EVOLUTION OF LANGUAGE & THE QURAN:
Geoffrey Chaucer (1343 – 25 October 1400), known as the Father of English literature, is widely considered the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages and was the first poet to be buried in Poets’ Corner of Westminister Abbey.
One of the best example is that during the time of Chaucer the meaning of the word NICE was stupid but strangely in today’s time the meaning of the word NICE is pleasant or good.
This type of evolution occurring in the meaning of words happens in every language so to blame these changes to conspiracy is ignorance. English is a living language. It survives only because it adapted to the changes cause due to merger of different culture. The languages which fail to undergo evolution dies or become a liturgical language as it fail to adapt to the geographical conditions or demand of the time. The old English survived only because it wore the dress of Modern English but the fact is that the English we know today is totally different from the old English.
The same is true with Arabic language. The old Arabic language survived because of Modern Arabic. The old Arabic embraced the words from Armenian, Syrian and Persian neighbors. The Old Arabic has become a liturgical language used only in performing rituals. Apart from it has no use in today’s colloquial.
The best way to understand Quranic Arabic is to understand the theme and context by critical analysing the important and often repeated vocabularies. Although it is a tough and tedious job but possible.
I understood the Quran by understanding its important or main vocabularies, then studying the root words and its derivatives... then out of that I understood the concept or the theme or the core message of the entire Quran... then attempted a contextual translation / interpretation according to those meanings which I have understood.
As per my knowledge there are 3 types of interpretations of Quran presently prevalent in the market. 1) Based on shahan-e-nuzool 2) Based on history, geography and scientific discoveries 3) Based on forming just and fair society or classless society.
The most prominent among the educated class is the interpretation based on forming classless society commonly known as Nizam-e-Rabbubiat; a term propagated by Allama Ghulam Ahmed Parvez school of thought.
I just wanted to discuss how people arrived at the conclusion that Quran talks about forming a classless society.
Is it fair to interpret Quran on preconceived notion of forming a classless society and then dictating the overall interpretation of the Quran based on that concept? The only difference in this type of interpretation is shahan-e-nuzool concept is replaced by preconceived notion of forming classless society given by Allama Ghulam Ahmed Parvez school of thoughts.
Then accordingly meaning of each and every word is selected keeping in mind the preconceived idea or data of forming a classless society. Are we doing justice with the message of the Quran by adjusting the meanings of words to fit it in the said concept? By doing such manipulations we are not letting the noble Quran to speak to us. We are not letting the Rehman in us to express rather we are choking its voice.
Why would Quran talk about common moral science lesson on human values or a civics lesson on forming a classless society? What guidance and benefit would the entire mankind will get by decoding this book based on this concept of just and fair society? Humans cannot establish systems on other humans and call it just and fair. Is this Quran is only for those elites who are interested in forming utopian concept of forming "paradise on earth" ? Are we not dreaming to form a "Quranic model government on earth"? Isn't it injustice to people of other faith?
Isn’t this type of interpretation further divide people and would be a fertile ground for dispute and fight as every one of us carry our own ideas about forming a just and fair society? Why would anyone opt for “Quranic model”? Or this Quran is only for elites who want to establish the power on earth on the basis distorted interpretation of their sacred book and thus maligning the message of the honorable messenger of Peace.
Geoffrey Chaucer (1343 – 25 October 1400), known as the Father of English literature, is widely considered the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages and was the first poet to be buried in Poets’ Corner of Westminister Abbey.
One of the best example is that during the time of Chaucer the meaning of the word NICE was stupid but strangely in today’s time the meaning of the word NICE is pleasant or good.
This type of evolution occurring in the meaning of words happens in every language so to blame these changes to conspiracy is ignorance. English is a living language. It survives only because it adapted to the changes cause due to merger of different culture. The languages which fail to undergo evolution dies or become a liturgical language as it fail to adapt to the geographical conditions or demand of the time. The old English survived only because it wore the dress of Modern English but the fact is that the English we know today is totally different from the old English.
The same is true with Arabic language. The old Arabic language survived because of Modern Arabic. The old Arabic embraced the words from Armenian, Syrian and Persian neighbors. The Old Arabic has become a liturgical language used only in performing rituals. Apart from it has no use in today’s colloquial.
The best way to understand Quranic Arabic is to understand the theme and context by critical analysing the important and often repeated vocabularies. Although it is a tough and tedious job but possible.
I understood the Quran by understanding its important or main vocabularies, then studying the root words and its derivatives... then out of that I understood the concept or the theme or the core message of the entire Quran... then attempted a contextual translation / interpretation according to those meanings which I have understood.
As per my knowledge there are 3 types of interpretations of Quran presently prevalent in the market. 1) Based on shahan-e-nuzool 2) Based on history, geography and scientific discoveries 3) Based on forming just and fair society or classless society.
The most prominent among the educated class is the interpretation based on forming classless society commonly known as Nizam-e-Rabbubiat; a term propagated by Allama Ghulam Ahmed Parvez school of thought.
I just wanted to discuss how people arrived at the conclusion that Quran talks about forming a classless society.
Is it fair to interpret Quran on preconceived notion of forming a classless society and then dictating the overall interpretation of the Quran based on that concept? The only difference in this type of interpretation is shahan-e-nuzool concept is replaced by preconceived notion of forming classless society given by Allama Ghulam Ahmed Parvez school of thoughts.
Then accordingly meaning of each and every word is selected keeping in mind the preconceived idea or data of forming a classless society. Are we doing justice with the message of the Quran by adjusting the meanings of words to fit it in the said concept? By doing such manipulations we are not letting the noble Quran to speak to us. We are not letting the Rehman in us to express rather we are choking its voice.
Why would Quran talk about common moral science lesson on human values or a civics lesson on forming a classless society? What guidance and benefit would the entire mankind will get by decoding this book based on this concept of just and fair society? Humans cannot establish systems on other humans and call it just and fair. Is this Quran is only for those elites who are interested in forming utopian concept of forming "paradise on earth" ? Are we not dreaming to form a "Quranic model government on earth"? Isn't it injustice to people of other faith?
Isn’t this type of interpretation further divide people and would be a fertile ground for dispute and fight as every one of us carry our own ideas about forming a just and fair society? Why would anyone opt for “Quranic model”? Or this Quran is only for elites who want to establish the power on earth on the basis distorted interpretation of their sacred book and thus maligning the message of the honorable messenger of Peace.
Isn’t it that people living in Amazon, Indonesians, Australian, Africans and Indian jungles have such societies? We have a living model in their life style; do they need a Quran or a Bible to guide them to attain peace and justice? They already have their own laws which they follow. Isn't it foolish that we ourself have not understood the address and wants to show the destination to others.
The most important criteria to understand or interpret any foreign language is to clean any preconceived ideas. When we purify ourselves the Rehman [self nourisher] in us guide us to understand and explain the unexpected or abstract knowledge. We don’t have to go to any grammarian or any school to learn the Quran. The Quran will be revealed on you if we wipe out all preconceived notions and yearn for sincere teacher. Many people believe this is a joke. Believe me it is real but the wiping of all other ideologies from the mind is the most difficult thing.
Surah Al- Rehman
(1) Al-Rehman
(2) Taught the Qur'an,
(3) Created man,
(4) [And] taught him eloquence.
If we understand these above verses in right perspective, I am sure we will able to understand what Quran is. I am a firm believer of the above verses.
Here we have not been told by the Quran to learn the Quran from any teacher or in any madrasa. But it is clearly emphasized that Rehman [self Nourisher] will be your teacher…And the condition to understand Quran is that we have to purify ourselves from preconceived notions [56:77-79] and work sincerely towards its understanding.
For me some of the main / important or often repeated vocabularies and its derivatives are:
1) Allah – 2851 times
2) Rabb – 981 times
3) Rehman – 339 times
4) Rasul – 513 times
5) Nabi – 160 times
6) Malaikah – 206 times
7) Khalafa – 127 times
8) Shaitaan – 88 times
9) Islam / Salam / Muslim – 157 times
10) Deen – 101 times
11) Kafir – 525 times
12) Mushrik / shirk – 168 times
13) Azaab – 373 times
14) Firaun – 74 times
15) Musa – 124 times
16) Israel – 40 times
17) Jannat / Jinn / Junoon / Majnoon – 201 times
18) Nahar – 113 times
19) Jahanum – 77 times
20) Lail – 92 times
21) Kitab / Kataba – 319 times
22) Quran – 88 times
23) Arabi – 22 times
24) Nafs – 298 times
25) Ilm -854 times
26) Hakim / Hikmat – 210 times
27) Aqal – 49 times
28) Samavat & fil Ardh – 770 times
29) Nisa – 59 times
30) Bashar – 125 times
31) Naas – 241 times
32) Rajul – 73 times
33) Mutaqi – 258 times
34) Aman / Momin – 890 times
35) Nazil – 293 times
36) Aakhira - 250 times
37) Hidaya – 316 times
38) Haq – 287 times
39) Batil – 36 times
40) Qalb – 168 times
41) Samaa – 185 times
42) Basir - 148 times
43) Misaal – 169 times
44) Naar / Nur – 194 times
45) Rajaun – 104 times
46) Maut – 166 times
47) Hayat – 181 times
48) Khalaq – 261 times
49) Qayam, Qaum. Aqimo – 664 times
50) Zikr – 294 times
51) Salat – 99 times
52) Sajda – 92 times
53) Zakat – 59 times
54) Zulm – 315 times
55) Hajj – 33 times
56) Saum – 14 times
57) Kalima – 76 times
58) Um / ummi / Imam / Ummat – 110 times
59) Bani – 184 times
60) Bayat – 73 times
61) Tilawat – 63 times
62) Qatal – 170 times
63) Jihad – 41 times
64) Isa – 16 times
65) Marium – 34 times
66) Qul / Qaul – 1727 times
67) Wahi – 78 times
Once I understood and fix some of the important vocabularies, I don’t change or compromise its meaning or its essence. This determination not to change its core meaning helps me in deducing the context and then I fill up the gaps according to the demand of the context with grammar rules.
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