Question:

What is the verdict on those who interpret the Qur’an according to their own opinion?

Answer:

Sa’id Ibn Tarif reported that Imam Al-Baqir (a.) said: “People are only required to read the Qur’an as it was revealed, but when they need its explanation, then the right instruction comes from us and is left to us.” [Bihar-ul-Anwar of Al-Majlisi, Volume 27 page 197]

عن الحسين بن سعيد عن سعيد بن طريف عن الإمام الباقر عليه السلام قال: فإنما على الناس أن يقرأوا القرآن كما انزل فإذا احتاجوا إلى تفسيره فالاهتداء بنا وإلينا

Zaid Ash-Shahham reported that Imam As-Sadiq (a.) said: “Woe to you, O Qatadah! If you interpret the Qur’an according to your own desire, you will perish and allow yourself to perish, and if you take it from men, you will perish and allow yourself to perish.” [Al-Fusul-ul-Muhimmah of Al-Hurr Al-Amili, Volume 1 page 452]

عن محمد بن سنان عن زيد الشحام عن الإمام الصادق عليه السلام قال: ويحك يا قتادة إن كنت إنما فسرت القرآن برأيك فقد هلكت وأهلكت وإن كنت قد أخذته من الرجال فقد هلكت وأهلكت

Zurarah Ibn A’yan reported that Imam Al-Baqir (a.) said: “There is nothing further from the minds of the people, than the interpretation of the Qur’an.” [Tafsir Al-Ayyashi, Volume 1 Page 17]

عن زرارة بن أعين عن الإمام الباقر عليه السلام قال: ليس شئ أبعد من عقول الرجال من تفسير القرآن

Abu Basir reported that Imam As-Sadiq (a.) said: “If he who interprets the Quran according to his own opinion is right, he will not be rewarded, and if he is wrong, he will fall down even further than from the heaven.” [Wasa’il-ush-Shi’ah by Al-Hurr Al-Amili, Volume 27 page 202]

عن أبي بصير عن الإمام الصادق عليه السلام قال: من فسر القرآن برأيه إن أصاب لم يوجر وإن أخطأ خر أبعد من السماء

Muhammad Ibn Murtada reported that the Prophet Muhammad (s.) said: “Whoever interprets the Qur’an according to his own opinion should take his place in the fire.” [As-Safi of Al-Kashani, Volume 1 Page 35]

عن محمد بن مرتضى عن الرسول صلى الله عليه وآله قال: من فسر القرآن برأيه فليتبوأ مقعده من النار

The Messenger (see) reported that God said: “He does not believe in Me, who interprets My words according to his own opinion.” [Kanz-ud-Daqa’iq of Al-Mashhadi, Volume 2 page 28]

عن علي بن أبي طالب عن محمد بن عبد الله عليهم السلام عن الله عز وجل قال: ما آمن بي من فسر برأيه كلامي

Ammar Ibn Musa reported that Imam As-Sadiq (a.) said: “Whoever interprets a verse from the Book of God according to his own opinion has already become a disbeliever.” [Wasa’il-ush-Shi’ah by Al-Hurr Al-Amili, Volume 27 page 60]

عن محمد بن مسعود عن عمار بن موسى عن الإمام الصادق عليه السلام قال: من فسر برأيه آية من كتاب الله فقد كفر

Abd-ur-Rahman Ibn Samurah reported that the Prophet Muhammad (s.) said: “Whoever interprets the Qur’an according to his own opinion has already made up a lie about God.” [Kamal-ud-Din from As-Saduq, page 257]

عن سعيد بن المسيب عن عبد الرحمن بن سمرة عن الرسول صلى الله عليه وآله قال: من فسر القرآن برأيه فقد افترى على الله الكذب

Abu Sukhailah reported that Imam Ali (a.) said: “O you people, three have no faith: He who practices his religion by denying a verse from the Book of God has no faith, he who practices his religion with a false lie about God has no faith, and he who practices his religion by obedience to him who disobeys God has no faith.” [Bihar-ul-Anwar of Al-Majlisi, Volume 2 page 117]

عن أبي عبيدة عن أبي سخيلة عن الإمام علي عليه السلام قال: أيها الناس ثلاث لا دين لهم لا دين لمن دان بجحود آية من كتاب الله، ولا دين لمن دان بفرية باطل على الله ولا دين لمن دان بطاعة من عصى الله تبارك وتعالى

Ibn Mas’ud Al-Maisari reported that Jesus (a.) said: “Take the truth from the people of falsehood, but do not take falsehood from the people of truth! Be critical of the talk, for how much misguidance has been adorned with a verse from the Book of God, just as the silver of copper was decorated with an applied silver? The gaze upon it is the same and those that notice it are the men of knowledge.” [Al-Mahasin of Al-Barqi, Volume 1 Page 229 – 230 Hadith 169]

عنه، عن علي بن عيسى القاساني، عن ابن مسعود الميسرى رفعه قال قال المسيح عليه السلام: خذوا الحق من أهل الباطل ولا تأخذوا الباطل من أهل الحق كونوا نقاد الكلام فكم من ضلالة زخرفت بآية من كتاب الله كما زخرف الدرهم من نحاس بالفضة المموهة، النظر إلى ذلك سواء، والبصراء به خبراء