Quran - 3 figures of speech
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Salam,
I would like to bounce back on Mazhar's answer here https//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=9610873.20 from which here is an extract
- Second is
Qur’an is rendered facilitative for comprehension by use of figures of speech
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Indeed, these figures of speech are important. I would like to share 3 with you in this post (almost no find in translations)
(1) Remove prepositions
1 6 ahdna alSraT almstqym (from Quranix.com)
Transcript (English)
1 6 Ihdina alssirata almustaqeema
Edip-Layth (Quran A Reformist Translation)
1 6 Guide us to the straight way;
The Monotheist Group (The Quran A Monotheist Translation)
1 6 Guide us to the straight path.
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
1 6 Guide us the straight way.
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
1 6 Guide us in the right pathAs you can see there is no preposition between the words Ihdina and alssirata.
The above red translations put a preposition as if it were part of the sentence (Example -> "to", "in", or like M. ASAD who put no preposition without explanations making comprehension difficult in English.
The word Ihdina normally accepts 4 prepositions on, in, to, for.So 3 possibilities
a) Allah by this figure of speech indicates that this sentence contains the 4 possibilities (to express a lot with few words)
b) One of these 4 prepositions is implicit - Which one and why?
c) The word Ihdina must not be translated by "Guide us" but by "Offer us", expression which works well without preposition.Open question ...but i give you my view answer (a) because
-1- sura 2 evokes in the second verse the guidance in continuity with sura 1
-2- the form ih'dina is used in 3822 and it clearly expresses the guidance first (and not the gift even if the meaning is implicit) and in 3822 the word ih'dina is followed by the preposition ila and the word l-sirat wich is found in (1 6)(2) add / remove letters
2 examples
2-1) Sura 18 the form tastaṭīʿa in (1841) (1867) (1872) (1875) (187 # tasṭiʿ in (1882)
=> Translations are identical for these two forms but yet a formal difference exists between the two.
=> The difference is the extra "ta" in form 1 or without the "ta" in form 2
=> This addition of "ta" indicates an additional intensity, an effort in action.
Thus, before the explanations was given to moses provided by the servant of Allah the form indicates that Moses will only be persistent with great difficulty, which is no longer the case in 1882.2-2) Surah (9741) - tanazzalu # (4130) tatanazzalu
=> Thus, in (4130) the angels deploy an effort to reassure the mortal faithful.(3) Remove whole words
Example -> (2184) "ayyaman/jours ma'dudatin/few
=> Incomplete sentence.
=> I let you complete and meditate on it. - Second is
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2-1) Sura 18 the form tastaṭīʿa in (1841) (1867) (1872) (1875) (187 # tasṭiʿ in (1882)
http//haqeeqat.pk/roots/00.Tabweeb%20Part%202/001.%20Roots%20originating%20in%20Surat%20002/2.158/01.%20Attaat%20Toi%20Waw%20Ain/28.gif
Verb Imperfect; Second person; singular; masculine; Mood Subjunctive; ; Subject pronoun hidden; مصدر-اِسْتِطَاعَةٌ Verbal noun. (1) 1841(2)1867(3)1872(4)1875=4
فعل مضارع منصوب بِلنْ/الفاعلضمير مستتر جوازاً تقديرهأَنتَ-واحد مذكر حاضر-باب إستفعال
http//haqeeqat.pk/roots/00.Tabweeb%20Part%202/001.%20Roots%20originating%20in%20Surat%20002/2.158/01.%20Attaat%20Toi%20Waw%20Ain/24.gif
Verb Imperfect; Second person; singular; masculine; Mood Jussive; ; Subject pronoun hidden; مصدر-اِسْتِطَاعَةٌ Verbal noun. (1)1878(2) 1882=2
فعل مضارع مجزوم بِلم/الفاعلضمير مستتر جوازاً تقديرهأَنتَ-واحد مذكر حاضر-باب إستفعال
http//haqeeqat.pk/roots/(912).htm
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2-2) Surah (9741) - tanazzalu # (4130) tatanazzalu
=> Thus, in (4130) the angels deploy an effort to reassure the mortal faithful.http//haqeeqat.pk/roots/Tabweeb/00027.%20Unzila%20Noon%20Ze%20Laam%20sent%20from%20above/60.gif
Verb Imperfect; Third person; singular; feminine; Mood Indicative; ; مصدر-تَنَزُّلٌ Verbal noun. (1)4130=1
فعل مضارع مرفوع بالضمة/صيغةواحد مؤنث غائب / باب تفعّل
http//haqeeqat.pk/roots/Tabweeb/00027.%20Unzila%20Noon%20Ze%20Laam%20sent%20from%20above/49.gif
Verb Imperfect; Third person; singular; masculine/feminine; Mood Indicative; ; (one Ta is dropped) مصدر-تَنَزُّلٌ Verbal noun. (1)26221(2) 26222(3)9704=3 فعل مضارع مرفوع بالضمة/صيغةواحد مؤنث غائب / باب تفعّل
http//haqeeqat.pk/roots/(1441).htm
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(3) Remove whole words
Example -> (2184) "ayyaman/jours ma'dudatin/few
=> Incomplete sentence.
=> I let you complete and meditate on it.In Arabic elisions are allowed only when they can be constructed unambiguously. Only object is mentioned. Conjunction and Command verb is elided since understood from previous main clause.
كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُـمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَـى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِـكُـمْ
The Fasting time bound abstinence of activity relating to food intake and genitalia has been made obligatory-decreed upon you people exactly as it was decreed upon the people who existed prior to you—
لازمی روزے(مخصوص ابتدائے اور انتہائے وقت کے دوران کھانے پینے اور جنسیات سے اجتناب)تم لوگوں پر فرض کیئے گئے ہیں ویسے ہی جیسے تم سے قبل کے زمانے میں ایمان والوں پر فرض کیئے گئے تھے۔
لَعَلَّـكُـمْ تَتَّقُونَ .2183١٨٣
So that you might protect yourselves.
ان کا مقصد اور امکان یہ ہے کہ(باقی گیارہ مہینوں میں بھی)تم لوگ اپنے آپ کو محفوظ و مامون بنا سکو۔۔
أَيَّامٙا مَّعْدُودَٟتٛۚ
The Fasting is during a fixed number of days; day and night-29 or 30 of the lunar month.
روزے رکھو متعین کردہ گنے چنے دنوں میں۔
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The Fasting time bound abstinence of activity relating to food intake and genitalia has been made obligatory-decreed upon you people exactly as it was decreed upon the people who existed prior to you—
So that you might protect yourselves.
Question Who are these "people who existed prior to you" ?
The Fasting is during a fixed number of days; day and night-29 or 30 of the lunar month.
If Fasting = "time bound abstinence" = dawn to sunset, SO how it could be "day and night" ("The Fasting is during a fixed number of days" ? Contradiction ?
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Question Who are these "people who existed prior to you" ?
If Fasting = "time bound abstinence" = dawn to sunset, SO how it could be "day and night" ("The Fasting is during a fixed number of days" ? Contradiction ?Your and mine grand grand fathers; peoples of other nations.
Abstinence timing is prescribed; daytime and word day means 24 hours; protocols of the month relate both to day and night. In this month one can have sex with his wife immediately after sunset while in remaining months its timing is after performing Salat isha,
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(1) Your and mine grand grand fathers; peoples of other nations.
(2) Abstinence timing is prescribed; daytime and word day means 24 hours; protocols of the month relate both to day and night. In this month one can have sex with his wife immediately after sunset while in remaining months its timing is after performing Salat isha,
(1) Thanks for sharing your understanding. So it doesn't refers exclusively to jews for you but for all nations (fasting as an universal practise whatever the time right ?)
(2) Good summary of traditional view of siyam (as fasting). I think, for avoiding ambiguity, that it was fine that the quran tell us practise fasting IN (fee) days of the month of Ramadan (by using "in" it is sure not all the day), as he did in 2-185 "unzila fīhi l-qur'ānu" or for the hajj in 2-198 "faman faraḍa fīhinna l-ḥaja".
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Salaam,
Some cite also this example among others about "elision / alhadhf / الحذف / " of a letter.
1897 فما اسطعوا ان يظهروه وما استطعوا له نقبا
So they were not able to scale it / fama istta3o an yadhharohu / فما اسطعوا ان يظهروه
nor were they able to pierce it / wama istatta3o lahu naqban / وما استطعوا له نقبا
- easier to scale (elision of ta / ت ) than to pierce.
source
Arabic https//youtu.be/0DgbZeJb3jU
From source at 121 min --> norm / origin / al-asl / الأصل istatta3o / استطعوا
والله اعلم
Allah knows best. -
Salam ibn_a,
Yes you're right. I just add that "to pierce" is not just more hard than "to scale" but the text tells us that it is almost impossible to pierce.
Another example (from quranix.org)
Transcription (English)
2013 Waana ikhtartuka faistamiAAlima yooha
Edip-Layth (Quran A Reformist Translation)
2013 "I have chosen you, so listen to what is being inspired."
The Monotheist Group (The Quran A Monotheist Translation)
2013 "And I have chosen you, so listen to what is being inspired."
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
2013 and I have chosen thee listen, then, to what is being revealed .
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
2013 "I have chosen you, so listen to what is being revealed.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
2013 I have chosen you, so listen to what is being revealed.=> An information is losing with these translations. A better translation will be "Open up your ears" or as Mazhar translated "carefully listen".
Another figure of speech (from quranix.org)
Transcription (English)
2012 Innee ana rabbuka faikhlaAAnaAAlayka innaka bialwadi almuqaddasi tuwan
Edip-Layth (Quran A Reformist Translation)
2012 "I am your Lord, so take off your slippers, you are in the holy valley Tawa."
The Monotheist Group (The Quran A Monotheist Translation)
2012 "I am your Lord, so take off your slippers; you are in the holy valley Tuwa."
Muhammad Asad (The Message Of Quran)
2012 Verily, I am thy Sustainer! Take off, then, thy sandals! Behold, thou art in the twice hallowed valley,
Rashad Khalifa (The Final Testament)
2012 "I am your Lord; remove your sandals. You are in the sacred valley, Tuwaa.,
Shabbir Ahmed (Quran As It Explains Itself)
2012 I am your Lord! Take off your sandals. Surely, you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa.”=> An information is missing in these translations. Indeed, in the first 2 words of this ayat we have 2 times "PRON – 1st person singular object pronoun" (I or me) ; innī and anā
=> This repetition of "I" implies exclusivitySo, I propose as translation "without a doubt I am exclusively your master".
Remark Mazhar is closer from the original arabic "Indeed Me, I am the Sustainer Lord of you"
More...
-the same figure of speech the following ayat in 20-13 (wa-anā ikh'tartuka)
+- and it ends in apotheosis in 20-14 Innanee ana Allahu lailaha illa ana = PRON – 1st person singular + PRON – 1st person singular + proper noun + PRON – 1st person singular. it is the strongest formula of all the quran on the uniqueness of allah
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Yes you're right. I just add that "to pierce" is not just more hard than "to scale" but the text tells us that it is almost impossible to pierce.
Root ن ق ب
Ibn Faris stated(مقاييس اللغة)
النُّونُ وَالْقَافُ وَالْبَاءُ أَصْلٌ صَحِيحٌ يَدُلُّ عَلَى فَتْحٍ فِي شَيْءٍ. وَنَقَبَ الْحَائِطَ يَنْقُبُهُ نَقْبًا.
That it leads to the perception of making an opening into a thing; and drilling or excavating the wall; he drilled it in the manner of making a hole/entry point in it.
Lane Lexicon He perforated, pierced, bored, or made a hole through, or in, or into, anything like ثَقَبَ. (TA.) He made a hole through a wall.
Classical Lexicons
اردو میں ہم اصل نقب اور نقیب مستعمل ہے
١ - دیوار میں گھٹا پھوڑنا، سیندھ، کومہل، شگاف، فصیل، سرنگ۔
نقیب کسی قوم یا گروہ کا بڑا آدمی، قبیلے کا ذمے دار فرد جو اس کی نمائندگی کرے، سردار، سربراہ۔
http//haqeeqat.pk/roots/(1486).htm