allah grants success, and He knows best.

Question:If Hajj is described as occurring during “well-known months,” then why is the Hajj season performed on specific days?

Answer:In the name of Allah, the mentioned verse refers to both Hajj and the ʿUmrah whether performed independently or as part of the tamattuʿ rite. Although the days of Hajj are distinct from those of ʿUmrah, they are specifically defined from the noon of Arafah Day until the end of the nights spent in Mina. Allah is the Guide and He knows best.

Question:Is the Noble Qur’an distorted? If it is not distorted, how should we understand the many narrations found in the books of both schools that explicitly or implicitly indicate addition or omission, which would imply distortion?

Answer:In the name of Allah, know, my son, that the term “distortion” has been misunderstood by many researchers. Its linguistic meaning refers to leaving the text as it is while the distorter alters the intended meaning through manipulative interpretation, without changing the text itself. In most Quranic contexts, distortion is used in this linguistic sense. Allah, the Exalted, says: “They distort words from their proper places,” and this was the practice of the Jews and Christians concerning the Torah and Gospel passages indicating the prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH&HF). There is a second, theological meaning which emerged during the Abbasid period and continues until today. It refers to altering the text itself through reordering, adding, or removing letters or words. Distortion in the first (linguistic) sense certainly exists, as can be seen by those who examine the statements of the commentators. As for the second meaning, some Muslims have indeed held this view. However, following our great master, Syed Abul-Qasim (may Allah sanctify his soul), I completely reject it. Yes, there is a particular orthographic style in Quranic manuscripts used across the Muslim world that differs from the common Arabic writing conventions. Some imagined this to be distortion of Qur’anic words. For example, in Allah’s saying, “O Prophet, why do you forbid what Allah has made lawful for you? You seek the approval of your wives”, some thought the word “approval” (mardhat) [with the long T letter) was distorted because the more common modern spelling is “approval” (mardhat) [with the short T letter). Examples of this sort exist throughout the Quran we possess today, and those who claim distortion in such instances are simply unaware of the older script style used during the Prophet’s era. Nevertheless, the Quranic orthography found in our copies must be preserved to protect the text from tampering. Allah is the Guide and He knows best.

Question:Does the verse “It is not righteousness that you enter houses from their backs, but righteousness is in one who fears Allah; so enter houses through their doors” refer to an example of indirect versus direct approaches in communication?

Answer:In the name of Allah, this verse is intended to refine and discipline a person in how they deal with others, whether they are believers or not. Allah knows best.

Question:Allah the Exalted said: "They will bring to you every learned sorcerer" (Al-A'raf 112), and He also said: "They will bring to you every learned sorcerer" (Ash-Shu'ara 37). Is there a difference between the terms "sahir" (ساحر) and "sahhar" (سحّار)?

Answer:In the name of Allah, "sāḥir" is a verbal noun (active participle), whereas "saḥḥār" is an intensive form (used for emphasis or exaggeration). Allah is the Guide.

Question:Allah Almighty said: "Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were afflicted with poverty and hardship and were shaken..." — Does this verse imply that the hardships mentioned are a condition for entering Paradise?

Answer:In the name of Allah, the apparent meaning of the verse is that whoever hopes to enter Paradise must be prepared to endure hardships in the path of religion and in safeguarding it. Allah is the All-Knowing and the Guide.

Question:What is the difference between tafsir (interpretation) and tadabbur (contemplation)?

Answer:In the name of Allah, contemplation (tadabbur) is reflection and is a prerequisite to interpretation (tafsir). Tadabbur is for the person who is contemplating themselves, while tafsir is clarifying the meaning of the verse for others. Allah knows best and is the Guide.

Question:I have a question regarding the corrupted Gospel. It occurred to me to ask about Allah’s statement: “Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find written in what is with them in the Torah and the Gospel…” Why does Allah describe their scriptures as the Torah and the Gospel, despite them being corrupted?

Answer:In the name of Allah, the corruption occurred at some stage during the time of the followers of Moses and Jesus (PBUT), while the original versions remained with their scholars. This is indicated by the verse: “Say, ‘Then bring the Torah and recite it, if you should be truthful.’” It is even possible that the original versions still exist with their scholars, as some esteemed scholars have considered. Allah, the Guide, knows best.

Question:Allah Almighty says: “Abiding therein as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except what your Lord wills...” Does this exception not indicate the absence of eternal permanence in Paradise and Hell? That is, it means the permanence is only continuous until the Divine will to the contrary occurs, which happens when the heavens and the earth perish?

Answer:In the name of Allah, this exception clause indicates the possibility of this happening for some people of Hell, not for everyone. Allah knows best.