The Need for an Additional Qualification

1. One type of tafsir bil-ra’y is so inappropriate that any serious-minded person would reject it immediately after hearing or reading it. For example, the Quranic verse says: “Wa rabbaka fakabbir” (74:3). Some people have translated this as: “And make your Lord great.” Based on this translation, they explained the verse to mean: Establish God’s political greatness in the world, raise the flag of God’s rule on earth. This translation and interpretation are among the worst forms of opinion-based interpretation. Common sense alone is enough to see that it’s wrong. God is already great in Himself. He doesn’t need any of His creation to make Him great in any way. According to the verse, what a person must do is recognize God’s greatness within their own heart and mind. A sense of God’s majesty should fill their soul. Realizing their own smallness and God’s greatness should make them a truly humble human being—a man cut to size. That is the real meaning of “declare the greatness of your Lord.” The correct translation of the mentioned verse is: “And proclaim the greatness of your Lord,” or “Speak of the greatness of your Lord,” or “Declare the greatness of your Lord.” According to this translation, the takbeer (the declaration of God’s greatness) mentioned in the verse is not related to any external political issue. Instead, it concerns a person’s inner state. It means that a person’s mind should consciously recognize God’s greatness. Their heart should be stirred with the feeling of His greatness. The acknowledgment of God’s greatness should naturally