Unveiling the Word of God

ٌ
ن َِّإ
انََك مَنِل
ھَو
يِف
ھِیدَش
The Levels of Quranic Comprehension
There are five levels of achievable (kasbi) Quranic comprehension and one that is unachievable.
The first level is linguistic (lughawi) This level, which entails either comprehension through translation or
direct understanding of the Arabic language, is purely rational. While there is no doubt that the Arabic
language carries its own spiritual mysteries, accessing the Quran through language alone is open to
anyone, Muslim or otherwise. The reader may comprehend what they are reading to a certain extent,
but this understanding — on its own — does not exceed the bounds of the mind.
The second level is devotional (ta’abbud). Yes, even this level imbues some understanding, due to the
special reward that has been accorded to the Quranic recitation. This reward is two-fold, partially
experienced in the hereafter and partially experienced in this world. The massive ten-fold reward per
letter xii is reaped in the hereafter. However, the reward of the gathering of the angels, the descent of
Divine mercy xiii and tranquility xiv , and the resultant innate growth of faith xv is a form of spiritual
comprehension. When excellence of recitation is achieved by adhering to its technical requisites xvi and
aesthetic components xvii , this angelic xviii comprehension is further enhanced. As this level entails spiritual
intelligence, it is better than approaching the Quran through the intellect, alone. Ironically, belittling this
level has become the slogan of some who champion reflection. Had they, themselves, truly reflected, the
plethora of Quranic verses and Prophetic traditions indicating to the gains of devotional recitation might
have dawned upon them.
The third level is reflective (tadabbur). This state is a cooperative venture between the mind and heart, in
which the latter leads. Fueled by faith in the Divine Word, the mind — fully accepting of Quranic Truth —
begins to superimpose the Divine Reality upon the observable world. At it’s peak, this leads to the station
of Divine witnessing (mushāhada), in which the servant beings to behold, through the heart, the signs of
God’s Existence and Attributes in creation. This is the remembrance (dhikr) of the heart, a level high
above the remembrance of the tongue. The feeling of awe and reverence that ensues is a leap in spiritual
intelligence xix .
َ ‏ُو
ل ‏ٰىَرْكِ‏ ‏َذ ذ ‏َكِلَٰ‏
ق ‏ٌبْ‏ ‏َل لَھُ‏
أ ْ ‏َو أ ‏َلقْ‏ ‏َى الس َّمْعَ‏
Indeed, there is a lesson in all this for him who has a heart and gives ear (to the truth)
attentively. [Quran 50:37]
The third level is scholarly (tafahhum), meaning comprehension through drawing upon the knowledge of
the expert exegetes. This level could entail both rational and spiritual intelligence, depending on the
state of the reader and the objective of one’s study. Also of note, is that the scholars of exegesis,
themselves, exude a palatable spiritual aura. Dedication of so much of their lives and their intellectual
efforts to the Quran imbued them with a superior spiritual intelligence, in addition to their rational
genius. Thus, deeply connecting with them will inevitably result in taking from their scent. xx
The fifth level is intuitive (ilhām). The mode through which this comprehension occurs is through
practice. The Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be well pleased with them) were the best example of
this form of understanding. Some would not advance in memorization before putting the current verses
into action. xxi Some commentators state that ‘the people of the Quran’ xxii are, in fact, the people of
practice. Likewise, the well-known report about the dwellers of Paradise who will rise to their stations