Sociological Interpretation, An Asset of "Partovi Az Quran" Exegesis

 

Hujjatulislam Hossein Alavimehr, who heads the Seminary Quranic Studies Association, told INQA that the exegesis follows an Ijtihadi (independent reasoning) method based on analysis and logic. He noted that Partovi Az Quran is a Quran interpretation in Persian which includes Surahs al-Hamd and Baqarah as well as parts of Surah al-Nisa and the last Juz (section) of the Holy Book. According to Hujjatulislam Alavimehr, due to his anti-regime struggles during the former Shah s rule, Ayatollah Taleghani was jailed for years and he started writing the exegesis during his years in prison. He said Ayatollah Taleghani was a reformer that maintained a political struggle against the brutal rule of Shah and that is why his Quran interpretation also has a social reform approach, "In fact, the interpreter seeks to attract the society toward the Quran and move the society toward reform. That is why in his interpretation, he mentions what is needed for a society to rectify itself." Hujjatulislam Alavimehr added that the interpreter also pays attention to scientific issues in his exegesis. He said with the advance of empirical sciences in recent centuries, Quran interpreters have made use of scientific discoveries in fields such as cosmology, medicine, physics, chemistry, sociology, etc, in order to explain religious issues. Elsewhere in his remarks, head of the Seminary Quranic Studies Association said Ayatollah Taleghani benefitted from three three previous Tafsirs (Quran interpretations) to write his own exegesis. "He made use of Tantawis Al-Jawahir Interpretation regarding scientific issues. He also benefitted from Majmaul-Bayan Quran Exegesis in explaining major topics and in social topics, he benefitted from Al-Manar Quran Exegesis by Sheikh Muhammad Abduh." Hujjatulislam Alavimehr went on to say that Partovi Az Quran is a major work among general interpretations but not when it comes to specialized exegeses. He added that the exegesis can benefit general readers including university students, teachers and university instructors. Ayatollah Mahmoud Taleghani was born to a educated and anti-oppression family in 1910. He began acquiring Islamic concepts under the tutelage of his father Seyyed Abulhassan and continued his studies at Razavieh and Feyzieh schools to achieve the level of Ijtihad. He expressed his anger towards the Shah s Regime, for the first time in 1939, with issuance of a declaration in protest to ban on hijab which resulted in his arrest and imprisonment. He joined anti-Shah movement of Imam Khomeini (RA) upon its formation and was imprisoned in the same year. After release, he was comprehended once again during the uprising of June 5 and sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment. The indefatigable Ayatollah Taleghani never abandoned struggle even in prison. His speech and behavior even positively influenced prison officers. During the very same time in prison, he authored “A Light of Quran” interpretation to make people acquainted with the greatness and grandeur of Holy Quran.