In the Quran, there is a principle that when the addressee is likely to have doubts or resistance towards the message being communicated, the message should be emphasised using a particle of linguistic emphasis. This principle is evidenced in verse 7 of Surah Ibrahim, which reads: لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ ۖIf you are grateful, …
Linguistic Gems from the Qur’an, Day Twelve: Gratitude Read More »
The concept of difficulty being followed by ease is a common theme throughout the Quran. It provides comfort to believers, reminding them that they will not be left alone in their struggles and that they should trust in Allah’s plan for them. However, the specific wording used in each verse can offer insight into the …
Linguistic Gems from the Qur’an, Day Eleven: Suffering Read More »
When we hear the word dawah, we tend to automatically associate it with calling non-Muslims to Islam. But this is only one of the meanings that it can bear. Linguistically, دعوة da’wah comes from the same root as دعاء du’aa – د ع و. This root, in its most basic form, alludes to the …
The words دَعَا “da’aa” and نَادَىٰ “naadaa” are both used in the Qur’an to convey the act of calling or supplicating to Allah, but they have different connotations and implications. Allah says in Surah Aal-Imran, verse 38, هُنَالِكَ دَعَا زَكَرِيَّا رَبَّهُۥ ۖ قَالَ رَبِّ هَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنكَ ذُرِّيَّةًۭ طَيِّبَةً ۖ إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ ٱلدُّعَآءِ At …
The Qur’an is full of beautiful and subtle linguistic nuances that add depth and meaning to the text. The placement of words, prepositions, and pronouns in the Qur’an is not arbitrary, but rather carefully chosen to convey specific meanings and to emphasize certain ideas. In speaking of His Mercy, Allah says in Surah Hud …
Linguistic Gems from the Qur’an, Day Eight: Allah’s Mercy Read More »
Quranic Reflection: Allah says in Surah Muhammad, verse 24 أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ أَمْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَآ Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’ān, or are there locks upon [their] hearts? He also says in Surah al-Mu’minoon, verse 68 أَفَلَمْ يَدَّبَّرُوا۟ ٱلْقَوْلَ أَمْ جَآءَهُم مَّا لَمْ يَأْتِ ءَابَآءَهُمُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ Then have they not reflected over the …
Linguistic Gems from the Qur’an, Day Seven: Qur’anic Reflection Read More »
Allah’s Love: The word ‘love’ appeared as a noun in the Qur’an ten times – of those ten, nine were using the word hubb حبّ, as in Surah Baqarah, verse 165 وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ أَندَاداً يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ اللّهِ And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allah as …
Linguistic Gems from the Qur’an, Day Six: Allah’s Love Read More »
Tawakkul: Allah speaks about the concept of reliance and trust in around 70 verses of the Qur’an, each using a verb or noun from the root و ك ل, which connotes entrusting your affairs to someone else – the same root as the word tawakkul. Allah says, for example, in Surah Aal-’Imraan, verse 159, فَإِذَا …
Linguistic Gems from the Qur’an, Day Five: Tawakkul Read More »
Allah’s blessings: Allah says in Surah al-Nahl, verse 18, وَإِن تَعُدُّوا۟ نِعْمَةَ ٱللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَآ And if you should count the blessings of Allāh, you could not enumerate them. Most English translations of this verse show the word نِعْمَةَ translated in the plural – favours/blessings/bounties. Yet in the Arabic, Allah has used …
Linguistic Gems from the Qur’an, Day Four: Allah’s Blessings Read More »
Good company: Allah says in Surah al-Nisaa’, verse 69 وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَٱلصِّدِّيقِينَ وَٱلشُّهَدَآءِ وَٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ ۚ وَحَسُنَ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ رَفِيقًۭا Whoever obeys God and the Messenger will be among those He has blessed: the messengers, the truthful, those who bear witness to the truth, and …
Linguistic Gems from the Qur’an, Day Three: Good Company Read More »
