Was Prophet Mohammad Illiterate?

The generally accepted idea in Islam is that Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) could not read or write. However, there is serious discussion among both independent and more traditional scholars as to whether the Arabic word ummi means instead “unlearned in Divine scripture,” or “gentile,” which also implies lacking knowledge of scripture, i.e., Divine revelations sent prior to the Quran. The argument really isn’t immediately clear from the word ummi in particular until one examines it more closely, but rather this one quite striking aya:

Surah 96 Al-‘Alaq “The Clot”

This short sura begins with the first words of the Quran sent down to prophet Mohammad, Recite in the name of your Lord who created. Although often in studying this aya, we dwell on the word “recite,” what is really most important is in the name of your Lord who created. Notice that the first words sent are an invocation, in that sense like Al-Fatiha which begins with the Basmalah, a major invocation of Allah’s names.

Here, however, the word “bism” (in the name of) is spelled differently than in the Basmalah, with four letters باسم instead of three as in the Basmalah بسم even though the grammatical usage is the same. And here we are given the expression “Your Lord,” the relationship word for Allah—but no name, whereas in the Basmalah we are given three names. Or is indeed the expression “Lord” essentially a name? Yes, if it is properly described in some way referring to Allah: and here it is clearly described as Who created. With a fascinating set of repeated words, which give power to the presentation, a crescendo that culminates in a surprise ending. Allah the Exalted shows us the meaning and power of that relationship between our Creator and us.

Reciting Quran in Sign Language

Beautiful recitation of Surat Al-Rahman in sign language.

This is an entirely different way to think of translation of the Quran: to express its meaning in sign language. This video is a beautiful example just that, with one of the most beautiful suras in the Quran, Surat Al-Rahman 55.

What Does the Quran Say about Jesus’ “Second Coming?” And about Masih Al-Dajjal, the Antichrist?

First, the Quran says nothing about a “second coming” or “return” of Jesus/Isa, nor does it mention an Anti-Christ/Masih Dajjal or anything similar. This itself is a serious omission for such a significant and unprecedented event. But there is an aya in the Quran (43:61) that is often construed to possibly “fit” the idea that Jesus might somehow be “coming back.” And there are many hadiths which mention this idea. Hence for many Muslims, it’s a done deal. But how reliable are those hadiths and do they contradict the Quran? For one thing, the Quran, unequivocally states that prophet Mohammad is the “seal” of the prophets (33:40). The word khatam or “seal” is significantly different than to say “the last” or akhir prophet. A “seal” as used in the Quran means an irreversible decree from Allah Himself, the same word used repeatedly to say Allah “sealed the hearts” of rejectors/disbelievers (4:155, 9:87, 9:93, 16:108, 47:16, 63:3). Once Allah “seals” a person’s heart, there’s no turning back. For Jesus/Isa to come after Mohammad would “break the seal” and it doesn’t change this fact that Isa was not a new prophet. In fact, it goes against the Way of Allah with his prophets, discussed below, as well as breaches the impassable barrier between this world and alghaib – the unseen, which in this case refers to Allah’s timeless realm – and this is simply never allowed. There’s no room for equivocation! 

Mistranslations in the Quranic Descriptions of Paradise Corrected

Some of the ayat in the Quran describing the reward in paradise for muttaqīn or “the God-fearing/righteous” have frequently been translated in a manner that includes descriptive reference to women’s bodies, as in “full-breasted companions” described below. This includes the widely-accepted Sahih International translation. But the word muttaqīn is gender-neutral, including both men and women, making such a translation contradictory and inconsistent. This issue is discussed below in a well-reasoned answer copied here from Quora (question links to the its answer) to the following question: why did the Muslim translators of the Quran place the phrase “full-breasted” in passage 78:31-33 of Sura an-Nisa?

The Meaning of the Quranic Word Al-Husnaa

This word in Arabic, Al-Husnaa, has been variously interpreted and used and, in working on sura 92 Al-Layl, I found it essential to explain its multiple dimensions in a separate post for people to understand its use in the Quran as well as that sura in particular. Like many Quranic words, its meanings change according to the context. The root H-s-n basically means “good,” but even in English that has a broader meaning. So we examine how it is used in the Quran where it can be understood from context. Its most well-known usage is for the names of Allah — al-asma’ Allah Al-Husnaa, the most beautiful names of Allah. It can also mean “the best,” “good,” and other, always positive, connotations. 

Atheist Finds Purpose of Life in Quran – a Beautiful Video

Best video I’ve seen on the purpose of life, a fascinating story told by Dr. Jeffrey Lang.

Dr. Lang is now a well-known lecturer as well as mathematician, speaking from the heart. Here he tells the story of how he was an atheist and read the Quran that a friend had given him. What happened is riveting, and will surprise you! Well-worth your time.

Compassion and Justice: Their Essential Symbiosis in Islam

Compassion cannot coexist with Injustice. Justice is at the heart of compassion.

Several years ago, I posted this piece about compassion being the “overriding principle” of Islam. It was written in response to the destruction of Muslim societies by the hand of brutal dictatorships imposed on the citizens of majority-Muslim countries, as well as the Islamophobia Industry’s branding of Islam and the Quran as “promoting violence,” and more specifically, “terrorism,” a term which has strayed far from its original application, for acts of violence perpetrated by an aggrieved party against civilians in response to acts of oppression by a government or army. Now it has become a classification of crime outside the normal justice system of due process and protecting the rights of the accused. Instead, such rights are cancelled by then Patriot Act and other elements of the so-called Global War on Terror, allowing governments including the United States to avoid democratic norms of justice, legalizing torture, long prohibited in democracies, against people who had been accused but not duly convicted of “terror”-related crimes. In other words, the War on Terror had become a justification for subverting and thwarting justice itself. That in turn became a war on compassion and truth, into which the ascendancy of Trump became both emblematic and promotional.

And the number one suspect category for this exemption from justice and human rights? Muslims. Whose religion prioritizes justice, human rights, and compassion more than modern democracies or even religions do.

Surat An-Nass (114): Part 2 of the Pair of Protection

As explained in the previous post, Surat An-Nass (114), which means “people,”  is one of two short Surahs (chapters) of protection, the other being Surat Al-Falaq (113), a prayer for protection from “outer” dangers, explained in the post linked above. This, the final Surah of the Quran, is a du’a or prayer/ supplication for protection from inner dangers, from that which could get to our very hearts, feeding us lies that confuse us about the truth. Once deluded, our inner compass, our intuitive sense of truth and falsehood, loses its direction and we become lost. We might even become passionately lost, inverting real ethics by refusing to listen to any truth and looking at Good itself as bad, until what is harmful to us and leads to our total destruction becomes, we insist despite obvious illogic, the true Good. The Quran, in Surat Fatir 35:8, asks the question, “Then is the one to whom the evil of his deed has been made attractive so he considers it good [like one rightly guided]?”

Surat Al-Falaq (113) and Surat Al-Nass (114): Total Protection, Part 1 (113)

Surah 113 Al-Falaq

The final pair of Surahs in the Quran are Surat Al-Falaq (113) and Surat An-Nass (114), often called “Al-Mu’awwidhatan” or the “two of refuge,” are considered the best du’a or supplications to ask Allah for protection against any sort of harm or danger.

They are closely aligned in a number of ways: both begin with the same words “qul ‘authu b’rabb” which means “Say: I seek refuge with the Lord” and then diverge in the description of the Lord of —what— at which point Surah 113 uses the phrase “Lord of Al-Falaq” (often translated “daybreak” but can have the more general meaning of “separating/ cleaving”), and Surah 114 uses the expression “Lord of An-Nass” (people). They follow right after Surat Al-Ikhlas (112) discussed here, which named Allah One and Al-Samad or “Indivisible” (in the absolute sense). So here we have a connecting thread of meaning from Surah 112 in the sense of “separating”: Allah who is never “divided” or “separated” in any sense whatsoever here is invoked as the Lord of “dividing/ separating” in the Surah that immediately follows it! Thus it forms a connection between 112 and 113. Because Allah is the only One entirely Indivisible, He is therefore the only true “Lord of Dividing,” as He created everything, and in the process of creation, divides His creation into the unimaginable multiplicity of things from quasars and stars and planets to microscopic creatures.

Fantastic and Meaningful Video Series for Ramadan

The Yaqeen Institute has produced a truly inspiring series of videos discussing the Quran Al-Kareem, called Quran 30, studying each day a different juz’ from the Quran via zoom. No better way to spend Ramadan, especially for English-speakers who want to understand the Arabic Quran but only know a few words in Arabic.

What Does “Islam” Mean?

It’s a common statement, used to counter non-Muslims’ erroneous idea that Islam is a warlike religion, that “Islam Means Peace.” Others, including many scholars and translators, assert that “Islam means submission——to submit to Allah.” But do either of these words convey the meaning of Islam in Arabic as used in the Quran? An examination of the possible translations for a Quranic word can often lead to a better understanding of Islam and/or the Quran and its message. And so I will introduce what I believe to be another possible interpretation/ translation of the word “Islam” in English, which is the word “surrender.”

The Quran’s Guidance on Truth, Lies, and Faith

The Quran frequently refers to issues relating to Truth and lies; distinguishing between them is critical, in many ways the defining point of guidance. In fact, faith itself is predicated on that distinction, the purpose of the Quran and other divine revelations being to guide us to the truth and, as a part of that guidance, to help us recognize and avoid falsehood.

From Al-Nisa’ 4:105:

إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ لِتَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِمَآ أَرَىٰكَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَلَا تَكُن لِّلْخَآئِنِينَ خَصِيمًا

We have sent down to you the Book with the Truth that you may judge between the people by that which Allah has shown you, and do not be an advocate for the treacherous.

 
“The Book” here is the Quran, and the “you” is Prophet Mohammad. This aya clearly states that the Quran was sent down (the literal meaning of the word tanzeel which is often translated as “revealed”) with Truth, which is to be the criterion by which judgment, distinguishing right from wrong, is made. The “treacherous” are those who betray trust; they are in essence liars, betrayers (the literal meaning here) of the Truth, purveyors of falsehood. This is especially critical because the danger of being fooled by lies is always present. The Quran then “grounds” or provides a foundation for the faithful in Truth, from which they can be empowered by that knowledge to make good choices. 

The Sixth Pillar

The five pillars of Islam are widely known in the Muslim world to refer to first, a declaration (literally “I bear witness”) that there is no God but Allah, and that Mohammad is His Prophet. The name Allah is the Arabic Word for God and does not mean some other “deity.” The second pillar is the establishment of daily salat, referring to a form of worship often translated as “prayer,” but with specific protocols such as a direction to face and exact times of day to be performed. The third pillar is the zakat, which refers to a portion of one’s income to be paid to charity set aside specifically for the poor. The fourth is to fast for the month of Ramadan, and the fifth is performance of the Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah at least once in one’s lifetime if able. But there is a sixth important pillar missing from this list: reading the Quran.

Notes on Quran Explanations & Translations

Since the Quran is the final Revelation from God in the line of prophets from Abraham to Mohammad, including Solomon, Moses, and Jesus, it would follow that this book, sent with Prophet Mohammad to “al-aalameen” or “all the worlds,” is one we should attempt to understand. And since it is also the only revealed Book that still exists in the original language, in this case Arabic, it is also important to preserve the original and the understanding of its meaning. But there is a conflict here…