By Akhtar H. Emon
President, Arabic Language Institute Foundation (ALIF), Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
What does it take to understand the Qur’an? This was the most frequently asked question during the Open House sessions for non-Muslim guests held at various mosques and Islamic centers from time to time. After the September 11 tragedy, these open houses were held not only at mosques, but also at various churches and synagogues in the United States. They enabled people to get to know one another and to exchange information about their respective faiths.
Ramadan is the month in which the Qur’an was first revealed in Arabic to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) 1400 years ago. The language of Qur’an is unique and its style is exceptional. Although the Arabs at the time of its revelation were at the peak of literary excellence, the Qur’an proved to be a great challenge to them. No one was able to produce anything similar to it, not even a short chapter. In the Qur’an it is categorically stated that no one would ever be able to do so.
But why the challenge, and why the failure? The explanation is simple. The Qur’an uses the same unique and elegant language to explain a variety of basic topics, e.g., faith (Imaan), theology (Kalaam), acts of worship (Ibada), etc. as well as complex legal issues as family laws, and civil and criminal penal code.
The Qur’an addresses such topics with both simplicity and degrees of sophistication. But the language is always the same: classical Arabic styled in poetry-cum-prose. This made it possible for the entire book to be memorized by millions, including those whose native language was not Arabic.
Many scholars, Muslims and non-Muslims who are fluent in Arabic, maintain that the Qur’an is a literary masterpiece, no less than a miracle. Even today, the more a person becomes fluent in Arabic the more he can appreciate the beautiful rhythm, which often brings joy to the hearts. A skilled reciter of the Qur’an (called qari in Arabic) often brings an Arabic-speaking audience to emotional tears.
Professor H.A.R. Gibb puts it aptly: “No man in fifteen hundred years has ever played on that deep toned instrument with such power, such boldness, and such range of emotional effect.” The literary miracle of the Qur’an is one of several, which include the mention of future events and scientific principles. These were later confirmed - a French author Maurice Bucaille writes on this subject in his book: The Bible, The Qur’an, and Science: “Any claims or accusations against the Qur’an do not offend Muslims as the Qur’an states that the free choice of faith is a God-given human quality which must be respected. Dr. William Baker in his book “More in common than you think”, writes: “Christians are quite surprised to learn of the extensive list of Biblical subjects considered vital to the Christian faith, which are likewise important to the Muslim faith”.
As an example, Qur’an gives high esteem to Mary, mother of Jesus, and confirms the virgin birth of Jesus. Words of Jesus in defense of his mother’s innocence are spelled out in the Qur’an in Chapter 19, Verses 16-40. The Qur’an has much to say about many of the pertinent theological and doctrinal subjects of Christianity such as: (1) Angels (Malaik in Qur’an), (2) Heaven, hell, and eternity (Jannah, Naar, and Akhira), (3) Day of Judgment (Qiamah), etc.
In the final analysis, the Qur’an has its roots in the Bible, and also gives importance to the Torah or Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible). After leaving the White House President Jimmie Carter spent considerable time in studying the Qur’an and made a comparative study with the Bible. He has written an excellent book on this subject entitled “The Three Abrahamic Faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam” linking the three faiths to the Patriarch Prophet Abraham.
(Note: The Arabic Language Institute Foundation (ALIF) is committed to promoting the teaching of Arabic as a second language in all Public High Schools, similar to the teaching of other languages such as Spanish, French, German, etc. being currently taught in the U.S, U.K, and Canada. Please visit www.IslamiCity.Com/Education Web-site for ALIF Proposal in PowerPoint).