Who are the A'rab in 997?
In the Name of God the Gracious The Merciful
Translated by Rashad Khalifa
The Arabs are the worst in disbelief and hypocrisy, and the most likely to ignore the laws that GOD has revealed to His messenger. GOD is Omniscient, Most Wise.
Unfortunately, translating the word 'A'RAB' as ?Arabs? in this verse is nothing but a spin-off from a biased and racist Rashad Khalifa translation perpetuated by his followers. No offense, but in my view, whoever translates A?RAB as Arab demonstrates either his ignorance of the Arabic language or he is just a down-right a biased racist.
It is SUPER-CLEAR that the Arabic word A?RAB (ب has a different meaning than ?RB (ب.. and whoever claims that both words have the same meaning really need to stop and study some basic Arabic grammar. Anyway, Here is my analysis
- God is NOT racist
To translate A?RAB as Arab is to make God a racist! Nowhere in the Quran do we see God nit-picking on a certain culture or people of a geographic location and name-calling them of their ethnicity! In fact, we see the opposite where God does not judge people by their culture, language, race, or ethnic background. The only thing God is concerned about is your state of righteousness
O mankind, We created you from a male and female, and We made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Surely, the most honorable among you in the sight of God is the most righteous. God is Knowledgeable, Expert.
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And from His signs is the creation of the heavens and the Earth, and the difference of your languages and your colors. In that are signs for the world.
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- The meaning of ?RB
The word ?RB comes from the root word (?a Ra Ba) ? and this root word means ?pure, unblemished, free of crookedness??
In the Quran we see the word ?RB used to describe the quality of the Quran ? which is free of crookedness
An Arabic (?RBYAN) Quran, without any crookedness?
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The word ?RB also describes something as ?pure? or ?unblemished?
Perfect and without spoil (?RUBAN ATRABA)...
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So not only is the Quran an Arabic language book , but it is also ?pure and free of blemishes? as this is what the word ?RB (Arabic) actually means.
- The meaning of A?RAB
The word A?RAB shares the same root as ?RB but has an additional ?A? in the word! In Arabic Grammar this additional ?A? is called (hamaztal izalah or the hamza that removes) which changes the verb or noun into its opposite meaning! So
?RB (ى = pure, unblemished, free of crookedness
A?RAB (ب = impure, blemished, with crookedness
We can see this grammatical rule being applied to a number of words in the Quran, here is another example
QST ( ) = Just, fair (...God loves the MUQSITEEN ... 542)
QAST (َ = unjust, unfair (...as for the QASITOON , they are firewood for Hell. 7215)
TRB (ِ = lowly dust (...or bury her in the TURAB ?... 1659 )
ATRAB (ا = high quality ( Perfect and ATRABA . 5637)
This grammatical rule does not apply to every verb or noun, however, in the case for A?RAB it does. The word ?RB means ?pure and unblemished? while the word A?RAB has the opposite meaning being ?impure and blemished??
- Who are the A?RAB?
We learn from the Quran that ? during Muhammads lifetime - the A?RAB are those who lived in the outskirts of the city. This is why the Quran distinguishes the ?people of the city? and the ?A?RAB that lived around them.
It is not advisable for the ?city dwellers? and those around them of the A?RAB that they should lag behind after God's messenger, nor should they yearn for themselves above him?
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Obviously, both city dwellers and the A?RAB were all Arabs so God wasn't talking about the ?Arabic culture??
As we?ve learned, the actual meaning of A?RAB is ?impure, or blemished?? In other words, God is talking about the A?RAB as a certain group of people that lived in the outskirts of the city who have impure and doubtful hearts about the message of Islam
And those who had an excuse from among the A?RAB came so permission would be given to them, and those who denied God and His messenger simply stayed behind. Those who rejected from them will be inflicted with a painful retribution...
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The A?RAB may be the worst people to disobey God and His messenger
The A?RAB are the worst in rejection and hypocrisy, and more likely not to know the limits of what God has sent down upon His messenger. God is Knower, Wise.
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God also tells us that some A?RAB ? despite their impure hearts ? may take benefit of the message and become believers
And from the A?RAB are those who believe in God and the Last Day, and he looks upon what he spends to make him closer to God, and the communions of the messenger. It indeed makes them closer. God will admit them in His mercy; God is Forgiving, Merciful.
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The A?RAB are those who ? because of the doubts in their hearts ? must firstly declare they have ?submitted? until they reach the conclusion that they are ?believers?
The A?RAB said "We believe." Say "You have not believed; but you should say 'We have submitted', for belief has not yet entered into your hearts." If you obey God and His messenger, He will not put any of your works to waste. God is Forgiver, Merciful.
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Based on all these Quranic facts, it is not doubt that A?RAB have nothing to do with their cultural or ethnic background, but only a certain group of people holding impure and doubtful hearts about the message of Islam.
Besides... Prophet Muhammad was an Arab!
In conclusion
The A?RAB are NOT an Arab people, God is not racist
The A?RAB are the people living in the outskirts of the city
The A?RAB are those with doubts and impurity in the hearts about Islam
Some A?RAB are pure hypocrites, others are ultimately believers
Peace
Yousef (Joe) Shaer