بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
رَبِّ ٱشۡرَحۡ لِى صَدۡرِى (٢٥)وَيَسِّرۡ لِىٓ أَمۡرِى (٢٦)وَٱحۡلُلۡ عُقۡدَةً۬ مِّن لِّسَانِى (٢٧)يَفۡقَهُواْ قَوۡلِى (٢٨)
What is the language of Al Quran?
When the Word of Allah was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed (SAW) it took the composition of Arabic language.
Every Muslim knows that the language of Al Quran is Arabic, what Al Quran says about its language is mentioned in different Surah and Verses like:
Sura 43 Az Zukhruf Verse 3
اِنَّا جَعَلْنٰهُ قُرْءٰنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُوْنَ
Verily We have made it an Arabic Qur’an that you may understand.
Surah Yousuf Verse 1 and 2
الٓرۚ تِلۡكَ ءَايَـٰتُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ ٱلۡمُبِينِ (١)
إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ قُرۡءَٲنًا عَرَبِيًّ۬ا لَّعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ (٢)
Alif Lam Ra. These are the Symbols (or Verses) of the Perspicuous Book. (1) We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an in order that ye may learn wisdom. (2)
Surah 39 Az Zumar Vere 28:
قُرۡءَانًا عَرَبِيًّا غَيۡرَ ذِى عِوَجٍ۬ لَّعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَّقُونَ (٢٨
(It is) a Qur’an in Arabic, without any crookedness (therein): in order that they may guard against Evil. (28)
Surah 18 Al Kahf Verse 1:
ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبۡدِهِ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَلَمۡ يَجۡعَل لَّهُ ۥ عِوَجَاۜ (١
Praise be to Allah ﷻ Who hath sent to His Servant the Book, and hath allowed therein no Crookedness: (1)
The question is which Arabic is used as the language of Al Quran? Arabic is not a single vernacular language, it has its different dialects, shades and linguistics. Every Arabic speaking country has a different dialect. Even at the time of revelation there was not a standard Arabic language all over the Arabian Peninsula.
The Arabic that is used in Al Quran is the native Arabic, the Arabic that indigenous people of Al Hijaz used to speak, the rural language, language of the people living in the deserts.
The language of the cities was different, especially in Mecca, since it was an important commercial hub. Lot of trade convoys used to come from different areas and countries. In commercial cities normally local language gets mixed up with many foreign words and terms. Many words even change their meanings or connotations.
The tribe of Quraish used to send their children to the desert to learn pure Arabic language, free of pollution. Hence the dialect of Al Quran is the spoken Arabic of Al Hijaz. That is why Al Quran refers it as “a Qur’an in Arabic, without any crookedness.”
However there are some words from other tribal Arabic, some exceptional foreign ‘Arabized’ words of Hindi and Persian are also there for example ‘Sang-e-Gill’ is a Persian word that has been Arabized to ‘Sijjeel’ mentioned in Surah 105 Al Fil Verse 4 تَرۡمِيهِم بِحِجَارَةٍ۬ مِّن سِجِّيلٍ۬ (٤ .
From the language point of view Al Quran is the ultimate book in linguistics and allegory, it is a masterpiece in language and literature, it has a heavenly composition, a divine music, it is an epic of articulation, it is not poetry but it has an amazing rhythm and rhyme.
Even non-Muslim Arab population who don’t believe it as a ‘Word of Allah ﷻ’ accept it a masterpiece in Arabic linguistic and literature.
Muslims are encouraged to recite Al Quran in the most beautiful manner possible.
Once the Prophet (SAW) was passing by the house of one of his companions Hazrat Musa Ibn-e-Ashari (RA), he heard him reciting Al Quran so beautifully that he (SAW) stood there listening for quite some time. In the morning when he (SAW) met Hazrat Musa-Ibn-e-Ashari, he (SAW) praised him saying that “O Musa you have been given one of the singing instruments or eloquence from Al-e-Daud (Sons of David).”
It is said that Hazrat Omer (RA) used to recite Al Quran very loudly while Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) used to recite softly in a low voice. The Prophet (SAW) asked Hazrat Omer (RA) why you recite so loudly. Hazrat Omer replied “I recite loudly to ward off the devil Satan”. Then he (SAW) asked Hazrat Abu Bakr why you recite in a low voice, Abu Bakr (RA) said ‘I recite in a low voice because the One for who I recite knows that I am reciting.” Prophet (SAW) told Omer (RA) to lower his voice a little and to Abu Bakr (RA) to raise his voice a little, so to come at an average level.
Last thing to note is that Al Quran has immensely benefitted the Arabic language itself; it has done a great service to Arabic language. It has stabilized the Arabic language like a pillar. Al Quran is still referred to as the pure eloquent Arabic.
Though it is not appropriate to compare the language of Al Quran with any other writings but just for the sake of understanding it can be said that it is similar to what William Shakespeare has done with the English language.
للهُمَّ أَرِنَا الحَقَّ حَقّاً وَارْزُقْنَا التِبَاعَةَ وَأَرِنَا البَاطِلَ بَاطِلاً وَارْزُقْنَا اجْتِنَابَهُ، بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِين◌
“O Allah, let us see the good as good, and bless us with following it, and show us the falsehood as falsehood, and bless us with staying away from it, with your mercy O Most Merciful.”
Compiled and written by Dr. Syed Faisal Jeelani
From the lectures of Dr. Israr Ahmed, a prominent Pakistani Islamic scholar followed particularly in South Asia as well as by the South Asian diaspora in the Middle East, Western Europe, and North America.