Why the quran is in arabic?

[Crystal]

Hi all again.

My second question about Islam is this:
-If Islam is a religion for all of mankind then why is it just in arabic? I read somewhere in the quran that God made us into different nations but if this is the case He would know we spoke different languages. Didn't God forsee the problem of translation. I have read that many Muslims believe you should read the quran in arabic since it was revealed in arabic but what about non arabic speakers?

- I understand also the the quran talks about the prophets before Muhammad. Were all the prophets arabic speakers?

- Why is it that it seems that the prophets were from one particular part of the earth?

-Also Muslims pray in arabic. Is it really a bad thing to pray to God in a different language? After all it is still worship to God.
I guess I just find it a little unfair that if Islam is the true religion it becomes difficult for non arabic speaker to understand that true message.

Thanks.

 

[Abz2000]

1.

"If We had made it a foreign Quran, they would have said,
‘If only its verses were clear!
What? Foreign speech to an Arab?’
Say, ‘It is guidance and healing for those who have faith,
but the ears of the disbelievers are heavy, they are blind to it,
it is as if they are being called from a distant place.’ (Qur'an 41:44)

there were people of the book in possession of prophecies at the time saying that the prophet would come to a land of palm trees,
from which many jews decided it was arabia - even before the prophet's coming,
they would tell the aws and khazraj of medina - a prophet is being sent to this region and when he's here - we shall destroy you as ad and thamud were destroyed.
the madinites were in awe of this but didn't accept the religion of those people (possibly due to the feeling of alienation from the extreme prejudice shown towards the goyim http://www.realjewnews.com/?p=156).
when they did hear of the Prophet (pbuh) and his attributes, they were reported to have said: "by God - this is the man the jews were threatening you with so be the first to embrace him".

then we go back to the above verse now that it's clear the messenger would be from that region, it seems to be saying - the messenger would be from the family of Ishmael (arabs) anyway, so why reveal it in another tongue.

We sent not a messenger except in the language of his people, in order to make clear to them. Now Almighty God leaves straying those whom He pleases and guides whom He pleases: and He is Exalted in power, full of Wisdom.
Quran 14:4

"We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an so you people may understand / reason" (Qur'an 12:2)

another thing i've found is that Arabic is a very rich language - you have to sometimes use paragraphs to describe one arabic root word, therefore it can have lots of interpretations and found to apply differently within different contexts - it's like a concentrated book.


2.

all the prophets weren't arabic speakers, they spoke the language of their people.
the prophets we know of were from that region, there may have been more who had more localized teachings - which wouldn't apply to others from other parts.

162. But those among them who are well-grounded in knowledge, and the believers,
believe in what hath been revealed to thee and what was revealed before thee:
And those who establish regular prayer and practise regular charity and believe in Allah and in the Last Day: To them shall We soon give a great reward.
163. We have sent thee inspiration, as We sent it to Noah and the Messengers after him:
we sent inspiration to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes,
to Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and solomon,
and to David We gave the Psalms.
164. Of some messengers We have already told you the story; of others We have not;- and to Moses Allah spoke direct;-
165. Messengers who gave good news as well as warning,
that mankind, after (the coming) of the messengers, should have no plea against Allah. For Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise.

3.

another logical reason for this may be the fact that it is the intersection of world routes, and the message would always spread easier from there.


4.

it is better to pray to and ask of Almighty God in the language you understand, however the 5 daily prayers (salah) are uniform throughout the world - you can go to a european area mosque, an indonesian area mosque, a nigerian area mosque, an asian area mosque, an arab area mosque, a chinese area - and walk into any mosque - and you'll feel comfortable praying and totally familiar with the process - no matter what part of the world you go to.

also - because the words have different meanings - there would be many disputes with the imams over the meanings of the words if they read it in their own language. one would say this - another would say that. there would be much disunity.

so it's rather more familiar and uniform than foreign.

last of all - we should try to understand the language itself as much as we can - as this brings about a unity and understanding among the Muslim nation - you can be in indonesia or russia - and still be able to strike up a lively conversation with your muslim brother or sister on the metro or in the mall.
we miss out on a wealth of speeches, books and knowledge simply because it is in a different language, or because someone hasn't translated it to your language yet, that's hundreds of languages.

last of all - i'd add something to think about (a few years before the balfour declaration):

Sir Campbell Bannerman, [Prime Minister of Britain (1905-08)]

“ There are people who control spacious territories teeming with manifest and hidden resources.
They dominate the intersections of world routes. Their lands were the cradles of human civilizations and religions.
These people have one faith, one language, one history and the same aspirations. No natural barriers can isolate these people from one another
... if, per chance, this nation were to be unified into one state,
it would then take the fate of the world into its hands and would separate Europe from the rest of the world.
Taking these considerations seriously, a foreign body should be planted in the heart of this nation to prevent the convergence of its wings
in such a way that it could exhaust its powers in never-ending wars.
It could also serve as a springboard for the West to gain its coveted objects.” - 1902

 

[جوري]

Every messenger who was sent to his people preformed a miracle for them, said miracles unfortunately died with said messengers.. So people can choose to subscribe to them as miracles or not.
Prophet Moses (PBUH) came upon a people who were impressed with magic..

To this, the Pharaoh demanded to see the sign to clarify the truth. Moses threw his staff to the floor and it turned into a serpent. He then drew out his hand and it shined in white. The Pharaoh's counselors advised him that this was sorcery and on their advice he summoned the best sorcerers of the town. On the day of the festival of Egypt, the summoned sorcerers threw their rods on the floor on Moses' offer and it too changed into snakes. However, when Moses reacted likewise with his rod, the serpent from his rod devoured all the wriggling snakes. At once the sorcerers, who had come to compete against Moses and win a reward from the Pharaoh, realized this was not magic and believed in the message of Moses despite threats from the Pharaoh. They were then crucified by the orders of Pharaoh for their firmness in their faith.


similarly the prophet Jesus PBUH came upon a people who were impressed with medicine and healing, again his miracles had to be something beyond what the science and medicine of the time could provide, he healed lepers etc.

Prophet Mohammd (PBUH) came upon a people eloquent in speech, they used to write great epic poems have contests hanging their scrolls on the kaaba, his miracle was the gift of language (the Noble Quran) and the challenge was for these super eloquent people to produce a chapter like it even if it be as short as three verses like suret al'kawthar. and none could..
the Quran is the only living miracle that we've with us today and the Quran challenge still stands..

that's pretty much it in a nut shell.. When you think about it stripped of miracles, Mesopotamia was the birth place of religion and civilization, from them spread Abrahamic faith and Semitic languages like Hebrew/Aramaic/Arabic.. what language would make sense for the Quran to be? Arabic is the most evolved of Semitic languages .. it doesn't sound pretty on its own, yet the way the Quran reads is sheer poetry, and of course it isn't a poetry book..

hope that helped insh'Allah..

 

[Endymion]

Hi all again.

My second question about Islam is this:
-If Islam is a religion for all of mankind then why is it just in arabic? I read somewhere in the quran that God made us into different nations but if this is the case He would know we spoke different languages. Didn't God forsee the problem of translation. I have read that many Muslims believe you should read the quran in arabic since it was revealed in arabic but what about non arabic speakers?

Hello and peace be with you,dear sister Crystal.

Indeed,Quran was sent down in Arabic.

"Surah 42. Ash-Shura (Councel, Consultation)

7. Thus have We sent by inspiration to thee an Arabic Qur'an: that thou mayest warn the Mother of Cities and all around her,- and warn (them) of the Day of Assembly, of which there is no doubt: (when) some will be in the Garden, and some in the Blazing Fire."

3. A Book, whereof the verses are explained in detail;- a Qur'an in Arabic, for people who understand;- Surah 41. Fussilat (Signs)


And here is the reason.

44. Had We sent this as a Qur'an (in the language) other than Arabic, they would have said: "Why are not its verses explained in detail? What! (a Book) not in Arabic and (a Messenger an Arab?" Say: "It is a Guide and a Healing to those who believe; and for those who believe not, there is a deafness in their ears, and it is blindness in their (eyes): They are (as it were) being called from a place far distant!" Surah 41. Fussilat (Signs)

Another reason is that Arabic is the most comprehensive language on Earth.No other language have such a vast amount of words which makes the Quran a literary miracle as well.
This small example would be best to describe you how comprehensive this language actually is.

We Muslims recite Bismillahir Rahman Ar Raheem بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم before every thing.The translation of this small ayah in English is " bismi-llāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīm
In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
But the meaning is actually not that limited.If you just take the starting بسم الله (In the name of God) You will see a world of meanings here.

Bismillah:This phrase is composed of 3 words.Ba-Ism-Allah.The prepesition Ba has several cannotations in Arabic.Three of which are appropriate to the occasion.All the three are applicable here.

1)Contiguity or the close proximity between one thing and the other.
2)Seeking the aid of someone or something.
3)To seek the blessing of someone.

The word Ism has many lexical and intellectual naunces of meaning.The knowledge of which would not be the essential for an average reader.It is sufficient to know that this word is translated in English as Name..The word Allah is the most greatest and most comprehensive of the divine names.The word Allah refers to the essence and hence this name cannot be given to anyone except Allah.This is why this word has neither a plural nor a dual,for Allah is one and has no associate.In short,Allah is the name of that ultimate reality which comprehends in itself all the attribute of perfection,which is the Creator and the Sustainer,Unique and peerless.
Thus the phrase Bismillah has three respective significations according to the three cannotations of the preposition Ba.

A)With the name of Allah.
B)With the help of the name of Allah.
C)With the barakah or the benediction of the name of Allah.

I think this example is enough to prove how comprehensive this language actually is and no other language can define so many things by using such short amount of words and that is why Allah SWT choose this language to be the languge of Quran.


"

- I understand also the the quran talks about the prophets before Muhammad. Were all the prophets arabic speakers?

No,They speak the language of the place where they belong to and obviously,their books revealed in their own language.

- Why is it that it seems that the prophets were from one particular part of the earth?

"And for every nation is a messenger. So when their Messenger comes, it will be judged between them in justice, and they will not be wronged." [Quran 10:47] And: "And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying]: 'Worship Allaah and avoid Taaghoot [i.e., false deities]'. And among them were those upon whom error was [deservedly] decreed. So proceed [i.e., travel] through the earth and observe how was the end of the deniers." [Quran 16:36]

-Also Muslims pray in arabic. Is it really a bad thing to pray to God in a different language? After all it is still worship to God.

Nope,its not a bad thing to call your Lord in your language but its obvious.I believe the ruling is just for Ibadah to make it in Arabic.

I guess I just find it a little unfair that if Islam is the true religion it becomes difficult for non arabic speaker to understand that true message.

Non Arabic can use the translations and its very easy and simple way to understand the teachings.But if you want to get the soul of this message,you should learn Arabic.And i dont think its a big deal for the one who is in search of truth,people even sacrifices their lives for their religion and in search of truth,why cant we just learn a language?If you think its hard to learn Arabic,you can just learn the Arabic of Quran and you will be able to understand the message which is the path of success in both this life and the life next.I have something intresting to share with you.

It should be noted that there are around 80,000 words in the Quran but the actual words are only around 2000. In principle, if you take out the repeated words, the total number of words in Quran may well be less than 2000. Allah has revealed His book which contains so few words. Accordingly, if a reader decides to learn only 10 new words everyday, he can understand the basic message of the Quran within a period of seven months! So it is indeed very easy to understand the Quran, provided one is willing to learn it.

Did you ever listen to the conversion story of Dr Morris boccai??
He was a French Doctor.When Muslim patients came to him he told them,Quran is nothing but a lie,a fabrication.And patients just dont answer.Once,the famous Arab leader King Faisal came to him and Dr Morris said the same thing to the King.
King Faisal asked.Did you read the Quran?
Dr Morris replied.Yes,Indeed.
King Faisal asked.What did you read?
Dr replied.The translation.
King Faisal said.Then you did'nt read The Quran becoz Quran is in Arabic.

Dr Morris then spent 2 years in learning Arabic and when he read the Quran in Arabic,He embrace Islam.

If you are in search of truth,learning a language should'nt be a big deal for you because all the benifit is yours,Allah SWT does'nt need people to worship him but we all need to know the right direction to make our lives successful and get the reward which will never end.

 

[Ramadhan]

-If Islam is a religion for all of mankind then why is it just in arabic?

I don't understand this question.
Islam is in arabic? Islam is den (way of life)
didn't you mean Qur'an?

I read somewhere in the quran that God made us into different nations but if this is the case He would know we spoke different languages.

Yes, as Allah is the creator of everything and He (swt) absolutely knows everything the past present and future, then yes, He (swt) knows that we speak different languages.

Didn't God forsee the problem of translation.

That's why Allah SWT has promised to preserve the Qur'an in its original form:
[We have sent down the Reminder, and We will preserve it.] (Al-Hijr 15: 9)
And as everyone can see, after 1,400 years, the Qur'an is still intact and fully memorised down to the dot by millions of people all over the world.

And as you can see from bible, when the original was not preserved and lost, there are now literally thousands of different bible versions, and there is no way to know that what is claimed as jesus sayings in current bibles are actually what he said 2,000 years ago.

I have read that many Muslims believe you should read the quran in arabic since it was revealed in arabic but what about non arabic speakers?

There is only one Qur'an, and it's in arabic.
Of course everyone can read the translations, for example you can find them in http://www.quran.com

I understand also the the quran talks about the prophets before Muhammad. Were all the prophets arabic speakers?

Allah sent messengers to every nation, with prophet Muhammad SAW as the final prophet.

And for every Ummah (a community or a nation), there is a Messenger; when their Messenger comes, the matter will be judged between them with justice, and they will not be wronged. (Qur'ân 10:47)

And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taghut (all false deities, etc. i.e., do not worship Taghut besides Allah)." Then of them were some whom Allah guided and of them were some upon whom the straying was justified. So travel through the land and see what was the end of those who denied (the truth). (Qur'ân 16:36)

And, indeed We have sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad[SUP](P)[/SUP]); of some of them We have related to you their story and of some We have not related to you their story, and it was not given to any Messenger that he should bring a sign except by the Leave of Allah. So, when comes the Commandment of Allah, the matter will be decided with truth, and the followers of falsehood will then be lost. (Qur'ân 40:78)

"… Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and the Final Seal of the Prophets." (Surat al-Ahzab: 40)

All the prophets and messengers (pbut) were sent with the same message: Oneness of God and guidance to live life according to the purpose we were created. However, after the deaths and departure of those prophets and messengers (pbut), their message got distorted and that is why prophet Muhammad SAW was sent as the final messenger and the message of Islam is preserved.

​

- Why is it that it seems that the prophets were from one particular part of the earth?

Not according to Islam.
As you can read in the ayat I presented above, Allah SWT sent messengers to every nation before Muhammad SAW.

Also Muslims pray in arabic. Is it really a bad thing to pray to God in a different language? After all it is still worship to God.

We can pray in any language we are most comfortable with, but when we offer shalah, we recite Qur'an ayats or verses (which is in arabic).
I am an Indonesian, I speak four languages but I don't speak arabic, however when I was a child I learned to recite short surats and verses and learnt their meanings.
And I am now learning to perfect qur'an recitation. memorising short surats is not difficult.

I guess I just find it a little unfair that if Islam is the true religion it becomes difficult for non arabic speaker to understand that true message.

Qur'an was revealed to a person in 7th century arabia among arabian desert community, what language do you think qur'an should have been revealed in? chinese?
(by the way, in case you didn't know, injeel was most certainly not revealed to Jesus pbuh in greek, latin or english).
By the way, Qur'an has been translated to all languages in the world. Everyone can read and understand it. In addition, the Qur'an itself is perfectly preserved so all translations and tafseers (interpretations) are able to get close to real full meanings. Can you imagine if Qur'an is not preserved?

 

[SFatima]

many detailed answers have been given, I hope they are understood

 

[Crystal]

Hi all thanks for thr replies they are really detailed.
I didn't mean to ask why the quran was revealed in arabic to Muhammad I more meant why wasn't the quran revealed in every language to all the messengers then. But abz you mentioned about unity and it is a valid point. I know that in Islam even people debate about the meaning of a single verse and so yes I can imagine the difficulty many languages would bring. I guess at the end of the day I am just being stubborn or so , that the quran wasn't revealed in my language and that why should arabic born speakers have the privelage etc but it's probably something I could come to terms with - another one of my fears is that like I said I like the concept of God in Islam among other things however I only read the english mohsain khan translation and I am somewhat hesitant of becoming a Muslim because I do not know the quran in arabic. How much meaning can be lost in translation does anyone know?I understand that people can learn arabic and I myself wouldn't have a problem learning arabic if I were to become a Muslim but not everyone is good at picking up languages and not everyone wants to. It seems if you want to be a Muslim you have no other option because you have to take the quran word for word.

another logical reason for this may be the fact that it is the intersection of world routes, and the message would always spread easier from there.

That is a valid point I didn't think about before.

there would be much disunity

One of the reasons I do like the Muslim community is because of their unity and it is another valid point.

yet the way the Quran reads is sheer poetry

I do agree that the rhyming of the quran in arabic is pretty interesting and it is one of the reasons I am interested in Islam. If Muhammad really couldn't read or write then it is really something that must be from God I think.

I believe the ruling is just for Ibadah to make it in Arabic.

Is Ibadah the same as salah? Also a question to you all what is the evidence that you have that when you pray your 5 times a day that it must be in arabic as I didn't see that part in the quran.

Islam is in arabic?

Sorry I meant the quran.

Thanks all again for helping me out, your replies are really detailed and I appreciate the friendliness on the forum.

 

[Crystal]

I havent read the arabic quran in full but I have seen short chapters in arabic and this chapter was one of the reasons I was interested in Islam as I read about the rhyming of the quran and it really interested me as how the endings all rhymed, had nice meanings yet when they are translated into other languages they don't rhyme. Just thought I would share that with you all.
Qul huwa Allah hu ahad
Allah hu 's-samad
Lam yalid wa lam yulad
Wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad

 

[جوري]

I havent read the arabic quran in full but I have seen short chapters in arabic and this chapter was one of the reasons I was interested in Islam as I read about the rhyming of the quran and it really interested me as how the endings all rhymed, had nice meanings yet when they are translated into other languages they don't rhyme. Just thought I would share that with you all.
Qul huwa Allah hu ahad
Allah hu 's-samad
Lam yalid wa lam yulad
Wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad

I know just what you mean.. Sobhan Allah

There's Textual Integrity, Logical Consistency, Miraculous Features, Supernatural eloquence, Scientific statements far ahead of its time and transcendence.. Spiritual guidance as well coverage of all aspects of ones life, politics, economics, inheritance, social structure, psychology and if nothing else at all serves to teach proper Arabic
..

 

[Abz2000]

Is Ibadah the same as salah? Also a question to you all what is the evidence that you have that when you pray your 5 times a day that it must be in arabic as I didn't see that part in the quran.

'ibadah is "service" and salah is prayer.
with the advent of Islam - it has come to mean the prayer which we know - and the other prayer (supplication) has recoined - "du'a".

the word " 'ibadah " is the act of showing complete "obedience" and paying reverence to one whom you serve.
"abd" is the one who obeys and "ma'bud" is the one who is obeyed, or the one to whom obedience is due.

it is a very rich term that one can write whole books on.

some people translate it as "worshipping" - despite the term "worship" having been demoted to a ritual act in the english language.
'ibaadah encompasses your all your good deeds, your striving to gain knowledge, working to feed your family with lawful gains, playing with your children, smiling at someone, giving in charity, your seeking the lawful, avoiding the unlawful, your sacrifice, your enjoining the good, forbidding the wrong etc etc, you are "serving" God in all of these acts - even departing good knowledge one may have gained to the people on this forum is an act of service.

the word 'abd is used to mean - servant, slave, one who is under the dominion of another, this is not limited to God or people but can be can be to money, to one's desires, habits, to the whims of politicians etc - who's laws do you give up for who's. who's is the right to rule, and to be obeyed, who is perfect?

once one takes the shahadah, they become a sincere 'abd, meaning they have given up everything that attempts to exalt itself above God and take Him as the ultimate "ruler". (who make da rules)

the reason why this shahadah has raised so much bitter hostility, enmity and opposition among the "ruling" classes every time a messenger has come with the call to One God is the fact that it demotes them to the position of servant, and demands they give up the right to "dictate" legislation upon the masses if it contradicts that of Almighty God.
which is why you see a concerted effort on the part of those who hold the reigns of "power" to separate "religion" from "state",
in Islam "deen" means "way of life" - not worshipping and bowing to God at the mosque then worshipping corrupt rulers when you come out.
you can't separate "way of life" from "state" as that is an orwellian contradiction.

hence the term "moderate" - ie - one who holds the dictates of the ruling class as worthy of ultimate obedience and "extreme" one who rejects "taghut".

Prophet Jesus (pbuh) also made this quite clear despite certain people in power somehow convincing people that it was Jesus' teachings to separate authority based on the denarius rule (which was really a plot to ensnare him).
here are the words:

After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, for ever.
Amen
Matthew 6:9-13​

a clear statement that the rule is God's.

anyway - i digress...

i also never cease to marvel at the rhythmic tones combined with such deep meaning
many rappers have come to Islam - and anyone in rap recognizes the beauty and complexity of the rhymes along with the powerful words,

 

[Al-Mufarridun]

I havent read the arabic quran in full but I have seen short chapters in arabic and this chapter was one of the reasons I was interested in Islam as I read about the rhyming of the quran and it really interested me as how the endings all rhymed, had nice meanings yet when they are translated into other languages they don't rhyme. Just thought I would share that with you all.
Qul huwa Allah hu ahad
Allah hu 's-samad
Lam yalid wa lam yulad
Wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad

Peace be with You Crystal;

What an amazing Surah(chapter) that is. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said that “Say: He is Allah, Absolute Oneness” is equal to a third of the Qur’an. [Muslim, Riyad as-Salihin by Imam an-Nawawi Ch.183 #1012] Scholars say the reason for the greatness of this short chapter of the Qur'an is that it covers the Absolute Oneness of God. The Qur'an is divided into three parts, 1/3 deals with Tawheed (Absolute Oneness of God), 1/3 with beneficial stories/examples of earlier generations, 1/3 with law and commandments. That short chapter(112) summarizes the Absolute Oneness of God, it is one aspect of the numerous miracle of the Qur'an that so much amount of knowledge, wisdom is captured in a short line or verse.


If I could say few words regarding your questions about regarding the subject of why the Qur'an was sent down in Arabic and not in another language. First, Absolute wisdom is with God, we pray that we be guided to the straight path. Let us start from the beginning, with Abraham(may Allah be pleased with him). The three monotheistic religions, Islam, Christianity and Judaism trace their roots to Abraham(as). Abraham(as) was from the area of Mesopotamia, the area is refereed to as the cradle of human civilization. Now Abraham(as) was honored by God, chosen from amongst all the peoples, for his Righteousness and complete submission to the One Absolute God, i.e. Allah. Abraham(as) at one point was the only Believing Human on the face of the earth, this is the wisdom why God chose Him as the one from Whom all other Messengers sent after him would descend from. Now this does not mean that God did not send other Prophets to other people prior to Abraham(as), God sent many Prophets to many nations with different languages. The thing they All shared in common was the basis of their Message - La Illaha IlaLah - There is no Deity Worthy of Worship - Except the One Absolute Diety- God!

Abraham(as) had two Sons, Ishmael and Isaac. All the Messengers that were sent after Abraham were from His descendents. God in His wisdom chose Isaac(as) that from his progeny most of those Prophets would came through. All except for one, i.e. Muhammad(pbuh) who would be a descendant of Ishmael(as). I'm hoping you are familiar with the story of Hagar and Ishmael(pbuh) who were "cast out" as it is referred to the Bible, and I'm hoping you also read the Qur'anic view of the Story, i.e. That God commanded Abraham(as) to place Hagar and Ishmael(as) in the middle of the desert in what would become The Sacred Bekka (Makkah).

Now, the reason why I mentioned all that is to get to this point, Absolute Wisdom and Knowledge belongs to God alone. From my understanding, bear with me as i'll try to articulate this as simple and straight forward as i can. The Qur'an/Bible mentions that All the Prophets that were the descendants of Isaac(as) were sent to the Children of Israel(Isaac), these are to name a few Moses, Aaron, David, Jesus(may Allah be pleased with them all). What happened with respect to the descendants of Ishmael(as)? Did God, forget about them, God is void/free of all evil(weakness in memory and injustice in this regard).

Let us look at the Bible, What does God promise Ishmael(as) and his descendants;

Genesis 17:20
And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

Genesis 21:13
And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he [is] thy seed.

Genesis 21:17-18
And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he [is].
Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.


​

The Question is: What is Greatness in the sight of God? Does it simply mean a nation that has great numbers and kingdom, or does it mean a nation of Believers in the Absolute Oneness of God- Is that not what made Abraham(as) great, and his descendants? Is it not Greatness in the sight of God = Greatness in Faith, in Believe?


So in order for God to make the children of Ishmael(as), son of Abraham(as), into a Great nation, God would have to send a Prophet to them to convey to them the commandments of God, purify them and guide them to True monotheism and submission to One God. Now to get a glimpse of the wisdom behind why God chose to reveal this Final revelation in Arabic, let us first view it from this angle, God chose in His infinite Wisdom that Ishmael would be mothered by Hagar(may Allah be pleased with her), an Egyptian women, His father, Abraham is from Mesopotamia. He was "cast out" into the dessert valley, one of the most isolated places on earth, Bakkah, His descendants would keep the faith of their forefathers for sometime, but inevitably they lost their way, started associating partners with God, worshiping idols as intermediaries. Has God, and God is free/void from all errors, forgot about them or neglected this side of the progeny of Abraham(as)?

Let us look at the Bible one more time,

Deuteronomy 18

I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers;
I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.
​

The Question is; Who is That Prophet?

Again;

John 1:20-21
"And he (John the Baptist) confessed and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, what then, Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No."

John 16:13-14
"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth, for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you."

​

The person mentioned in all these verses, who fulfilled all these prophesies we mentioned, and fits each like a glove, is none Other than Muhammad(pbuh), son of Ishmael(as) son of Abraham(as). God chose in His divine wisdom to reveal the Qur'an in Arabic, one of, if not THE richest language in the world, to a people well versed in poetry, its many forms and sciences, well gifted in the ability of memorization, a science that well suits all the nomadic people on earth those traditions are oral, you can't keep/carry a Library in the desert as a nomad. God, destined to place Ishmael(as) and his mother in the Valley of Bekka, God in his infinite Wisdom sent the old desert Arab tribes in the area to up-bring Ishmael(as) amongst them, a truly unique son of the world with many different "inter-national" influences. Some, driven by envy or tribalistic tendencies, might try to distort or dishonor Ishmael's 'inter-nationalized' nature as a weakness in status, to the contrary it is by God's wisdom that through him, God would send to Mankind: Muhammad(pbuh), son of Ishmael, son of Abraham(as), Son of Hagar, as a Mercy to All Mankind. That God would choose him, place His Words in his Mouth, and Recite to them His Final Revelation, The Qur'an in Arabic. That God, in his Infinite Wisdom, surrounded with him people well versed in the necessary abilities and qualities to receive, comprehend, understand, accept, preserve, and convey it to all peoples.

Now i must point out the misconception that is out there that the Qur'an, or Islam, is a religion that is of the Arabs, by the Arabs, for the Arabs. This is far from reality. Majority of Muslims, those who Submitted to the Absolute One true God, in the World are not Arabs. In Fact, most of those who transmitted much of this Religion, message of the Qur'an and Prophetic traditions were not of Arab origin, scholars such as Bukhari, Muslim, and Tirmidhi. So Arabic, from an Islamic perspective is not necessarily a language for the Arabs alone, once the God revealed this Final Message in Arabic, it became the language of the Qur'an, and the arabs have no more right over it than anyone who seeks to be Guided to the Straight Path that leads to True Monotheism.

Another misconception that exists in the world today, even amongst Muslims, is the believe that Arabic is difficult language to learn. This is far from the truth. Arabic is definitely a rich and complex language, but once you understand the fundamental basics of the language, it is quite easy to learn and master. There was a time, like as it is with English today, when the Islamic Civilization was at the helm of the world, when Europeans as well as other peoples would learn Arabic in order to be considered Learned, or civilized. It was through Arabic that Europe discovered the sciences and sparked it's own Renaissance. So, if the price is worth it, people would learn any language in-order to advance their interests, whether it may be to get a better paying job or for other reasons. What about True Salvation, True Enlightenment, would one be willing to learn the basics of an easy to learn language in order to Get Closer to God?

Qur'an: Chapter 21(The Prophets) 107-108
We sent thee(Muhammad) not save as a mercy for the peoples.
Say: It is only inspired in me that your God is One God. Will ye then surrender (unto Him)?
​

May God guide us all to the straight path. Ameen

 

[Crystal]

Thanks for the reply Al-Mufarridun however I was a little confused - I did read the story of Abraham in both the bible and quran and I thought it was Isaac and Ismail who were the sons of Abraham not Jacob?

would one be willing to learn the basics of an easy to learn language in order to Get Closer to God?

Yes like I said I personally wouldn't have a problem learning arabic, i love languages and I did do a 4 weeks beginners course to arabic before however it just got me through the alphabet! Thanks again for the reply.

 

[Al-Mufarridun]

Thanks for the reply Al-Mufarridun however I was a little confused - I did read the story of Abraham in both the bible and quran and I thought it was Isaac and Ismail who were the sons of Abraham not Jacob?

Yes, I made a mistake, you are correct. It is Isaac, not Jacob.

Thank you for the correction.

 

[Abz2000]

i noticed you mentioned bakka a few times brother Al Mufarridun,
i remember sitting in the sacred mosque and looking up at the ababeel birds nests, (the ones mentioned in chapter fil 105) they were the only form of non-human life i could see in that sparkling constantly cleaned place, they were left un-hindered to build their nests and would do circles around the ka'bah whenever they felt like it, it was like a feeling of serenity and peace, watching the nests stuck in the corners of the pillars and high ceilings with no one harming them.
then when i came back and read through the psalms a few years later - i just said PHEW!

1<> How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts!
2My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
3Yea, the sparrow hath found an house,
and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young,
even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.
4Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.
5Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.
6Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.
Psalm 84:1-6

(still - continuously)
New International Version (©1984)
Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Selah)
[TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD="class: btext, colspan: 2"]
zion - or pilgrimage?
verse 5
New International Version (©1984)
Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.New Living Translation (©2007)
What joy for those whose strength comes from the LORD, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
English Standard Version (©2001)
Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
New American Standard Bible (©1995)
How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, In whose heart are the highways to Zion!
GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Blessed are those who find strength in you. Their hearts are on the road [that leads to you].
King James Bible
Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.
American King James Version
Blessed is the man whose strength is in you; in whose heart are the ways of them.
American Standard Version
Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; In whose heart are the highways to Zion .
Bible in Basic English
Happy is the man whose strength is in you; in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Blessed is the man whose help is from thee: in his heart he hath disposed to ascend by steps,
Darby Bible Translation
Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, they, in whose heart are the highways.
English Revised Version
Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
Webster's Bible Translation
Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.
World English Bible
Blessed are those whose strength is in you; who have set their hearts on a pilgrimage.
Young's Literal Translation
O the happiness of a man whose strength is in Thee, Highways are in their heart.[/TD]
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that image of those birds just kept coming back

 

[Riana17]

I havent read the arabic quran in full but I have seen short chapters in arabic and this chapter was one of the reasons I was interested in Islam as I read about the rhyming of the quran and it really interested me as how the endings all rhymed, had nice meanings yet when they are translated into other languages they don't rhyme. Just thought I would share that with you all.

Qul huwa Allah hu ahad
Allah hu 's-samad
Lam yalid wa lam yulad
Wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad

Salam Sister,

Nice to see you are still active, I wanted to share to you this recitation from Brother Saad Ghamdi, its goes inside my veins.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDU-2eZwbdM

To simplicy the answer to your question, we all perform 5x Salah (connection to Allah) in Arabic for Unity and there is something called Dua (prayers of supplication), where we can speak in any language preferred.

If QURAN is revealed in all the languages there will be serious troubles I guess

I can see many reasons why Quran is in Arabic

1st it was revealed in Arab land where Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) lives, hence if he speaks other than his mother tongue then he cannot reason his revelation or prove his Prophecy

These verses is not inferring that the choice of using the Arabic language is due to any intrinsic superiorities over other languages:

"So We have revealed an Arabic Quran to you, in order that you may warn the capital city and all who live nearby..." (Qur'an 42:7)
"We have made the Qur'an easy in your language so that they may take heed it." (Qur'an 44:58)
"If We had made it a foreign Quran, they would have said, ‘If only its verses were clear! What? Foreign speech to an Arab?’ Say, ‘It is guidance and healing for those who have faith, but the ears of the disbelievers are heavy, they are blind to it, it is as if they are being called from a distant place.’ (Qur'an 41:44)
"We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an so you people may understand / reason" (Qur'an 12:2

"We have not sent any Messenger except with the language of his people so he can make things clear to them. Allah misguides anyone He wills and guides anyone He wills. He is the Almighty, the All-Wise. (Qur'an 14:4)
"A Messenger, reciting Allah's clear Verses to you to bring those who believe and do right actions out of the darkness into the Light. Whoever believes in Allah and acts rightly, We will admit him into Gardens..." (Qur'an 65:11)


Similarly previous revelations was in Hebrew text revealed in that land

And for the difficulty, do not worry Sister it is not impossible and Allah said that it is easy for us, to prove that 7yrs & below children in Non arab country like Indonesia could recites the whole Quran.Subhanallah (Praise be to Allah)

 

[siam]

this is my opinion from reading the Quran

Why is the Quran in Arabic?---because it was sent to the Arabs (so it is in their language)
Why was it sent to the Arabs?---because they had not been sent a Prophet/Guidance before
Why is it important they recieve Guidance?---Because God had promised Prophet Abraham(pbuh) that his decendants would be guided and the Arabs of Mecca are decendents of his Son Ishmael. God kept this promise by sending the Quran.
Why is it considered Guidance to all mankind (universal) if it is in Arabic?---because the ethico-moral principles that govern life and social reform are universal---based on the nature of all human beings----and these principles complement, correct and complete all previous religions/Guidance sent by God throughout time and in all geographical locations and all languages.

 

[Crystal]

Nice to see you are still active, I wanted to share to you this recitation from Brother Saad Ghamdi, its goes inside my veins.

Thanks Riana, that's nice