The Qur'an recommends the study of these sciences on the...

The Qur'an recommends the study of these sciences on the condition that it leads to truth and reality, that it produces a correct view of the world based on an understanding of God. Knowledge, which merely keeps a man occupied and prevents him from knowing the reality of his own existence, is equated with ignorance.

God says in XXX: 7, "They know only some appearance of the life of one world and are heedless of the Hereafter," and in chapter XLV: 23, "Have you seen him who makes his desire his goal, and God sends him astray purposely and seals u~ his heart and sets a covering on his heart. Then who will lead him after God (has condemned him).

" The Qur'an not only stimulates the desire for study but also is itself a complete system of education of divine knowledge; it provides, too, a model for human behaviour and thought. This complete way of life is called Islam, the way of submission. The Sciences Particular to the Study of the Qur'an There are many sciences devoted to the study of the Qur'an itself.

The development of such sciences dates from the first day of Qur'anic revelation; over a period of time they were unified and perfected. Today countless books are available on these sciences, fruit of the labour of different researchers over the centuries. Some of these sciences investigate the language and vocabulary of the Qur'an, and some the meanings. Those concerned with language are the sciences of correct Qur'anic pronunciation and reading (tajwid and Qur'an).

They explain the simple changes, which certain letters undergo when occurring in conjunction with others, the substitution of Letters and the places prescribed for breath~paUsit1g, and other similar matters. They also study the different ways the Qur'an has been written down and the several generally accepted ways of recitation, together with the three lesser-known ways and the rarer modes of recitation.

Other works enumerate the number of chapters and their verses, while others relate these numbers to the whole Qur'an. They discuss the tradition of Qur'anic calligraphy and how it differs from the normal Arabic script. They research, too, into the meanings of the Qur'an and the general division of subject matter, such as the place and circumstance of revelation, the interpretation of certain verses, the outward and inner meanings, the mul.

zkam (clear) or the mutashtibih (ambiguous), and the abrogating and the abrogated verses.