Juristic Rulings of Prayer and the Qur’ānic Term “Al-Qawl” (Speech): A Study of Tafsīr Ahkām al-Qur’ān

Abstract

The verses of al-qawl (“speech” or “utterance”) in the Holy Qur’an have served as a basis for the derivation of numerous juristic rulings. A wide range of legal injunctions are inferred from the term al-qawl, and many such examples are found in the classical works of Ahkām al-Qur’ān (Qur’ānic legal exegesis). This article seeks to demonstrate that the term al-qawl constitutes the foundation of many subsidiary rulings related to prayer (ṣalāh), and that a number of juristic deductions revolve around this expression. The study examines the Divine command: “O you who believe! Do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying.” (Qur’ān 4:43) From this verse, jurists have derived ten legal rulings, the basis of whose deduction is the word “saying” (taqūlūn). This is an analytical study drawing upon both classical and contemporary juristic commentaries on the Qur’ān. For instance, the article discusses the ruling that speaking during prayer invalidates the prayer. In other words, if a person engages in speech other than the recitation of the Qur’ān while performing prayer, the prayer becomes void. This ruling is inferred from the aforementioned verse, for the permissibility of performing prayer is made conditional upon one’s awareness of what one is uttering—that is, whether one is reciting the Word of God or speaking words other than the Divine Speech. Since intoxication renders a person incapable of distinguishing between Divine discourse and ordinary human speech, the Qur’ān prohibits prayer after intoxication has overcome one’s intellect. Had human speech been permissible during prayer, there would have been no reason to forbid the intoxicated person from performing it.