Correspondence with Maulana Abul Lais Islahi Nadwi

DISCUSSION AND CORRESPONDENCE that Imam Raghib Isfahani wrote that the meaning of iqamat ash-shay’ is tawfiyat haqqihi (giving it its full due) (Mufradat al-Quran, p. 692). It is clear that giving the religion its full due cannot be achieved without establishing the entire religion. Therefore, according to him, aqeem-ud-deen should mean “establish and implement the entire religion.” However, the meaning he has derived from Imam Raghib’s explanation is not actually found within the explanation itself but has been formed in his own mind. The explanation simply indicates that whatever the word iqamah refers to, it means to give that thing its due. Imam Raghib’s explanation appears in the Mufradat under the root qaf-waw-mim, which shows that he is explaining the meaning of the word iqamah, not defining the scope of ud-deen. However, since the author personally interprets ad-deen as “the entire Shariah,” he has merged his understanding of ad-deen with Imam Raghib’s definition of iqamah and concluded that the verse means “give the whole religion its due.” However, if he were to understand ad-deen as “the essential religion,” he would see that it means “giving the essential religion” or “the fundamental teachings of the religion” their due. It’s like the speaker simply said “four,” but the listener, because of his specific mindset, interpreted it as “four loaves of bread.”