Language Rationale

 Language Rationale




And We did not send any messenger except [speaking] in the language of his people to state clearly for them, and Allah sends astray [thereby] whom He wills and guides whom He wills. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. – Quran 14:4


Why was the Quran revealed in Arabic? To this common question, I could easily respond with: 'Allah in His infinite wisdom knows why or that Allah does what He wills'. However, analysing from a sociological position, the revelation of the Quran in Arabic can be appreciated as a wise decision. Assuming the Quran could have been revealed in any language, the logical and most effective option was the language of the receiving prophet's milieu. In the case of the Quran, the messenger-prophet was domiciled in the Arabian Peninsula, so it was crucial those in his immediate environment understood the message before it was translated and transmitted to others globally. Though a global message, the Quraysh – Arabs, can be appreciated as a microcosmic representation of any society across the globe. Whatever the language of revelation, there would still have been people pettifogging on such nugacities. For example, I have encountered people who complained that the Quran was not revealed in their native language. Such narcissistic reasoning is provincial and inimical to intellectualism. Analysing from a linguistic perspective, there are at least 7000 languages spoken in the world. Let us assume the Quran could either be revealed via two mediums: in one language or multiple languages. Does the medium the Quran was revealed alter the essentiality of the message? Messages can indeed be translated to various languages. 


The Vaccination Analogy: A scientist, who happens to be Arab, discovers the cure for some infectious disease such as HIV, Ebola or Coronavirus.

Whilst developing the vaccine, the scientist conducted the research in Arabia and documented the findings and medical manuscripts in Arabic. In practical terms, the language in which the research was conducted has no correlation with the efficacy of the vaccine. Similarly, the ethnic identity of the scientist does not affect the potency of the vaccine. In such a hypothetical scenario, what is of crucial importance to humanity is that the scientist successfully developed a vaccine, and the process of making the research replicable, and producible to various languages for global benefit. Based on this scenario, it would be absurd to reject the vaccine for flimsy reasons, such as the language and ethnic orientation of the scientist. The scenario highlighting the absurdity of those being fixated on the scientist being Arab, is the ideal similitude for those being obsessed with the language of revelation being Arabic and the ethnic identity of the prophet being Arab. In this regard, it does not matter what language the Quran was revealed or whether Prophet Muhammad ﷺ came from the Arabian Peninsula, what is of utmost importance is the message! Essentially, the medium of conveyance is not as important as the actual message. 


Excerpt from pgs 257-258 of P.R.I.S.M: Primal Religious Instruction Serving Mankind by M.B.O Owolowo ©️

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