With Arabic: No big ideas or secrets, just time, hard work and patience
In the past, while studying Arabic, I made it a point to get as much advice as I could from friends and colleagues. Although there is nothing blameworthy in getting advice for the sake of getting better understanding, in the past I blame myself for trying to find the ‘easy way out’ or the ‘secret’ to gaining proficiency in Arabic. So instead of focusing on just getting the job done and staying the course, I think I wasted some valuable time try to figure what I was doing ‘wrong.’ But there was nothing wrong. Arabic just takes time. A lot of it.
And it’s funny, because in the periods that I was focused, hard working with my eyes locked in on my goal, I realize that I improved the most by leaps and bounds. Subhan’Allah.
Now, as I settle into a new phase of independent study with my Arabic, I see quite clearly that there is also replacement for time and patience.
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In a recent post I mentioned that I had found that the key to really gaining deeper understanding of the Qur’an was in the science of Arabic rhetoric. I still think that is true, but I need to also add that there is no replacement for constant reading of Allah’s book and dedication. The Qur’an is something, as a friend once mentioned to me, that if you give your all to it, it will give some of itself to you. But if you don’t dedicate yourself to it, don’t expect any openings from Allah regarding understanding His book.
Allah says in the Qu’ran: “And hold to the Qur’an with a firmness and call to remembrance what is there in, so that you may attain piety.” (Surah al-Baqarah)
So if the power of understanding the Qur’an lies in dedication and firmness, then Arabic rhetoric is the chassis and drive train in directing this power en route to connecting with God and drawing spiritually closer to Him.
The task with balagha, though, as should be held out as a disclaimer, is that of all the science of Arabic, this one is the longest, it has even been mentioned to me that it really doesn’t end. But the rewards that are embedded in studying it to even a rudimentary level are immense.
For example, Allah says in Surat Ibrahim: “And we have not sent a messenger, except by the tongue of his own people, so that he can make things clear for them.”
It needs to be mentioned that when we read Quranic verses translated to English, what we are really reading is an interpretation of the original Arabic. The Qur’an is simply too complex and English too unrelated to its language for there to be a direct English translation. So although we can guess at the meaning of verses as we see them in Englsih, often with success because of the fact that what we are reading is already broken down and interpreted already, when reading this verse in Arabic there is a much more nuanced and systematized approach to understanding it appropriately. Balagha is this highly developed system of zoning in on the stunning, (yet, nevertheless, effort-requiring) meanings that the Qur’an contains.
So in regards to the verse mentioned, Allah is telling us, as is clear from the literal meaning of the verse, that He never sends a messenger except that he speaks the tongue of his people. But in Arabic, if this verse interpreted through the lens of balagha, more meanings blossom in front of our eyes. In Arabic rhetoric there are two significant things going on in this verse. Firstly, the syntax of the sentence is one of restriction or, in Arabic, “al-Qasr,” because Allah uses negation to completely negate all other possibilities besides what comes after the word “except” in the verse. So there is sweeping negation. But then comes (after “except”) what the respective object is restricted to. For an Arabic speaker who has studied rhetoric, when hearing this verse it becomes clear that the verse is designed in a way for more emphasis and stress to be placed on the fact that Allah — out of His Mercy — sends messengers speaking the specific vernacular of his people. So the messenger would therefore know all the small subtitles of his people’s language and he would also know the best way to convey the message to them. There are many lessons that can be taken from this. Among them is that for people who are planning to give a speech or khutbah, it is highly recommended that you have a firm grasp of the language you plan on addressing the audience in. Because if you don’t know the language of the people sufficiently, the effect of your words will be minimal and — in some cases I have seen — embarrassing and laughable.
From another angle, a mechanism called “Majaaz Mursal” can also be found in this verse. This term is the rough equivalent of “metaphor” in English. In the case of this verse, “tongue” is used as a metaphor for what, i.e. a messenger, who Allah sends to a nation. And as is taught in balagha, there are subclasses in the “Majaz Mursal.” These subclasses are designed to really focus in on the point that the speaker (in this case, Allah) (swt) is trying to make. So the sub-classification here is called, “Juz’ia,” or one in which the speaker uses a “part,” (juz’ia means part) when in reality the speaker is referring to the complete body or figure in question. But of course the question still remains, “Why is this used here?” “Why is it stated like this?” The goal of the figurative speech in the verse is to indicate that in the delivery of the Divine message, the tongue (or speech) is the most important part of that messenger that He (swt) sends. So although other factors such as social rank, popularity and appearance are important, at the end of it all, the most decisive factor in the ideal delivery of the Message is lucid, intelligible speech.
So with a little Arabic rhetoric we see just how important it is that – as people who want to present our faith to others — we know the language that we will be speaking well enough, that we know what we are talking about; and when delivering the message we use clear language as to avoid ambiguity.
There have been many gems that I have found in various books commenting on the figurative meanings of the Qur’an. I look forward to sharing them.
