The Issue of Afdaliya/Tafādul in the Qurʾān in Terms of the Nature and Epistemology of the Divine Speech
Mahmut AyyıldızOne of the arguments put forward in the discussions of khalq al-Qurʾān, which deeply affected the history of Islamic thought, is the evidence pointing to the difference in virtue between verses and surahs of the Qurʾān. Expressions such as the most/more beautiful, the bigger/biggest, the better/best, the more/most virtuous used in some verses and valid hadith texts indicate that some verses and surahs are superior to others. In the classical literature, this subject is discussed under the title of Afdaliya or Tafādul in the Qurʾān within the framework of the narrations related to Faḍāil al-Qurʾān. This article will consider what the difference in virtue means between verses and surahs with regards to the Qurʾān being the speech of Allah. It will be explained on how these texts are reconciled with the principle of eternity and indivisibility of kalām Allah. In this context, first, the concepts of afdaliya and tafādul will be emphasized. Then, the general views of Islamic scholars on the difference in virtue between verses and suras will be discussed, and in particular, the reasons for acceptance and rejection that they put forward around the discussions of khalq al-Qurʾān - naskh will be discussed. Finally, the points where they are equal or differ in terms of virtue by making a distinction between dhikr and madhkur between verses and suras. Thus, it will be revealed that the difference in virtue reported from the text is not due to the nature of the divine speech, but to its effect on humans. Qualitative research methods such as catalog scanning, documentation and data analysis were used in the study, which was based on written sources and historical data.
İlâhî Kelamın Mahiyeti ve Epistemolojisi Açısından Kur’an’da Efdaliyet/Tefâdul Meselesi
Mahmut Ayyıldızİslam düşünce tarihini derinden etkileyen Halku’l-Kur’ân tartışmalarında öne sürülen argümanlardan birisi de âyet ve sûreler arasında fazilet farkı olduğuna işaret eden naslardır. Bazı Kur’an âyetlerinde ve sahih hadis metinlerinde geçen en/daha güzel, en/daha yüce, en/daha hayırlı, en/daha faziletli gibi ifadeler, bazı âyet ve sûrelerin diğerlerinden üstün olduğunu bildirmektedir. Klasik literatürde bu konu, fezâilü’l-Kur’ân’a ilişkin rivayetler çerçevesinde Kur’an’da Efdaliyet veya Tefâdul başlığı altında ele alınmaktadır. Bu makalede, âyet ve sûreler arasında fazilet farkı olduğuna işaret eden nasların, Kur’an’ın Allah kelamı olması bakımından ne anlam ifade ettiği üzerinde durulacaktır. Zahirde âyet ve sûreler arasındaki eşitliği bozan bu nasların, kelâmullahın ezeliliği ve bölünmezliği ilkesiyle nasıl bağdaştırıldığı açıklanacaktır. Bu bağlamda öncelikle konunun kavramsal çerçevesini oluşturan efdaliyet ve tefâdul kavramları üzerinde durulacaktır. Daha sonra İslâm âlimlerinin âyet ve sûreler arası fazilet farkına ilişkin genel görüşlerine değinilecek, özelde halku’l-Kur’ân - nesih tartışmaları etrafında ileri sürdükleri kabul - ret gerekçeleri ele alınacaktır. Nihayetinde âyet ve sûreler arasında zikir - mezkûr ayrımı yapılarak fazilet bakımından eşit oldukları veya ayrıldıkları noktalar tespit edilmeye çalışılacaktır. Böylece naslardan bildirilen fazilet farkının ilâhî kelamın mahiyetinden değil, insanlar üzerindeki etkisinden kaynaklandığı ortaya konulacaktır. Yazılı kaynaklar ve tarihsel verilere dayanan çalışmada, katalog taraması, dokümantasyon ve veri analizi gibi nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden yararlanılmıştır.
Throughout history, various theories have been put forward on the existential belonging of the Qurʾān to God. Although Islamic scholars agree that the Qurʾān is a speech belonging to Allah, they have different views on how it is realized. Some scholars have argued that the speech is an eternal attribute of God’s essence, while others state that it is created by God. This conflict brought along the discussions of khalq al-Qurʾān, where one of the arguments put forward is the evidence pointing out that there is a difference in virtue between verses and surahs in the Qurʾān. Expressions such as the most/better, the most/higher, and the most/virtuous indicate that some verses and surahs are superior to others. In the classical literature, this subject is discussed under the title of Afdaliya or Tafādul in the Qurʾān within the framework of the narrations related to Faḍāil al-Qurʾān. Although the root letters of both concepts are the same, the afdaliya is an infinitive derived from an adjective in the ism-i tafdil meter, and the tafādul is an infinitive derived from a verb. When it is used about the Qurʾānic surahs and verses, the afdaliya is related to the essence of kalam Allah, while the tafādul refers to the imagination formed in the minds of the interlocutors.
There is general agreement that the Qurʾān is superior to all speeches, including other divine books and pages. This superiority is supported by clear text such as the approval of some rules in the previous books in the Qurʾān and the abrogation of others. In addition, some of its distinguishing features are that it is the last divine book from Allah and that it still exists as the Prophet’s greatest miracle until the Day of Judgment. However, the statements in the Qurʾān and hadiths that some verses and surahs are superior or more virtuous than others have introduced discussions on the subject. Although there are differing opinions on the issue of afdaliya/tafādul among Islamic scholars, most scholars taking into account the outward meanings of the expressions that some verses, surahs, and hadiths are superior to others have argued that virtuousness is real. Another group of scholars, claiming a difference in virtue between verses and surahs means accepting that the speech of Allah is composed of parts which necessitates the creation of Allah’s speech stated that these expressions should be interpreted. Some scholars find it inappropriate to express their opinions on this issue.
The view that there is no superiority difference between verses and surahs emerged as a reaction to the Muʿtazila’s claim that the Qurʾān is created. Because, in the Qurʾān, the Muʿtazila associates the issue of virtuousness with the claim that the kalām Allah is created. The verse 2/106 of al-Baqara, known as the naskh (abrogation) verse, provides evidence for khalq al-Qurʾān. Accordingly, if the Qurʾān, i.e., the speech of Allah, was preeternal, then the abrogated verses should also be preeternal. However, the nāsikh (abrogating) verses always come after the mansūkh (abrogated) verses and terminate their function. One cannot talk about eternity where priority and aftermath are in question because being before or after is related to time, while eternity is a concept beyond time. On the other hand, replacing something with a better or similar one is a characteristic of created beings. Because the one who is low in virtue is deficient in comparison to the superior. Imperfection cannot be a feature of eternal beings. The scholars of ahl al-Sunna, who see the Qurʾān as the eternal speech of Allah, accept the difference in virtue pointed out in the relevant verses and hadiths, but state that this difference is not related to the nature of kalām Allah. Accordingly, all verses and surahs are equal in terms of being the speech of Allah. However, there is a degree of difference between these verses and surahs in the effect they have on people, where this difference is even pointed out in the verses and hadiths in question.
This article will focus on the difference in virtue between verses and surahs mean in terms of the Qurʾān being the speech of Allah. It will be explained how the texts, which disrupt the equality between verses and surahs in appearance, are reconciled with the principle of eternity and indivisibility of kalām Allah. In this context, first, the concepts of afdaliya and tafādul, which constitute the conceptual framework of the subject, will be emphasized. Then, the general views of Islamic scholars on the difference in virtue between verses and surahs will be discussed alongside the reasons for acceptance and rejection that they put forward around the discussions of khalq al-Qurʾān - naskh. Finally, the points where they are equal or differ in terms of virtue will be determined by making a distinction between dhikr and madhkūr between verses and surahs. Thus, it will be revealed that the difference in virtue is not due to the nature of the divine speech, but from its effect on humans. Qualitative research methods such as catalog scanning, documentation, and data analysis were used, which is based on written sources and historical data.
