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Indeed, one who expounds the Qur'an should possess high intelligence, penetrating independent judgement, and a high degree of sainthood. But in these times in particular, such conditions can be met only by the brilliant collective personality born of the co-operation of an elevated, esteemed committee and the uniting of the minds of its members, of their assistance for one another and harmony of spirit, and of their freedom of thought, and, being free of bias, of their complete sincerity. Only a collective personality such as this can expound the Qur'an. For in accordance with the rule, 'What is not found in the parts is present in the whole,' conditions like these which are not to be found in every individual are present in the group.
While awaiting, as I had for many years, the appearance of such a committee, I had a premonition that we were on the eve of a terrible earthquake that would lay waste the country.1 And so, in accordance with the rule, 'It is not permissible to abandon a thing completely even if it is not wholly obtained,' despite my impotence, faults, and difficult style of writing, I started to set down on my own some of the Qur'an's truths and some indications of the miraculousness of its word-order. Then, on the Great War breaking out I found myself in the mountains and valleys of Erzurum and Pasinler. Whenever the opportunity arose while I was performing the duty of jihad in the midst of those tumultuous conditions, I used to write what occurred to my heart in phrases that did not always match one another. Since it was not possible to have any books or commentaries to refer to, what I wrote consisted only of what occurred to my heart. If these inspirations of mine are appropriate for a commentary, light of lights; if they contain contradictory aspects, these can be referred to my own defects. Certainly, there are places in need of correction, but since it was written with complete sincerity in the front lines of war among the slain, like it is not permissible to change the clothes and wash off blood of martyrs, I could not permit the ripped phrases in which it was clothed to be changed; my heart would not consent to it. And now it does not consent to it, for now at this time, I cannot find that utter sincerity and purity of heart.
Furthermore, I did not write this work of mine, called Signs of Miraculousness (Ishârat al-I'jâz), with the intention of its being a true commentary; only, in the event of its being well received, I wrote it as a model and source for a commentary to be written in the future, that treated a few aspects of Qur'anic exegesis. My eagerness drove me to what was beyond my power; if it is found acceptable it will give me the courage to continue.2
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1 Yes, our master said while teaching us on the roof of the Horhor Medrese in Van that there was going to be a terrible earthquake, and exactly as he predicted, a short time later the Great War broke out.(His students of the time) Hamza, Mehmed sefik, Mehmed Mihri
2 See, the author's note at the end of the work. Double click for meaning of the world. | |
