on usage of words

[mh]

On usage of words

One of the phenomena specifically related to the Quran aloners is that most of them do not accept the simple fact that a word can have more than one meaning and/or many uses within the meaning. This stand is a very dangerous one and surely can only help prevent those who uphold it from getting to the so wanted true meaning of a word and the best possible understanding.

Assertions such as; the word must have one meaning and usage and I do not think that God would want to confuse us by giving a word multi-meanings are of no use and very harmful for those who adopt it. It will just make their efforts in vain and their energy wasted for nothing until they discover this simple fact that, words do have multi-meanings and usages and that Arabic is not Gods language.

What God states in the Book clearly that He sends messengers to their peoples in their own language(s). In the case of the revelation we have at hands, it is in Arabic, the language of human beings, Arabs.

In the following lines we shall GW try to provide with one single example from the Book to illustrate whether this take is correct or not. At the end of the analysis we shall GW give few words for considerations. Interested can do their own study for those words.

The example we provide here is so obvious that it is hard to escape the eye of an average reader not to mention someone who studies the Book. The word we are going to discuss here is mentioned within two verses that follow each other, that are in about ten lines and, almost in all copies of the Book, in the same page, 6 times out of which 4 times is the very same word, and other two derivatives of it.

The word is Ha (as in halal and haram) Sad (as in sawm, siyam) and Na. HSN.

The verses are 424, 25.

424, And (forbidden for you- see the previous verse) the already married (almuhsanati) from the women, except those whom your right hands possess; Gods scripture is over you; and permitted for you what is beyond this, if you are seeking with your money protecting (muhsineen) and not fornicating. As for those whom you have already had joy with them, then you shall give them their wage as an obligation. There is no sin upon you for what you agree to after the obligation. God is Knowledgeable, Wise.

425, And whoever of you cannot afford to marry the believing protected (almuhsanati) women, then from what your right hands possess of your believing girls. God is more aware of your faith, some of you to each other. You shall marry them with the permission of their people and give them their wage in kindness; protected (muhsanat), not fornicating or taking lovers. If they become protected (fa idha uhsina), and any of them comes with lewdness then they shall have half the punishment of what is for the protected women (almuhsanati). This is for those who fear hardship from among you. But if you are patient it is better for you, and God is Forgiver, Merciful.

The above verses suffice for any comment. Please go to any translation you can get to and see if any, I repeat, any of them translate the very same word in these two verses following each other, giving it the same meaning?

There is none. It would just cause a great confusion UNLESS one understands that words can have multi-meanings and/or multi-uses.

Before going deeper into this let us go and check the meaning of this word and it usage in the Book.

55, Today, good and pure things are made law full unto you. And the food of those given the Book is lawful for you and yours to them and the unmarried (almuhsanat) believing women and the unmarried (almuhsanat) from those given the Book before you if you give them their wage, protecting and not fornicating nor taking lovers and who rejects faith fruitless is his work and in the hereafter will be among the losers.

1248 Then will come after that seven dreadful (years) that will consume all that you have laid in advance for them except for a little of what you have stored (protected).

2180, And we taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to protect you in you wars, will you then be grateful?

2191, And the one who guarded her chastity so we blew into her from Our Spirit and made her and her son a sign for the peoples.

244, And those who accuse the chaste women and produce not four witnesses, flog them with eighty stripes and reject their witnessing ever after, those are the wicked.

2423, Those who accuse the chaste (almuhsanati), indiscreet believing women, they will be cursed in this world and the Hereafter, and they will have a painful retribution.

2433, And let those who are not able to marry continue to be chaste until God enriches them of His Bounty. And if those whom your right hands possess seek marriage, then marry them off if you find that they are ready And give them from the wealth of God which He has bestowed upon you. And do not force your girls into prostitution when they desire chastity (tahasunan), in order that you may make a gain in the goods of this worldly life. But if anyone compels them, then for their compulsion, God is Forgiving, Merciful.

592, It is he who got out the unbelievers among the people of the Book from their homes at the first gathering, little did they you think that they would get out and they thought that their fortresses (husunuhum) would defend them from God, but God came to them (from the quarters) from which they did not expect, and cast terror into their hearts, they destroy their houses by their own hands and the hands of the believers, take head, then, o you with eyes.

5914, They will not fight you all together except in fortified townships or from behind walls. Their fight is strong among themselves, you think they are united but their hearts are divided that is because they are a people devoid of wisdom.

6612, And maryam, the daughter of Imran who guarded her chastity and we breathed into it of Our spirit and she testified to the truth of the words of her Lord and His scriptures and was one of the devout (servants).

From verses 2180,91, 592, 5914, 6612, and others in the above line of verses, we see that the root verb of this word means; to Guard, to protect, to save. The noun muhsanat (from the adjective) is used for women in two cases.

1. To point to the already married women, meaning that she is protected by marriage. So, the marriage is viewed in this sense as the protection for woman. Protection in the social, physiological, biological and other related senses.
2. Points to unmarried but free women. Free in relation to those whom your right hands possess. The idea is that, woman in this sense is free as she is within the guarded free townships.

Now, let us have the first two verses of our analysis in which this word occurs 6 times.

424, And (forbidden for you- see the previous verse) the already married (almuhsanati) from the women, (THEY ARE FORBIDDEN AS THEY ARE ALREADY MARRIED. SO THE TANSLATION HERE IS;ALREADY MARRIED WOMEN).except those whom your right hands possess (THIS GROUP HAD A SPECIFIC TREATMENT; EVEN IF THY WERE MARRIED MARRYING THEM WAS POSSIBLLE UNDER SPECIFIC CONDITIONS. MORE ON THAT LATER.) Gods scripture is over you; and permitted for you what is beyond this, if you are seeking with your money protecting (muhsineen) (TO PROTECT THEM WITH THE MARRIAGE TIE) and not fornicating. As for those whom you have already had joy with them, then you shall give them their wage as an obligation. There is no sin upon you for what you agree to after the obligation. God is Knowledgeable, Wise.

425, And whoever of you cannot afford to marry the believing protected (almuhsanati)(PROTECTED MEANING FREE IN THIS SENSE AS MENTIONED IN POINT 2 ABOVE) women, then from what your right hands possess of your believing girls (AMONG THOSE WHOM YOUR RIGHT HANDS POSSESS, OF YOUR GIRLS BUT BELIEVING GIRLS). God is more aware of your faith, some of you to each other. You shall marry them with the permission of their people (I BELIVE THIS REFERS TO THOSE UNDER WHOM THEY WERE TAKEN, OWNERS IS POSSIBLE TOO) and give them their wage in kindness; protected (muhsanat) (BY MARRYING), not fornicating or taking lovers (CONTRA TO MARRIAGE TIE). If they become protected (fa idha uhsina) (BY MARRIAGE), and if any of them comes with ewdness then they shall have half the punishment of what is for the protected women (almuhsanati) (HALF OF THOSE FREE WOMEN). This is for those who fear hardship from among you. But if you are patient it is better for you, and God is Forgiver, Merciful.

So, this is how i view the issue and would like to hear your inputs adn comments. I did not want into details in this example as i am workiing on more 'detaily' text on these verses. will be sahred gw with you here soon.

Peace