Comments on: Divine linguistic diversity

By: Sepideh

Sepideh — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 07:21:51 +0000

Great text, This is the first time I’m thinking whether diversity of languages has got a divine source or not.I hope you later discuss it in detail, Because it seems to have both divine and human sources…

By: JahanShah

JahanShah — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 06:04:27 +0000

So there is something miraculous about Arabic and languages CAN be miraculous! I think that is exactly what gave Arabs the supposed right to call other Muslims “Ajams” which means “stammerers”….

By: vahid

vahid — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 12:43:12 +0000

Thank you, Khan! As you have mentioned the answer to such questions should be sought in the socio-political milieu of Arabia more than 1400 years ago. Arabic at the time was a very strong language not only in eloquennce but also in oratory. Additionally, Arabia at the time was so highly divided a country. On the one hand, there was a minority of versed poets and writers and on the other hand a majority of uncivilzed tribesmen. It was in such a context that the Quran emerged. So, its immediate goal was to educate and civilize the local people and the only language which could be understood by the majority was Arabic. This has alrady been mentioed in surah 41:44:

“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?…”

Regarding the recitation in Arabic, muslims usually consider this as a sign of unity. There is much hermeneutics involved though!

By: khan

khan — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 19:51:21 +0000

Hello Vahid

Thanks for reference which motivated my search in Quran. There are some eight or nine instances where the language/tongue is used in different parts: 3:78 19:97, 20:25-28, 75:16-19, 26:191-195.

I was assisted by my cousin Munnawar shah who is a Quranic scholar in Karachi. We had debate as to why divinity did not consider other languages for revelation. He gave me answers from Quran as well as from the socio-political milieu of Arabia of that time.

My second question was why Arabic is still considered the right and the language full of bliss as Muslims recite it in Arabic and consider it religious . He said it was miracle of Arabic language that with only approximately 80,000 words, it has summed up all. He also enlightened me with his lexicographic knowledge: if you learn approximately 2,000 words in Arabic, you would be able to understand it because these 20,000 get repeated and make the total word count of 80,000. I am greatly impressed with his devotion.

Thanks

By: Mahmood Bijankhan

Mahmood Bijankhan — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 13:09:56 +0000

Great message with full of creativity in the night of Yalda and from the land of dialect diversity to everybody interested in multiligualism

By: Khan

Khan — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 12:26:49 +0000

What a creative + linguistic manner of wishing christmas. Thanks Ingrid.

By: vahid

vahid — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 11:53:53 +0000

Great message!

thanks,
vahid
p.s. One can find another instance of this positive recognition of linguistic diversity in Surah 14:4:
وما أرسلنا من رسول إلا بلسان قومــه

By: Kimie Takahashi 高橋君江

Kimie Takahashi 高橋君江 — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 11:15:10 +0000

A great Xmas message, indeed!