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Can the Non-Arab possess Shari’ah Knowledge? by: Zayd Mustansir |
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1) The revelation was sent to all mankind, Allah created mankind and knows that He gave them different languages. It would appear to be against Divine Justice that the understanding is limited to those of Arabic tongue. "Say: "O men! I am sent unto you all, as the Messenger of Allah, to Whom belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth: there is no god but He: it is He That giveth both life and death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the Unlettered Prophet, who believeth in Allah and His words: follow him that (so) ye may be guided." (al A'raaf 7:158) and "Say (O Muhammad) : What thing is of most weight in testimony? Say: Allah is witness between you and me. And this Qur'an hath been inspired in me, that I may warn therewith you and whomsoever it may reach. Do ye in truth bear witness that there are gods beside Allah? Say: I bear no such witness. Say: He is only One God. Lo! I am innocent of that which ye associate (with Him)." (al Ana'm 6:19) and "We have sent you not but as a mercy to the a'lameen." (al Anbiyaa 21:107) 2) The Quran contains many miracles, one of these is the miracle of the excellence of language in its style, meaning, grammar and sound......this is transmitted through the Arabic text. The challenge to produce a soorah like it has not been met. However, this is not the only miracle of the Quran and neither are miracles [mu'jizaat] the only aspect of the Quran. Other miracles of the Quran are not directly associated with the arabic text, e.g. The miracle of its legislation, the miracle of its information about events of the past and future, its scientific information miracles etc... As for the miracles, they serve a purpous of giving the quran proof and authority, however, the important thing for the believer is that once he believes he accepts the message of the Quran.... these matters are of belief and laws and guidance concerning our affairs in this world.... all of these matters can be translated, even if by many words and and thus can be understood by non-Arabs. 3) The community at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) had pure arabic, however, that did not cause their guidance, most of them were disbelievers. This included the people of the cities and the people of the desert. Allah (swt) says "And there were, among the desert arabs (also), men who made excuses and came to claim exemption; and those who were false to Allah and His Messenger (merely) sat inactive. Soon will a grievous penalty seize the Unbelievers among them." (at Tawbah 9:90) and "The arabs of the desert are the worst in Unbelief and hypocrisy, and most fitted to be in ignorance of the command which Allah hath sent down to His Messenger. But Allah is All-knowing, All-Wise." (at Tawbah 9:97) and "Some of the desert arabs look upon their payments as a fine, and watch for disasters for you: on them be the disaster of evil: for Allah is He That heareth and knoweth (all things)."(at Tawbah 9:98) and "Certain of the desert arabs round about you are hypocrites, as well as among the people of Madeenah, they are obstinate in hypocrisy: thou knowest them not: We know them: twice shall We punish them: and in addition shall they be sent to a grievous penalty. " (at Tawbah 9:101) and "The desert arabs who lagged behind will say to thee: "We were engaged in (looking after) our flocks and herds, and our families: do thou then ask forgiveness for us." They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say: "Who then has any power at all (to intervene) on your behalf with Allah, if His Will is to give you some loss or to give you some profit? But Allah is well acquainted with all that ye do."(al Fath 48:11) and "The desert arabs say, "We believe." Say, "Ye have no faith; but ye (only)say, 'We have submitted our wills to Allah,' For not yet has Faith entered your hearts. But if ye obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not belittle aught of your deeds: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (al Hujuraat 49:14) and "If the hypocrites, and those in whose hearts is a disease, and the alarmists in the city do not cease, We verify shall urge thee on against them, then they will be your neighbors in it but a little while." (al Ahzaab 33:60) 4) Previous prophets were non-Arab except a few. These prophets conveyed revelation directly in other languages such as hebrew. Can we say these prophets had less understanding of tawheed and risaala due to not having Arabic? No of course not, and indeed the prophets are one ummah, and all prophets are above the non-prophets. Allah (swt) sent a messenger to every people and he sent messengers in the language of their communities. Allah (swt) says "We sent not an apostle except (to teach) in the language of his (own) people, in order to make (things) clear to them. Now Allah leaves straying those whom He pleases and guides whom He pleases: and He is Exalted in power, full of Wisdom." (Ibraheem 14:4) and "Had We sent this as a Qur'an (in the language) other than Arabic, they would have said: "Why are not its verses explained in detail? What! (a Book) not in Arabic and (a Messenger an Arab?" Say: "It is a Guide and a Healing to those who believe; and for those who believe not, there is a deafness in their ears, and it is blindness in their (eyes): They are (as it were) being called from a place far distant!" (Fussilat 41:44) 5) If we look to the Arab world today, we see the majority of the people are jaahil and even perhaps the majority are kuffaar just as in the non-Arab muslim world. We find that the emotions for Islam are even greater in places such as Indonesia and the Indian Sub-Continent. Thus Arabic was not a cause of defence from corruption. 6) Allah (swt) made clear in soorah ar Room that he gave us different languages as a sign [ayah] and thus reflecting on the common attributes and qualities of human language is a cause of belief, thus it can not be said from this point of view that other languages are 'in contradiction to Islam' Allah (swt) says "And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and your colours: verily in that are Signs for those who know." (ar Room 30:22) 7) Allah (swt) taught man eloquent speech and through this speech, Allah has enabled man to progress through preservation of complex knowledge and concepts etc. We must give shukr to Allah for speech he has given us and its great benefits, whatever our mother tongue. Allah (swt) says "They will say to their skins: "Why bear ye witness against us?" They will say: "(Allah) hath given us speech,- (He) Who giveth speech to everything: He created you for the first time, and unto Him were ye to return." (Fussilat 41:21) and "He has taught him speech (and intelligence)." (ar Rahmaan 55:4) and "Have We not made for him two eyes, And a tongue, and a pair of lips?" (al Balad 90:8-9) 8) When the article mentions about the difference between those educated in Arabic as opposed to French etc... Then we must understand that the corruption did not emanate from the language but rather from the concepts they were taught. If an Arab is in a french school etc.. then obviously the school will be propagating secularism and will be serving neo-colonialism, thus the people will be taught kufr belief, kufr laws and will be given a kufr example and kufr criterion of judgement. If people are in more traditional Arab speaking schools then they will have access to less corrupt colonialist teachings and publications. Also we must look at other factors related to cause and effect.. e.g. If someone is in an Arab speaking school as opposed to a european language school, then this will often be a sign of what type of parents, background and upbringing the child has had. An Islamic parent is more likely to send their chuildren to more traditional schools. Therefore it is rather that the arabic school is a more likely attribute of the Islamically reared child rather than the lone cause of their guidance. Our point here is proven by many evidences e.g. It is reported by Abu Moosa that Nabi (saw) said “The parable of the righteous gathering and the evil gathering is like the dealer of musk and the blacksmith’s furnace. You will not leave the dealer of musk without buying some of it or getting some of its smell, while the furnace will either burn your house or clothes or give you a bad smell.” (BUKHAARI Kitaab al Buyoo’ Eng/Arabic [vol.3 no.314] Kitaab at Tibb vol.7 no.442], MUSLIM Kitaab al Birr was Silat wal Adaab’ [no.6361]) and Muadh ibn Jabal reported that Rasool Allah (saw) said "Knowledge is the Imaam of action and action is slave to knowledge" (IBN ABDUL BARR) and Abu Hurayrah that Nabi (saw) said “Each child is born on the Fitrah but his parents make him a Jew or a Christian. It is like the way an animal gives birth to a normal offspring. Have you noticed any born mutilated before you mutilate them?” (BUKHAARI Eng/Arabic [vol.8 no.597] MUSLIM [no.6423]) and Abu Hurayrah reports “A man is upon the deen of his close friend so let each of you look at who you have befriended” (ABU DAWOOD, TIRMIDHI) 9) Arabic is without doubt the language of the Quran, it is needed for istinbaat [extraction from the text], it is also aid to the unified communication of the muslim world, it also allows direct access to the classical books of hadeeth, tafseer, fiqh, history, usoolul fiqh etc.... However, we must understand that the Islamic culture can be translated and explained into a person mother tongue.....whoever denies this has in fact then contradicted the objective of their argument, because if we can never translate a concept, then we can never learn a language other than our mother tongue...an obvious nonsense. If we agree that that we are not allowed to drink wine and that we are sinful if we do, and that we can be lashed under Islamic law, and punished in the next life.....then what is the difference if we tell someone it is 'haraam' or 'forbidden by Allah'? Both words can be conveyed, understood and acted upon. 10) Arabic today is being spoke by many people but because of the ruling system being in the hands of disbelievers, Arabic is just being used to convey kufr, shirk, munkar and jaahileeyah. This is can be seen on television, magazines, books, education, advertising, radio, music, the internet etc Thus Arabic can be used for kufr or imaan, tawheed or shirk, ma'roof or munkar, halaal or haraam etc Therefore it is not the language which is saving the people from corruption but rather it is the concepts of belief, action, law, criterion etc that are conveyed by the language. Language is a means of communication. 11) Arabic existed before the Quran was revealed and people were speaking it, most of those people were upon misguidance....The Quran is holy because it is revelation from Allah, not because it is Arabic. If we look to poetry of a an arab jaahil we do not say his poetry is 'holy'! Why not? Because it is not revelation. If we were to go back to the times of other prophets, then their language would have been more important to learn than arabic so that the revelation could be understood more. Therefore it is the revelation which is the cause of holyness and not the language itself. 12) Arabic is a tool of knowledge of Islam but it is not the only tool, nor is it the most important tool. There are many tools of knowledge mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah and many means of guidance e.g. effort, rational thinking and use of the intellect, sincerity, acceptance of clear proofs, referring to the sahaabah and salaf in their explanations, referring to the people of knowledge. With this in mind, let us consider two people, one of them has pure arabic and the other can not speak arabic. They both read the Quran, the Arab can recite and he possesses linguistic understanding of the words and grammar used. The non Arab recites but he does not understand but he learns through translation and explanation. The Arab considers his language sufficient for understanding, and so he only seeks to understand upon the basis of his own understanding of Arabic. As for the non-Arab, he knows that he must refer to many things to gain a better understanding, he studies hadeeth, asbaabun nuzool, tafseers of the prophet (saw), he studies the seerah and life example of the prophet (saw) in speech nd action, tafseers of the sahaabah, tafseers of the tabi'een, and tabit tabieen and classical u'lemaa, he studies usoolul fiqh, he makes dua to Allah for guidance everyday, he spends his time in deep thought. Now which person is likely to have the greater understanding? The one who utilised many of the shariah tools of knowledge or the one who utilised only one of them and that single tool which he used was only used because he was brought up with it as a mother tongue? This example is in fact not a common example, the contrast between the two is even greater in reality because firstly, the vast majority of Arabs do not speak Quranic Arabic and secondly, the vast majority of non-Arabs who are Muslim and study Islam are not totally void of all Arabic but will naturally know many Arabic words and in the course of Islamic knowledge and terminology of hadeeth, usoolul fiqh etc will know many points of grammar etc. Therefore it is common that the non-Arab student of Islam will be of greater knowledge than the Arab who has neglected the tools of knowledge. 13) It is reported that Rasool Allah (saw) said in his last sermon that the arab is not above the non-Arab and the non-Arab not above the Arab except by taqwa. Taqwa is dependent upon knowledge of imaan and action, and thus this shows that an ajami [non-Arab] can be more knowledgeable than the Arab. 14) The Quran confirms that excellence of speech can be in other languages and that this is a means of conveying the truth, this was seen in the case of Moosa and Haaroon who were not Arab. Allah (swt) says "And my brother Aaron - He is more eloquent in speech than I: so send him with me as a helper, to confirm (and strengthen) me: for I fear that they may accuse me of falsehood." al Qasas 28:34) and "My breast will be straitened. And my speech may not go (smoothly): so send unto Aaron." (ash Shu'araa 26:13) 15) The Quran has commanded the people to do dawah and this is is a duty to all, not just arabs. The Quran mentions that this should be done by the best means and the speech which impacts upon the people, this demonstrates that language of all people possesses that capacity. Allah (swt) says "Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to Allah, works righteousness, and says, "I am of the muslims"?" (Fussilat 41:33) So this is the best speech not because it is Arabic but because of what it calls to. Allah (swt) says "Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance." (an Nahl 16:125) and "...and speak to them an effective word to touch their inner selves." (an Nisaa 4:63) 16) Dawood [as] was given special qualities of speech and he was not A'rab. Allah (swt) says "We strengthened his kingdom, and gave him wisdom and sound judgment in speech and decision." (Sad 38:20) 17) The Arabic Quran is confirming revelation which came before it. This proves the excellence of those previous revelations and their equal truth despite the absence of Arabic, "And before this, was the Book of Moses as a guide and a mercy: And this Book confirms (it) in the Arabic tongue; to admonish the unjust, and as Glad Tidings to those who do right." (al Ahqaaf 46:12) 18) Allah (swt) created the nations and tribes and made clear that the supreme among them is not by language but by taqwa. Allah (swt) says "O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)." (al Hujuraat 49:13) 19) Hudhayfah ibn al Yaman said ‘The people used to ask rasool Allah (saw) about the good, but I used to ask him about the evil for fear that it might overtake me, so I said, ‘O Rasool Allah, we used to be in ignorance (jaahileeyah) and evil (shari) then Allah brought this good to us. So is there any evil after this good? He (saw) said “Yes” I said ‘And is there any good after that evil?’ He (saw) said “Yes, but it will be tainted (literally by ‘smoke’)” I asked ‘What will that smoke be?’ He (saw) said “A people adopting ways other than my sunnah, guiding others with other than my guidance, you will recognise some (of their deeds) and not recognise others.” I asked ‘Then is there any evil after that good?’ He (saw) said “Yes, callers at the gates of Hellfire, whoever responds to their call will be thrown into it.” I said ‘O rasool Allah describe them to us.’ He (saw) said “They will be from our own people and speak our language.” What do you order me to do if I should see that?’ He (saw) said “Cling (talzamu) to the jama’atul Muslimeen and their Imam.” I said ‘And if there is no Jama’ah and no Imam?’ He (saw) said “Then keep away from all those sects (firaq) even if you have to bite upon the root of a tree until death overtakes you in that condition.” (BUKHAARI English/Arabic version vol.4 [no.803] and vol.9 [no.206], MUSLIM kitaabul Imaarah [no.4553]) The hadeeth makes clear to avoid the callers of the gates of hell and they come in the name of Islam and speak Arabic, and thus Arabic is not the cause of guidance and no guarantee of sound knowledge. 20) Allah commanded the obligations to all Muslims, this means that it is possible for the Muslims to understand the commands. The commands can reach them, Arabic is not part of takleef. Rather a person can be taught by someone else, by letter or by speech. Often it is claimed that someone is unable to teach something properly because of the weakness of the language they are trying to translate to, but often this is because they lack the knowledge of that language. To explain the concepts from one language to another, both languages need to be known well, not just one of them. 21) We do not see that any of the ayaat mentioning the Arab language declare that knowledge can not be gained without Arabic, and neither do they declre that the message of the Quran is not accessible to non-Arabs neither it beliefs nor its laws and information. Rather these verses declare that the Quran has been revealed in Arabic, and thus originally the message of Islam came to the Arabs in their language. But after this, the message has been taken by that community and conveyed to the world as has been commanded Allah (swt) says “This Quran has been revealed to me that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach” (al Ana’m 6:19) and “And this is a blessed Scripture which We have revealed, confirming that which (was revealed) before it, that thou mayst warn the Mother of Cities and those around her. Those who believe in the Hereafter believe herein, and they are careful of their worship.” (al Ana’m 6:92) and “And thus we have inspired in thee a Lecture in Arabic, that thou mayest warn the mother town and those around it, and mayest warn of a day of assembling whereof there is no doubt. A host will be in the Garden, and a host of them in the Flame.” (ash Shoora 42:7) 22) Arabic is not simply being able to speak Arabic or recognise Arabic words. Rather Arabic is the pure Arabic, with its classical rules of grammar etc. The majority of the Arab world today is ignorant of the pure Arabic, as they have been influenced by modern Arabic which has been stripped of much of its root meanings and whose grammar has been corrupted. Therefore the assumption of many Arabs that they understand the Quran because of their mother tongue is in most cases erroneous, in fact their modern Arabic misleads them into false understanding on the issue of language. Not only this, but we have already mentioned that the tools of understanding are not simply the linguistic implications but also the contextual implication brought out by the wider study of the Quran, and the related Sunnah, and circumstances and the explanations of the sahaabah etc. 23) Not only is the understanding of the Quran and Sunnah beyond its linguistic meaning, but also the books of fiqh, usoolul fiqh and other Islamic fields of knowledge have a context and a unique terminology. An Arab who assumes he will be more knowledgeable than a non-Arab because he can read a book of usoolul fiqh etc is again mistaken. He may be depending upon his linguistic understanding of the book but in fact the terminology refers to other than what he thinks. As for a person who is even non-Arab but his wide research and studies in U’loomul Quran, U’loomul Hadeeth, Fiqh and Islamic History etc allow him to know the implication of many Arabic terms which the Arab can not understand. This is because the answer the understanding of such books is in relation to many subjects which are not simply contained in a dictionary of language, but rather in manuals of law etc. There are many Islamic sciences which have their own terminology and even within a specific field of knowledge terminology may differ and so it is experience and awareness of the differences and history in those fields which will lead one to the intended meanings e.g. in fiqh some madhaahib make ‘waajib’ and ‘fard’ synonymous but in hanafi fiqh ‘fard’ refers to that obligation which is based on qata’ee daleel and ‘waajib’ is that based upon a zanni daleel, also waajib can mean an emphatic and continuous sunnah. Fields which have their own terminology include a’qeedah, fiqh, usoolul fiqh, u’loomul hadeeth, u’loomul quran, I’lmul lughah, tareekh, tasawwuf and seerah and each of these fields have their own differences and sub-divisions which again may have their own specific terminology. E.g. the word ‘sunnah’ can mean the ‘normal practice’ as opposed to ‘bid’a’ [innovation]. But politically sunnah can refer to those Muslims who believe that Abu Bakr was the first khaleefah, it can geographically refer to Madeenah, it can refer to ‘mandoob’ [preferable] with regards to actions in fiqh. In usoolul ul fiqh it can refer to the prophet’s actions, speech and consent as a source of law and in a’qeedah it can refer to a specific sect characterised by its beliefs in theory or according to books of a’qeedah (i.e. Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’h) etc. In Usoolul fiqh it can also refer to the early division of those scholars relying mainly upon narrations (Ahl al Hadeeth) as opposed to those relying on principles and qiyaas (Ahl ar Ray). From this we see that simply learning Arabic or being born an Arab will not lead one to intended meanings in the classical books of Islam but rather it is a specific knowledge of those fields and its terminology. 24) Finally, Allah (swt) mentions that He is Al Hadi, Al A'leem , Al Hakeem..He is the cause of guidance, knowledge and wisdom. He gives knowledge, guidance and wisdom to Arabs and non-Arabs. The ayaat which mention about the guidance of Allah are general and thus the guidance is concerning all matters of belief and action. “Verily, you guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He knows best those who are the guided.” (al Qassass 28:56) and the deep understanding is given by Allah, Muaa’wiyah reported that Nabi (saw) said “Whomsoever Allah intends good for, He gives him fiqh (understanding) in the deen and verily I distribute knowledge while Allah bestows it.” (BUKHAARI, MUSLIM) and “Is not Allah Sufficient for His slave? Yet they try to frighten you with those besides Him! He whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no guide. And he whom Allah guideth, for him there can be no misleader.” (az Zumar 39:36-37) and “Do you seek to guide him whom Allah has sent astray? He whom Allah sends astray, for him you (O Muhammad) can not find a road.” (an Nisaa 4:88) and “…and he whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no guide.” (al Mu’min 40:33) and “Allah has sent down, the best speech, a Book, its parts consistent with each other oft repeated. The skins of those who fear (yakhshawna) their Lord shiver from it. Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allah. Such is Allah's guidance, where with He guideth whom He will. And him whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no guide.”(az Zumar 39:23) and Allah (swt) says “Nay, but those who do wrong follow their own lusts without knowledge. Who is able to guide him whom Allah hath bent astray? For such there are no helpers.” (ar Room 30:29) 25) Allah (swt) translates beliefs and laws from previous prophets in the Quran and their statements related to this, in Arabic while those prophets were not speaking Arabic. So this proves beyond all doubt that concepts and meaning of belief and law can be translated.
19:50 And We bestowed of Our Mercy on them, and We granted them lofty honour on the tongue of truth. 26:84 "Grant me honourable mention on the tongue of truth among the latest (generations); Can the Qura’n only be understood in Arabic?
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