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Teachers and students blog

What role can the Qur'an play in guiding mankind in a time of spiritual darkness and moral decay; while the world is on the brink of a global recession; while there is widespread bloodshed, human suffering and environmental destruction etc.

2/22/2022

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I was asked by well known Islamic thinker and Quran translator Dr Safi Kaskas to watch a video and then write some questions about the future of the Qur'an based on the state of the future world presented by this video.

The video was definitely a wake-up call that we as an ummah need to act and act fast before its too late! We need to educate our families and try to work to stop all this madness and to reclaim our humanity!

I believe the Quran can play a major role in solving the current and future problems facing humanity. We need scholars not only to be experts in religious sciences but to also be well-read in areas like science, engineering, arts and humanity, philosophy etc….

Muslims, as a whole, need to be made aware that the Qur'an is a guide for all times and all places and gives solutions for all problems and challenges that were faced in the past; what is faced today and all problems that our children will be face in the future.

I will present some pressing issues and explain solutions by applying the Quranic guidance.

1. Inequity of wealth distribution and the increase gap between the rich and poor, how can the Qur'an solve this problem?

Allah, Most high, says in the Quran:

هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا

It is He who created for you that which is on the earth, ALTOGETHER.

In other words what is on the earth is not exclusive to some at the expense of others. 

This problem cannot be tackled on an individual level but needs to be done collaboratively as an ummah. We need to apply the example of Yusuf, peace be upon him, to think strategically and plan for long term solutions. We need to think beyond food and clothes parcels and aim to provide education, creation of jobs, establishing self-sustained farming, medical services, planning for catastrophic events like droughts, floods, plagues etc.

2. We are witnessing the destruction of the environment before our very eyes, are we going to be part of the solution or ignore it?

The Quran says:

وَأَقِيمُوا الْوَزْنَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَلَا تُخْسِرُوا الْمِيزَانَ

And observe the measure strictly, and do not lose the balance.

Allah, Most High, gives us abundant guidance in this area so that Insh’Allah we can reclaim our environment back and reestablish the balance before it is too late. 

This is an area that I will expound on in future lessons Insh'Allah.


3. Depression and suicide, what is the Quranic solution?

Allah describes human nature

لَّا يَسْأَمُ الْإِنسَانُ مِن دُعَاءِ الْخَيْرِ وَإِن مَّسَّهُ الشَّرُّ فَيَئُوسٌ قَنُوطٌ

Man does not get tired of asking for good, but if ill touches him, he gives up all hope and is lost in despair.

The Quran offers solutions for this problem both at a spiritual, physical and social level. We need psychologists and psychiatrists to apply Quranic guidance on how to solve this issue beyond western medicine.

The role of the purification of the internal heart needs to emphasised and be applied in tackling this 
problem.

4. Genetic engineering and future impact on humans. What does the Quran say?

Allah describes Satan’s deception and his misguidance by allowing man to be deceived into thinking he can play the role of the creator by manipulating the creation. This is happening before our very eyes to mankind’s own detriment

The Quran says:

وَلَأُضِلَّنَّهُمْ وَلَأُمَنِّيَنَّهُمْ وَلَآمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُبَتِّكُنَّ آذَانَ الْأَنْعَامِ وَلَآمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُغَيِّرُنَّ خَلْقَ اللَّهِ

And I will mislead them, and I will arouse in them wishful desires, and I will command them so they will cut (splice) the “authorized permissions” of livestock, and I will command them so they will change the creation of Allah.

NOTE: the verb بَتَكَ (he cut/ sliced) shares the exact same letters at كَتَبَ (he authorized, decreed), so this cutting is a cutting of something authorized and decreed.

Here the verb لَيُبَتِّكُنَّ is an emphasized verb from the root بَتَكَ which means to cut in an emphatic manner that will mean a permanent change. However, this cutting is of an authorization that is decreed by the Creator in the DNA sequence. This is done through a process that involves cutting the DNA (splicing) and changing the nucleotide base sequence by adding and deleting genetic material to “play god” and to follow Shaytan’s desire.  

Livestock are of the greatest of blessings to mankind and any changes to these animals could have severe implications for mankind!

5. Qur'an and modern science

The Qur'an say

وَجَاهِدْهُم بِهِ جِهَادًا كَبِيرًا

And strive against them with it (the Qur'an) a great striving [in terms of arguments and evidences]

Allah commands Muslims to exert their utmost effort to prove that the Qur'an is a divine revelation from the Creator of all the signs and wonders in the universe.   

We need to intellectually reconcile modern science with the Qur'an. For example, the theory of evolution needs to be re-examined by scholars/scientists that need to take into consideration substantial evidence that shows that we existed at least 200,000 years ago and that human-like creature had existed on earth for a at least 2 million  years.

At the same time, Muslims need to be true to the language of the Quran, without manipulating it in a manner that would give critics a reason to disprove future arguments and interpretations.

6. How to deal with division and sectarianism and the impact it has on Muslims rising to become the best nation for mankind , who will guide and shape the future for the better?

The Quran explains how the people of previous scriptures fell into sectarianism and division

وَمَا اخْتَلَفَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ

The People of Scripture did not differ except after knowledge had come to them through transgression among themselves.

The word   بَغْيًا – transgression includes transgression of diseased hearts from its vices like hatred, greed and envy as well as physical transgression. This division came about not because of lack of knowledge but while they had knowledge.  

We need to understand that one of the most important commands is to unite under the rope of Allah, the Quran. Our differences need to be put aside and we need to solve the exponentially greater problems affecting our physical and spiritual existence as the ennobled Children of Adam.
​

This can never be done with a diseased heart that lacks mercy and empathy towards others. The Prophet, peace be upon him, came as a mercy for mankind and Muslims who want to emulate him and follow his path need to carry the same message and not an exclusive message for a particular group or sect.

By Nabeel Alkhalidy  20 Rajab, 1443 ,   22.2.2022  
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How old was our mother Aisha RA when she married the Prophet (ﷺ)?

5/25/2021

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The different opinions

Sahih al-Bukhari collected a statement that states that the Prophet married Aisha when she was 6 years old and he consummated his marriage when she was 9 years old.  This is the most widely accepted source and strongest opinion on the matter.
​
Sheikh Yasir Qadhi summaries this position in the following talk:

There are two other opinions of her age which put her at either 15 or 19 years old. These ages are based on historical accounts and relate to tracing back her age based on known events in Islamic history. These opinions however are dismissed by advocates of the dominate position as they place Sahih Al Bukhari at the highest level of authenticity. They also believe that those that claim Aisha was 15 or 19 are concealing the truth, influenced by the west and/or trying to make the religion compatible with the modern world. Regardless of what their intentions are, they do have evidence to back it up.

Based on the strongest opinion, scholars have permitted marriage of a prepubescent girl prior to attaining the age of menstruation which they say is permissible "following the example of the Prophet (ﷺ)". Some scholars even go as far to say that there is no minimum age to marry a girl. In this case, a girl is not ready to undertake sexual intercourse, however a number of classical scholars permit a man to derive physical pleasure from her (other than intercourse) and only engage in intercourse when she reaches the age of puberty. 

I understand that Muslims reading this might be troubled by this and such a feeling is only natural. Some Muslims who claim to be staunch supporters of the Quran and Sunna of our Prophet might even say this uneasiness and internal conflict within is due to weak faith or our lack of knowledge. 

Regardless of what they say, I personally don’t follow this opinion nor do I believe that Aisha RA was 6 when she married the Prophet or 9 when he consummated marriage. 
Taking all biases aside such as cultural influences, personal feelings etc we need to examine the real evidences.


What does the Quran say ?


Allah, Most high, says:

وَابْتَلُوا الْيَتَامَىٰ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغُوا النِّكَاحَ فَإِنْ آنَسْتُم مِّنْهُمْ رُشْدًا فَادْفَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ

And test the orphans until they reach the marriageable age. Then if you perceive in them sound judgment (rushd), release their property to them… [Surat Al Nisa 4:6]

The Ayah states that the caretaker of the orphan is to test the orphan as they reach the age of marriage. So there is a point reached when they are able to undertake marriage. This indicates that they are physically and mentally ready for marriage. Scholars have given physical signs for this such as reaching the age of 15, pubic hair growth, experiencing a wet dream and menstruation for woman. 

The ayah continues to explain that the attribute of rushd (capacity to make sound judgment) needs to be verified. The caretaker gives some wealth to the orphan to determine how they undergo their financial dealings.  Once the attribute of rushd is verified their inheritance is released to them. 

The question then comes to mind. How could Aisha at the age of 6 have the ability to receive Mahr ( a bridal gift) and commit and consent  to a lifelong marriage if she had not reached the age of marriage nor attained the attribute of rushd ( which is to be tested after reaching the age of marriage) ?
​

What does the Prophet (ﷺ) say ?


In an authentic hadith collected by Abu Dawud, The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

مُرُوا أَوْلاَدَكُمْ بِالصَّلاَةِ وَهُمْ أَبْنَاءُ سَبْعِ سِنِينَ وَاضْرِبُوهُمْ عَلَيْهَا وَهُمْ أَبْنَاءُ عَشْرِ سِنِينَ وَفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَهُمْ فِي الْمَضَاجِعِ

"Command your children to pray when they become seven years old, and discipline  them for it when they become ten years old; and separate their beds."


Children are to be separated at the age of 10, Scholars say that this occurs prior to becoming sexually aware of the opposite sex.

How could Aisha RA marry at 6, which is one year before she is supposed to start praying and  4 years before a child starts to become sexually aware!
​

​Final Thoughts

One needs to note that Aisha is not infallible and that the hadith in Al Bukhari was transmitted in a time and place when dates and calendars where not in use. There is a possibility that an error occurred in recalling the events as a child or through the transmission. We also have historical evidence that puts her age significantly higher. More importantly is the evidence I have mentioned above from both the Quran and Sunna.

Many Muslims present the narration in Al Bukhari as a fact from the greatest exemplar that ever lived, however critics have every right to question the age  presented in the hadith. Justification is given by saying this was the norm back in history. 


Was the  hadith in Al Bukhari supposed to reach us in the first place? What benefit does this hadith actually have? This hadith unfortunately has been used throughout history to justify child marriage and has given non-Muslims a reason to reject the Prophet (ﷺ) as a true Prophet.

I do believe that scholars should revisit the hadith in Al Bukhari and determine how it stands alongside the Quran and authentic ahadith. They should also be brave enough to mention the classical opinions
which allow a husband to derive sexual pleasure with a young prepubescent girl and engage in intercourse with her ( if she is physically able). They should also understand that criticising such practices is not attacking the Sunna of the Prophet (ﷺ) but actually defending the Quran and the Prophet of Allah  (ﷺ) . 

​As a final remark, I want to mention that the opinion that I have presented is a classical opinion promoted by early Jurists like Uthman Al-Batti and the Qadi of Kufa Ibn Shubrumah. 

Wa Allahu A’lam
 
Nabeel Alkhalidy
​13 Shawwal, 1442 AH , 25th May 2021
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Contextual  consistency in the Quran

10/24/2020

1 Comment

 
Having been a big proponent of revision of tafsir literature in order to sift out fabricated and problematic interpretations, I have received numerous criticisms mainly by traditionalists who advocate holding on to past opinions mentioned in tafsir literature for the past thousand years. One needs to understand that Tafsir works past and present are reference books of opinions and interpretations ( including weak and fabricated sources) that deserve deeper scrutiny and assessment. Tafsir literature is helpful to understand the deep meanings of the Quran, but one needs to understand that they are not revelation. It is the job of scholars that come after to review the different opinions and reach an interpretation(s) that conforms to the language of the Quran, the context, interpreted through the Quran first and foremost ( Tafsir of the Quran with other ayaat of the Quran) and be intellectually sound based on sound reason and reality.

One area that had a great deal of interpretation and extraneous details are the stories of the Prophets in the Quran. The most well-known accounts of these stories usually provide details with no sanad ( unbroken chain) to the Prophet (
ﷺ) or the early companions who learned directly from him. When one reads tafsir literature they are bombarded by varying opinions and interpretations. Yes, the Quran has a scope for variance as its meanings are vast and different scholars will offer their own perspectives and nuances. This is not what I am talking about. I am speaking about interpretations that lead to clear contradictions and discrepancies.  

Problems with accepting ​unsubstantiated narrations

 
Accepting these narrations and details hinder and sometimes put a barrier on trying to understand the true understanding of the Ayaat in the Quran.  I will be specifically looking at the Stories of Prophets in the Quran and how additions to the stories have led to two major problems. They are:

1. That Prophets are in some cases no longer seen as an example to follow, even though the Quran calls their stories  عِبرَة – a lesson or instruction to move from one  code of conduct or mindset to the most proper one.  
​
2. The “Contextual  inconsistency” found in the Quran. The Quran says
أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ ۚ وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ غَيْرِ اللَّهِ لَوَجَدُوا فِيهِ اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرًا
Then do they not reflect upon the Qur'an? If it had been from any other than Allah , they would have found within it much contradiction. [Surat Al Nisa ayah 82 ]

So this is directly related to the integrity of the Quran which is the living miracle of the Prophet SAW and a sign of his Prophethood. Anything that comes from outside from the Quran which compromises this will need to be rejected.

An example of "inconsistency" in Tafsir literature

​Let us take an example in Surat Saad. Surah 38

One can understand from the beginning of the Surah that hostility from the Arab pagans had increased against the Prophet (ﷺ). After mentioning the direct attacks on him and the message, Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) consoles him and tells him to be patient over all these verbal attacks
اصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَاذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا دَاوُودَ ذَا الْأَيْدِ ۖ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ
Be patient over what they say and remember Our servant, David, the possessor of strength; indeed, he was one who repeatedly turned back [to Allah ]. Surat Saad 38:17

In the very same ayah, Allah (
سبحانه و تعالى) tells RasoolAllah (ﷺ) to reflect on the story of Dawud (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ). So one would expect a story of great patience and guidance for the Prophet and by extension for us from one of Allah's best creations. Is this what is found according to the well-known interpretations of the story?

The answer unfortunately is No! we are told that Nabi Dawud (
عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)became very frightened from a security breach and made a judgement that was incorrect before hearing from both disputants. As the common story goes, he repented from this mistake and Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) forgave him.  The common lesson that is given is to listen to two sides of the story before making a judgment. 


This story however is not found in the Quran. Details were added to it that distorted the story in a way to present Nabi Dawud (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) as having a lack of patience.  Some Modern scholars have noticed this and have understood that one needs to return back to the actual Quranic text, as the Quran is a self-clarifying book with no need of outside sources. 

In the very same section of the Quran Nabi Dawud has been described as having
​الْحِكْمَةَ وَفَصْلَ الْخِطَابِ
​Wisdom and decisive/ eloquent speech.

And one needs to ask, If the story of him being too afraid to think straight and thus hindering him from making the proper judgement, then why did Allah Most high mention it here?  It would be out of place. Wouldn't we expect a situation in his life to show his wisdom on show? 

The actual Quranic account devoid of these extraneous sources is presented here by Ustadh Nabeel Alkhalidy
Moreover, in the same section of the Quran we have more inconsistency due to further misinterpretations.

Nabi Sulaiman
(عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) and Nabi Ayoub (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)  are both described in this Surah as 

نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ

"An excellent slave" Surat Saad, Ayah 30 and 44

One would expect to find the best examples to mankind. Unfortunately, in the well known interpretations of the these stories, we find a Prophet Sulaiman distracted from Allah by his horses, The horses are returned back to him and then he  engages in mass slaughter of them for having distracted him. Ask yourself, can this be an action of the best of slaves? Can a Prophet become heedless of Allah and can he destroy animal life in this way? 

Also,

Nabi Ayoub after battling a long sickness had no food for him and his wife. In one instance he became angry because his wife sold her hair to bring food on the table. As the story goes, Ayoub
(عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) became so angry that he made an oath that if Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) healed him from his sickness that he would lash his wife with 100 lashes, a punishment that the Quran prescribes for a fornicator. It took revelation from Allah (SWT) to stop this punishment for his wife that she was obviously not worthy of. 

Nabeel Alkhalidy here offers the Quranic interpretation of this story:
​​So in these extraneous accounts, we have oppression to animal life and oppression to ones wife mentioned from the best of creations. We also have heedlessness and extreme anger attributed to them.

One will realize after a deep study and reflection that these false accusations made against the Prophets of Allah  have absolutely no basis and one needs to free themselves from such stories to reach the true accounts and only then one can understand the lessons and follow them.


And Allah knows best.

​By Nabeel Alkhalidy
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The precision of base letters in the Quran

12/13/2019

3 Comments

 
Picture
One of the countless proofs of the divine nature of the Quran is related to the base letters of Arabic words, their associated meanings and their precise usage in the Quran. No other writing or speech in the Arabic language can compare!

An example of this are 3 words used in the Quran that could be considered synonyms for the word rain in English.

الودْق            المطر          الغيث


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Health in the Quran

11/17/2019

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​​The Quran give us perfect and timeless guidance that if implemented will solve our health problems as a whole. The sad part about this is very few Muslims today follow this guidance.

The Guidance is related to 3 aspects about our diet: 

1. What to eat, 
2. How to eat 
3. Where to go to eat.

​

What to eat?

Allah SWT says in Surat Al Baqarah

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ كُلُوا مِمَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا

O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth: lawful ( Halal) and good ( Tayyib)

The food that we are told to eat has 2 qualities:
​
  1. Halal ( lawful/permissible)
  2. Tayyib  (good/ wholesome food)

In other words it is Halal food that is grown how Allah wants it to be grown and consumed the way Allah wants us to consume it.

For example if we look at most supermarket products, much of it is halal per se but the extra additives, flavours, colours etc  will turn the food from something that is Tayyib to that which is khabeeth - foul/disease causing.

How to eat ?

Allah SWT says in Surat Al A'raaf

كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا وَلَا تُسْرِفُوا ۚ إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ

eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.

We are told to eat and drink but not commit israaf (excessiveness). In other words not to over eat and over drink. It’s a very simple instruction but how many of us are actually doing this??? Our protruding bellies are a clear sign we are not following this command.  Over-eating will no doubt make one sick in the long run therefore limiting what one eats will go a long way in eliminating food related diseases such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, obesity etc.

Where to go to eat ?

Allah SWT says in Surat Al A'raaf

فَلْيَنظُرْ أَيُّهَا أَزْكَىٰ طَعَامًا فَلْيَأْتِكُم بِرِزْقٍ مِّنْهُ

Let him look to which is the purist of food and bring you provision from it

This was what the Youth of the Cave advised their comrade after waking up from their sleep. The verb used li yanthur is a command to investigate. If we want to search and investigate for the purist of foods we need to get educated and spend our time and efforts to find out where to get it from.
​
Fruits and vegetable that have been stored for 6 months in incubators and ripened prior to being sold is not the purist of foods.  Food that is filled with growth hormones or pesticides is not the purist of foods. Paying a bit extra can go a long way into making our food purer and beneficial rather than disease causing.

Question

Q. Is paying more to get an organic option considered Israaf ( excessiveness)? 

A. Excessiveness does not exist when trying to purchase pure and wholesome food, which is actually a command. We need to take the means to good health and rely on Allah. If we are feeding our bodies poison we would contradict the commands of the Quran to eat food that is Tayyib. Our bodies are an amaana ( trust) and we need to treat it as such.

 Wa Allahu A’lam

Nabeel Alkhalidy
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The Destruction of Israel in the Quran: Part 2

4/5/2019

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​The Children of Israeel  following the Exodus

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​Following the first promise mentioned in Part 1, Bani Israeel never actually regained complete rule over the Holy land as an independent state, as they do today. Following the Exodus, when they were saved from Firoun, Allah Most High, ordered them to fight the enemies controlling the Holy land at the time to reclaim it. They refused the order of their Prophet and leader, Musa ( peace be upon him) and as a punishment were made to roam through the land as nomads for 40 years. Throughout history their offspring did enter the Holy land and settled there, but did not rule over it with unrestricted authority, as they do today.

Bani Israeel were scattered in small communities throughout the world. Also, History indicates that were a greatly persecuted nation. There are so many instances throughout history of mass genocide of the Israelites, especially at the hands of Christians, with the last recorded affliction to befall them being the holocaust in Germany in WWII.

This was prophesied in the Quran in no uncertain terms.   

Allah Most High says:

وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكَ لَيَبْعَثَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَن يَسُومُهُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَسَرِيعُ الْعِقَابِ ۖ وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

وَقَطَّعْنَاهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ أُمَمًا مِّنْهُمُ الصَّالِحُونَ وَمِنْهُمْ دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ وَبَلَوْنَاهُم بِالْحَسَنَاتِ وَالسَّيِّئَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ

And mention when your Lord declared that He would surely continue to send upon them ( Banu Israeel) until the Day of Resurrection those who would afflict them with the worst torment. Indeed, your Lord is swift in penalty; but indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful.

And We divided them throughout the earth into communities. Of them some were righteous, and of them some were otherwise. And We tested them with good times and bad that perhaps they would return [to obedience]. 

[Surat Al-A'raf 7:167-168]
It is interesting to note that the good times mentioned in he ayah predominantly corresponded to the Jews living under Muslim rule during the Golden ages of Islam. 

As always, the Quran never places all jews in the same category: Of them some were righteous, and of them some were otherwise.

Prior to the final promise

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​Allah (SWT) says:

ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَا لَكُمُ الْكَرَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَمْدَدْنَاكُم بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ أَكْثَرَ نَفِيرًا

Then we gave you once again your turn against them. And We reinforced you with wealth and sons and made you more numerous in manpower [Surat Al-Isra 17:6]

notice the conjunction ثُمَّ which denotes a lapse in time from the first destruction of Jerusalem. How much time this denotes can only really be understood with the passing of time and seeing how events have unfolded.

History indicates that the Jews never regained complete and dominating power of the Holy land, not up until 1948. The people they defeated to get power from them were the Muslims whose ancestors ( Egyptian, Assyrians and Babylonians) were the very same nations who destroyed Jerusalem the first time, hence the statement "Then We gave back to you a return victory over them"

For a state to be powerful, it requires 2 main resources: wealth and manpower. These are used to develop buildings and infrastructure as well as to have a trained army capable of attacking and defending itself.

"..And We reinforced you with wealth"

The resource of wealth is evident ever since the establishment of the modern Jewish State. Zionist Jews control a sizeable portion of the world banking system in the world today. Israel is probably the largest recipient of financial and technical aid from the West. Along with this they have stolen most of Palestine's land and resources.

"and sons"

Human resources are also required. Notice the ayah refers to بَنِينَ i.e. sons or men of youthful age, which is needed for the building of a state and strong military. That is not to say women will not be part of such an army, but their contribution will not to significant level as the men. Hence the word "Baneen" emphasises the importance of young men.

"and made you more numerous in manpower"

The word for Manpower in the ayah is نَفِيرًا which denotes an army that is sent to attack an opposing army. So this would indicate the great military might of the new Zionist state. 

​The establishment of the Zionist state of Israel

Allah Most High says
​فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ وَرِثُوا الْكِتَابَ يَأْخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَٰذَا الْأَدْنَىٰ وَيَقُولُونَ سَيُغْفَرُ لَنَا وَإِن يَأْتِهِمْ عَرَضٌ مِّثْلُهُ يَأْخُذُوهُ ۚ أَلَمْ يُؤْخَذْ عَلَيْهِم مِّيثَاقُ الْكِتَابِ أَن لَّا يَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْحَقَّ وَدَرَسُوا مَا فِيهِ ۗ وَالدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
And there followed them successors who inherited the Scripture while taking the commodities of this lower life and saying, "It will be forgiven for us." And if an offer like it comes to them, they will take it. Was not the covenant of the Scripture taken from them that they would not say about Allah except the truth, and they studied what was in it? And the home of the Hereafter is better for those who fear Allah , so will you not use reason?

[Surat Al-A'raf 7:169]
This Ayah speaks about a generation from Bani Israeel to come after who will inherit the scripture. Yet, all they would be interested in would be the lowly matters ( related to desires and worldly benefit) and  knowing full well of their sins saying: 
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سَيُغْفَرُ لَنَا 
 "It will be forgiven for us." (us- as the chosen people).

The next part is interesting:

​وَإِن يَأْتِهِمْ عَرَضٌ مِّثْلُهُ يَأْخُذُوهُ
​
And if an offer like it comes to them, they will take it.


This is a conditional sentence which indicates when an offer is made that they will accept it. However, the acceptance of this goes completely against  the scriptures. On top of this they attribute the lie ( of its legitimacy ) to Allah Most High. 

​Acceptance and legitimization of that which was forbidden was one of the main reasons for Allah Most High sending Isa (peace be upon him).  Their Rabbis had permitted Usury and other evils and their people followed them contravening the commands of Allah and making their Rabbis as their Lords. 

Another lie that was spread was that the Holy land was jewish land and they had a God given right to it. Zionism as a movement started in the late 1800's and began to take hold until the offer and of the British to establish a jewish zionist state in Palestine. Once again, those who legitimized it went against the teachings of their scripture and lied against Allah!

The Zionist state of Israel as many orthodox Jews believe is an illegitimate state and goes against their own scripture.  This is a short presentation by a jewish Rabbi speak about the truth regarding Zionism.


The second promise

​Allah Most High says
فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الْآخِرَةِ لِيَسُوءُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَلِيَدْخُلُوا الْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَلِيُتَبِّرُوا مَا عَلَوْا تَتْبِيرً
Then when the final promise comes, [We will cause our slaves - i.e. the Muslims] to uncover the evil of your faces and they will enter the masjid , as they had entered the first time, and to destroy what had been elevated/constructed with total destruction." Surat Al Isra
As I explained earlier, the Classical Mufasireen did not have the knowledge of the future events in the Holy land.  Many of the modern day scholars of Tafsir , such as the famous Azahari Sheikh Muhammad Mutwaly Al Sha'rawy rA, have stated that the second of the promises has yet to appear and will in fact take place in the future with the destruction of Isreal.
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Isreal has spent billions of dollars trying to portray itself as a democracy that is simply defending themselves from the aggression of the Muslims. Zionist own a large amount of media stations and outlets and are spreading their propaganda night and day. This can only go so far and they are losing supporters and sympathizers day by day. There will be a time soon when their evil will be made evident to the world.

لِيَسُوءُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ

to uncover the evil of your faces

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Before re-entering the Masjid the ayah mentions the first step in the liberation of Masjid Al Aqsa and the Holy land which is a political step that involves exposing the evil of Banu Israeel (and their supporters from within the Muslim Ummah - the Qaruns of the Ummah). This would likely result in countries cutting ties with them, embargoes and/or stopping financial and military support for them. This would bring about an economic and military stagnation.  

The ayah continues

 وَلِيَدْخُلُوا الْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ

and they will enter the masjid , as they had entered the first time.
 
Here there is emphasis on Masjid Al-Aqsa as opposed to the first promise which was an utter destruction of the Holy land by non-believing armies. The ayah speaks about the Muslims being able to enter the masjid as they were previously able to do so. This would indicate a period of time of the Muslims being barred from entering the Masjid (and likely expelled). 

When was the first time?

It is unclear but history mentions numerous times in History when Muslims entered the Masjid. The first time occurred during the reign of khilafa Umar ibn Al khataab rA.   The Muslims through history did lose the holy land but this was only temporarily and not at the hands of the Children of Israel, but rather the Christians. For the majority of the Islamic Khalifat the Muslims had full control over the holy land. 

A point to note is the ayah speaks about re-entering the masjid. We know the "slaves" sent in the first promise utterly destroyed the temple. Entering on the other hand denotes a sense of achievement and honouring from Allah most High. 

There is another opinion which indicates that the same people/generation to be expelled will also return as liberators. This could indicate that the destruction of Israel could take place very soon and begin with the expulsion of the Palestinians from the Holy land.

​Wa Allahu A'lam

To be continued



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The Destruction of Israel in the Quran: Part 1

3/26/2019

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Does the Quran prophesize the state of Israel and the current conflict in the Holy land?

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One of greatest calamities to have faced the Ummah for over half a century has been the establishment of the state of Israel. A number of Modern day scholars are of the opinion that the beginning ayaat of Surat Al Isra speak of Israel and its destruction. This is based on a number of details mentioned in the Quran that if we look at history, can only be attributed to the modern state of Israel. As a starting point one needs to understand that classical scholars and commentators were missing a vital tool when interpreting ayaat referring to events, specifically those events that have yet to occur.

Allah Most High says:

سَنُرِيهِمْ آيَاتِنَا فِي الْآفَاقِ وَفِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ ۗ أَوَلَمْ يَكْفِ بِرَبِّكَ أَنَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ

We will soon show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. But is it not sufficient concerning your Lord that He is, over all things, a Witness? 
[Surat Fussilat 41:53]

It would be no surprise to understand that the political environment at the time did influence Quranic interpretation of ayaat speaking of future events. The scholars of the past did their utmost to arrive at the correct meanings and understandings of certain ayaat but in some instances interpreted them out of context because there was no other way to understand them. Telling a classical exegete that someday a small jewish state would emerge and become a superpower and oppressive state in the Holy land while Muslims were helpless to do a thing would be like telling someone today that a time will come when the US, Russia and China would stop manufacturing armaments and work for world peace and equality for all!

The main theme of Surat Al-Isra ( Surat Bani Israel)

The Surah we will be examining is Surat Al Isra, a Surah which begins by mentioning and describing The Prophet's night journey to masjid Al Aqsa as well as the great corruption caused by the Children of Israel in the Holy land, The central focus of the Surah is the importance of making Allah alone the disposer of all our affairs by following his guidance in the Quran. There is no Surah which speaks about the Quran and Al-Insaan ( refined human) more than Surat Al Isra.  Through following the divine guidance and turning to Allah we gain our humanity and when we neglect this we have the potential to reach the lowest of the low as the Children of Israel in our time. 

The final promise ( وَعْدُ الْآخِرَة) – In this world or the next ?

The term
وَعْدُ الْآخِرَة "The final promise" occurs only twice in the Quran and both instances are appropriately mentioned in Surat Al-Isra; once in the beginning and once in the end of the Surah. Based on the context, this term is used for an event that will take place in the future and that will occur in the Holy Land at Masjid Al Aqsa and the blessed land surrounding it.  

The Quran speaks of the first promise and the final promise

One will notice that the verbs used in the ayah for the first promise are all past tense verbs

بَعَثْنَا      We sent
فَجَاسُوا  They passed into
وَكَانَ وَعْدًا مَّفْعُولًا  It was a promise that came to pass
 
while the verbs used in the final promise are present tense verbs

لِيَسُوءُو     That they will
uncover the evil of your faces
لِيَدْخُلُو '     That they will enter
لِيُتَبِّرُو       That they will utterly destroy

A number of Scholars of the past understood that the ayaat related to the final promise were speaking of the future but interpreted them as ayaat speaking of the hereafter. Some understood that it was in this life, but that it had already occurred. Some consider that it refers to the opening of Jerusalem by the Caliph Umar Ibn Al khataab RA although this interpretation is quite problematic as the Children of Israel did not have control over Jerusalem at the time and were not causing widespread corruption throughout the land ( as described in the Quran). 
 
The 2 major acts of corruption

The Quran says:

وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي الْكِتَابِ لَتُفْسِدُنَّ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَلَتَعْلُنَّ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرًا

And We conveyed to the Children of Israel in the Scripture that you will surely cause corruption on the earth twice, and you will surely reach [a degree of] great haughtiness. [Surat Al Isra 17:4]

A few things to note about his ayah.

1. The corruption stated here is not corruption on an individual or group scale which occurs all the time. Since the word "twice" was used, it is speaking about the corruption of the Children of Israel as a nation.

2. The corruption occurs in Al A'rd i.e. the land. It's not corruption specific to a particular area. Some commentators have stated that "The land" is the "Holy land" but Allah SWT does not qualify which land it is. What is understood from the actual wording is that the corruption will be throughout the land, and would be significant enough to warrant a punishment from Allah (SWT).

3. The ayah indicates that the influence and power made the Children of Israel reach a great level of haughtiness. In  fact the Quran used 4 levels of emphasis to capture their internal state:

وَلَتَعْلُنَّ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرًا

you will surely reach [a degree of] great haughtiness. [Surat Al Isra 17:4]

These 4 levels of emphasis are:
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1. Lam of emphasis
2. Noon of emphasis
3. Maf'oolun Mutlaq ( Absolute Object)
4. Describing it with the word Kabeer ( Great).

Even Firoun's haughtiness was not described to the same extent.

The Quran says regarding Firoun

وَإِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ لَعَالٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَإِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الْمُسْرِفِينَ

And indeed, Firoun was haughty within the land, and indeed, he was of the transgressors [Surat Yunus 10:83]

Note: Although double emphasis is used in the ayah, the emphasis is on "Firoun being haughty in the land" as opposed to the ayah speaking about the Children of Israel which doesn't emphasise the fact that they will become haughty but rather it emphasises ( 4 times) the great degree of haughtiness they will reach.

The first promise

Allah says:

إِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ أُولَاهُمَا بَعَثْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ عِبَادًا لَّنَا أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ فَجَاسُوا خِلَالَ الدِّيَارِ ۚ وَكَانَ وَعْدًا مَّفْعُولًا

"When the first of the promises came to pass, We sent against you Our servants given to terrible warfare: They penetrated the very innermost parts of your homes; and it was a promise (completely) fulfilled."
[Surat Al Isra 17:5]

One should note that this prophecy is also found in the Jewish Bible. The corruption of the Israelites began following the death of King Suleiman AS in approx 935 BC. The Children of Israel began to decay spiritually and corruption became widespread. Whenever the scale of corruption increased so did the intensity of the enemies sent by Allah. There were constant conflicts and skirmishes until the Northern kingdom was destroyed by the Assyrians completely in the year 722 BC. Following the invasion, most of the Jewish tribes were either killed or taken as slaves. The skirmishes and attacks continued against the Southern Kingdom until it was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. This marked the end of the last independent kingdom of the Israelites. The Israelites never regained power over the holy land until 1948 with the formation of the zionist jewish state. This is why we find many contemporary scholars maintain that the second of the promises refers specifically to the destruction of the state of Israel.

In describing these attacking armies, the Quran uses the term that is not found anywhere in the Quran


عِبَادًا لَّنَا
Servants of Ours [Surat Al Isra 17:5]

The term that is usually used in the Quran is عِبَادَنَا Our servants 

What is the grammatical significance of this usage

If I said for example

ابني عَاقِلٌ

My son is intelligent. Here the emphasis is on my son since there is ascription ( Idhafa) of him being my son. There is also a sense of pride on the part of the one saying this.

but if I said

ابنٌ لي عَاقِلٌ

A son of mine is intelligent. In this example the son is not defined therefore there is emphasis on intelligence with no mention of which of my sons it is.

So the term used in the ayah is indefinite and does not define a specific group or army. Also unlike the later term, there is no honoring but rather there is emphasis on the quality that is associated with the servants i.e.

أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ

those of great military might.
[Surat Al Isra 17:5]

Why then is not the word for Army ( جُنُود or جَيش ) used to describe them?

Because there is also another rhetorical aspect to this. Using this title (عِبَادًا servants) which is reserved for believers and using it for an invading army who were not believers shows:

1. How far the Israelites had strayed from Allah Most high and to add insult to injury, their enemies are described with a title that they should have been called.

2.The invading armies were, by the permission of Allah SWT, used as a divine punishment for a people who had turned away from Allah SWT!

This promise was fulfilled prior to the revelation of the Quran being sent as stated in the ayah

وَكَانَ وَعْدًا مَّفْعُولًا  
and it was a promise (completely) fulfilled 
[Surat Al Isra 17:5]
 
To be continued

By Nabeel Alkhalidy

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Q. Is every jaarr wa majrur and tharf a Sibhu Jumla?

2/19/2019

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A. It is important to note that not every jaarr wa majrur or tharf construction can be classified as a shibhu jumlah. It is only when the muta'allaq ( that which the jaarr wa majrur or tharf is connected to) is dropped, out of necessity.
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e.g.    زيدٌ ​اسْتَقَرَّ أمَامَ البَيت    or    زيدٌ مَوجُودٌ في الدَّار

Here the words in red are the muta'allaqs to which a jaarr wa majrur (or tharf) must necessarily be connected to. The muta'allaq has been written above but is dropped because to mention the muta'allaq would be redundant.

The actual sentences should read:

e.g.  زيدٌ ​أمَامَ البَيت    and  زيدٌ في الدَّار

In the case when the muta'allaq is mentioned (whether necessarily or optionally) the jaarr wa majrur and tharf are not technically called the shibhu jumlah 


e.g.        زيدٌ ذَاهِبٌ إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ 

Here the muta'allaq ذَاهِبٌ (highlighted in red) - to which the jaarr wa majrur إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ is connected - must be mentioned in the sentence and cannot be done without otherwise the sentence won't make sense. So you can't just drop ذَاهِبٌ and say زَيْدٌ إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ because this won't make sense unlike the first 2 sentences above.

So the main difference between when and when not to consider a jaarr wa majrur or tharf as a shibhu jumlah has to do with whether or not the muta'allaq is necessarily dropped. If the muta'allaq is necessarily dropped as in زيدٌ مَوجُودٌ في الدَّار , then the jaarr wa majrur or tharf is a shibh jumlah. If the muta'allaq is not dropped as in زَيْدٌ ذَاهِبٌ إِلَى الْمَدْرَسَةِ then the jaarr wa majrur or tharf is not a shibh jumlah.

It should be noted that there are some people who consider any jaarr wa majrur or tharf construction as a shibhu jumlah. This however is not technically correct. A Shibhu jumlah is a specific kind of jaarr wa majrur or tharf construction - the kind in which the muta'allaq must be dropped out of necessity.
 
The following are the places in which the shibh jumlah are often encountered:


(1) position of khabar  e.g.      زيدٌ اسْتَقَرَّ في الدَّارِ 

(2) position of haal  e.g.        رَأَيْتُ زَيْدًا يَسْتَقِرَُّ فِي دَارِهِ

(3) position of sifah  e.g.       رَأَيْتُ رَجُلاً يَسْتَقِرَُّ فِي دَارِهِ 

(4) position of silatul mowsul  e.g. رَأَيْتُ الرَّجُلَ الَّذِيْ يَسْتَقِرَُّ فِي الدَّار 

Now, in each of these cases the jaarr wa majrur في الدَّار or فِي دَارِهِ is a shibhu jumlah, and can be said to be the khabar, haal, sifah, or silah mawsul in place of the muta'allaq that has been dropped. Alternatively, one can still consider the dropped muta'allaq to be the khabar, haal, sifah, or silah mawsul, and the jaarr wa majrur (muta'alliq) connected  to it. You will find both these alternatives being used when doing i'raab or tarkib of sentences.

By Nabeel Alkhalidy
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Genocide and Retribution

2/19/2019

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The Quran mentions the greatest human genocide in human civilisation that has and will occur until the day of judgement.
 
Allah, Mighty and Wise says:
 
وَإِذَا الْمَوْءُودَةُ سُئِلَتْ بِأَيِّ ذَنبٍ قُتِلَتْ
 
And when الْمَوْءُودَة (the mow'ooda) is asked , for what wrongdoing was she killed? [Surat Al-Takweer 81:8-9]

 
The word الْمَوْءُودَةُ  has been traditionally translated by the commentators of Quranic exegesis as the new born female who is buried alive. So the ayaat are speaking about female victims of infanticide being asked about this heinous crime on the day of Judgement. 

The context of the ayaat
 
What you notice about the beginning of Surat Al-Takweer is that it speaks of universal phenomena that transcends beyond Arabia. It speaks of the sun losing its light, the stars being dispersed, the mountains moving, close relations being nullified,  wild animals being gathered, the sea filled with flames, etc . All these descriptions are in total opposition to their nature which we onserve in this world.  

A universal understanding of the word الْمَوْءُودَة 
 
The word الْمَوْءُودَةُ is from the verb وأد which means to bury or cover over. The word 
الْمَوْءُودَةُ is feminine and a passive participle and is commonly translated as the female newborn that is buried and covered over.
 
Another way to look at الْمَوْءُودَةُ is to consider it an adjective (sifah) of an omitted mowsoof - the word being described.
 
As an example of this we have in the Quran the word الصَّالِحَات which is usually translated as good/ righteous actions, however the word for actions has been omitted and only the adjective remains. Without the omission the construction would be 
الأعْمَال الصَّالِحَات - righteous actions
 
We see that the ayah prior to mentioning الْمَوْءُودَةُ  speaks of the souls 
النُّفُوس 
 
وَإِذَا النُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتْ
 

And when the souls are paired up [Surat Al-Takweer 81:7]

 
This ayah speaks of:


1. reuniting the soul with the body at the time of resurrection, and
2. The souls being paired up with their good/bad deeds.

Both interpretations have been given by the classical scholars of the Quran


So in this interpretation الْمَوْءُودَةُ is describing النُّفُوسُ. So we are talking about النُّفُوسُ الْمَوْءُودَةُ i.e the souls on the day of judgement who are the most helpless and most vulnerable. It is these souls ( both males and females) who have been murdered in cold blood leaving no trace or evidence that a crime has been committed.

Note: The greater plural is used in the ayah in contrast to the other plural الأَنْفُس - which is the lesser plural. The greater plural would indicate a larger number of souls than the lesser plural.  For more information on plurals in Arabic view our course:

PLQ: Plurals in the Quran

The greatest genocide in human history

One can only speculate how many such souls have been murdered in cold blood, killed by parents or caretakers, killed to cover unwanted pregnancies and crimes, killed because of being a financial burden, disabled, killed in anger, drugs, neglected by parents, war, famine and the list goes on and on and on. And every day the numbers keep increasing!!! 
 

Justice for the most vulnerable

The first act of justice the Quran mentioned on the day of judgment will be the empowerment of the weakest and most helpless victims of genocide in this life. The murderers will not be questioned, but rather the helpless victim will be asked: what sin had they committed to deserve this? These pure innocent souls, who had no say in this life, will reply and this would begin proceedings in the  court of Allah, The Most Wise and Majestic. 

Wa Allahu A'lam 

By Nabeel Alkhalidy
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The richness of the Arabic Language

1/28/2019

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Dr Fadl Salih Al-Samarai a famous Arabic Grammarian in the Arab world compared the Arabic language to a highly sophisticated, state of the art computer alongside the English language (or any other language) which he compared to an obsolete and outdated computer. This might sound a bit biased considering he is an Arab, a Muslim and a famous Arabic Grammarian on Arab TV, however he has very good reason to make this comparison once we examine the Arabic language in a bit more detail. 

Before we can understand this comparison we need to understand the difference between a declining language like Arabic and a non-declining language like the English language.

Let's take the following 3 simple sentences in both Arabic and English:

1. Khalid came

جَاءَ خَالِدٌ

2. I saw Khalid

رَأَيْتُ خَالِداً

3. I went with khalid

ذَهَبْتُ مَعَ خَالِدٍ

In all 3 sentences Khalid is written the same way in English regardless of what role it plays in the sentence. On the other hand you will notice the ending of the word Khalid in Arabic (خَالِد) changes depending on its role in the sentence (Khalid(un), Khalid(an) and Khalid(in) respectively). In the first sentence he is the doer of the action, in the second he is the object and in the third Khalid is followed by the word مَعَ (with). Most nouns and verbs in Arabic decline depending on their role in the sentence. 

Declension, as Dr Fadl explains gives the Arabic language an added dimension of being able to communicate what one wants to say in the most precise way possible that English and other non declining languages are incapable of doing. 

Comparison of one simple sentence

Let us take a simple sentence in English and translate it to Arabic

Muhammad gave Khalid a book 


أَعْطَى مُحَمَّدٌ خَالِداً كِتَاباً

In English we are limited to the proper sentence structure which needs to be adhered to. If we were to rearrange the same words of the sentence in random order as follows:

gave a Muhammad Khalid book 

It would make absolutely no sense. Also if we wanted to say the same sentence in another way we would need to bring in a new word or change a word with one of its synonyms.

On the other hand, In Arabic we can use the same words (with the exact same function in the sentence) and rearrange them in 10 different ways:


أَعْطَى مُحَمَّدٌ خَالِداً كِتَاباً

مُحَمَّدٌ أَعْطَى خَالِداً كِتَاباً


خَالِداً أَعْطَى مُحَمَّدٌ كِتَاباً

كِتَاباً أَعْطَى مُحَمَّدٌ خَالِداً


كِتَاباً خَالِداً أَعْطَى مُحَمَّدٌ

كِتَاباً خَالِداً مُحَمَّدٌ أَعْطَى

أَعْطَى خَالِداً كِتَاباً مُحَمَّدٌ

أَعْطَى خَالِداً مُحَمَّدٌ كِتَاباً

أَعْطَى كِتَاباً مُحَمَّدٌ خَالِداً 

أَعْطَى كِتَاباً خَالِداً مُحَمَّدٌ

In all 10 sentences the same words are used with each word having the same function in the sentence. Each of the 10 sentences can be translated back into English as "Muhammad gave Khalid a book"

Now the question will arise what is the point. Would this not make the other 9 forms redundant since they all have the same meaning. Actually they all have the same general meaning with a subtle difference in each based on the positioning of the words.

Let's take some examples:

أَعْطَى مُحَمَّدٌ خَالِداً 
كِتَاباًً

This is said to one who did not know anything of the event (i.e. Muhammad giving Khalid a book) prior to hearing it. In other words, this is completely new information for the person hearing it.

*******************************************************

مُحَمَّدٌ أَعْطَى 
خَالِداً كِتَاباً

One is aware that Khalid received a book but is unaware of the person who gave it to him. So one would ask "Who gave Khalid the book?" and this would be the response.

*******************************************************

كِتَاباً أَعْطَى مُحَمَّدٌ خَالِداً
 

One is aware that Khalid received something from Muhammad but is unaware of what he gave. So one would ask "What did Muhammad give Khalid?" and this would be the response.

*******************************************************

كِتَاباً 
خَالِداً ً أَعْطَى مُحَمَّدٌ

One is aware that Muhammad gave something to someone but is unaware of what was given and to whom it was given to. So one would ask "What did Muhammad give and to whom it he give it to?" and this would be the response.

And so on…….

This is one example of how English seems quite powerless when compared with the Arabic language. 

The Miracle of the Qur'an

Dr Fadl has written many books on the linguistic miracle of the Qur'an and I will try to share some of what he says. Much of his work is taken from Islamic scholars and grammarians of the past although he has added a substantial amount of his own insights.

One aspect of the miraculous nature of the Qur'anic language lies in the precision of its words. As Imam al-Suyuti said in al-Itqan fi Uloom al-Qur'an,

"It is possible to convey a single meaning with a variety of words, some more expressive than others. Likewise for the two parts – subject and predicate – of a sentence; each may be expressed in the most eloquent manner when taken alongside the other. Therefore, it is necessary [in good composition] to consider the overall meaning of a sentence, then to consider every single word that may be used to convey that meaning, and then to use the most appropriate, expressive and eloquent of those words. This is impossible for man to do consistently, or even most of the time, but it is well within the Knowledge of Allah [whose knowledge is boundless], and thus the Qur'an was considered the best and most eloquent of all speech…"

We have courses available that deal with this aspect of Rhetoric related to sentence structures and the associated meanings associated with changing word positions. This is part of a big topic in Balagha (Rhetoric) known as I'lm Al-Ma'aani ( the science related to meanings).

​
​by Nabeel Alkhalidy
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    Nabeel Alkhalidy

    Head teacher of the Sibaway Institute.

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