In order to acquire guidance from Holy Quran it is a dire need to get the fundamental recognition and identification of this divine speech. The first point in this regards is accepting the reality that Quran is a speech and word of Allah. The second point is that the verses of Quran and their meanings should be viewed from different dimensions because there are several dimensions to the words of Allah. Those individuals who were blessed with the opportunity to understand the Holy Quran everyone has looked at it with their own specific view. There are two major reasons for differences in understanding the Quran: One is difference in intellectual level of understanding of different people and second is the difference in visionary angle.

It is highly essential for the theological students to pay attention towards the second point. Though this point is not specific to Quran only; in fact in recognition of religion as well it is important to pay attention towards this point. It is a general perception about the means for recognition of religion that if good religious books are available, good teachers are present to teach these books, intelligent students are present to benefit from these teachers and all the necessary tools and means for teaching these students are present than there are no difficulties in understanding religion. This kind of thinking is somewhat raw because in history and as well as the current era there are abundant examples present where all these discussed means are available but still the correct recognition of religion could not be acquired. The most able, sharp and capable teachers along with their talented students could not understand religion the way it is in reality. Even after reading the most beneficial books some have still remained immature in religion. The reason behind this is that along with efforts, intelligence, ability and sincerity a correct angle of vision is also required so that reality of religion can be seen as it is. Thus for the sake of understanding religion along with Arabic language teachers and teachers of Jurisprudence, Ideology we also need those teachers who can rectify our visionary angle and teach us the correct way of looking at things; though such kind of teachers are very few. It is due to the lack and scarcity of such kind of teachers today religion is a victim of distress and difficulties. Colourful faces of religion, different types of Islam, different Muslim sects are not the results of lack of religious education but instead are the outcome of the absence of correct vision about religion.

Secular thinking in religion, liberal thoughts, religious narrow mindedness, prejudice, religious passion, reversion towards ancient trends, style of Taliban, distorted modernization thoughts, Sufism type seclusion in religion are all not due to differences in the sources or information about religion instead these are all due to scarcity of correct vision towards religion.

Imam Khomeini (r.a) is amongst those Islam recognizing scholars who along with other blessed opportunities in understanding religion was also blessed with the correct vision. This is the reason that there is a vast difference between his recognition of Islam and that of others. Imam Khomeini (r.a) says that I see religion as complete politics whereas other Jurists only see secluded worships in religion and they completely reject politics in fact they see contradiction between religion and politics. The reason for this is not differences in books, sources and teachers; it is the difference in vision. In this regards both are saying correct because they are saying what they have seen. The angle from which one is looking at can see politics whereas the angle with which other is looking at cannot see politics. An example of this can be given as two persons attending a program gathering sitting at two different places in the hall. Now both are looking at the stage but from different angles. So if they come out and difference is found in what they are saying about what they have seen on the stage than we cannot accuse both or one of them to be liars because both are saying the truth. Whatever one has seen he is expressing it and whatever he could not see is also correct because both were looking from different angles and directions. From every angle certain realities are seen and certain remain hidden. The one sitting on the right cannot see the realities on the left whereas one sitting on the left cannot see the realities on the right. This is the reason Ameerul Momineen (a.s) says in Nahjul Balagha:

"There is misguidance on both left and right sides, the path of salvation is in between."

Maulana Room has explained this point with a beautiful example. Some Indians bought an elephant to show it to people and they kept it in a dark room. Many entered this dark room to see the elephant. Since due to darkness it was not possible to see with eyes everyone started to move their hands on it. One persons hand touched the trunk of elephant and he said that this creation is like a pipe. One person touched its ears so for him it turned out to be something like a Fan. One person touched his legs and said that I think elephant is a like a pillar. Every person who has touched any specific part of the elephant now whenever he heard the name of elephant would imagine elephant to be resemblance of that part. This means for someone the name of elephant immediately reminded him of pillar, for someone wall, for someone pipe etc.

Their expressions became different due to the visionary angle thus someone said that the elephant is big like a wall whereas other said it is straight like a pillar. If everyone had a candle in his hand than these differences in their expression would have ended. Maulana Room says that realities are like this elephant which does not gets manifested on everyone. In this situation some try to reach the reality but the thing required to witness the reality is not present with them and instead they resort to other means. And as a result differences develop in their understandings and opinions. Rather than acquiring complete reality they doubtfully consider partial reality as complete reality and as a result this one reality turns into different forms and face for everyone of them with each of them being vastly different from each other.

Under this situation it is necessary for everyone to be in quest of that candle which can present the reality in totality. A candle is an analogy for many things amongst which one is the angle of vision. If appropriate visionary angle is not available than reality cannot be acquired. In the earlier example everyone touched the same elephant but everyone has acted on a limited and specific angle and hence they were deprived of getting a complete and comprehensive picture of elephant. Though whatever everyone said was not a lie because he could only feel that from his angle and he expressed it. Hence the information provided by everyone cannot be considered as lie but also is not true.

The same is the situation for the world of existence as well. Those who look at the universe with a specific set of glasses and vision they see the universe in the same way as their spectacles. They see the world full of darkness, difficulties, full of sorrow and grief. They don't see anything good in this world; they see everything has evil and is corrupted, they see faults and destitution everywhere. There are some others who don't see any evil or corruption in this system of existence. Everything seems to be appropriate and balanced. These are all differences of vision and the angle of vision.

As said by someone: When visions differ the scene also becomes different on its own though the scenes are not multiple but visions are many. If the vision is pure and the angle of viewing is also appropriate than everyone would see the same scene.

Some elderly scholars say that Allah (s) has aroused the Prophets for the same purpose that is to rectify the visionary angle of the people. One whose vision gets rectified he adopts the vision of Prophet and he can also see the same scene which the Prophet can see.

According to Iqbal:

The vision of Ibrahim gets developed with difficulties
Lust in secret paints pictures in the breasts

If the vision of Ibrahim gets developed than not only the realities of everything is seen but also the inner self and innate faces become visible ; but the difficulty on this path is the lust and desires hidden in the chest of man.

It is necessary to have the vision of Ibrahim about divine books and specifically Holy Quran. In the Holy Quran after Prophet Moosa the most discussed events about other Prophet is Ibrahim. Amongst the established traditions and customs established by Prophet Ibrahim (a.s) is Hajj which Allah (s) has spread through him.

" When we declared the Kaaba as the residence of Ibrahim and asked him not to associate anyone with us and keep my house pure for those  perform circumbulation around it, bow and prostrate." Surah Hajj: 26

" And announce Hajj (pilgrimage) amongst people so that people would come towards you from far off on feet and on lean camels."

Allah constructed the house of Allah by the hands of Ibrahim (a.s). He (s.w.t) invited people for Hajj through Ibrahim (a.s) and made standing behind the footsteps of Khaleelullah (friend of Allah) as an obligatory Hajj rites. He (s.w.t) made the position of Ibrahim just next to Kaaba and ordered everyone to follow the character of Ibrahim (a.s). All this was to develop that vision of Ibrahim in all pilgrims and along with vision the angle of vision should also become as that of Ibrahim.

In order to understand the religion of Ibrahim the vision of Ibrahim is required. The secrets of religion cannot be understood without fine and precise eyes.

The precision of Monotheism could not be subjugated
A vision is required to know the reality of pearl.

The precise understanding of Monotheism can only be understood by those whose visions have the ability to recognize the secrets; without secrets religion just becomes like a shining pearl in its exterior.

Allah (s) has given man an innate nature capable of recognizing religion before He created  religion but due to certain reasons a blind vision gets developed.

Faiz! Innate nature has gifted you the vision of Falcon
In which slavery has kept the eyes of a Bat

The nature has created inside your existence the sharp vision as that of a Falcon but your self of slavery has instead replaced it with the eyes of a Bat. The eyes of Bat means blank and blindness.

When man gets deprived from the bounty of vision he adopts the trends of blind following and this is that deviated path treading on which nations perish. The Holy Quran invites its addresses towards pondering, thinking, using intelligence and taking lessons; it condemns those who do not take lessons. A precise and fine vision is required for pondering and taking lessons and the vision needs an appropriate angle. This is the reason the Quran has criticized blind following.

"When they were invited towards the Quran and Messenger they replied that whatever we have taken from our forefathers is sufficient" (Surah Maida: 104)

The Quran has not termed them as that type of blind who is not having eyes; Quran has referred to them as blind who have eyes but still cannot see. This means they have eyes but do not have vision. Even those who have eyes and vision but does not have an angle of vision are also blind in fact their blindness is worst.

"We have kept many from amongst Men and Jinn's for hell because they have hearts but don't understand, they have eyes but can't see, they have ears but can't listen. They are like animals in fact worst than animals and these are the ones who are oblivious."  (Surah Araf : 189)

In order to understand the words of Allah (s.w.t) and the commands of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s) there is need for wisdom and pondering, it also needs a vision and a visionary angle. If man gets deprived of these bounties than he gets deprived of the secrets of the world and the secret codes of Quran. Allah says that we made our verses very crystal clear (Bayyanah). The verses related to creation and affairs are both clear, explicit and manifested but to understand these a vision and a visionary angle is required.

This Universe does not conceals its conscience
Every particle possesses the taste to present

The affairs of the world seems different
If an enthusiastic vision participates in the looks


The sons of subjugated communities from the same vision
became one's eligible to be in command

The same vision has Pharaoh's and tyrants in it
The same vision has heart longing and compassion


To every particle the same vision of mine is
Teaching the path and customs of travelling through desserts

If you cannot afford the enthusiastic vision
Your existence is then a disgrace of heart and vision

The universe does not conceals its interior and conscience from anyone. The universe has not concealed anything from all what Allah (s) has given it. The proof for this is that every particle of this universe is burning to manifest and express itself. Every particle is found to possess the flavour of clearly presenting itself to others.

If we see from the outward eyes than a particular scene of this universe is seen but if we look at it with the eyes of love and enthusiasm that scene of the world looks something else. The enthusiastic eyes is a specific angle of vision as against the angle and direction of greed, lust and carnal desires. The universe looks just like a herding place when looked at without enthusiasm and love; and at times also seen as useless. But when looked with the angle of love and enthusiasm the universe opens itself up and at this instance it immediately comes out from the lips of man :

"O my Lord! You have not created this universe purposeless"

This same vision of enthusiasm and love when it gets developed in the youths of a subjugated community than that community comes out of slavery and becomes capable of dominating. This implies that the difference between slavery and dominance just lies in vision. The community which achieves success in developing the vision of enthusiasm and love within their youths does not takes much time to do the journey from slavery to rulership.

The Pharaohic ways, dominance, arrogance and tyranny are all outcomes of this vision whereas love, compassion and mercy are the fruits of an enthusiastic vision.

Iqbal in this poem says that this vision which Allah has granted me has developed this taste and passion inside me and this passion of mine is teaching the weak particles the ways of travelling through desserts and tough terrains. It is making the weak and timid capable of confronting with difficulties and challenges.

If this vision which is the ladder of greatness and prestige does not gets developed inside you then be assured that your existence is nothing but disgrace and humiliation.

The Quran takes its followers out of blind following towards creativeness but this is only possible when man refers to Quran with a creative vision instead of blind following customs. This custom of blind following is destruction in every field and specifically when this custom is emphasized upon in field of recognition of religion and understanding of Quran.

The best teacher is one who arouses creativity in his students and creative students at times go beyond their teachers. The creative students are not confined to the visions of their teachers instead they open new visions for themselves.

From the amongst the teachers of Imam Khomeini (r.a), Allama Iqbal, Allama Tabatabai and Mulla Sadra none were like them. It was their creative attitude which made them reach such heights. If these personalities would have been blind followers of their teachers and instead of considering their teachers as teachers they would have made them elderly devotees and themselves becoming blind following disciple than Mohammad Iqbal would not be Allama Iqbal, Roohullah would not become Imam Khomeini (r.a), Mohammad Hussain would not be Allama Tabatabai and neither would have Sadruddin Mohammad become Mulla Sadra. A blind disciple could not become anything more than his devotee but a student can definitely go beyond his teacher.

The philosophy of research in religion is that for every generation a specific understanding of religion should be available. It should not happen that one generation studies religion within the specific circumstances with limited abilities and a specific vision and then whatever they see with their adopted vision they establish that for all generations. The forthcoming generations than places a curtain on their understanding and visionary insight by just becoming a blind follower of the understanding of the ancients. Thus research is an obligation on every generation so that in accordance with the demands, circumstances and the appropriate vision of their era they should understand religion. This way religion will never become old and static. The way sun and moon bring new light for every generation religion and Quran also bring new light for every generation.

If the function of research in religion does not continues without break and every generation becomes a blind follower of the past generation than the result of this will get manifested in religion and changing circumstances; and every time the demand for new religion will rise amongst people; whereas due to research religion takes the place of latest understanding rather than a new and latest religion.

Research is the second name of creativity. In Shia Jurisprudence Sheikh Toosi is considered as most creative Jurist whose signs are evident even today in form of his works and books. After Sheikh Toosi creative research got replaced with following ancestral research which means for some time the upcoming Jurists started to prove the opinions of Sheikh Toosi with their research and in fact issuing a verdict against the opinion was considered as deficiency. The research was on going after Sheikh Toosi but the angles of understanding remained the same which Sheikh had established. Research by following research of someone in past is like a fruitless tree which becomes green in spring but does not bear any fruits. In this kind of research the followers remain followers and the researchers also become followers. There are no changes seen in understanding religion and like this a gap appears between religion and the current era. In this type of research the religious persons get into confusion and difficulties; starting to find solution to their problems from non religious ways. In this kind of  following ancestral research the Jurist himself is not the possessor of opinion instead he is the promoter of someone else's opinion.

Allama Ibne Idrees broke this incorrect custom of following ancestral research and demonstrated creativity in research starting to do research in understanding of Jurisprudence with new angles and dimensions. He got the Jurists and Researchers (Mujtahideen) from following of Sheikh Toosi on to the path of creative research. After him Allama Hilli also continued this trend. Allama analysed the religious laws in a fresh way and started to ponder with new dimensions and basis; the result was that in many matters and subjects he issued verdicts that were different from Sheikh. Whereas in that era a common trend was that to think different from the visionary angle of Sheikh was considered as deficiency instead it was also very commonly said that anyone who differs with the opinion of Sheikh will die in young age. If creative Jurists like Ibne Idrees and Allama Hilli would not have been present the state of Shia Jurisprudence would have become similar to Sunni Jurisprudence. The Sunni sect is following four Jurists since centuries. The Sunni scholars consider it illegitimate to think different from these four leaders of Jurisprudence.

The most creative Jurist in jurisprudence is Allama Hilli whose full name is Abdul Qasim Najmuddin Jafar bin Hasan Hilli who is famous with the title of first researcher of realities. He was born in the Iraqi city of Hila in the lunar calendar year 602 A.H. His famous book is "SharaiulIslam". He just did not do research with a new dimension in matters of religious laws but has also demonstrated classic creativity in organizing the flow of Jurisprudence chapters. He did new grading of different subjects and matters of Jurisprudence. Till date the Shia Jurisprudence is disciplined by the sequencing and categorization done by this great researcher.

There are many examples of this present in other sciences as well but we will ignore them now and look at the significance of visionary angle in understanding Quran under the light of Holy Quran itself.

" Whenever a chapter would descend some people said whose faith has been increased by this chapter? Those who have brought faith their faith increased and are happy also but those who have diseases in their hearts this chapter has increased their filth further and they will remain infidels till death." (Surah Tauba: 124, 125)

In this verse of Surah Tauba Allah(s) has brought the attention of the addressees of Quran towards this point that the same chapter or the same verse leaves two different effects on two different persons. The reason for this is not that the verses or the chapter of Quran possesses contradictory effects within itself but instead the real cause is the different state of the addressees. The one whose heart is luminous with the light of Allah it leaves a different effect and one whose heart is full of impurities and filth it increases the filth in it. Both of these persons know Arabic in the same manner so there is no difference in this regards. According to Quran the difference in understanding is due to the purity and impurity of the heart of the addressee.

In the subject of "Etiquettes of Understanding Quran" we have mentioned that there are different conditions and prerequisites for understanding the divine words and one of them is purity which also is of different types. Like the purification of body, purification of organs, purification of desires, purification of mind, thoughts etc and amongst all these the most important is the purification of heart. Allah (s) says about the Quran as:

"This book is the Holy Quran which is a book concealed in curtains and none other than purified ones can touch it." Surah Waqia: 77, 78, 79

This does not refers to touching by hand but it intends understanding by mind and heart; which means that only pure minds can understand Quran. Since the heart of believer is pure he can understand Quran and the Quran also enhances his faith whereas the heart of infidel is impure and filthy hence is deficient from understanding Quran instead the Quran increases his filthiness.

When the heart of man is pure his vision also becomes pure and hence his visionary angle also gets purified; and when heart is impure then vision is also impure and the visionary angle also gets adulterated due to which everything looks as unsuitable.

The reason behind varying and contradictory opinions about religion is that Quran has been looked upon with unsuitable angles. Certain established visions regarding religion are themselves damaging for both religion and its followers. To say that religion is only for hereafter and it has no concern with the life in this world, or to say that religion is only for promoting ethics and apart from this it has nothing to do with other aspects of human beings life, to think that the purpose of religion is to only emphasize on spirituality whereas politics, society, community, education, economics and communication has no place in it, and referring to culture and ancient customs in these other segments of life; all these dangerous visions are the result of looking at religion and Quran from a deflected vision. But if the Quran is looked with a firm vision and with a deep insight then at this time Quran is seen as a complete manifesto of life for human being.

It is mentioned in the tradition related to multiple interpretations of Quran. In Nahjul Balagha , letter no 77 Ameerul Momineen (a.s) says:

The Holy Quran can be interpreted in different ways but all these different meanings and interpretations would not be correct instead some would be correct and some wrong.

The background behind this sacred statement of Ameerul Momineen (a.s) is when He (a.s) sent Abdullah ibn Abbas towards the Khawarij for the accomplishment of proof (Itmaam e Hujjat) he advised him that while arguing with Khawarij give proofs from the tradition of Prophet instead of giving Quranic proofs. This was because Quran possesses the ability of being interpreted in multiple ways and Ameerul Momineen (a.s) was well aware with the mentality of Khawarij, he was well versed with their thoughts, style of thinking and visionary angles. He knew that the Khawarij misinterpret the meanings of Quran. The proof for this was that they had made one verse of the Quran as their slogan:

" Governance is only from Allah"
(sermon 40)

The Khawarij from this verse made this slogan that no one has the rights to govern other than Allah. Ameerul Momineen (a.s) said regarding this act of theirs:

" The words are truth but what is intended is false"
(sermon 40)

This means that the Quranic principle is presented in another form whereas the Holy Quran itself is giving witness to the Wilayat (Guardianship) of Ameerul Momineen (a.s) whereas the Khawarij are denying His (a.s) Wilayat and governance by distorting a verse from the same Quran.

The difficulty of Khawarij started from this point that their visionary angle regarding religion and Quran was inappropriate. They had a deflected angle of vision at that time also when Quran was raised on spears and it was also crooked when they pulled out a verse from the Quran to start an uprising against Ameerul Momineen (a.s). He (a.s) tried a lot to make them understand but their understanding regarding religion has become so non contextual that even the most eloquent speaker with the most matured Arabic words could not leave any effect on them.

This is the reason that Ameerul Momineen (a.s) restricted Ibne Abbas to argue using Quranic evidences in front of them because their understanding and visionary angle about the Quran had become crooked. It is baseless to recite Quran in front of every such community who does not possess a contextual vision and understanding about the Quran. At present the same situation exists with Taliban and their associated groups in Pakistan.

If the estimation done by thoughts of human being becomes inappropriate and non contextual than severe destructive results can be seen. There are several examples present regarding distortion of thoughts. At one place where individual groups and other affairs have been impacted by distorted thoughts at the same place religion and certain significant Islamic subjects have been also impacted. Amongst this is the subject of Mahdaviyat (Imam Mehdi's occultation and reappearance). Apart from the deniers of Mahdaviyat even amongst the believers there are certain strange and astonishing visions present. There are myths created from the time of occultation to reappearance.Several stories are fabricated related to Expectation (Intezar) whereas the reasonable and authentic interpretation of the topics related to Occultation, Expectation and Reappearance are not given any importance.

Due to change in the visionary angle the paths also change and purpose, objectives get lost and instead astonishment, wandering, confusion becomes the fate. The civil engineers carry out a survey of the land prior to constructing roads and buildings. In order to verify the length , breadth and abnormalities of the terrain they analyze it with precise angles because if any faults are left behind in this stage then the losses are non compensable. While laying railway tacks if distortion of few inches happen than the direction of train towards one city changes towards some other city.

An example of this is Hajj. Today with all praise to Gods Muslims are paying more attention towards Hajj than before but their angle and vision towards Hajj is not correct. The Hajj of Ibrahim is being performed in a grievous way. Imam Khomeini (r.a.) says that one Ibrahimi Hajj can solve all the problems of Muslim Ummah but an Hajj of trading, tourism, entertainment and seclusion is increasing the issues and problems.

Iqbal says:

" Your supplication is that your desires should be fulfilled
My supplication is that your desires should change."

... To be continued