I am just initiating a discussion on the importance of Qur’an. My proposal is that it is a must for every Muslim to understand the Qur’an because it was reveavled in the language of the people who spoke Arabic and could understand it first hand.
Qur’an states:
“Verily, We have made this (Qur’an) easy, in your tongue, in order that they may give heed.” (Ad-Dakhan 44:58)
And it also states about those who are thrown into the Fire of Hell:
“They will say: ‘Had we but listened or used our intelligence, we would not (now) be among the Companions of the Blazing Fire!’” (Al-Mulk 67:10)
I think it is very clear in its text that Qur’an must be understood by everyone and one must apply the intellect in its study and not be blind about faith.
Therefore, one should not only understand it, but should ponder upon it with their brain and use intellect in such an excercise.
very nice effort brother oiqbal.. certainly the Qur'an was sent down for all of us to ponder on it's meanings and use our collective intellect to benefit from it.
Qur'an states:
"Verily, We have made this (Qur'an) easy, in your tongue, in order that they may give heed." (Ad-Dakhan 44:58)
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"in your tongue"..who's? Arabs? So God was talking to Arabic speaking that I am giving you the book in your language so that it is easy for you to understand...how does that translate into...it is or everyone and everyone should understand it?
<< "in your tongue"..who's? Arabs? So God was talking to Arabic speaking that I am giving you the book "in your tongue"..who's? Arabs? So God was talking to Arabic speaking that I am giving you the book in your language so that it is easy for you to understand...how does that translate into...it is or >>
So what do you expect, Quran revealed in Punjabi and everbody would understand. Give me one book which was revealed in 50 different languages.
I believe I have no where alluded in my message that Hadeeth must be denied or that it is not to be followed. The message, on the other hand, points towards an important requirement of all Muslims by the Almighty. By just pointing out towards this important message, no one should conclude that it is denial of Sunnah and Hadith in any way. Sunnah and Hadith are important and must be understood and used in forming the religion, but Muslims today are generally more aware of other literature than Qur'anic understanding. The write up points towards exactly that and the fact how important Almighty has made it for us to understand Qur'an. In addition to that, we should have very sound knowledge in Qur'an which should be used as a criterion for understanding what is right and what is wrong.
Qur'an's first addressees were Arabs and therefore it refers to the language of Quraysh at the revelation of Qur'an, very similar to the choice of Hebrew and Aramaic in gospels and bibles, because those were the languages of the direct addressees of those scriptures. However, our not knowing the language should not cause problems in our understanding the Book.
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*Originally posted by johnd: *
<< "in your tongue"..who's? Arabs? So God was talking to Arabic speaking that I am giving you the book "in your tongue"..who's? Arabs? So God was talking to Arabic speaking that I am giving you the book in your language so that it is easy for you to understand...how does that translate into...it is or >>
So what do you expect, Quran revealed in Punjabi and everbody would understand. Give me one book which was revealed in 50 different languages.
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Johny, where you been buddy?
If I wrote something addressed to you that Mr Johny, I am writing this letter in Urdu, your mother language, so that you can read and understand it easily. Does that mean it (letter) was also meant and to be read with same easy by Zambo Bazuka in Brazil? In the above verse God is clearly talking to the Arabs. That was my point.
BTW do you think God is not capable of revealing the same book, at the same time, in 250,000 different locations and languages? I think if He thought the message was important enough, he would and could have done the above...even our county health services department publishes AIDS awareness brochures in 10 languages because it cares about people's health.
Qur'an is not available for understanding to Arabic speakers only, it is available for those who speak Urdu and English and many other languages. I have translations in Urdu and English.
In the analogy given above by user ChannMahi, the letter is read and understood by someone whom it is addressed to. So for instance if someone does not have the ability to read the language and they are sent a letter, they ask someone else to read it to them. They do not keep it in a green cover, put it in their cupboard, take it out every fortnight or so and kiss it, recite it without understanding, and put it back. When such a letter is received, it is read and understood with all the attention and with the intention of understanding what the author of the letter has written. And if someone is illiterate, they have others read it to them, but they make sure they understand it.
However, the message of our God is not dealt this way. Only its first addressees were Arabs. Now Muslims are in all the different cultures and Almighty has also made sure the message be available to them in their languages, yet we do not read and understand it.
Qur'an's messages and commands to us are different, it wants all its readers to understand it, ponder upon it and use their intellect in the process. It rightly demands its readers to understand the message sent down by God which was delivered by Prophet Muhammad (sws) against severe prosecution and reprimand, and not only did he deliver it, he also established a society by the leave of Allah to practice it.
However, this same message for which God sent so many prophets to so many nations and eventually had delivered to us through Prophet Muhammad (sws) is dealt with negligence uncomparable to any other book in the world!
I think Muslims in general read a lot of literature about Islam and otherwise, which is obviously good. However, one question that keeps arising in my mind is, how come despite Allah's clear verdicts on understanding the Qur'an, it is usually never taken and understood by Muslims?