“And We have also sent down unto you (Muhammed) the Reminder and the Advice (the Qur’an), that you may explain clearly to men what is sent down to them.” (Qur’an 16:44)
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This article if anything is going to show the importance of understanding the Arabic language. Not only understanding the Arabic language but understanding the breadth, depth and richness of this language.
I have seen Christian polemist try to twist the Arabic meaning of the Qur’an to suit an agenda that they have. I have seen a “Muslim” from Harvard chime in to the same effect, to suggest that Christianity and Islam are basically the same. That same reformist surprise surprise, not grounded in the Arabic language.
I have seen a known follower of the ‘Hafs Only Quranic Transmission’ Religion opine on the matter. Relying upon his Lisan Al Arabi and Hans WEHR Dictionary of Modern Arabic.
All of them suffer from the same issue. They do not have even foundational knowledge of the Arabic language, let alone advanced knowledge.
For those interested you may want to revisit our article in which our noble teacher Shaykh Juma Mazrui (May Allah bless him) instructed us on the usage of Majaz in the Qur’an and Sunnah.
I’ll pull up something from the article there and re-post it here as it is relevant.
“Be patient over what they say, and remember Our servant, David, the possessor of many hands (l-aydi); he was one who repeatedly turned back [to Us].” (Qur’an 38:17)
Plural in Arabic begins with three and not two! So, at the very least David had three hands. However, notice something from the following site:
https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/38/17/
It is unanimous that they all translate ‘many hands’ as strength! Even the Salafi/Saudi translations do! Even the translation that gives us the most literal word for word meaning possible was too shy to translate David having many hands.
Be patient over what they say and remember Our servant, David, the possessor of strength; indeed, he was one who repeatedly turned back [to Allah ] (Sahih International)
Be patient (O Muhammad SAW) of what they say, and remember Our slave Dawood (David), endued with power. Verily, he was ever oft-returning in all matters and in repentance (toward Allah) (Muhsin Khan & Muhammed Al Hilal)
So we can say to those who believe in literal translations: Why don’t you take these verses on the apparent meaning? If Allah (swt) says that David has many hands then say that David had many hands!
You are shy to ascribe many hands to David but not to Allah (swt)?!
This is also the case any place any where we see ‘hands’ attributed to Allah (swt).
You can see all such instances relating to having power over, authority over, under the provision of etc…
Please see the following article:
HOW MANY HANDS DOES THE QUR’AN HAVE?
“And that which We have revealed to you, of the Book is the truth, (ma bayna yadayhi) that is between its hands. Indeed, Allah , of His servants, is Acquainted and Seeing.” (Qur’an 35:31)
“They said, “O our people, indeed we have heard a Book revealed after Moses and (ma bayna yadayhi) what is between its hands. which guides to the truth and to a straight path.” (Qur’an 46:30)
“He has sent down upon you, the Book in truth, (ma bayna yadayhi) what is between its hands. And He revealed the Torah and the Gospel.” (Qur’an 3:3)
All of those verses when taken literally clearly states that the Qur’an has something ‘in between its hands’.
In the case of our Harvard graduate (mentioned above) he is among those who rail against the Salafist and their literal interpretations; but he himself is bereft of a consistent hermeneutic.
Even in the case of the one who follows the ‘Hafs Only Quranic Transmission’ Religion there was a clear acknowledgement that the text is an idiomatic expression and yet still decided on a literal translation! He even used Qur’an 3:3 as an example!
“Indeed, it is not the eyes that are blind, but it is the hearts in the chests that grow blind.” (Qur’an 22:46)
The very definition of idiomatic expression is:
an expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that comprise it.
THE DECEPTION OF CHRISITAN POLEMICIST
So how do these Christian apologist and polemicist use these idiomatic expressions in the Qur’an to deceive the layman Muslim?
“And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus , the son of Mary, (ma bayna yadayhi) having authority over the Torah; and We gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light and having authority over that which preceded it of the Torah as guidance and instruction for the righteous.” (Qur’an 5:46)
“And when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, “O children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you(ma bayna yadayhi) having authority over that which came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad.” But when he came to them with clear evidences, they said, “This is obvious magic.” (Qur’an 61:6)
“He has sent down upon you, the Book in truth, (ma bayna yadayhi) have total authority. And He revealed the Torah and the Gospel.” (Qur’an 3:3)
How do these Christian polemist and apologist twist Qur’an 5:46 and Qur’an 61:6?
They want it to read something like this:
“And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus , the son of Mary, confirming the Torah that is between his hands; and We gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light and having authority over that which preceded it of the Torah as guidance and instruction for the righteous.” (Qur’an 5:46)
“And when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, “O children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you confirming the Torah that is between my hands and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad.” But when he came to them with clear evidences, they said, “This is obvious magic.” (Qur’an 61:6)
Is it now obvious what they are up to?
They are trying by way of deception to make it look as if Jesus (as) had some physical copy of the Torah in his hands that he is reading from. Since the Torah of the time of Christ Jesus can reasonably be argued to be the one that Jews are using today -ipso facto it is preserved, untampered and uncorrupted.
This very idea has been destroyed by the Qur’an itself. It charges something much deeper than textual corruption. We are talking about corruption of in the oral process before it even becomes written text.
https://primaquran.com/2024/07/15/the-quran-charges-oral-corruption-of-the-previous-revelations/
That is why Allah (swt) can say:
“Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say:” This is from Allah,” to traffic with it for miserable price!- Woe to them for what their hands do write, and for the gain they make thereby.” (Qur’an 2:79)
Note the text above is not talking about people editing a book. It is stating that the very things they are writing themselves are a fabrication! Not that they had something in hand and started editing and omitting. It is deeper than that!
The Qur’an has no qualms about the fact that what Christians and Jews call sacred scriptures can have some truth in them. However, it has never endorsed their sacred text wholesale.
It is not possible to do so because Jews and Christians have internal disputes about what their sacred canon consist of. The Qur’an never settles these disputes between them.
“But why do they come to you for judgment when they have the Torah containing Allah’s judgment, then they turn away after all? They are not believers.” (Qur’an 5:43)
“And let the People of the Gospel(ahlu l’injili) judge by what Allah has revealed therein. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed – then it is those who are the defiantly disobedient.” (Qur’an 5:47)
May Allah guide the Ummah.
May Allah forgive the Ummah.
May Allah guide the sincere truth seekers.
Prima Quran 