A New Way to Think About
Kaana in the Qur'an - Part Two
In part one of this discussion, I presented some
of the difficulties in interpreting kaana in the Qur'an. If you haven't read
part one it would be good to do so now, in order to understand my motivation
for trying to find another framework in which to process kaana. It is important
to keep in mind that this is only the beginning of the development of a new
theory concerning kaana. I am not claiming to have put together all the pieces,
I am only suggesting a different paradigm to help us see why kaana seems to
have so many varied usages and meanings. In doing so I hope to show how
beautiful this small word really is.
KAANA FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ONTOLOGY
In my very humble opinion, one of the best ways
to think about kaana is that it is ontological. Ontology is defined as:
"The branch of metaphysics concerned with the nature of being."
(Concise Oxford English Dictionary) Ontology studies the nature of existence.
It is my contention that the study of kaana has
been mostly inductive. "Inductive" is defined as
"...characterized by the inference of general laws from particular
instances." (Ibid.) So while a general definition is sometimes given,
kaana is usually then discussed in terms of the specific instances in its use
that deviate from the basic definition (which often corresponds to the past
tense "was"). We have been studying kaana from below.
I am proposing that our study should start from
the other direction. I suggest that we study kaana using a more deductive
process. Deduction is "...the inference of particular instances by
reference to a general law or principle." (Ibid.) We need to find the
general law or principle of kaana, based on the Qur'an, and then apply that to
all the specific instances. This is studying kaana from above.
Even if we can't figure out how the general law
of kaana applies to every specific instance, still, we will know that the law
is still operative within it. This will help show how kaana has a uniform
meaning in the Qur'an and will fit better with the interpretive principle
expressed in the Qur'an itself: "...and had it been from other than Allah
they would surely have found therein much variation."
KAANA AS A CREATIVE PRINCIPLE
The general law of kaana that perhaps we can
derive from the Qur'an, is that kaana is a part of everything that Allah has
brought into existence. Everything has kaana within it. This could be why it is
so difficult to study it and to figure out its meaning in each instance. We are
trying to study existence itself. Kaana is ontological. It is telling us
something about the nature of being.
FIVE IMPORTANT AAYAAT ABOUT KAANA
The following aayaat show us how kaana and its
derivatives are part of everything that exists:
36:82: "His order is only, when He intends
a thing, is that He says to it 'be, and it is'."
3:47: "When He has decreed a matter, He
only says to it, 'be, and it is'."
19:35: "When He has decreed a matter, He
only says to it, 'be, and it is'."
40:68: "So, when He has decreed a matter,
He only says to it, 'be, and it is'."
16:40: "Our saying to a thing is only, when
we intend it, that we say to it, 'be, and it is'."
All five of these aayaat use derivatives of the
word kaana in the phrase, "be, and it is". "Be" is
"kun", which is the order form of kaana, and "it is" is
"yakunu", which is the present tense form of Kaana which more precisely
indicates a continuous action and could be translated as "it is
being". These five aayaat teach us about how Allah does takween (brings
things into existence) and in order to be precisely studied the following words
have to be understood:
1. Araada - intended - what does it mean when
Allah intends a thing?
2. Amr - order or matter
3. Shay' - thing - how do we define a
"thing"? This word is related to shaa'a - he willed
4. Qadhaa - decreed - also sometimes defined as
"completing something in speech and action." (Al-Kulliyyaat)
In order to understand how Allah describes
takween, we need to discuss these important words. However, this brief post
isn't the place to go into full detail about them. I would like to use one
example, the story of Jesus, to see how we can possibly think of kaana as
indicating "a state of being" present in everything.
KAANA AND JESUS
Allah gives us an example of how He brings
something into existence by telling us about 'Eesaa. When the angels announced
to Maryam the glad tidings of 'Eesaa, she wasn't sure how this could be, since
no human being had touched her. The response that was given to her was:
"Likewise Allah creates whatever He wills, when He has decreed a matter He
only says to it, 'be, and it is'." 3:47
Two important words to remember here are qadhaa
(decreed) and amr (matter) as we move to Surah Maryam. In the ayah above, He
gave her the general creative principle. But as the aayaat from Surah Maryam
will show, is wasn't that He just said the word "kun" and that's it.
Rather, in order to bring 'Eesaa into existence, He enacted a process. Observe
these aayaat: "...so we sent to her our spirit, and presented himself in
the form of a human being in all respects...he said I am only a messenger from
your Lord, in order to give you a pure boy." She again objected, and he
replied: "Likewise your Lord said, it is easy upon him, and so that He may
make him an ayah for the people, and a mercy from us, and he was a matter
decreed." 19:17-21
Beautiful! Before He brought it about, He gave
her the principle. He said: "Idhaa qadhaa amran" or "when He
decrees a matter". But once He brought about the process by sending the
spirit, He said "kaana amran maqdhiyyan" "he became/was (kaana)
a matter (amran) decreed (maqdhiyyan)". The exact same words, but when the
process was complete He used "kaana".
CONCLUSION OF PART TWO
Since Allah describes the process with 'Eesaa in
the same way as He does with anything He brings into existence, perhaps
"kaana" can be said about anything that exists.
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