The Challenge of the Holy Qur'an

The Challenge of the Holy Qur'an

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful;

All praise and thanks are due to Allah,  May Allah blessings and peace be upon His Messenger.

 The Qur'an's linguistic style makes it unique and imitable which made impossible for the human power trying to achieve such a miracle. This is called in Arabic as the "i'jaz” which the Qur'an issues a challenge to all of mankind that they could not imitate it, as it is a divine source. A blind faith is unacceptable and the challenge would results in the definite conclusion that the Qur'an is from Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala. As for confirming that the Qur'an is revealed by Allah, it is well known that the Qur'an is in Arabic and was conveyed by the Messenger (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam). Thus it is either from the Arabs, Non-Arabs, Muhammad or Allah (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam). It is not possible that the Qur'an came from any source other than these sources. Let us examine these sources in turn. 

1. It is not from the Arabs: It was because the Qur'an challenged them to bring any similar book:

"Say: Then bring ten surahs like unto it" [Surah Hud, 11:13]. If not then: "Say: Then bring one surah like unto it" [Surah Yunus, 10:38]

The Arab Quraish tried to meet the challenge but failed, hence this book is not their speech. Hearing the recitation of the Qur'an, the Arabs would rush, captivated by its dignity, deep insight, perfect arrangement, coherence and eloquence, so much so that Walid Ibn Al-Mughirah said after hearing the Qur'an: 'By God: None of you is more conversant than me with poetry, melodious hymns, and songs, and by God never did I hear anything similar to what it says. It is so sweet and so graceful that it remains at the summit with nothing to surpass it!'

2. It is not from Muhammad (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam): It was because Prophet Muhammad (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam), the Arab. is one of the Arabs, and whatever his height of genius he must remain one of the human beings, and one of the community and nation. As the Arabs had themselves failed to bring the like of the Qur'an, this also applies to Muhammad 

Furthermore Prophet Muhammad (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) has left authentic (sahih) and absolutely authentic (mutawatir) traditions whose authenticity is beyond approach. If these traditions are compared with any verse of the Qur'an there is no similarity between them in style, even though the Messenger (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) would say the hadith at the same time with difference in style between them. In spite of the fact that whenever anyone attempts to disguise his speech it will remain, nevertheless, similar in style, because style is part of himself. The Qur'an is definitely not Muhammad's speech and it is clear difference between it and Muhammad's speech.

3. Non-Arabs: An allegation was made against Muhammad (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) that he had brought the Qur'an from a Christian youth called Jabir. As a Result Allah s.w.t revealed:

"We know indeed that they say: It is a man that teaches him. The Tongue of him they wickedly point to is notably foreign, while this is Arabic pure and clear." [Al-Nahl, 16:103]

The Qur'an is therefore definitely from Allah s.w.t and accordingly a Miracle for the one who brought it.

"Lo, We, even we, reveal the reminder, and lo, we verily are its Guardian.” [Al-Hijr, 15:9]

The Qur'an is the meaning denoting Word that was revealed to the Messenger (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) Meanings alone do not constitute the Qur'an. And the word alone may not be without meaning because the word was originally written to denote a specific meaning. That is why Allah s.w.t. described the Qur'an through describing its word. It is an Arabic Qur'an.

The language is the description of the word Qur'an but not of its meanings, because these meanings are to humanity not to Arabs alone. Translating some of its meaning into another language cannot be the Qur'an. It is imperative that the word be Arabic. It is the Miracle of the Messenger (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam). It is not only a miracle for Arabs but to the whole human race for all times. 

"And We have not sent thee (O Muhammad) save as a bringer of good tidings and a Warner unto all mankind, but most of mankind know not." [Saba, 34:28]

This covers the whole human race, for the verses of challenge are universal:

"Say if the whole of mankind and Jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support." [Al-Isrā’, 17:88]

[Excerpted with modification from Islam Web Published on 14/08/2002]

The Challenge of Al-Quran

The Challenge of Al-Quran

By Dr. Bilal Philips

Description: The Qur’anic challenge to produce a work similar to it, and the inability of its contemporaries to meet it.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful;

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and May Allah blessings and peace be upon His Messenger.

The Qur’an is not only unique in the way in which it presents its subject matter, but it is also unique in that it is a miracle itself. By the term “miracle,” we mean the performance of a supernatural or extraordinary event which cannot be duplicated by humans. It has been documented that Prophet Muhammad (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) , challenged the Arabs to produce a literary work of a similar caliber as the Qur’an, but they were unable to do so in spite of their well-known eloquence and literary powers.

The challenge to reproduce the Qur’an was presented to the Arabs and mankind in three stages:

l. The Whole Qur’an: In the Qur’an, God commanded the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) to challenge all of creation to create a book of the stature of the Qur’an:

“Say: ‘If all mankind and the jinn would come together to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce it like even though they exerted all and their strength in aiding one another.’” [Surah Al-Israa’, 17:88]

2. Ten Chapters: Allah made the challenge ostensibly easier by asking those who denied its divine origin to imitate even ten chapters of the Qur’an:

“Or do they say that he has invented it? Say (to them), ‘Bring ten invented chapters like it, and call for help) on whomever you can besides God, if you are truthful.” [Surah Hud, 11:13]

3. One Chapter: This final challenge was to produce even a single chapter to match what is in the Qur’an, whose shortest chapter, Al-Kawthar, consists of only three verses:

“And if you all are in doubt about what I have revealed to My servant, bring a single chapter like it, and call your witnesses besides God if you are truthful.” [Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:23]

These challenges were not just empty words with no one caring to prove them wrong. Prophet Muhammad’s call to monotheism, to the abolition of idolatry in all its forms, and to the equality of slaves and their masters threatened the whole socio-economic framework of Makkah society in general, and the position of the ruling Quraishi tribe from which the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) came in particular.

Makkah, the trading center of Arabia, as well as its spiritual center, desperately wanted to stop the spread of Islam. Yet all that the Prophet’s opponents had to do to crush the movement was to make up a single chapter like any one of those which the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) and his followers were reciting to the people.

A number of Quraishi orators and poets tried to imitate the Qur’an, but they failed. They then resorted to offering him vast amounts of wealth, the position of king over them, and the most noble and beautiful of their women in exchange for his promise to stop inviting people to Islam.

He responded to them by reciting the first thirteen verses of Chapter Fussilat, until they asked him to stop. [Al-Hakim, Al-Baihaqi, Abu Ya’la and Ibn Hisham – classified as hasan by Ibrahim Al-’Ali in Sahih As-Sirah An-Nabawiyah, p.64.]

The Quraish also resorted to torturing their slaves and relatives who had embraced Islam in a vain attempt to cause them to revert to paganism. Later they organized an economic boycott against the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) , his followers and the members of his clan, Banu Hashim, in an attempt to starve them into submission. But even this plan eventually failed.

Finally, they plotted to kill him in his home by sending armed young men from each of the clans of Quraish in order that the guilt of his murder be shared by all the clans, making revenge by the Prophet’s clan impossible.

However, God enabled the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) and his followers to flee Makkah and join a new band of converts who had arisen among the tribes of a city to the north called Yathrib.

Islam spread rapidly through the clans of Yathrib, and within a year Muslims became the city’s majority. Prophet Muhammad (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) was then made the ruler, and the name of the city was changed to Medinah An-Nabi (The City of the Prophet), which was then shortened to “Medinah.”

Over the next eight years, the clans of Makkah and its neighboring lands mounted a series of unsuccessful battle campaigns against the emerging Muslim state in Medinah, which ended with the Muslim invasion of Makkah itself.

All of this bloodshed could have been avoided if only the Quraish and their allies had been able to produce a mere three lines of poetry or flowing prose similar to the shortest chapter of the Qur’an. Hence, there can be no doubt about the inimitability of the Qur’an’s literary style, about the miracle of its rhyme and the marvel of its rhythm.

It has been suggested that the inimitability of the Qur’an is not necessarily unique, for great English poets like Shakespeare, Chaucer, or great poets in any language tend to have distinctly unique styles which set them apart from their contemporaries.

However, if, for example, some leading poet of today were to make an in-depth study of Shakespeare’s writings and write a sonnet in Shakespeare’s style in old ink and on old paper, then claim that he had discovered a lost poem of Shakespeare’s, the literary world would probably accept this claim, even after careful study. Thus, even the greatest of poets could be imitated; no matter how unique his style was, just as the famous painters have been imitated. [In fact, some English scholars consider much of what has been attributed to Shakespeare to have been written by his contemporary, Christopher Marlowe.]

The Qur’an, however, is way above this level, as attempts to forge chapters have been made throughout the ages, yet none has withstood close scrutiny. And, as was mentioned before, the incentive to imitate the Qur’an was more intense during the time of its revelation when literally skills were at their peak than at any other time, yet there was no successful attempt.

[Excerpted from Islamreligion.com published on 05 Nov 2007.]

The Challenge of Al-Qur'an to Mankind

The Linguistic Power and Inimitability of the Qur'an

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful;

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and May Allah blessings and peace be upon His Messenger.

Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala laid down a challenge in the Qur'an to mankind in general and to the Arabs in particular:

"And if you are in doubt concerning that which we have sent down to our slave (Muhammad) then produce a chapter like it, and call your supporters and helpers besides Allah, if you are truthful!" [Al-Baqarah, 2:23]

The Arabs in the time of Muhammad (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) had no civilization to speak of but there was one thing in which they excelled - that was their language. They were extremely found of poetry, and prided themselves in their poetic abilities. They praised each other, admonished - and even argued - in poetry. At that time, the Arabs were at the peak of their linguistic abilities.

Indeed, one of the finest poems ever written in Arabic was that of Labaid ibn Rabiyah, whose poem caused the Arabs to prostrate before him in admiration. When this same Labaid began to hear the verses of Qur'an, he embraced Islam, and gave up poetry. When he was once asked to recite some poetry he said: "What! After the Qur'an?" Indeed, many of the Arabs entered into Islam just from hearing the Qur'an, because for them it was a conclusive proof of its Divine origin. They knew that no man could produce such eloquence.

The Qur'an differentiated itself in its very structure. Poetry in Arabic falls into sixteen different "Bihar" (rhythmic forms) and other than that they have the speech of soothsayers, rhyming prose, and normal speech. The Qur'an's form did not fit into any of these categories. It was this that made the Qur'an inimitable, and left the pagan Arabs at a loss as to how they might combat it.

Alqamah bin Abdul Manaf confirmed this when he addressed their leaders, the Quraish: "Oh Quraish, a new calamity has befallen you. When Muhammad  was a young man, he was the most liked among you, the most truthful in speech and the most trustworthy, until, when you saw grey hairs on his temple, he brought you his message. You said that he was a sorcerer, but he is not, for we have seen such people and their spitting and their knots. You said that he was a diviner, but we have seen such people and their behavior, and we have heard their rhymes; you said a soothsayer, but he is not a soothsayer, for we have heard their rhymes; and you said a poet, but he is not a poet, for we have heard all kinds of poetry. You said he was possessed, but he is not, for we have seen the possessed, and he shows no signs of their gasping and whispering and delirium. Oh men of Quraish, look to your affairs, for by Allah a serious thing has befallen you."

The Quraish decided that the only convincing propaganda they could make against the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) was that the magic of his speech turned a man away from his father, wife, brother and family. So Abu Lahab would wait on the road ways into Makkah in the Hajj season, and warn the people from listening to the Prophet's speech.

The Seerah (The Prophetic biography) of Ibn Ishaq reports one incident when Abu Sufyan, Abu Jahal and Al-Akhnas snuck out of their houses at night to listen to the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) reciting the Qur'an - hiding in their places until dawn. On the way home, they met and reproached one another, saying: "Don't do it again, for if one of the weak minded fools sees you, you will arouse suspicion in their minds." This happened three nights in a row, until they took from each other a solemn oath not to do it again.

Utbah bin Rabi’ah, a chief of Quraish, during one of their meetings in which they discussed possible means to stop the Prophet's preaching, suggested to make some proposals to the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) and "give him whatever he wants, so he will leave us in peace."

Their leaders agreed, so Utbah went and sat by the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) and said: "Oh my nephew, you are one of us as you know, of the noblest of the tribe and hold a worthy position in ancestry. You have come to your people with an important matter, dividing their community thereby and ridiculing their customs, and you have insulted their gods and their religion, and declared that their forefathers were unbelievers, so listen to me and I will make some suggestions, and perhaps you will be able to accept one of them."

The Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) agreed, and Utbah went on to say: "If what you want is money, we will make you our chief so that no one can decide anything apart from you; if you want sovereignty, we will make you king, and if this ghost which comes to you, which you see, is such that you cannot get rid of him, we will find a physician for you, and exhaust our means in getting you cured, for often a familiar spirit gets possession of a man until he can be cured of it."

The Prophet(sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) listened patiently, and then said: "Now listen to me." The Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) then recited from the beginning of Surah Fussilat, Surah 41 until the verse of prostration, were the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) prostrated, and all the while Utbah listened attentively, leaning on his hands.

The Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) then said: "You have heard what you have heard, Abu Waleed; the rest remains with you."

When Utbah returned to his companions they noticed that his expression completely altered, and they asked him what had happened. He said that he had heard words that he had never heard before, which were neither poetry, nor witchcraft. "Take my advice and do as I do, leave this man entirely alone for, by God, the words which I have heard will be blazed abroad. If the other Arabs kill him, others will have rid you of him; if he gets the better of the Arabs, his sovereignty will be your sovereignty, his power your power, and you will be prosperous through him."

They said: 'He has bewitched you with his tongue". To which he answered: "You have my opinion, you must do what you think fit."

Such was the power of the Qur'an that Umar ibn Al-Khattab, who was on his way to kill the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) , discovered his sister and her husband reciting the Qur'an. Upon reading twenty verses of Surah Ta-Ha, instead went to the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) and embraced Islam. So how is it possible for an un-lettered and un-learned man, not versed in poetry, to be able to produce a work of the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) unrivalled eloquence and perfect rhetoric, so that even the assembled experts and masters of all the forms of poetry and the Arabic language were unable to produce the like of its smallest chapter?

If we examine analytically the claim of anyone to prophethood then there are three possibilities concerning such a claim. The first possibility is that the individual is a liar. The second possibility is that the individual sincerely believes he or she is receiving revelation, but is only suffering some form of delusion, and the third is that the individual really is receiving revelation, and is speaking the truth. It is interesting to mention some of the arguments raised by the Christian and secularist Orientalists against Prophet Muhammad (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) because taken as a whole they offer a conclusive proof in his favour.

One school of thought has suggested, in essence, that Prophet Muhammad (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) was a liar and a fabricator; that he learnt from various rabbis and Christian priests, and during his various retreats to the Mountain of Light, composed the Qur'an. Some have tried to soften these accusations by claiming that he was motivated by a sincere desire to reform his people, and so invented Islam to achieve this.

Others accuse him of more worldly interests and cite the large number of wives as a proof of this. This approach has been rejected altogether by the second school, who upon observing the evidence of  Prophet Muhammad's (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) character which places him far above lying and deceit, and the reality of his life style which was a paragon of simplicity and even poverty. Having found no substantiating proof that he had rabbis or priests as teachers, and the complete acceptance of his claim by his close family and wives, to whom any duplicity would inevitably have been exposed, have claimed that he was totally sincere in his claim to prophethood, and that he truly believed that he was a Prophet receiving revelation.

They, also unable to accept the possibility that Muhammad (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) truly was a Prophet, attempt various psycho-analytical explanations, such as the Qur'an being a voice of the subconscious, or the revelation being bought on by trances induced by epileptic fits. The basic claim being that Muhammad (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) was deluded. We will not attempt to refute these accusations in detail here. The cursory examination of the opposing positions will suffice. What makes this a conclusive proof in Muhammad's favour is that he could not be a calculating liar and be deluded at the same time. A man who sincerely believes that he is a Prophet does not sit down thinking and planning what he will say the next day, because he believes that God is going to reveal it to him!

Yet the opponents of Islam need both to explain the phenomena of Prophet Muhammad (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) . He needs to be a cunning and calculating deceiver in order to explain the information and linguistic inimitability of the Qur'an, yet he needs to be deluded in order to explain his obvious sincerity. If one takes these two bodies of information together, the only way to reconcile them is the third possibility, that he was indeed what he claimed to be - the Messenger of Allah.

Indeed, the Quraish found it very hard to produce a convincing argument against  The Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) . They knew that  the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) was unable to produce the likes of the Qur'an, either in its eloquence, or in the knowledge it contained. They were also familiar with his character and personality, and admitted that he had been the best, most trusted and well liked amongst them. Even Abu Lahab, the Prophet's (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) persistent enemy, said: "We don't call you a liar, Muhammad, we just don't believe in what you have brought."

In reality, Abu Lahab's motivation for refusing to accept Prophet Muhammad (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) was tribal rivalry. When the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) first received revelation to call his people openly to Islam, he went to the top of Mount Safa' and called all the tribes of Makkah, until they had all gathered or sent a representative. He said to them: "Oh my people, if I was to tell you there was a band of horsemen about to attack from behind this hill, would you believe me?" They all replied: "Yes! Why should we not believe you, we never heard anything but truth from you!" So the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) said: "I have come to warn you of a terrible chastisement from your Lord."

So, Prophet Muhammad's (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) people testified to his truthfulness, and that they had never heard lies from him. And as Hercules, the Byzantine Roman Emperor, said, when questioning Abu Sufyan about the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) : "If he does not lie about men, then he would not lie about Allah!"

[Excerpted from Islam Web published on 26 January2004]

Al-Qur’an Clarifies a Diverse Of Concepts.

The Qur’an is the word of Allah which was revealed to His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to be the Final of the Heavenly Books, as the source for the Last Religion and guidance for mankind to bring mankind forth from darkness into light. Allah says:

“It is He Who sends down manifest Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) to His slave (Muhammad) that He may bring you out from darkness into light [Al-Hadid, 57:9]

Its revelation was a turning point for humanity; it was the power that changed the world, shifted the flow of history, saved and reformed humanity, so much so that the entire existence appeared as if it had been recreated anew.

The Qur’an is the strongest the proof of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w prophethood and trustworthiness and Allah's greatest sign. It is Allah Says:

“They (unbelievers) want to extinguish Allah’s light with their mouths. But Allah will perfect His light, even though the unbelievers may detest it. It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth, so that he may exalt it over all religions, much as the pagans may dislike it.” [As-Saff, 61:8-9]

The Qur’an provides guidance that mankind needs to achieve freedom, happiness and success, now and the Hereafter.

The role of shaping the Muslim personality. The treasures of the Qur’an are hidden and buried as far as many Muslims are concerned, as they have not yet discovered these precious treasures that Allah has placed in it.

Besides the fact that a Muslim is rewarded for reciting the Qur’an and applying its rulings, it is also the case that the Qur’an explains and clarifies the correct way to understand many concepts that people have misperceived or misinterpreted. For example, it expounds upon the reality of the concept of loyalty and disavowal, the concept of worship, the concept of the conflict between the truth and falsehood, and many other concepts which all Muslims must correctly understand and realise.

The great treasures in the Qur’an. Some people seek to attain the reward of reciting the Qur’an, others memorise its verses in order to attain the reward of such memorisation, while others recite it to taste the sweetness that the soul feels during this. There are others who recite it in order to search for the lofty manners it calls the people to possess, and yet others who recite the Qur’an in order to find therein solutions to their social or economic problems.

These are all important matters and one must seek to attain all the above mentioned goals and many more, but what is more important than that is for one to recite it in order to extract the great principles that mould the individual’s character and aid in correctly nurturing him. Many people recite the Qur’an hastily, or pass over its verses quickly without pondering over their meaning.

The Qur’an is of great importance due to many more reasons than those we mentioned above, and which the Muslims must realise and have clear in their minds. I will try to highlight some of these concepts that are instilled in the Qur’an, so that perhaps we may realise the importance of pondering upon the Qur’an.

The concept of worship and seeking assistance.

If one ponders over the saying of Allah: “It is You we worship and You we ask for assistance.” [Al-Fatihah, 1: 5] He will realise that it means that worship and seeking assistance are exclusively for Allah, and this is the real essence of servitude to Allah. One must wonder when he recites this verse, which we do more than seventeen times daily, why worship is designated solely to Allah, and likewise seeking assistance. This concept must be clear in our minds: that only Allah is to be worshipped; not wealth, not position, not other people, not man-made laws, or anything else. We must submit our wills solely to Allah and humble ourselves only to Him. Also, we must seek only His assistance as a sign of perfect servitude because regardless of how powerful human forces are, they remain very limited, while the power of Allah is ultimate and unlimited as He is the All-Powerful and the Irresistible.

The concept of abiding by the commands of Allah and hastening to fulfil them.

The Qur’an emphasizes on the great importance and the compulsion of adhering to the commands of Allah and not transgressing or disobeying His command. The Jews were commanded by Allah to prostrate, as Allah Says: “…And enter the gate bowing humbly…” [Al-Baqarah, 2: 58] What did they do instead of adhering to this command? They entered on their buttocks and therefore opposed the command of Allah. Therefore, anyone who tries to alter the commands of Allah and applies what his desires are dictating to him resembles these people.

Furthermore, one must hasten in fulfilling the commands of Allah and not act like the Jews did when Allah commanded them to slaughter a cow; they kept asking for finer details regarding the type of cow to slaughter while slaughtering any cow would have done. Many Muslims follow in the footsteps of these deviants by inventing obstacles that would cause them to not fulfil certain commands that do not happen to coincide with their desires and this is nothing but following the whispers of Satan.

The concept of being distinct in worship.

Muslims must be distinct and not resemble the disbelievers in any of their acts of worship or religious rites. In the early stages of Islam, the Muslims would direct themselves towards Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem in prayer, but they were later commanded to direct themselves towards the Ka’bah in Makkah in order to differ from the disbelievers.

The concept of people’s ranks.

Allah Says: “And it is not your wealth or your children that bring you nearer to Us in position, but it is [by being] one who has believed and done righteousness…” [Saba’, 34: 37]

Allah also Says: “…Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you…” [Al-Hujurat, 49: 13]

It is very important for us to know this rule of how people are measured according to the scale of Allah. How do people become loftier than others? How does one possess a higher rank than others? What are the criteria used to judge this issue? The Qur’an establishes that no worldly matter is of any effect in this regard and that it is solely based on matters related to the religion of Allah. When Allah favoured Thalut and chose him to rule over the children of Israel, they objected and judged the matter with a worldly scale: they protested that he was not rich, as Allah informs us when He Says: “…They said: 'How can he have kingship over us while we are more worthy of kingship than him and he has not been given any measure of wealth?'...” [Al-Baqarah, 2: 247] But Allah immediately highlights the correct criteria of judging in the very same verse, saying: “He said: 'Indeed, Allah has chosen him over you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature…'” [Al-Baqarah, 2: 247] Therefore, knowledge and a strong body that enabled him to fight the enemies of Allah are what made him deserving of this rank, and both these qualities are matters that are connected to the religion: one is knowledge regarding it, while the other is the ability to defend and proliferate it.

The concept of the conflict between the followers of truth and those of falsehood.

This conflict can only be to the advantage of the Muslims if their ranks are cleared of hypocrites and those of weak faith. If any believing group wishes to attain victory from Allah, then it must fulfil the requirements of victory as Allah explains to us in the following story: “…'Indeed, Allah will be testing you with a river. So whoever drinks from it is not of me, and whoever does not taste it is indeed of me, except one who takes [from it] in the hollow of his hand'…” [Al-Baqarah, 2: 249] What happened? Many people failed the test and the ranks were therefore cleared of those who were weak in faith. Only the true believers, who had strong faith, remained with him as told in the remainder of the verse; Allah Says: “…But they drank from it, except a [very] few of them. Then when he had crossed it along with those who believed with him, they said: 'There is no power for us today against Jalut [Goliath] and his soldiers.' But those who were certain that they would meet Allah said: 'How many a small company has overcome a large company by permission of Allah…'" [Al-Baqarah, 2: 249] Note that the words of those who did not drink, not even a handful, were firm and that it was to these people that victory came. Allah Says after this: “So they defeated them by permission of Allah…” [Al-Baqarah, 2: 251]

The conflict between the followers of the truth and those of falsehood is what causes the victory from Allah to descend as well as strengthening the Muslims and initiating Jihad. Additionally, the ranks of the believers could never be distinguished without such a conflict, and nor would the Muslims receive any practical cultivation without it.

It is the way of Allah that the disbelievers temporarily overcome the Muslims, so that the Muslims can rearrange their ranks, purify themselves and work on building and strengthening their faith. It is after this that Allah chooses those who are worthy for martyrdom and grants the believers victory over the disbelievers, as they then become worthy of such victory.

The concept of debate.

The Qur’an teaches us how to debate with our enemies and how to present evidences. Many enemies of Islam use debating in order to cast doubts and spread false information about Islam. Allah presents to us the following debate: “Have you not considered the one who argued with Ibrahim about his Lord [merely] because Allah had given him kingship? When Ibrahim said: 'My Lord is The One Who gives life and causes death,' he said: 'I give life and cause death'…” [Al-Baqarah, 2: 258] This man then brought forth a person and killed him, and then commanded that a man who was sentenced to death be freed, demonstrating by this ridiculous example that he had therefore granted life and caused death. Thereupon, Prophet Ibrahim a.s threw him another challenge which stunned him; Allah Says in continuation of the same verse: “…Ibrahim said: 'Allah brings up the sun from the east, so bring it up from the west.' So the disbeliever was overwhelmed [by astonishment], and Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.” [Al-Baqarah, 2: 258]

The concept of the reality of the worldly life and its value.

The Qur’an confirms the real value of this life and its reality and essence in many verses; Allah Says: “Whatever you have will end, but what Allah has is lasting…” [Al-“Imran, 16: 96] When one reads this, which of the two would he naturally choose?

The concept of loyalty and disavowal.

Loyalty to the believers is manifested in the saying of Allah: “Let not believers take disbelievers as allies [i.e. supporters or protectors] rather than believers. And whoever [of you] does that has nothing [i.e. no association] with Allah…” [Al-Imran, 3: 28] Would one befriend the disbelievers after this? Would he support them? Would he feel compassion towards them? Would he socialize with them? Would he join forces with them against his Muslim brothers?
The concept of loving the Prophet.

Loving the Prophet s.a.w is not a mere claim; Allah Says: “Say, [O Muhammad]: 'If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you…” [Al-‘Imran, 3: 31]

The claim of loving the Prophet s.a.w is therefore not to be accepted from one who acts in contradiction to his Sunnah. This concept is not clear in the minds of many, who seem to believe that this love is merely a claim while their conduct with their families, business partners and so on, as well as their outward appearance opposes that of the Prophet s.a.w , which is a clear contradiction and misconception.

The concept of the comprehensiveness of Islam.

Many people erroneously believe that adhering to the religion is satisfied by the limited performance of certain acts of worship, and that as soon as they step out of the mosque for example, they can deal with others in any wicked way they choose. These people thereby rid themselves of their religion, but Allah refutes this attitude by saying : “Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveller, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; and [who] establishes prayer and gives Zakah; [those who] fulfil their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous.” [Al-Baqarah, 2: 177]

The concept of exposing the plans of the disbelievers.

The disbelievers endeavour to divert the Muslims from their religion and use extremely evil methods in order to cause us to have doubts or misgivings towards it; Allah Says: “And a fraction of the People of the Scripture say [to each other]: 'Believe in that which was revealed to the believers at the beginning of the day and reject it at its end that perhaps they will return [i.e. abandon their religion].'” [Al-‘Imran, 3: 72] Just look at how evil their plan is! They would even pretend to embrace Islam and then leave it so that people, including some simpleminded Muslims, would think that there is a problem or defect with the religion and therefore shun it, or at least develop misgivings regarding it. The Qur’an exposes these people's plans so that we can counter them.

The concept that the future belongs to the Muslims.

Allah will certainly make this religion prevail and grant the Muslims victory over the disbelievers, even if after a while. Allah Says: “They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will perfect his light, although the disbelievers dislike it. It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although those who associate others with Allah dislike it.” [As-Saff, 61: 8-9]

Muslims nowadays are in dire need of understanding this concept. We must firmly believe that despite our current weakness, Islam will prevail and be victorious. This concept gives hope to the hearts of the believers, especially when one reads the saying of the Prophet s.a.w: “A group from (among) my nation will continue to be upon the truth supported by Allah; they will continue to fight Jihad until the advent of the Hour.” We ask Allah to make us from them.

The concept of Unity.

This is a concept that The Qur’an emphasizes upon; it commands the Muslims not to disunite and become scattered groups; Allah Says: “And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided…” [Al-‘Imran, 3: 103]

Where do the Muslims of our era stand in terms of this divine command? They have disunited and become scattered groups, to the point that the common Muslims cannot recognise where the truth is anymore. How can the Muslims unite? What will unite them? The only thing that will unite them is their collectively holding on to the Bond of Allah, His Book (i.e. the Qur’an), His commands, and His religion. Any attempt to unite on any basis other than the religion of Allah will be fruitless and people will not attain the sought victory, because Allah only aids those who unite on the basis of His religion.

The concept of superiority.

Allah Says: “You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah…” [Al-‘Imran, 3: 110] How did our nation become the finest and most superior? It was through it enjoining good and forbidding evil. If we fail to do this then we can no longer count ourselves as a part of this superior nation as this superiority is not granted simply for being a member of this nation. Rather, we must fulfil the conditions of being superior.

This superiority is mentioned in different verses to reflect another concept; Allah Says: “So do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are [true] believers.” [Al-‘Imran, 3: 139] Meaning that we are superior when we adhere to our religion and its teachings; we are superior with the faith that Allah blessed us with; we are superior due to our adhering to the Sunnah of our Prophet s.a.w; we are superior by persevering in our adherence to the Qur’an and the Sunnah.

The concept of not being attached to individuals.

One must not be attached to individuals, regardless who they are. Instead one must attach himself to the religion only, because those attached to individuals usually give up their convictions with the death of the ones to whom they are attached, while those attached to the religion remain steadfast even with the deaths of those who introduced the religion to them and whom they love dearly; Allah Says: “Muhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels [to unbelief]?” [Al-‘Imran, 3: 144] If this is regarding the Prophet s.a.w then it is certainly more applicable with respect to anyone else.

The concept of having to face harm from the disbelievers.

We must realise that the disbelievers will afflict us with numerous and varied types of harm; Allah Says: “You will certainly be tested in your possessions and in yourselves. And you will surely hear from those who were given the Scripture before you and from those who associate others with Allaah much abuse. But if you are patient and fear Allah – indeed, that is of the matters [worthy] of determination.” [Al-‘Imran, 3: 186] Therefore, the harm that they afflict us with is physical, financial and psychological, but what is the cure and way out? Allah gives us the cure at the conclusion of the verse, namely, perseverance and piety. If we do not have these then we will not be able to stand their afflictions, nor will we be able to confront them.

The concept of referring to the Qur’an and the Sunnah for judgement.

This must be applied to all our affairs and disputes; Allah Says “But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission.” [An-Nisaa’, 4: 65]

Disputes and disagreements amongst the Muslims have increased, and thus the need for applying this concept is needed more than ever. Even in matters of jurisprudence, the common people have become very confused due to hearing different opinions regarding the same issue.

What is the solution to this confusion and disputation? It is in the saying of Allah: “…And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day…” [An-Nisaa’, 4: 59]

Finally, the solution for all our problems is found in the Qur’an and all we need to do is to adhere to it, correctly understand the concepts in it, and apply them and inculcate them in practical life.
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Excerpted from Islam Web published 20/11/2007

©Islam Web

The Style of Al-Qur’an

Description: The article addresses the major themes of the Qur’an, the topics it discusses, its style of presentation, and some points of comparison with their own scriptures for Christian and Jewish readers.

What topics does the Qur’an discuss?

It covers various subjects. Most importantly, it talks about the unity of God and how to live which accords to His Will. Other topics include religious doctrine, creation, criminal and civil law, Judaism, Christianity, polytheism, social values, morality, history, stories of past prophets, and science.

The Qur’an calls the great human exemplars of the past prophets and mentions their great sacrifice in spreading the message of God, the most important of them being Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. The Qur’an elaborates on the ways in which the followers of the prophets, specifically the Jews and the Christians, have or have not lived up to the prophetic messages. It also discusses the fate of past nations who rejected their Prophets, such as Noah and Lot. It issues instructions on how to live a life pleasing to God. It commands people that they should pray, fast, and take care of the needy. It discusses matters of human interrelationships, sometimes in great detail - such as laws of inheritance and marriage - in a manner reminiscent of parts of the Hebrew Bible but foreign to the New Testament. The Qur’an tells people that they should observe God’s instructions purely for God’s sake, not for any worldly aims. It warns those who deny God’s messages that they will be thrown into the fire of Hell, and it promises those who accept the messages that they will be given the bliss of Paradise.

The Qur’an retells in their original many of the stories from the Biblical heritage, especially that of Moses (mentioned by name more than any other person, followed by Pharaoh, his great enemy, who is the Qur’anic archetype of human evil). However, it does not offer a sustained narrative of the kind found in the Book of Exodus. It has much to say about the moral and legal duties of believers, but contains nothing like the law-code which is the centerpiece of the Book of Deuteronomy. Many Qur’anic passages could aptly be described as preaching; but where the voice of the preacher in the Gospels is that of Jesus during his ministry on earth, in the Qur’an it is that of the ever-living God.

Also, the Qur’an repeats certain verses and themes at times, shifts topics, and often relates narratives in summarized form. We can see two reasons for this characteristic. First, it serves a linguistic purpose and is one of the powerful rhetorical techniques of classical Arabic. Second, all themes of the Qur’an, no matter how varied, are wrapped around one common thread running through the entire book: that all types of worship rendered to others besides or alongside God is false, and that obedience to Him and His prophets, Muhammad s.a.w being one of them, is a must. The Qur’an, unlike the Bible, does not mention genealogies, chronological events, or minute historical details, but rather uses events from both past and present to illustrate its central message. So, when the Qur’an is discussing the healing properties of honey or the life of Jesus, neither topic is an end in itself, but each is related in one way or another to the central message – unity of God and unity of the prophetic message. No matter what the topic may be, it finds occasion to refer the discussion back to this central theme.

Another important point to keep in mind is that the Qur’an was not revealed in one sitting, but was revealed in parts over a span of 23 years. Like the previous scriptures, many passages were revealed in response to specific events. Often, Qur’anic revelation would come from the angel Gabriel to Prophet Muhammad s.a.w as a response to questions raised by those around him, whether believers or unbelievers. The Qur’an addresses the People of the Scripture (a term used by the Qur’an for Jews and Christians), humanity at large, believers, and, finally, it addresses the Prophet s.a.w himself, commanding him what to do in certain situations or supporting him and giving him solace in the face of ridicule and rejection. Knowing the historical and social context clarifies the text.

Some other notable features of Al-Quran’s style are the following:

(1) The use of parables to stir curiosity of the reader and explain deep truths.

(2) More than two hundred passages begin with the Arabic word Qul - ‘Say’ - addressing Prophet Muhammad s.a.w to say what follows in reply to a question, to explain a matter of faith, or to announce a legal ruling. For example:

“Say: ‘O People of the Scripture! Do you disapprove of us for no other reason than that we believe in God, and the revelation that has come to us and that which came before (us), and because most of you are rebellious and disobedient?’” [Al-Maidah, 5:59]

(3) In some passages of the Qur’an, God takes oaths by His marvelous creation to strengthen an argument or to dispel doubts in the mind of the listener:

“By the sun and its brightness, By the moon when it follows it, By the day when it displays it, By the night when it covers it, By the sky and He who constructed it, By the earth and He who spread it, By the soul and He who proportioned it…” [As-Shams, 91:1-7]

Sometimes God takes an oath by Himself:

“But no, by your Lord, they will not (truly) believe until they make you, (O Muhammad), judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in (full, willing) submission.” [Surah An-Nisaa’, 4:65]

(4) Lastly, the Qur’an has what is called ‘the disjointed letters,’ composed of letters of the Arabic alphabet which taken together do not have a known meaning in the Arabic lexicon. Their meaning is only known to God. They appear at the beginning of twenty nine surahs, and upon recital, each letter is pronounced and not the words they form For example, the first ayah of Surat-ul-Baqarah appears as Alif-Lam-Mim, three letters of the Arabic alphabet pronounced individually.

A person unfamiliar with the Qur’an may find it a little difficult to read, especially at start, but if they keep these points in mind, they will become more accustomed to it, and they will indeed find that even though it is a translation, it is truly profound book incomparable to any other.
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Excerpted with modifications from an article entitled “The Style of the Qur’an” by IslamReligion.com - Published on 1st. May 2006


©IslamReligion

Inimitableness and Language of Al-Qur’an

Inimitableness and Language of Al-Qur’an

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful;

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, May Allah blessings and peace be upon His Messenger.

Description: The inimitable beauty of the Qur’an and the Muslim adoration for it, the language of the Qur’an and its historical impact on the Islamic civilization.

Muslims are absolutely convinced of the greatness of the Qur’an, which is usually mentioned with epithets like “noble,” “glorious,” and “pure.” What is it that so deeply moves the Muslim when reciting from the Qur’an, when seeing its verses, or when barely touching it?

Al-Qur’an is Inimitable

The style of the Qur’an is inimitable and of divine beauty and power. Try as he may, no man can write a paragraph that is comparable to a verse of the revealed Book. This has to do partly with the literary merit of the text and the efficacy of the words - their transforming and saving power - that is inimitable. It moves an illiterate shepherd to tears when recited to him, and it has shaped the lives of millions of simple people over the course of almost fourteen centuries; it has nourished some of the most powerful intellects known to human records; it has stopped sophisticates in their tracks and made pious believers of them, and it has been the source of the most subtle philosophy and of an art which expresses its deepest meaning in visual terms; it has brought the wandering tribes of humanity together in communities and civilizations upon which its imprint is apparent even to the most casual observer.

To recite the Qur’an is the most sublime and edifying occupation for the Muslim, even when he or she does not intellectually understand its words, as is the case with most non-Arab believers. The Muslims’ desire to recite the Qur’an as beautifully as possible, and the art of tilāwah, the proper recitation, has developed into a science. Even when reciting the Book without embellishment, one has to observe certain rules of recitation. The hafiz, who “preserves” the Qur’an, i.e., knows it by heart, is highly respected, and boys and girls are sent at an early age to the mosque to memorize the ‘Book.’

In order not to besmirch the sacred character of the Qur’an, care should be taken that it is not left in a place where someone may accidentally stand, sit on or otherwise disrespect it; it is extremely disliked to use any book, let alone the Qur’an, as a prop for holding anything up. When not being read, the Muslim will replace it in the shelf of the bookcase, or on the lectern. Some people wrap it carefully in cloth in order to preserve it and also to be able handle it when not in a state of purity if needed. They also like to ensure that it is placed above other books, and they avoid just letting the Qur’an lie around. It is absolutely forbidden to take it into the place one urinates or defecates or that is a place of major impurity (toilets, middens, sheepcotes, city sewers, etc.). Even reciting it in such places is a thing not done.

Language of the Qur’an

The Qur’anic world view is closely tied to the Arabic language, which, like Hebrew and Aramaic (the language spoken by Jesus), belongs to the Semitic family. The Qur’an defines itself specifically as an ‘Arabic scripture’, and the message is shaped to the complex structure of the chosen language, a structure fundamentally different to that of any European tongue. The internal logic of Semitic languages is very different from that of Indo-European languages such as English, Latin, Sanskrit, and Persian.

Every Arabic word may be traced back to a verbal root consisting of three, four or five consonants from which are derived up to twelve different verbal modes, together with a number of nouns and adjectives. This is referred to as the triliteral root, and specific words are formed from it by the insertion of long or short vowels and by the addition of suffixes and prefixes. The root as such is ‘dead’ - unpronounceable - until brought to life, that is to say vocalized, by the vowels, and it is according to their placing that the basic meaning is developed in a number of different directions. The root has sometimes been described as the ‘body’ while the vowelling is the ‘soul’; or again, it is from the root that a great tree grows.

Without understanding the meanings and the related concepts of the Arabic words, it is impossible to appreciate the richness of the associated meanings, the difficulty of translating words into English, and the interrelationships among Arabic words that are obvious in the original.

The Muslims’ preoccupation with the sublime language of the Qur’an grew into the study of grammar, especially when non-Arabs entered the fold of Islam in increasing numbers and had to be taught about the peculiarities of the language of revelation. The belief that the Book was untranslatable forced those who embraced Islam to learn Arabic or at least to become acquainted with the Arabic alphabet. Many times, this led nations to actually adopt Arabic as their native languages, as is the case with all Arab nations save the Arabian Peninsula. This had immense consequences for other languages, such as Persian, Turkish, Malay and many others, who adopted the Arabic script. Quranic sayings and expressions are used as much in high literature as in daily conversations, even among non-Arabs, and Arab non-Muslims.

[Excerpted from: An Introduction to the Qur’an (Part 2): Its Inimitableness and Language, By IslamReligion.com, Published on 26 Jun 2006]

Organization and Meanings of Al-Qur’an

Organization and Meanings of Al-Qur’an

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful;

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, May Allah blessings and peace be upon His Messenger.

 Description: The Qur’an and the basic elements of its organization, the difference between the Qur’an and its translation, and a brief review of English translations, introducing the subject of Qur’anic exegesis.

The Qur’an is the Muslim scripture, that is to say the scripture of the followers of Islam. Islam is the religion established among the Arabs - a people until then largely confined to the Arabian Peninsula - by the Prophet Muhammad (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) in the early seventh century. The Qur’an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) by God through the angel Gabriel; this took place partly in Makkah, his hometown, and partly in Medinah, where he succeeded in creating a state in an otherwise stateless tribal society.

The message was revealed in Arabic, the language of the people it was initially addressed to, even though the message was ultimately for the whole of humanity. The Qur’an specifically mentions that Muhammad (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam)was the messenger to the whole of mankind, and that he is the last messenger to be sent.

The Qur’an is the final message that supersedes and reiterates the basic religion God ordained for the Jews and the Christians, as well as the Muslims. Today, the total number of Muslims in the world is over a billion, making up almost a fifth of the world’s population. For all Muslim communities, whatever their language and wherever they live, the Qur’an is their scripture.

The Basics

The first thing to understand about the Qur’an is its form. The Arabic word, ‘Qur’an,’ literally means both ‘recitation’ and ‘reading’. Similarly, the Qur’an was both recited orally and written down in book form. The true power of the Qur’an remains in the oral recitation, as it is meant to be read aloud and melodiously, but still the verses were written down on available materials as an aid to memorizing and guarding it, and these were collected and ordered in book form both privately and, at a later stage, institutionally.

The Qur’an was not meant to tell a chronological story, and thus, the Qur’an should not be viewed as a sequential narrative like the book of Genesis. The Arabic book that goes by the name Qur’an is about as long as the New Testament. In most editions it is about 600 pages in length.

In contrast to the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, the Qur’an issued from the mouth of a single person, who recited what he heard from the angel Gabriel. On the other hand, both the Jewish and the Christian scriptures are collections of many books that were written down by a large number of human beings, and opinions differ as to their status as revelation.

How Is The Qur’an Organized?

The Qur’an is composed of 114 parts or chapters of unequal length. Each chapter is called a surah in Arabic and each sentence or phrase of the Qur’an is called an ayah, literally ‘a sign.’ The Qur’an is divided into discrete units, referred to as verses in English. These verses are not standard in length or meter, and where each begins and ends was not decided by human beings, but dictated by God. Each one is a discrete act of locution of closed signification, or ‘sign’, denoted by the word ayah in Arabic. The shortest of the surahs has ten words, and the longest surah, which is placed second in the text, has 6,100 words. The first surah, Al-Fatihah (“The Opening”), is relatively short (twenty-five words). From the second surah onward, the surahs gradually decrease in length, although this is not a hard and fast rule. The last sixty surahs take up about as much space as the second. Some of the longer ayahs are much longer than the shortest surahs. All surahs, except one, begin with Bimillah hir-Rahman nir-Rahim, ‘In the Name of God, the Most-Merciful, the Compassionate.’ Each surah has a name that usually mentions a key motto within it. For example, the longest surah, Surah al-Baqarah, or “The Cow”, is named after the story of Moses commanding the Jews to offer a sacrifice of a cow, which begins by God saying:

“And remember when Moses said to his people: ‘God commands that you sacrifice a cow…’” [Al-Baqarah, 2:67]

Since the various chapters are of various lengths, the Qur’an was divided by scholars of the first century after the death of the Prophet s.a.w into thirty roughly equal parts, each part is called a juz’ in Arabic. This division of the Qur’an was done in order for people to memorize or read it in a more organized fashion, and it has no influence on the original structure, as they are mere marks on the sides of the pages denoting the part. In the Muslim month of fasting, Ramadaan, one juz’ is usually recited every night, and the entire Qur’an is completed in the thirty days of the month.

Translations of Qur’an

A beginner should know a few points about Qur’an translations.

First, there is a distinction between the Qur’an and its translation. In Christian view, the Bible is the Bible, no matter what language it may be in. But a translation of the Qur’an is not the word of God, for the Qur’an is the exact Arabic words spoken by God, revealed to Prophet Muhammad s.a.w by Gabriel. The word of God is only the Arabic Qur’an as God says:

“Indeed, I revealed it as an Arabic Qur’an.” [Yousuf, 12:2)

A translation is simply an explanation of the meanings of the Qur’an. That is why one modern English translation has been titled “The Meaning of the Glorious Qur’an”: it strives only to give the meaning, but falls short, as any translation must, of reproducing the form of the Holy Book. The translated text loses the inimitable quality of the original, so be aware of the degree to which a translation reflects the original message at every level of meaning, and that it will probably not match it. For this reason, all which is regarded as ‘recitation’ of the Qur’an is to be done in Arabic, such as the recitation of the Qur’an in the five daily prayers of the Muslims.,

Second, there is no perfect translation of the Qur’an, and, being human works, each almost always has errors. Some translations are better in their linguistic quality, while others are noted for their exactness in portraying the meaning. Many inaccurate, and sometimes misleading, translations that are generally not accepted as reliable renditions of the Qur’an by mainstream Muslims are sold in the market.

Third, while a review of all the English translations is out of the scope of this article, some translations are recommended over others. The most widely read English translation is by Abdullah Yusuf ‘Ali, followed by that of Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall, the first translation by an English Muslim. Another widespread translation is done by Dr. Hilali and Muhsin Khan called ‘Interpretation of the Meaning of The Noble Quran.’ Although it is the most accurate, the many transliterated Arabic terms and endless parentheses make it hard to follow and confusing for a beginner. A newer version with more flowing text has been published by Saheeh International, and this is probably a better translation, as it combines both exactness in translation and readability.

Exegesis (Tafsir in Arabic)

Although the meanings of the Qur’an are easy and clear to understand, one must be careful to make assertions about the religion without relying on an authentic commentary. Not only did Prophet Muhammad (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) bring the Qur’an, he also explained it to his companions, and these sayings have been collected and preserved till this day. God says:

“And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the message that you may explain clearly to men what is sent for them…” [An-Nahl, 16:44]

In order to understand some of the deeper meanings of the Qur’an, one should rely upon commentaries which mention these statements of the Prophet(sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) as well as his companions, and not upon what they understand from the text, as their understanding of it is limited to their prior knowledge.

A specific methodology exists for exegesis of the Qur’an in order to extract the proper meaning.

The Qur’anic sciences, as they are called, are an extremely specialized field of Islamic scholarship which requires mastery in multiple disciplines, like exegesis, recitations, script, inimitability, circumstances behind revelation, abrogation, Qur’anic grammar, unusual terms, religious rulings, and Arabic language and literature.

According to scholars of Qur’anic exegesis, the proper method of explaining the verses of Qur’an are:

(i) Tafsir of the Qur’an by Qur’an.
(ii) Tafsir of the Qur’an by the Sunnah of the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) .
(iii) Tafsir of the Qur’an by the Companions.
(iv) Tafsir of the Qur’an by Arabic language.
(v) Tafsir of the Qur’an by ‘opinion’, if it does not contradict the above four sources.

[Excerpted from An Introduction to the Qur’an (Part 1) : Organization and Meanings, By IslamReligion.com, Published on 26 Jun 2006]