Investigating the meaning of "means" in the Holy Qur'an

By limiting the meaning of "means" in the Holy Qur'an, some question the recourse to imams; while in religious texts, various examples of "means" are mentioned. Which we will discuss its meaning and examples.

The word of "means"

The word "means" is used in two places in the Holy Quran[1] and in both cases, it means doing something to get closer to a thing or a person.

Types of means

The Holy Quran clearly addresses the believers:

“O you who have faith! Be wary of Allah, and seek the means of recourse to Him, and wage jihad in His way, so that you may be felicitous.”

Several examples are mentioned in religious texts for the purpose:

1. Monotheism and negation of polytheism
the first way to get close to God Almighty is a firm belief in the oneness of God, monotheism and negation of any kind of polytheism and dualism.[2]

Good deed

After believing in God and His Oneness, doing righteous deeds is very important for getting closer to God Almighty.

"Whoever seeks honour [should know that] honour entirely belongs to Allah. To Him ascends the good word, and He elevates righteous conduct;"[3]

Three. honour and special people

Although a person can directly seek forgiveness from God; But the Almighty God, based on his wisdom and knowledge, has placed mediators to draw closer to himself, one of them are pious people, which are mentioned in a few cases:

1. The Prophet, (PBUH)

God addresses the Prophet, (AS), and says:

“We did not send any apostle but to be obeyed by Allah’s leave. Had they, when they wronged themselves, come to you and pleaded to Allah for forgiveness, and the Apostle had pleaded for them [to Allah]for forgiveness, they would have surely found Allah all-clement, all-merciful.”

This verse has clearly introduced the Prophet, (AS), as a means of getting close to God;

2. Hazrat Yaqub peace be upon him

The children of Hazrat Yaqub, after committing a sin, came to their father and made him a mediator to ask God for forgiveness for them.[4]

According to the above, the principle of recourse is a religious recommendation and emphasized by verses and hadiths.

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References:

[1] - Maeda: 35 and Isra: 57./ أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمُ الْوَسِيلَةَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ وَيَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَهُ وَيَخَافُونَ عَذَابَهُ ۚ إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّكَ كَانَ مَحْذُورًا/ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ وَجَاهِدُوا فِي سَبِيلِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

[2]- Surah Kahf: Verse 110/ قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ ۖ فَمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا

[3]- Surah Fatir: 10/ مَنْ كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعِزَّةَ فَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ وَالْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ يَرْفَعُهُ
 

[4]- Surah Yusuf: 97/ قَالُوا يَا أَبَانَا اسْتَغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا خَاطِئِينَ