Who are the Purified?

Beyond the Veil: A Comparative Analysis of Ritual vs. Epistemological Purification in 56:79

1. Introduction: The Paradigm Shift in Quranic Access

In the landscape of Quranic hermeneutics, verse 56:79 represents a primary site of strategic tension between traditional ritual jurisprudence and a contemporary epistemological approach. For centuries, this verse has been weaponised to mandate physical ablutionary rites (wudu), effectively transforming a statement of metaphysical reality into a gatekeeping mechanism. This ritualisation has created physical barriers to the text, particularly for women and non-Muslims, under the guise of "maintaining sanctity."

However, a rigorous linguistic and structural analysis suggests a profound paradigm shift: the transition from a physical barrier to an intellectual one. This shift is critical for modern engagement because it reframes "purity" not as a tactile state, but as a condition of epistemological receptivity. Paradoxically, the traditionalists—by reducing this verse to a ritual decree—have often triggered the very intellectual "veil" the verse warns against.

By approaching the text through the lens of inherited dogma rather than purified reason, they find themselves physically holding the book while remaining ontologically barred from its guidance. This analysis will deconstruct the linguistic evidence to demonstrate that the accessibility of the Quran is dictated by the removal of intellectual corruption rather than the washing of the limbs.

2. Decoding the Antecedents: Defining "It" and the "Protected Book"

The fundamental error in traditionalist access logic begins with a grammatical misidentification of the pronoun suffix -hu (it) in 56:79. To identify the object being "touched," we must examine the flow of 56:77-79:

• 56:77: Innahu la-qur’anun karim ("Indeed, it is a noble recitation")

• 56:78: Fee kitabin maknoon ("In a protected/concealed record")

• 56:79: La yamassuhu illa al-mutahharun ("Not touches it except the purified ones")

Grammatically, the suffix -hu refers back to its immediate antecedent: the kitabin maknoon (protected/concealed record) mentioned in verse 78. Cross-referencing this with 85:21-22, which describes the recitation as being in a lawhin mahfuz (preserved tablet), and 80:13-14, which places it in "exalted, purified pages," reveals its metaphysical location.

The "So What?" of this linguistic detail is devastating to the ritualist position: the kitabin maknoon is not a physical volume of paper and ink, but the heavenly, preserved source of revelation. If the record is "concealed" and "preserved" in a metaphysical realm, physical touch is an ontological impossibility for a human being. The "smoking gun" of the argument is simple: humans cannot physically wash themselves to touch a non-physical, heavenly record. Therefore, the "touch" mentioned must be of a different nature entirely.

3. The Nature of "Touch" (Yamassu): From Physical Contact to Intellectual Grasp

The Arabic verb yamassu (from the root M-S-S) is frequently flattened to mean superficial skin contact. However, Quranic usage indicates a much deeper state of intimate contact or meaningful engagement. In 3:47, the term is used by Mary to describe intimate human contact, and in 2:236-237, it refers to the consummation of marriage.

In the context of 56:79, "touching" the protected record implies an intimate connection with the logic and essence of the revelation. It is a state of being where the mind effectively "grasps" or "comprehends" the internal consistency of the divine message.

Feature	Traditional Ritual View	Quranic Epistemological View
Action	Superficial physical contact.	Cognitive grasp and comprehension.
Requirement	Ritual Wudu (ablution).	Purified intent and removal of bias.
Result	External contact with the medium.	Internalisation of the message.

This refined definition of "touch" necessitates a re-evaluation of the "purified" state—moving it from a prerequisite of physical cleanliness to a prerequisite of cognitive integrity.

4. Reimagining Purity: Taharah vs. Wudu

Using the principle of Tasreef (internal cross-referencing), we find that the root T-H-R (purity) in 56:79 is used as a passive participle, al-mutahharun—those who have been purified by a divine act, not those who have performed a ritual wash.

The Quranic definition of Taharah is the removal of that which corrupts, distorts, or harms. In 2:222, purification is described as moving away from adhan (harm), suggesting that purity is a state of being free from damaging conditions. Furthermore:

• 5:41: Reveals that God does not intend to "purify" the hearts of those who listen to falsehood and distort the meaning of words.

• 9:103: Describes zakah (charity) as a means of "purification," which targets the removal of greed, attachment, and the corruption of wealth.

• 3:42 and 33:33: Describe Mary and the Prophet’s household as being "purified" by God to remove Rijs (filth/doubt).

These references prove that "purity" is a functional state of intellectual and spiritual readiness. To be "purified" is to have one's heart cleared of the ulterior motives and "harmful" preconceptions that prevent the truth from being received.

5. The Barrier of Rijs: Intellectual Failure and Preconception

If the "purified" are the only ones who can grasp the text, we must define the "impurity" (Rijs) that acts as the hermeneutic barrier. The Quran defines Rijs not as physical dirt, but as an intellectual failure. 10:100 states: "And He places the filth (Rijs) upon those who do not use their intellect/reason (la ya'qilun)."

The primary manifestation of this "impurity" is the blind following of inherited tradition, or the "Ways of the Fathers" (2:170, 43:22-23). These inherited dogmas function as the "veils" or "coverings on hearts" (akinnah) described in 17:45-46. When a reader approaches the Quran to validate a pre-existing sectarian identity or a man-made legal system, these preconceptions act as a "concealed barrier."

The irony is profound: the ritualistic focus on wudu is itself a manifestation of inherited tradition that has obscured the verse's actual warning. By turning 56:79 into a rule about washing, the traditional system has effectively triggered the very "veil" that keeps the kitabin maknoon hidden from them.

6. Ilm (Knowledge) vs. Zann (Conjecture): The Methodology of the Purified

The "purified" practitioner operates on the standard of Ilm (verified knowledge) rather than Zann (conjecture or assumption). Per 17:36, the Quranic standard demands that one does not follow that which cannot be verified through the senses and the intellect.

A critical example of Zann displacing Ilm is the traditional doctrine of "Abrogation" (Naskh). Traditionalists argue that certain verses are "cancelled" by others, a theory based on external hearsay rather than internal logic. They often misinterpret 2:106 ("Whatever Ayah We abrogate...") to justify this.

However, in Quranic terminology, an Ayah is a "Sign"—referring to miracles, nature, or previous religious systems—not an internal deletion of its own text. The Quran demands intra-textual consistency (Tasreef), asserting in 4:82 that if it were from any other than Allah, it would contain much contradiction.

Feature	Traditional System (Zann)	Quranic System (Ilm)
Status of Verses	Some verses are "dead" or cancelled.	Every verse is active and relevant.
Source of Authority	Human history and sectarian tradition.	Intra-textual consistency and linguistic logic.
Methodology	Blind following (Taqlid).	Personal verification and critical reason.

Purification, therefore, is an "intellectual detox"—the systematic removal of unverified assumptions so the verified knowledge of the text can be accessed.

7. Functional Islam: Submission to Reality over Religious Labels

Approaching the Quran with a purified mind necessitates a shift from "Islam" as a social label to "Islam" as a functional state of being. The root S-L-M implies soundness, peace, and submission to universal law (3:83). In this framework, "Islam" is a verb—the act of aligning one's conduct with reality.

The text makes a sharp distinction between the Muslim (one who submits to the outward system) and the Mu'min (one who has attained internal conviction), as seen in 49:14. One can enter the social system of "Islam" without having the internal "purity" of conviction (Iman) required to truly "touch" the depth of the message. approaching the Quran as a "submitter" to the Truth, rather than a "member" of a sect, allows for a universal engagement with the text that transcends religious proper nouns.

8. Conclusion: The Self-Protecting Text

The comparative analysis of 56:79 reveals that it is not a ritual decree, but a statement of metaphysical reality and epistemological caution. The verse describes a text that is intrinsically "encrypted" against those who approach it with the "impurity" of bias, arrogance, or dogma.

The Quran "protects itself" by remaining maknoon (hidden) from those whose hearts are covered by the filth of intellectual laziness. While anyone can pick up the physical mushaf and scan the words, the guidance remains inaccessible to the mind that is not "purified" of its preconceptions. Ultimately, 56:79 is a warning: the message is hidden in plain sight, protecting itself even from those who claim to protect it with their rituals, yet refuse to use their intellect to truly "touch" its reality.