Ruling on analyzing events through the words and letters of the Qur'an
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His Eminence the Shaykh: May Allah forgive you! What is the ruling on relying on those who count the words of the Noble Qur'an and its letters and reach specific conclusions through them?The Shaykh: Like what?The questioner: Such as the book *The Fall of Israel* and its analysis for the year (2022) through calculating certain words and verses in Surat al-Isra.
The Shaykh: That is: he deduces events from the letters and words of the Qur'an.
The questioner: Yes.
We say: This is forbidden and not permissible; it is not permissible for a person to deduce anything from the Noble Qur'an regarding events; because this deduction is contrary to the practice of the righteous Salaf, and because he may deduce something while the reality is otherwise, which would lead to casting doubt on the Noble Qur'an, and because the Qur'an was not revealed for this purpose. The Qur'an was revealed so that they might reflect upon its verses and that people of understanding might remember, not to determine the events that will come. Therefore, you will never find in the Qur'an anything that calls for this.You find general terms: [Muhammad:10] And as for deducing such and such events from (Ha-Mim-Sin-Qaf), this is not permissible and not lawful.
The questioner: But the result now in some books, like the book I mentioned, is that he says: I counted the words from Surat al-Kahf from His saying: [al-Kahf:9] to His saying: [al-Kahf:25] He says: I found it to be three hundred and nine words. So he uses this method for calculation?The Shaykh: No.
As I told you: This is certainly not intended; because Allah spoke in the Qur'an with words intended for their meaning, not for counting their letters and words.
The Shaykh: That is: he deduces events from the letters and words of the Qur'an.
The questioner: Yes.
We say: This is forbidden and not permissible; it is not permissible for a person to deduce anything from the Noble Qur'an regarding events; because this deduction is contrary to the practice of the righteous Salaf, and because he may deduce something while the reality is otherwise, which would lead to casting doubt on the Noble Qur'an, and because the Qur'an was not revealed for this purpose. The Qur'an was revealed so that they might reflect upon its verses and that people of understanding might remember, not to determine the events that will come. Therefore, you will never find in the Qur'an anything that calls for this.You find general terms:
Have they not traveled through the land and seen how was the end of those before them? Allah destroyed [everything] over them, and for the disbelievers is something comparable.
أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ دَمَّرَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلِلْكَافِرِينَ أَمْثَالُهَاThe questioner: But the result now in some books, like the book I mentioned, is that he says: I counted the words from Surat al-Kahf from His saying:
Or have you thought that the companions of the cave and the inscription
أَمْ حَسِبْتَ أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْكَهْفِ وَالرَّقِيمِthree hundred years and exceeded by nine.
ثَلاثَ مِائَةٍ سِنِينَ وَازْدَادُوا تِسْعاًAs I told you: This is certainly not intended; because Allah spoke in the Qur'an with words intended for their meaning, not for counting their letters and words.