(And Indeed, you are of a Great Moral Character): An Interpretative Study

 

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. May the best of prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his companions.

In these days every year, we recall the blessed birth of the best of creation, peace be upon him, and reflect on his noble character, attributes, life, and message. What particularly caught my attention in this article is the verse, it states (What means): "And indeed, you are of a great moral character" [Al-Qalam/4]. This verse is significant due to the rich linguistic and rhetorical meanings it conveys, as well as its powerful imagery. It deeply impacts the emotions, reinforces meanings, moves the hearts, and strengthens the certainty that the Quran is the word of Allah, which falsehood cannot approach from any direction. This revelation comes from a wise and praiseworthy source.

The General Meaning of the Verse:

Allah praised His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for possessing "great moral character" and a sound methodology and religion. The phrase "great moral character" has multiple interpretations, as noted by Abu Al-Faraj Ibn Al-Jawzi:

1- Religion of Islam: According to Ibn Abbas, this denotes that the "great moral character" refers to the religion of Islam itself.

2- The etiquette of the Quran: According to Al-Hasan, this signifies the Prophet's embodiment of the moral teachings and etiquette found in the Quran.

3- Noble disposition [1]: This interpretation suggests the inherent nobility of the Prophet's character.

All three interpretations align with the Quranic context and the attributes of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Allah sent him to perfect moral character through this upright religion, which corresponds to the first meaning, that great character is Islam. The second meaning reflects the Prophet's embodiment of the Quranic teachings, indicating that his character was a living example of the Quran. The third meaning highlights his perfect manners, admirable qualities, and good attributes, which is a common understanding among people, reflecting the idea that his Lord raised him with the best moral education.

Regarding the forms and types of character, character can be divided into two categories: external character and internal character.

External character pertains to observable traits and behaviors, while internal character refers to inner qualities and attitudes.

Good character encompasses various aspects:

With Allah: This involves showing reverence and respect for Allah.

With the commands of Allah: This includes patience in times of hardship, gratitude in times of ease, obedience to commands, and avoidance of prohibitions with sincerity, eagerness, and gentleness.

With others [2]: This involves treating people well, being fair in interactions, and showing kindness in relationships.

The Contextual Relationship between the Verses:

Regarding the contextual relationship of the verse (And indeed, you are of a great moral character) [Al-Qalam/4] with the preceding verses, the context reveals a response from Allah to the accusations made by the Quraysh against the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). They had accused him of insanity and other derogatory attributes that were not fitting. In response, Allah refutes these accusations with both rational and textual evidence, accessible to both the learned and the ignorant. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was known for his profound intellect, wisdom, and intelligence. As Al-Baqa’i explains, "When Allah refuted the claims made against him, it affirmed his complete intellect. Those who are truly mad are those whose actions lack coherence and whose words are disconnected. Such individuals are not employed by anyone for any task, as they are considered unreliable. Thus, Allah affirmed the Prophet's reward, which necessitates intellectual soundness, in a way more effective than if it were explicitly stated."[3].

This is confirmed by the verses (What mean): (And indeed, you are of a great moral character) [Al-Qalam/4] and (And indeed, you have a reward uninterrupted) [Al-Qalam/3-4]. The Prophet’s actions were carried out in the most excellent manner and were rewarded accordingly. His high moral character and sound methodology were evident, reflecting his true and great moral character.

The Rhetorical Significance:

The verse (And indeed, you are of a great moral character) [Al-Qalam/4] carries a great deal of rhetorical and stylistic significance, showcasing the beauty of expression and vivid imagery in its language.

1. Emphasis and Confirmation:

The verse starts with (انك), a tool of emphasis, to assert the high moral standing and elevated status of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This is reinforced by the use of the definite article (ال) in (الخلق) to emphasize the greatness of his character.

The verse is part of a response to an oath, which adds a layer of affirmation to the previous statements. The use of (إنّ) is one of the most common tools of emphasis in Arabic, further asserting the point.

2. Structural Elements:

The structure of the verse—beginning with (وإنك) followed by (لعلى خلق عظيم)—adds layers of confirmation and intensity. The use of (عظيم) (great)[4] to describe the Prophet’s character reinforces the sense of grandeur and nobility.

3. Contextual Response:

The verse directly addresses the claims made by the Quraysh that the Prophet was mad or irrational. By affirming his great moral character in such emphatic terms, the verse counters their accusations and highlights the Prophet’s unmatched virtues.

The rhetorical device here is to elevate the Prophet’s moral stature to a level that refutes the derogatory claims against him, thus demonstrating his true worth and status.

4. Rhetorical Impact:

The extensive use of emphasis in the verse serves to counter any denial or skepticism. This rhetorical approach reflects the gravity of the situation, where the Quraysh’s denial of the Prophet's character is met with a strong affirmation of his virtues.

The comparison to the oath in (فَوَرَبِّ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ إِنَّهُ لَحَقٌّ) [Adh-Dariyat/23] illustrates how significant this affirmation is, similar to how an oath in other contexts is used to assert truth. [5].

5. Context of the Audience:

The Quraysh, though they knew the Prophet’s honesty and virtue, were in denial or disbelief. Thus, the verse’s emphatic style serves to elevate the Prophet's status to an undeniable truth, challenging their stance.

The use of emphasis in this verse serves to address the Quraysh’s denial and skepticism by reaffirming the Prophet’s high moral character. It is a rhetorical device that not only confirms the Prophet’s virtue but also challenges the audience to reconcile their acknowledgment of his character with their denial of his prophethood. The verse thus uses stylistic emphasis to underscore the Prophet’s elevated status and the inconsistency in the Quraysh’s stance towards him.

In Arabic rhetoric, there's a well-known principle among experts in eloquence and stylistics that the rhetorical style often deviates from the apparent or usual context for the sake of a rhetorical nuance or a stylistic touch. As noted by Al-Hashimi:

"The usual implication aligns with the apparent, which is the norm. However, the speaker might deviate from the apparent implication to something that better fits the situation, based on considerations that the speaker deems appropriate."[6]

In the context of the verse:

Apparent Implication: The apparent implication is that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) possesses great moral character, and this is acknowledged by the Quraysh and other Arabs, who recognize him as the truthful and trustworthy.

Situational Implication: However, the Quraysh and other tribes were in a state of denial and rejection of the message. The rhetorical style in the verse addresses this discrepancy. Despite acknowledging the Prophet's character, they were rejecting his prophetic message, which was at odds with their acknowledgment of his moral qualities.

Rhetorical Nuance:

Deviation from Apparent Implication: The verse's emphasis on the Prophet's "great moral character" serves to address the hypocrisy of the Quraysh. They recognized his character but denied his message. The rhetorical emphasis serves to highlight the contradiction between their recognition of his moral virtues and their rejection of his prophethood.

Tailoring the Message: The divine speech, therefore, deviates from merely acknowledging the Prophet's character (which was already known) to stressing it in a way that directly confronts their denial of his message. This rhetorical strategy underscores the contradiction in their stance—how can they acknowledge his character yet deny his message?

Rhetorical Devices: The use of various rhetorical devices—such as the nominal sentence (الجملة الاسمية), the emphasis tool (أداة التوكيد), the emphatic lam (لام التوكيد), the preposition preceding the noun (تقديم الجار والمجرور), and describing the character as "great" (عظيم)—all serve to reinforce the point that despite their outward acknowledgment of his character, their actions of denial reflect a deeper inconsistency.

The Qur'anic verse employs rhetorical techniques to address the discrepancy between the Quraysh's recognition of the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) character and their denial of his message. The emphasis on his "great moral character" is a rhetorical strategy to confront and highlight their hypocrisy and the contradiction between their acknowledgment and their rejection of his prophethood. This approach, while deviating from the apparent implication, aligns with the actual situation of denial and serves to reinforce the Prophet's true virtues.

The Qur'anic portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) character as "great" serves to highlight the exceptional and all-encompassing nature of his moral attributes. This description, understood through the lens of divine knowledge, underscores the perfection of his character, which human intellect can only partially comprehend. The use of the term "great" reflects the Prophet’s unparalleled virtues, reinforcing the idea that his moral excellence is unmatched and embodies the highest ideals of conduct. [7].

Rhetorical Implications:

The rhetorical touch in describing the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) character with the preposition "على" illustrates a figurative elevation, emphasizing the profound and inherent nature of his virtue. The metaphor of mastery and integration enhances the perception of his character as both an inherent trait and a defining aspect of his being. This use of language effectively conveys the depth and significance of his moral and ethical excellence. [8].

In conclusion, this Quranic verse has combined brevity and miracle, precision of meaning and soundness of structure in a way that astounds the minds and perplexes the hearts. It has provided a balance of thought and harmony of mind within the recipient, giving an incentive for righteousness and a coherence and interconnectedness of expression, with clarity of meaning and implication. This vast amount of affirmation, along with the rhetorical image, has provided many rhetorical implications and literary nuances due to the necessary connection between the affirmed and the affirmation, and the similarity between the simile and the similitude. This has given the interpreter of the Quranic verses a broader value that has enriched his interpretation and expanded his horizons of thought. Therefore, it is incumbent upon him to pause at every word and ponder every sentence of this miraculous book. And our last supplication is that all praise is due to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds.

 

 

 

1-  Ibn al-Jawzi, Abu al-Faraj Jamal al-Din Abdul Rahman ibn Ali (d. 597 AH), Zad al-Masir fi Ilm al-Tafsir, ed. Abdul Razzaq al-Mahdi, Dar al-Kitab al-Arabi, Beirut, 1st ed., 1422 AH, vol. 1, p. 319.

2- Al-Buqai, Ibrahim ibn Omar ibn Hasan al-Ribat ibn Ali ibn Abi Bakr (d. 885 AH), Nathm al-Durar fi Tanassub al-Ayat wa al-Suwar, Dar al-Kitab al-Islami, Cairo, vol. 20, p. 293.

3-  Al-Buqai, Nathm al-Durar, op. cit., vol. 20, p. 291.

4-  Al-Buqai, Nathm al-Durar, op. cit., vol. 20, p. 292.

5- Al-Zamakhshari, Abu al-Qasim Mahmoud ibn Amr ibn Ahmad (d. 538 AH), Al-Kashaf 'an Haqa'iq Ghawamid al-Tanzil, Dar al-Kitab al-Arabi, Beirut, 3rd ed., 1407 AH, vol. 4, p. 400.

6-  Al-Hashimi, Ahmad ibn Ibrahim ibn Mustafa (d. 1362 AH), Jawahir al-Balagha fi al-Ma'ani wa al-Bayan wa al-Badi', ed. Yusuf al-Sumayli, al-Maktaba al-Asriya, Beirut, p. 212.

7-  Al-Ani, Abdul Qadir ibn Mulla Huwaish al-Sayyid Mahmoud al-Ghazi (d. 1398 AH), Bayyan al-Ma'ani, Matba'at al-Tarqi, Damascus, 1st ed., 1965 CE, vol. 1, p. 76.

8-  Al-Tahrir al-Tanwir, Muhammad al-Tahir ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Tahir ibn Ashour al-Tunisi (d. 1393 AH), Al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir, al-Dar al-Tunisiyya li al-Nashr, Tunisia, 1984 CE, vol. 29, p. 64.