The Quran has not merely been revealed in Arabic: it has been revealed in eloquent Arabic. The language is clear and cogent, and there is no vagueness in it; every word is unambiguous and every style adopted is well known to its addressees. The Quran says:

نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ عَلَى قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُنذِرِينَ بِلِسَانٍ عَرَبِيٍّ مُّبِينٍ(26: 193-195)

The faithful Spirit has brought it down into your heart [O Prophet] that you may become a warner [for people] in eloquent Arabic. (26:193-195)

قُرآنًا عَرَبِيًّا غَيْرَ ذِي عِوَجٍ لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ (28:39)

In the form of an Arabic Quran, free from any ambiguity that they may save themselves [from punishment]. (39:28)

This is an obvious reality about the Quran. If this premise is accepted, then it must be conceded that no word used or style adopted by the Quran is rare or unknown (shadh). Its words and styles are well known and conventionally understood by its addressees. No aspect of the language has any peculiarity or rarity in it. Consequently, while interpreting the Qur’an, the conventionally understood and known meanings of the words should be taken into consideration. Apart from them, no interpretation is acceptable. Thus in the verses: وَالنَّجْمُ وَالشَّجَرُ يَسْجُدَانِ (6:55), the meaning of the word اَلنَّجْمُ can only be “stars”. In وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ وَلَا نَبِيٍّ إِلَّا إِذَا تَمَنَّى أَلْقَى الشَّيْطَانُ فِي أُمْنِيَّتِهِ (52:22), the word تَمَنَّى can only mean “desire”. In أَفَلَا يَنظُرُونَ إِلَى الْإِبِلِ كَيْفَ خُلِقَتْ (17:88), the word الْإِبِلِ has only been used for “camel”. The only meaning of the word بَيْضٌ in the verse كَأَنَّهُنَّ بَيْضٌ مَّكْنُونٌ (49:37) is “eggs”. In the verse فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ (2:108), the word نَحْر only means “sacrifice”. They do not mean “plants”, “recital”, “clouds”, “the hidden sheath of eggs” and “folding hands on the chest” respectively.

Similar is the case with declensions and styles adopted. Scholars of grammar and rhetoric have regarded many such aspects of the Quran as rare and as exceptions; however, the truth of the matter is that this conclusion is based on incomprehensive research. In recent times, the works of the two pioneers of the Farahi school: Imam Hamid al-Din al-Farahi and Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi have fully proven that the declensions and styles adopted by the Quran are all in fact well-known and conventionally understood by the Arabs. Students of the Quran who have a flare for these aspects of the language of the Quran can obtain a lot of guidance from Imam al-Farahi’s Mufradat al-Quran, [1] Asalib al-Quran, [2] Jamhurah al-balaghah [3] and Majmuah-i tafasir [4] and from Imam Islahi’s Tadabbur-i Quran. [5]

Taking into consideration this principle is a requisite of the eloquence of the Quranic language, which as stated above, is mentioned in the Quran itself. No explanation of the Quran is acceptable while disregarding this principle.

(Meezan: Javed Ahmed Ghamidi)

(Translated by Dr. Shehzad Saleem)

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[1]. Hamid al-Din al-Farahi, Mufradat al-Qur’an, 1st ed., Azamgarh: Da’irah hamidiyyah, 1358 AH.

[2]. Hamid al-Din al-Farahi, Rasa’il fi ‘ulum al-Qur’an, 2nd ed., Azamgarh: Da’irah hamidiyyah, 1991.

[3]. Hamid al-Din al-Farahi, Jamhurah al-balaghah, 1st ed., Azamgarh: Da’irah hamidiyyah, 1360 AH.

[4]. Hamid al-Din al-Farahi, Majmu‘ah tafasir,2nd ed., Lahore: Faran Foundation, 1986.

[5]. Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, 2nd ed., 9 vols. Lahore: Faran Foundation, 1985.