Poem: ar-Rabb is He

Here is a poem that I wrote recently:

Poem: ar-Rabb is He. 

Who is He? Allah, الرّبّ.  

He created us amongst His creations. He designed us amongst His designs. 

He provided for us amongst His dependants. He gave us guidance, He showed us His signs. 

He gave us a choice to worship Him; the universe is constrained under His command. Destined for all of creation, is that which the All-Wise has planned. 

He gave us intellect and understanding; all knowledge and wisdom is His. We observe, we think, we analyse; the best way will always be His. 

From Him we ask that he provides for our needs. From Him we ask that He accepts our deeds. From Him we ask that He makes clear to us the right way. From Him we ask that He not let us go astray. 

The Creator of the universe, to Him is all praise. He made the moon, the stars, the planets, the sun spreading its rays. The creatures on land, the fish in the sea - none would exist, were it not willed by He. From organisms beyond our sight, to birds flying overhead - had He not sustained us, all life would have been dead.  

To Him we give thanks for allowing us to choose, in Him we seek refuge from this favour being misused.  

Him alone do we worship, not worshipping any other in between. We say إيّاك نعبد و إيّاك نستعين .

(Emailed)

Poem: ar-Rabb is He.

Poem: ar-Rabb is He. 

Written by: me 

Who is He? Allah, الرّبّ.  

He created us amongst His creations. He designed us amongst His designs. 

He provided for us amongst His dependants. He gave us guidance, He showed us His signs. 

He gave us a choice to worship Him; the universe is constrained under His command. Destined for all of creation, is that which the All-Wise has planned. 

He gave us intellect and understanding; all knowledge and wisdom is His. We observe, we think, we analyse; the best way will always be His. 

From Him we ask that he provides for our needs. From Him we ask that He accepts our deeds. From Him we ask that He makes clear to us the right way. From Him we ask that He not let us go astray. 

The Creator of the universe, to Him is all praise. He made the moon, the stars, the planets, the sun spreading its rays. The creatures on land, the fish in the sea - none would exist, were it not willed by He. From organisms beyond our sight, to birds flying overhead - had He not sustained us, all life would have been dead.  

To Him we give thanks for allowing us to choose, in Him we seek refuge from this favour being misused.  

Him alone do we worship, not worshipping any other in between. We say إيّاك نعبد و إيّاك نستعين .

Excerpts from the prefaces of Arthur John Arberry’s ‘The Koran Interpreted’

In this article, we will take a look at some excerpts from the prefaces of Arthur John Arberry’s two volume translation of the Quran, titled: The Koran Interpreted. The work was published in the mid-twentieth century, yet the author’s prefaces to each of the two volumes are still nevertheless inspiring and remaining relevant to our appreciation of the Quran in the modern day.

So without further ado, let us turn to the following quotations, which emphasise the lack of common appreciation for the rhythmic eloquence of the Quran. Selections from his preface to the first volume are as follows:

 

Pickthall claimed special attention for his work in words that deserve respectful study:

‘The aim of this work is to present to English readers what Muslims the world over hold to be the meaning of the words of the Koran, and the nature of that Book, in not unworthy language and concisely, with a view to the requirements of English Muslims. It may be reasonably claimed that no Holy Scripture can be fairly presented by one who disbelieves its inspiration and its message; and this is the first English translation of the Koran by an Englishman who is a Muslim. Some of the translations include commentation offensive to Muslims, and almost all employ a style of language which Muslims at once recognize as unworthy. The Koran cannot be translated. That is the belief of old-fashioned Sheykhs and the view of the present writer. The Book is here rendered almost literally and every effort has been made to choose befitting language. But the result is not the Glorious Koran, that inimitable symphony, the very sounds of which move men to tears and ecstasy. It is only an attempt to present the meaning of the Koran — and peradventure something of the charm — in English. It can never take the place of the Koran in Arabic, nor is it meant to do so. Before publication the work has been scrutinized word by word and thoroughly revised in Egypt with the help of one whose mother-tongue is Arabic, who has studied the Koran and who knows English; and when difficulties were encountered the translator had recourse to perhaps the greatest living authority on the subject. Every care has thus been taken to avoid unwarrantable renderings.’

(…)
In choosing to call the present work The Koran Interpreted I have conceded the relevancy of the orthodox Muslim view, of which Pickthall, for one, was so conscious, that the Koran is untranslatable. Some of the implications of that doctrine are sketched out in the preface to my The Holy Koran: an Introduction with Selections (Allen & Unwin, 1955), and it is not proposed to repeat the same argument here. Briefly, the rhetoric and rhythm of the Arabic of the Koran are so characteristic, so powerful, so highly emotive, that any version whatsoever is bound in the nature of things to be but a poor copy of the glittering splendour of the original. Never was it more true than in this instance that traduttore traditore. My chief reason for offering this new version of a book which has been ‘translated’ many times already is that in no previous rendering has a serious attempt been made to imitate, however imperfectly, those rhetorical and rhythmical patterns which are the glory and the sublimity of the Koran. I am breaking new ground here; it may therefore be thought appropriateto explain in short my intentions and my method.

(…)
There is a repertory of familiar themes running through the whole Koran; each Sura elaborates or adumbrates one or more — often many — of these. Using the language of music, each Sura is a rhapsody composed of whole or fragmentary leitmotivs; the analogy is reinforced by the subtly varied rhythmical flow of the discourse. If this diagnosis of the literary structure of the Koran may be accepted as true — and it accords with what we know of the poetical instinct, indeed the whole aesthetic impulse, of the Arabs — it follows that those notorious incongruities and irrelevancies, even those ‘wearisome repetitions’, which have proved such stumbling-blocks in the way of our Western appreciation will vanish in the light of a clearer understanding of the nature of the Muslim scriptures. A new vista opens up; following this hitherto unsuspected and unexplored path, the eager interpreter hurries forward upon an exciting journey of discovery, and is impatient to report his findings to a largely indifferent and incredulous public.

During the long months, the dark and light months, of labouring at this interpretation, eclectic where the ancient commentators differ in their understanding of a word or a phrase, unannotated because notes in plenty are to be found in other versions, and the radiant beauty of the original is not clouded by such vexing interpolations — all through this welcome task I have been reliving those Ramadan nights of long ago, when I would sit on the veranda of my Gezira house and listen entranced to the old, white-bearded Sheykh who chanted the Koran for the pious delectation of my neighbour. He had the misfortune, my neighbour, to be a prominent politician, and so in the fullness of his destiny, but not the fullness of his years, he fell to an assassin’s bullet; I like to think that the merit of those holy recitations may have eased the way for him into a world free of the tumult and turbulence that attended his earthly career. It was then that I, the infidel, learnt to understand and react to the thrilling rhythms of the Koran, only to be apprehended when listened to at such a time and in such a place. In humble thankfulness I dedicate this all too imperfect essay in imitation to the memory of those magical Egyptian nights.

We further read in his preface to the second volume of this work:

This volume contains the second half of a new version of the Koran; it thus marks the completion of one phase of a labour which is in the nature of things unending. Over a period of many months the Koran has been my constant companion, the object of my most attentive study. Though many can certainly claim to have read the Koran, indeed over and over again, and to know it Well. I think it may be reasonably asserted that their understanding and appreciation of the book will always fall short of what may be attained by one who undertakes to translate it in full and with all possible fidelity. I had myself studied the Koran and perused it from end to end over many years, before I embarked upon making a version of it; assuredly the careful discipline of trying to find the best English equivalent for every meaning and every rhythm of the original Arabic has profoundly deepened my own penetration into the heart of the Koran, and has at the same time sharpened my awareness of its mysterious and compelling beauty. For this reason, if for no other, I think it is justifiable to adopt the unusual procedure of adding a separate preface to the second instalment of a two-volume work. I suppose I shall never again recapture the freshness and excitement of the experience just now completed; the passing months and years will inevitably blur the image; this is the moment, or never, to attempt to record the impact which a sustained and concentrated exploration of the Koran has left on my mind and my heart.

(…)
The mystic’s experience, attested as it is by a cloud of witnesses, surely provides the key to the mysterious inconsequence of the Koranic rhetoric. All truth was present simultaneously within the Prophet’s enraptured soul; all truth, however fragmented, revealed itself in his inspired utterance. The reader of the Muslim scriptures must strive to attain the same all-embracing apprehension. The sudden fluctuations of theme and mood will then no longer present such difficulties as have bewildered critics ambitious to measure the ocean of prophetic eloquence with the thimble of pedestrian analysis. Each Sura will now be seen to be a unity within itself, and the whole Koran will be recognised as a single revelation, self-consistent in the highest degree. Though half a mortal lifetime was needed for the message to be received and communicated, the message itself, being of the eternal, is one message in eternity, however heterogeneous its temporal expression may appear to be. This, the mystic’s approach, is surely the right approach to the study of the Koran; it is an approach that leads, not to bewilderment and disgust — that is the prerogative of the Higher Critic — but to an ever deepening understanding, to a wonder and a joy that have no end.

InshaAllah, I intend, with my humble efforts, to explore with you some examples of the rhythmic eloquence of the Quran in an attempt to acquire a better appreciation for the word of Allah ta’ala. May Allah make it easy for us to both learn and convey such means of appreciation for His revelation to man.

 

Why do bad things happen? Why me?

Quran, 2:216

وَعَسَىٰ أَن تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

“it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.”

This ayah not only consoles us and gives us strength during times of difficulty, but it also reminds us of our limits, and that we are subject to much without having power over it. Whereas Allah ta’ala not only has power over all, but also knows all that has happened and all that will happen, and He rewards those who put their trust in Him. Thus, we should turn to Him to do what is best for us, and accept whatever He does with submission to His will and His wisdom because our will and wisdom are limited and uncertain.

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab رضي الله عنه is reported to have said:

“No amount of guilt can change the past, and no amount of worrying can change the future. Go easy on yourself, for the outcome of all affairs is determined by Allaah’s decree. If something is meant to go elsewhere, it will never come your way, but if it is yours by destiny, from it you cannot flee.”

Accepting Allah’s decree prevents us from fretting over what has passed, and allows us to seek benefit from even our bad experiences of life. It allows us to try to learn from them, and to try to understand what benefit Allah bestowed upon us in the form of what we perceived as loss and difficulty. So often do we encounter difficulty and feel saddened at the time, yet later we find that this difficulty was in fact a mercy from Allah in a manner in which we were incapable of understanding. SubhaanAllah.

Thus, when encountering difficulty, we must turn to Allah ta’ala, and humble ourselves before Him and His decree, knowing that Allah is All-Knowing and All-wise.

We find from the ahadeeth:

‘A’isha رضي الله عنها reported:
I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying: There is nothing (in the form of trouble) that comes to a believer even if it is the pricking of a thorn that there is decreed for him by Allah good or his sins are obliterated.
[Saheeh Muslim]

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه said, attributing it to the Prophet (ﷺ):
“The stronger believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, although both are good. Strive to seek that which will benefit you and do not feel helpless. If something overwhelms you, then say: Qaddarallah, wa ma sha’a fa’al (It is the decree of Allah and what He wills He does). And beware of (saying) ‘If only,’ for ‘If only’ opens the door to Satan.”
[Saheeh Muslim; Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab az-Zuhd, graded Saheeh (Darussalam)]

The Quran informs us that we will indeed be tested with difficulty and instructs that we are to be patient in such trials, for Allah ‘azzawajal rewards this patience. So remember that:

Quran, 94:6

إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا

Certainly, with the difficulty there is ease

The following ayaat, which have also been mentioned in a previous article, are a powerful reminder that advise us and strongly encourage us to ponder:

Quran, 2:152

فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ

Therefore remember Me, I will remember you, and be thankful to Me, and do not be ungrateful to Me.

Quran, 2:153

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ

O you who believe! Seek assistance through patience and prayer; surely Allah is with the patient.

Quran, 2:155

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ

And We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient,

Quran, 2:156

الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ

Those who, when a misfortune befalls them, say: “Surely we are Allah’s and to Him we shall surely return”.

Quran, 2:157

أُولَٰئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ

Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.

 

May Allah ta’ala give us the strength to accept His decree with patience and submission, and may we find peace in doing so.

Surah an-Naas: some benefits of repetition and conciseness and the applicability to arrogance

In a previous article, we looked at the incredible profoundness of the first 3 ayaat of Surah an-Naas. What follows is more reflection over these same ayaat in an attempt to explore further the beauty and significance thereof.

The first thing that strikes one about these ayaat is how concise they are, and how they follow a common structure, which also happens to rhyme:

رَبِّ النَّاس
The Rabb of mankind

مَلِكِ النَّاس
The Malik of mankind

اِلٰهِ النَّاس
The Ilaah of mankind

*see previous article for discussion on the meaning of the above terms

This commonality and conciseness serves to produce various effects on the listener.

The phrases are short and quick, so one’s mind is not likely to drift off from the point of discussion, and rather remains focused on the subject of the 3 ayaat – Allah ‘azzawajal and His authority over mankind. Having the words in quick succession somewhat assimilates all 3, presenting like a single message despite consisting of 3 separate ayaat. This is important because the message delivered by these ayaat (that Allah ta’ala is the رَبّ , مَلِك , إِله)
is one that is not to be forgotten, one that is to be emphasised and one that is necessary to be pointed out to man when we endure our various spiritual battles against a lack of hope, weakness, discouragement, apathy and loss of faith during difficult times, etc. – all of which can creep in with the waswasah of the Shaytaan.

The use of the terms allows one to see them in a progressive nature, as was discussed in the previous article.

The repeated use of sentence structure with النّاس at the end emphasises the words that differ each time – and in this case, they are attributes of Allah ta’ala: رَبّ , مَلِك , إِله . This provides greater hope and assurance to the listener, in light of the rich meanings of these terms (as discussed in the previous article), by emphasising them in the ayah and also shows how mankind is limited and constantly defined by the same term, whereas Allah is not – rather He encompasses many attributes and is not limited or lacking in any aspect.

What’s more is that some grammarians suggest a relationship between the words النَّاس and نسين (nisyan, meaning forgetful) as mankind often forgets the remembrance of Allah ta’ala and consequently goes towards sin, following the temptations baited by the shaytaan.

Remediating the nafs against arrogance

All 3 of the attributes of Allah ta’ala which are mentioned are attributes of authority. These attributes express authority over man – firstly intrinsically (in and of themselves), and secondly in the phraseology which puts forth these attributes as being titles of Allah ta’ala in relation to mankind. By the latter, I mean that “Rabb of mankind” is said instead of “your Rabb”; “Malik of mankind” is said instead of “your Malik”.
How is it that one can proclaim titles of his Lord, one after the other, progressively increasing in the authority that they express over him, and yet still remain arrogant? When stating that Allah ta’ala has authority over him in ways that are so essential for his continued existence and so overpowering over his own capabilities, how does one not humble himself before his Creator?
These ayaat humble the mind of those that reflect on this concept.

The repetition in illustrating Allah’s authority over mankind by use of these varying titles in a measured and concise pace put the listener’s mind in a state of humility and servitude, where one becomes subjugated before the significance of Allah ta’ala to his very own existence. They include mention of how we are dependant upon Allah ‘azzawajal in various ways, ranging from the fulfilment of our most essential and basic needs, to the governing of our lives and the setting forth of rules and regulations, to seeking His help regardless of the extent of the problem and seeking His help as a confidante who has the absolute capability to resolve our problems and allow us to become successful despite our shortcomings.

These characteristics of the ayaat may initially seem insignificant, yet they combine to make it so profound and effective. As has been discussed, many lessons can be learned from this Surah which can benefit various aspects of our lives and our character as believers.

May Allah tala make us of those who benefit from reflecting on the Quran.

The Quran's advice regarding hardships of this dunya and tawakkul

Allah says in the Quran, in Surah al-Baqarah:

Quran, 2:152

فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ

Therefore remember Me, I will remember you, and be thankful to Me, and do not be ungrateful to Me.

Quran, 2:153

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ

O you who believe! Seek assistance through patience and prayer; surely Allah is with the patient.

Quran, 2:155

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ

And We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient,

Quran, 2:156

الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ

Those who, when a misfortune befalls them, say: "Surely we are Allah's and to Him we shall surely return".

Quran, 2:157

أُولَٰئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ

Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.

I don't think anything else needs to be said. These are powerful ayaat, which give us strength when we remember them. Ayaat which give us the strength to endure the hardships of the dunya through tawakkul, through the realisation that this world is subject to the will of Allah ta'ala and that He knows any problem we face. That He has the full capability of removing that problem as He is اَلْجَبَّارُ , the one by whose will all else is compelled; He is اَلْقَهَّارُ , the One who is dominant over all else. That He rewards our patience and trust in him with His mercy and blessings. 

This dunya surely has its trials, and these trials show us whether we really do have faith in Allah to the extent of tawakkul. We must remember Allah in our hearts and on our tongues (dhikr) and ask Him for strength and guidance, and to do what is best for us. 

Quran, 13:28

أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ...

...Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.

May Allah ta'ala make us of those who are successful in being patient and humble during such trials, those who turn to Him before turning to anyone else, those who trust that He will do what is best for us - even if we can't understand it yet. 

Seek refuge from the whispers of satan: the first 3 ayaat of Surah an-Naas

Surah an-Naas begins as follows:

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ
[Quran 114:1]
Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind,

مَلِكِ النَّاسِ
[Quran 114:2]
The King of mankind,

إِلَٰهِ النَّاسِ
[Quran 114:3]
The God of mankind,


The Surah then goes on to instruct man to seek refuge in Allah from the whispers of the shaytaan (satan). However, the above 3 ayaat will be the main focus of the current article.


So let's look at the meaning of each of the terms used to refer to Allah ta'ala in the above ayaat:

1. Rabb of mankind - ie lord, sustainer, nourisher, provider, maintainer.

2. Malik of mankind - king/ruler. One who sets the laws and is the authority. One who's laws are applicable to His servants, but not vice versa. The One whose servants are subjected to His sovereign authority, but not vice versa. One who provides for His servants, yet (further to rabb) is also all-powerful and authoritative over them.

3. Ilaah of mankind - the God of mankind: includes the rabb, the malik, the creator & fashioner, exhalter & abaser, generous & just, omnipotent & merciful, provider, preventer and protector. He who is turned to, and who listens and provides ease from difficulty, etc. etc. Thus, here it seems an extension in authority further to Rabb and Malik, as it alludes to the other sifaat (qualities) of Allah.


Tafseer Maududi summarises this well:

"Here also, as in Surah Al-Falaq, instead of saying A'udhu-billahi (I seek Allah's refuge), a prayer has been taught to seek Allah's refuge by reference to His three attributes: first, that He is Rabb-un nas, i.e. Sustainer, Providence and Master of all mankind; third, that He is Ilah-un-nas, i.e. real Deity of all mankind, (Here, one should clearly understand that the word ilah has been used in two meanings in the Qur'an: first for the thing or person who is practically being worshiped although it or he is not entitled to worship; second, for Him Who is ' entitled to worship, Who is in fact the Deity whether the people worship Him or not, wherever this word is used for Allah; it has been used in the second meaning). Seeking refuge by means of these three attributes means: "I seek refuge with that God, Who being the Sustainer, King and Deity of men, has full power over them, can fully protect them and can really save them from the evil, to save myself and others from which I am seeking His refuge. Not only this: since He alone is Sustainer, King and Deity, therefore, there is no one beside Him with Whom I may seek refuge and he may give real refuge."

The separate mentions of these titles allow us to focus on these specific attributes of Allah, and to then take on the message of the Surah as a whole (to seek refuge from the shaytaan's waswasah [ie. evil suggestions]) whilst keeping these attributes in mind. An elaboration is as follows:

• to consider Allah as one's Rabb, without which the littlest of essential things would not be possible, without which one would not achieve good and one would be in loss. He whose favours we should appreciate when tempted towards sin. The one who makes it possible for us to choose the better option. The one who grants ease after difficulty to those who trust Him, satisfying their needs and doing what is best for them (out of His wisdom and mercy) - including that which they could not fathom. He knows our necessities and makes the means for us to fulfill them. He who enables those who are feeling the influence of waswasah to overcome it, the One who allows this struggle to occur in order to make us learn and grow from our experiences.

• to consider Allah as one's Malik, to follow His rules and abide by His guidelines, which enables us to stay away from sin. He who is completely independent, not affected by our actions or thoughts, yet we are subject to His omnipotence and His will. Our sin is our loss, but it does not harm Him - His guidelines are for our benefit alone. To follow that which He has decreed and to avoid that which He has prohibited.

• to consider Allah as ilaah, our creator, the one whom we worship, the one whom we invoke for help and turn towards in times of difficulty, to turn to Him for help and also turn to Him in giving thanks and repentance, to believe that He alone is worthy of worship.  He is the one who knows our faults, our desires, our temptations, our weaknesses, our mistakes. He to whom we are encouraged to turn to even when tempted by the shaytaan, He with whom we seek refuge from the shaytaan and waswasah, He whose protection is all that is needed against the shaytaan. To firmly believe that no harm can reach you under His refuge, which is completely and utterly sufficient, and with which one has no other need or requirement as He alone is absolutely sufficient for us. This is as the following ayah explains:

[Quran 10:107]

And if Allah should touch you with adversity, there is no remover of it except Him; and if He intends for you good, then there is no repeller of His bounty. He causes it to reach whom He wills of His servants. And He is the Forgiving, the Merciful

Through writing the above article, I've realised how superficially we tend to look at things, and how taking some time out to reflect on and write about subjects in the Quran makes one achieve a richer understanding.

Feel free to comment on this very humble reflection from a layperson and to share your own reflections of these 3 ayaat!

I'd like to thank my dear brother known as "Ibn Fulaan", who was a great help in the compilation of this article, and contributed to it wholeheartedly. May Allah reward him with abundant good.

Is translation lacking? If so why?

Some non-Muslims/non-Arabs/non-Arabic speaking people often assume that simply reading a translation of the Quran is enough to gain a thorough and complete understanding of it. However, this is not the case, as well be explained below.

Arabic is a rich language, with many words for one particular thing - yet all of these are not absolutely synonymous. Rather they have different shades of meaning, and go into more depth than a single word would often do in English. For example, there are several words for sleeping in Arabic, which each have a subtle yet significant difference: eg. sleeping whilst laying, sleeping whilst sitting, sleeping whilst dreaming, etc.

But is this also consistent with the Quran?

Yes, it is. One will come across various words/ayaat in the Quran where reading a translation will provide a superficial meaning and deprive the reader/listener from the true beauty and depth of the words of the Quran. The following is an example of this:

Surah al-A'raaf says in ayah 198 (Quran 7:198): 

وَإِن تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى الْهُدَىٰ لَا يَسْمَعُوا ۖ وَتَرَاهُمْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ وَهُمْ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ

"And if you invite them to guidance, they do not hear; and you see them looking at you while they do not see."

Here, the verb 'to look/see' is mentioned 3 times, translated as follows: "...you see them looking at you while they do not see". As we can see, each time the word appears equivalent.

However the Arabic words used are different in all 3 cases, and are as follows (respectively): 

رأي = to observe/contemplate 

نظر = to look/see

بصر = a deep perception, to see something whilst having a deep understanding thereof

As such, one can see that the translation of the ayah is certainly not as rich as the original Arabic version of it.

Why are translations inadequate, why don't they elaborate to make the difference clear?

To produce a high quality of work, regardless of what it may be, one is required to be consistent. In addition to this, one is required to be accurate and concise.

When translating the Quran, the translator has to consider all of the aforementioned, and strive to complete the task despite the extensive length of the Quran. If he/she elaborates (on the shade of meaning of a word) in one place, the equivalent would be required of many such places. This isn't akin to the notes in brackets of those such as Dr Muhammad Muhsin Khan, which serve as clarification of what is being spoken about, requiring a lesser extent of description. Rather every few words of the Quran would entail  elaborate discussion.

So why be concise? Well it makes the translators task a lot easier (despite still being extensive) and conforms to the concise nature of the Quran in its original language.

If this is the case, why bother with translations?

Despite the deficiency in depth, translations still provide much of the message of the Quran. Its just that the message might not be as effective due to the omission of things consistent with the original form.

Translations enable people of many languages to be able to read the Quran and understand much of its messages and instructions. It is ultimately much more beneficial than not translating, as many people would not be able to understand the Quran adequately until learning Arabic.

Indeed, it is as Marmaduke Pickthall said:

"The Koran cannot be translated. That is the belief of old-fashioned Sheykhs and the view of the present writer. The Book is here rendered almost literally and every effort has been made to choose befitting language. But the result is not the Glorious Koran, that inimitable symphony, the very sounds of which move men to tears and ecstasy. It is only an attempt to present the meaning of the Koran -- and peradventure something of the charm -- in English. It can never take the place of the Koran in Arabic, nor is it meant to do so."

Indeed, Allah is with those who are patient

In the Quran, Allah ta'ala says:

اِنَّ اللهَ مَعَ الصّٰبِرِيْن 

Indeed, Allah is with those who are patient (as-Śaabireen). 

The word ٓمَع is used here - the things that are mentioned with this word accompany one another. Thus, in this ayah it means that Allah ta'ala is with as-Śaabireen, and اِنَّ is emphatic of this relationship between the the two. 

Who are as-Śaabireen? 

As discussed in a previous post about patience, one is only recognised by a characteristic when that characteristic is found consistently in that person. 

Upon reflection, we find that patience has several aspects. 

• Patience - desire
• Patience - anger
• Patience - hope, prayer, tawakkul. 

Patience to resist a desire is not only refraining from obtaining that desire at any cost. Absolute patience, in this regard, is not pursuing the desire AND being content with what one has. To be satisfied and thankful to Allah ta'ala for what we do have, and appreciating that it is better than what it could have been otherwise. 

It is the realisation that any worldly need ultimately is possible only by the will of Allah ta'ala, and that rather than going after the desire, one needs only to turn to Him and ask for what is best for oneself. 

One who is patient in anger is able to take on any insults or harsh words, to avoid a reaction, to give up for the sake of making peace, to put their points across without causing anyone else to be insulted. 

The other type of patience is when going through sadness and difficulty. When a calamity befalls, the easiest thing to say is "Why me? Why did this happen to me despite my faith in Allah?"  Ironically, this very saying questions whether we really trust Allah. If you have faith in what Allah says and does, do you really question why life throws it's difficulties only at you? Or does one accept that it is as Allah ordained it? 

In the Quran, we find that:

"Allah does not lay on any soul a burden except to the extent to which He has granted it; Allah brings about ease after difficulty."

Indeed, we must have tawakkul, that is, that we must make Allah ta'ala our 'wakeel' (one who deals with someone's problems). 

Quran, 3:160

إِن يَنصُرْكُمُ اللَّهُ فَلَا غَالِبَ لَكُمْ وَإِن يَخْذُلْكُمْ فَمَن ذَا الَّذِي يَنصُرُكُم مِّن بَعْدِهِ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ

If Allah assists you, then there is none that can overcome you, and if He forsakes you, who is there then that can assist you after Him? And on Allah should the believers rely (ie. do tawakkul).

The above aspects of patience are difficult to maintain. But it is the struggle against this difficulty that Allah subhaanahu wa ta'ala rewards, so we must continue to strive to observe it. 

May Allah make us of as-Śaabireen. 

Remember to forgive if you want forgiveness

Remember that we should not be hypocrites - if we want forgiveness from Allah 'azzawajal, we should forgive others for the sake of receiving His mercy.

Yes, we are imperfect, we are not the most-merciful - but we need to strive towards taqwa. May Allah make us of the muttaqeen (those with taqwa). May He make us of the śaabireen (those who are patient).

We aren't perfect, but it's the effort that we make to remove our imperfections and selfishness that will be rewarded in the akhirah (inshaAllah). May Allah make us of those people who receive Jannah, and upon whom His mercy is bestowed on the day of qiyamah.

Abu Sa’id (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:‘Someone who does not show mercy will not be shown mercy.’[Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Book: Looking after Children, graded Saheeh by Sh. al-Albani]

‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was heard to say: “Anyone who does not show mercy will not be shown mercy. Anyone who does not forgive will not be forgiven. Anyone who does not turn in repentance will not be turned to nor will he be protected or guarded.”[Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Book: Mercy, graded Hasan by Sh. al-Albani]

Jarir bin Abdullah (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:“Whoever does not show mercy to the people, Allah will not show mercy to him.”(“‏ مَنْ لاَ يَرْحَمُ النَّاسَ لاَ يَرْحَمُهُ اللَّهُ ‏”)[Found in Sahih Muslim, Book of virtues;Jami'at-Tirmidhi, graded as Saheeh by Darussalam;Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Book: Mercy, graded Saheeh by Sh. al-Albani]

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-’As (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The Compassionate One has mercy on those who are merciful. If you show mercy to those who are on the earth, He Who is in the heaven will show mercy to you.[Sunan Abu Dawood, graded Saheeh by Sh. al-Albani]

[again, a reminder for myself, first and foremost]