MSA asked:
"[Al-Qur’an Chapter 57:3-5, Translator: Yusuf Ali] He is the First and the Last, the Evident and the Immanent: and He has full knowledge of all things. He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days, and is moreover firmly established on the Throne (of Authority). He knows what enters within the earth and what comes forth out of it, what comes down from heaven and what mounts up to it. And He is with you wheresoever ye may be. And God sees well all that ye do. To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth: and all affairs are referred back to God."
Can you please explain why Allah in the above verse spoke in the third person (He), then in the first (God) person, and then reverted Himself to the third person?
What was the rationale for it, or was there a specific reason for Allah to change His language? Thanks.
Answer: [Quran 40:1-3, translator: Yusuf Ali] Ha Mim The revelation of this Book is from Allah, Exalted in Power, Full of Knowledge,- Who forgiveth sin, accepteth repentance, is strict in punishment, and hath a long reach (in all things). there is no god but He: to Him is the final goal. [http://searchtruth.com/chapter_display.php?chapter=40&translator=2 ]
Yes, there is indeed a specific reason and rationale behind each and every word used in the Quran, and each word, its meaning and its tense merits our serious attention and study.
The Quran introduces Allah also as:
[Quran 2:255, translator: Yusuf Ali] God! There is no god but He,-the Living, the Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in His presence except as He permitteth? He knoweth what (appeareth to His creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as He willeth. His Throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory).
[Quran 24:35, translator: Yusuf Ali] God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! God doth guide whom He will to His Light: God doth set forth Parables for men: and God doth know all things.
The Quran uses various words to inform us that it is Allah who has conceived, designed, originated, created and increases in creation, governs, sustains, and the Kingdom of the heavens and earth belongs to Him. Therefore, Allah is the only Deity (ilah) and He alone is worthy of worship. Everything else is created, and no matter how great a task any created being may be entrusted with, everyone and everything, except Allah, is created and is serving Allah.
2:117 informs us that Allah is بَدِيعُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ
7:54 informs us that اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ
35:1 informs us that الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ
If we look at the usage of these words across the Quran, we find that 'badee' and 'fatara' are used exclusively as the acts of Allah, while 'khalaqa' is used for Allah and other beings. I think 'badee' and 'fatara' refer to creation of something from nothing, the original design and bringing into existence for the first time.
Quran search results:
Moreover, wherever the act of creation is referred to using the root letters [kha-lam-qaf], it seems to imply creating something from something: humans are created from 'teen', jinns are created from 'naar', and probably [kha-lam-qaf] implies creation after a set pattern. Even where Jesus' miraculous ability to create a bird from 'teen' is mentioned, the root [kha-lam-qaf] is used, and it is clearly mentioned that Jesus was able to do so by Allah's permission.
I understand that in the grand governance of the heavens and earth, Allah has created some beings with mighty powers and entrusted some of the task of creation [kha-lam-qaf] to them. It seems that they are also entrusted with preparing the scriptures. The acts of creation and the preparation and revelation of the scriptures are all done under the instruction, guidance, supervision and control of Allah. Creation belongs to Allah and the scriptures are from Allah for our guidance. Quran 2:252 states: These (are the) Verses (of) Allah, We recite them to you in [the] truth. And indeed, you (are) surely of the Messengers.
However, that does not make these beings God, nor do they ask to be taken as 'ilah' instead of Allah. Rather, they reiterate across the Quran that there is only one God (ilah). They do not make themselves known to us by their names or forms. As for polytheism, it is stated very clearly in the Quran that those who the polytheists take as their gods are nothing but dJinns, and that the dJinns are not the creators, nor do they have any such power or ability to make them worthy of any deification, worship or obedience. In fact, in the story of Adam, whom Allah created Himself, the Quran is very clear that Adam was honoured because of the knowledge that Allah endowed him with, and those with lesser knowledge were asked to submit/prostrate to Adam. When Iblis was questioned why he didn't obey God, Allah is quoted thus: He said, "O Iblis! What prevented you that you (should) prostrate to (one) whom I created with My Hands? Are you arrogant or are you of the exalted ones." [http://islamawakened.com/quran/38/75/ ]
Surah Al Jinn (Quran 72) is very clear about the condition of the dJinns, how the secrets of the heavens are protected and they prevented from it, and that whenever Allah sends any message through a chosen messenger, Allah ensures that the messenger and the message are well-guarded, protected, brought and delivered.
Please read the following articles:
English: Meaning of We and Us in Bible and Quran
[https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.513685862018044.1073741826.182594355127198&type=3 ]
[https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.513685862018044.1073741826.182594355127198&type=3 ]
Urdu: Quran may Nahno(hum) aur Na(hamara) ka Matlab
[https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.623363507716945.1073741845.182594355127198&type=3 ]
[https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.623363507716945.1073741845.182594355127198&type=3 ]
Satan's Enmity: Origin & Objective
[http://signsandscience.blogspot.com/2015/11/mission-of-messengers-ii.html ]
[http://signsandscience.blogspot.com/2015/11/mission-of-messengers-ii.html ]
Last updated on: October 21, 2016
2 comments:
I think the entire post was not in accordance with the question.
the question was specific to the shifting of pronouns from "He" to "I". But in the post even the work "pronoun" is not mentioned.
Salam.
The first person pronoun is used when Allah is being quoted, and third person pronoun when stating facts about Allah.
Post a Comment