Introduction of Qur'aan: The Infinitely Reliable Book

 

Experts and educationists suggest that in the first stage of analytical reading the reader must find what the book is about as a whole. He should seek to know and be able to state with the utmost brevity what the whole book is about. Obviously, he can do this only after having skimmed the book. He has to effort for it with active concentration. Allah the Exalted has proclaimed that the Grand Qur'aan is rendered facilitative for the reader to conveniently comprehend it. Has the Qur'aan cared this point for our convenience and time to quickly grasp what the whole book is about? We are amazingly surprised to find the answer at the very outset with utmost brevity; saving us the effort of skimming the book.

1. Universal perception and generally agreed characteristics/definition of "book" and its purpose.

2. Grand Qur'aan: Unprecedented and unique literary manner of its introduction-.

    2.1 Its unique characteristic that makes it distinct from all books- : nothing therein causes perplexity

    2.2 Perception and basic signification of Verbal Noun

3. The reason of this unique feature of Grand Qur'aan.

 

1. Universal perception and generally agreed characteristics/definition of "book" and its purpose.

Encyclopedia Britannica defines a book:

"Although the form, content, and provisions for making books have varied widely during their long history, some constant characteristics may be identified. The most obvious is that a book is designed to serve as an instrument of communication —the purpose of such diverse forms as the Babylonian clay tablet, the Egyptian papyrus roll, the medieval vellum or parchment codex, the printed paper codex (most familiar in modern times), microfilm, and various other media and combinations. The second characteristic of the book is its use of writing or some other system of visual symbols (such as pictures or musical notation) to convey meaning. A third distinguishing feature is publication for tangible circulation. A temple column with a message carved on it is not a book nor is a sign or placard, which, though it may be easy enough to transport, is made to attract the eye of the passerby from a fixed location. Nor are private documents considered books. A book may be defined, therefore, as a written (or printed) message of considerable length, meant for public circulation and recorded on materials that are light yet durable enough to afford comparatively easy portability. Its primary purpose is to announce, expound, preserve, and transmit knowledge and information between people, depending on the twin faculties of portability and permanence. Books have attended the preservation and dissemination of knowledge in every literate society."  Britannica

 

2. Grand Qur'aan: Unprecedented and unique literary manner of its introduction-.

Grand Qur'aan is introduced in an unprecedented literary manner. It is introduced not by a word of speech but by mentioning the fundamental fact; the basic and foremost tools for assembling the instrument of communication: the book. The basic and foremost tools for producing a book are the letters, consonants and diacritic marks-symbols of a language. All other constituents for the formation of a book are secondary in the thought of there having a book.

The basic requirement to acquire ability to read a book of any language is to acquaint oneself with the sound and manner of shaping-drawing of the letters [حروف الهجاء] of Alphabet of that language. Each letter [حرف] is a specific image-symbol-sign-physical entity. It relays distinctive and cognizable sound articulated with the help of sound articulators. The words are made by conjoining them and are expressed: ejected-thrown out of one's mouth, successively in piecemeal.

An alphabet attempts ideally to indicate separate sound by a separate symbol. The next step is to know the conjoining/combining/ sewing/compiling together of the letters/consonants which creates words with a distinct sound having predetermined perception/ meanings. The words are then structured into phrases and sentences to convey ideas, thoughts, data, information, knowledge, feelings,  news, concepts and perceptions for the listener or the reader. These sentences eventually compile what is called  and a book; written reading matter-substance, emanating from  Root "ک ت ب" and " ق ر ء" respectively.

The perception and meanings of Root "ک ت ب" were to conjoin the os [plural ora/mouth opening] of she-camel’s vulva by means of a ring or thong, in order to close the opening that an unknown male; without the will of her owner, might not cover her. Its perception and meaning is to bring the mouth of something together, conjoin it and sew it. [Refer Lane Lexicon; Vol-7; pp 118]

It signifies the act of writing down which corresponds to the basic perception of the Root.  Writing, in Arabic particularly, is nothing except bringing closer the radicals-consonants of the language and stitching-sewing them together. Like the stitching of the mouth of a receptacle/container the purpose of writing is to keep the matter preserved and to avoid it getting scattered and diminished. The basic purpose of conjoining the mouth of she-camel's vulva is to ensure protection from the unwanted/undesirable when the owner is away from her.  Likewise, people are bound to add matter of their own perceptions while transmitting oral utterances forward in time and place whereby the original words are lost in a short span of time. On the contrary, if that person had also put it in writing, his utterances would go into confinement and static state and would reach people exactly in the words he had articulated with his tongue. Thereby, none can pollute/intermix any thing in that written matter/thought in time and space since it is physically available for reference and visual check.

The act of bringing together, or conjoining and stitching, or scrolling  the papers/parchments/tablets containing written matter yields what is called ; a book. A book is a container to secure the matter from being scattered, disintegrated or polluted/intermixed.

The basic perception of Root "ك ت ب" is to conjoin and sew together and ultimate objective of -a book is to conjoin and sew people together making them a unity; homogeneous fraternity.

A nation-fraternity comes into being when there is a book, a social contract or a constitution. Let us admit affectionately that no language of the world can match the Arabic; the language of the Guide Lord of humanity, the Last Messenger Muhammad Sal'lallaa'hoalaih'wa'salam, the elevated and praised one.

Similarly, the basic perception infolded in the Root " ق ر ء" is to collect together a thing at one place/point. It thus brings the scattered/separated/spread state of a thing into a collective whole The basic perception of the Root is compilation; the process of gathering. When we carry out this process with regard to letters/alphabet of a language/written material it produces and yields the product , a book; written reading material collected together and placed in one receptacle; it is the opposite of a shredded/scattered state.

We will not find a better definition and comprehensive account as to what a book is than the factual information infolded in just three consonants of Arabic language sequenced as "ک ت ب". The best language is obviously the one that conveys volumes of information in few words. ["That language ranks highest which goes farthest in the art of accomplishing much with the little means, OR, in other words, which is able to express the greatest amount of meaning with the simplest mechanism"-Language, its nature, development and origin by Otto Jespersen]

This unique style of introducing the Grand Qur'aan with a letter and consonants indicates that the writing style of this book is not "Scriptio continua" which was the prevalent style in most of other languages of the world during the period of its revelation. The pronouncement of letter and then the consonants; and thereafter the words with vowels reflects a natural distancing and space between words as well as between communication of "units of thought" for clarity of understanding by the listener and reader. [So called Mystery of Initial Letter/Consonants.]

: It is a demonstrative pronoun and the subject of a nominal sentence. A speaker-author uses a demonstrative pronoun to divert and focus the attention of the addressee towards the pointed object, person or concept for assigning it a peculiarity/individuality. Visual axis focused upon an object yields its near perfect perception. Therefore, any thing which is in the reach of the vision and has since been perceived is no more distant irrespective of its distance from the addressee. It stands introduced to the addressee. This demonstrative pronoun is a pointer-introducer of  : definite noun signifying a specific known book to the second person-the reader who has either picked it up or to whom it is presented.

Grand Qur'aan is introduced as a peculiar Book. A book contains written material; data, information, physical facts, events and conduct of the past-earlier generations; knowledge. It contains injunctions, instructions; procedural code, prescription of lawful and unlawful matter or conduct; segregates or demarcates one thing from another, describes the relationship of things, and elaborates the cause and effect of events/rise and fall. Moreover, a book may serve as a Guide giving permanent values and the road map for those seeking the destination.

The two words do not convey full information for the person who picks it up at his own and to whom it is presented for reading. The book is in the hands of the addressee or is in the process of handing over to him, therefore, it is manifest that the intent of Speaker/Author is not limited to tell him, "This is the Book" or "That is the Book" because he already knows it or is watching it on presentation. The intent is to draw his concentrated attention towards the peculiarity and distinction of its contents-miscellany which he has not yet read and  is still distant from his information and perception. This makes him attentive and enthusiastic to hear or read its ascription/predication.

: It is the solitary occurrence in the Grand Qur'aan. A book is introduced only once to the audience. The accepted and preferable mode of communication is that the subject of speech be the one which is already in the know of the audience/listener/reader followed by ascription that is not in his knowledge. The Book is not presented with these words :  "This is the Qur'aan", where stands as ascription to the demonstrative pronoun. Ascription is defined as the connection of one word with another wherein the listener benefits from the ascription making it proper for him to remain silent.

Spoken Language in the ultimate analysis is but a miscellany of meaning carrying sounds. These sounds play a role in the working of languages as an instrument for communication and thought. A Living is behind the words. Written Words develop a relationship between the Living behind the words and the recipient of the words. The best written words are those which enable the recipient reader not only to listen the sounds inherent in individual words and in their peculiar arrangement and assembly; but he may also feel the presence of the Living Who organized that text.

 The Proper Name of the Book might not be in the know of the Reader/Listener. Thereby, its mention could have diverted his attention towards investigation of this word.  We will find its mention later in 6:19;10:37; and 43:31.  Moreover, this sentence would  not be involving and engaging for the reader since he cannot find and listen author's voice in it as is done by .

People picking up books have different motives and inclinations, serious as well as non-serious to the extent of few for just killing the time. However, the truth seekers wish to get hold of only such books which would reveal to them the knowledge, information, truth and fact. Nevertheless, apprehension and uncertainty is always there regards whether or not one will find truth and fact in the book after going through the entire volume, and that it might result as an exercise in futility and waste of time.

The first concern of a serious reader is the accuracy, reliability and objectivity of the Book in hand. These concerns are satisfied only if the book is void of suspicious, conjectural, whimsical, conflicting, un-certain, illusory, perplexing, biased and opinionated matter.

Grand Qur'aan is the only book that cares and respects the concern and time value of serious reader. It addresses the natural apprehension and uncertainty he might feel having picked up the Book in the hope and pursuit of truth.  It tells the reader, whoever he might be, about its peculiarity immediately after cognitive introduction- :

It is the substance and matter in the book that renders it great. The pursuit of perfection is, as Mathew Arnold said; "getting to know the best which has been thought and said in the world". The best is pure and certain "knowledge" in true sense of the word, not bits of information and opinions. "The Knowledge" is to know infinitely that which will never be affected or altered in time and space. "The Knowledge" is only that which is absolutely void of suspicious, conjectural, whimsical, conflicting, un-certain, illusory, biased and opinionated matter. This unique and unprecedented introductory information ensures the reader that the Book in hand is infinitely reliable.

This emphatic and absolute negation of presence of any statement within the Book that might cause disturbance, disquiet or agitation of  mind and heart helps satisfy reader's concern, apprehension and uncertainty regarding achieving objective of reading a book. This negation might place his mind in tranquil state since it subtly suggests that he will certainly find in the Book nothing but the established and proven truth, a source of tranquility for the heart and mind.

However, if he claims to be a truth seeker, it has also created an obligation upon him; now he cannot refuse reading it otherwise he will expose  that in fact he is not a truth-seeker but a prisoner of own thoughts and passions. A truth seeker is never biased, prejudiced and whimsical. He is left with no option but to read the Book and accept its contents or venture to prove them wrong. Being claimant of truth-seeker, he has to read it. Reading of a book creates a liability and obligation upon the reader. He has either to accept its words or discard its version by a counter argument and evidence of fact negating its statement.

: It is a Negation particle, with specific characteristic النَّاْفِيَةُ لِلْجِنْس that it signifies the negation of genus; negation in absolute sense from all possible angles and of all sorts. Its identification is that it governs the following word and puts it in the accusative state while in default state all nouns are in nominative case/state. Here it governs the verbal noun .

: It is a prepositional phrase. The preposition فِي signifies rest in a place or during a time, and motion into a place. This signification is then transferred to the relation subsisting between any two things, the one of which is regarded as the place in which the other is, or happens, or into which it goes or is put. The suffixed pronoun is for third person, singular, masculine referring back to "The Book", which is a noun, singular, definite, masculine.

2.2 Perception and basic signification of Verbal Noun

 

: It is a Verbal/Infinitive noun, in Arabic terminology مصدر . In Arabic, it is a noun signifying action and state only. It is the source from where the verbs are derived. Its past and present tense verbs are رَابَ-يَرِيبُ. Infinitive Noun [مصدر] signifies the action indicated in the verb derived from it. The action that a verb denotes signifies change and alteration of states in time and space, physical or abstract, which was the intent or objective of doing that act. An action causes an effect to take existence; causes a new state to emerge different to that which existed before the execution of action.

The major difference between Verb and Verbal Noun [مصدر] in meaning is that verb signifies occurrence of an action within a particular time-period, like the past, present or future. The Verbal Noun [مصدر] alone can only signify the occurrence of an action within the time-period in which it finds mention. Other words are required to signify the action of the مصدر within the context of past or future. This aspect of peculiar choice of words in a statement of Source language Arabic when ignored causes major "translation loss" in the target language for perceiving the compact thought conveyed therein. These words in the translation, "you will find all the time you read it" attempt to convey this aspect of use of an Infinitive Noun [مصدر] in the statement.  

The Root of is "ر  ى  ب".  [Lane Lexicon-ريب] states, " رَابَ-يَرِيبُ, Infinitive Noun رَيْبٌ  "It [a thing] occasioned in me disquiet, disturbance, or agitation of mind. This is the primary signification.".  At page 364 [third entry in the right column] it states; " رَيْبٌ   The primary signification is Disquiet, disturbance, or agitation of mind, and accidents or evil accidents of time that disturb or disquiet the heart and mind.. 

The Grand Qur'aan itself is the best "Lexicon" that explains perception, meanings, depths and niceties of  important words and terms used therein by their use in relation to persons and situations, and cause and effect equation. The psychological makeup of Muna'fi'qeen: Imposter believers is duality of thought and conduct which creates a permanent state of restless waver, and toss.

The effect of  upon them is:

[فعل مضارع مرفوع بثبوت النون] Verb: Intransitive; Imperfect; Third Person; Plural; Masculine; Mood: Indicative evident by نَ ;[Form-V]; [و- ضمير متصل في محل رفع فاعل] Subject Pronoun, nominative state; مصدر-تَرَدُّ دٌ Verbal noun. Its Root is " ر د د". Basic perception and signification is to revert back to the original position, location or state. Measure/Form-V verb relate to the intensive meaning of Form-II with the addition of reflexive meaning, i.e. the meanings of Form-II are reflected back onto the subject of verb. The indicative mood of the verb signifies continuance, or frequentative signification. The intensive and frequentative signification renders its meanings as to cause someone to waver, vacillate in an affair, or between two affairs. This reflects a confounded and perplexed state of heart and mind. [Also see p 228-Vol-3, entry 2; Lane's Lexicon] The feel, emotion, and passion and disconcert, irk etc are, in general perception too, related to the heart. Hearts need to disassociate from the emotion and passion to attain a tranquil state:

Arabic word is not synonym or synonymous with and is distinct from word ; and both are not interchangeable. : When used as a substantive signifies doubt, or absence of conviction/certainty about a matter/concept/idea, skepticism/skepticalness. "Doubt" takes existence only when someone receives some information about some object or subject that he considers not enough to grant him the feel of sureness and certainty. This state of mind generally referred as "doubt" reflects ones lack of decision about the veracity of information reaching him. He may neither accept it nor discard it. "Some definitions of doubt emphasize the state in which the mind remains suspended between two contradictory propositions and unable to assent to either of them". Moreover, the emergence of doubt regarding some bit of information may or may not be the cause of giving rise to emotional disturbance, irritation, irk and uneasiness of heart.

However, some information might place the recipient in such doubt; especially such information that is contrary to ones long held perception, culture, practice, matters relating to Non declarative memory that have become habit; that might generate, for some, feeling of irk, disquiet, and disconcert. The Grand Qur'aan highlights the point by quoting the statement of ruling elite in response to an information/invitation:   

o

o

o

o

o

Grand Qur'aan has amply clarified that and are not interchangeable and signify different concepts or states of heart and mind. The might be the consequence and affect of a particular but  is not the consequence and affect of  . Cause and affect are not considered as synonyms or synonymous. There is a quote of Arabs of the days of revelation of Qur'aan which further confirms the perception infolded in :

Or do they say to people, "He is a poet, the one for whom We wait with content the frustrating disquieting time". [52:30]

The quotes of the response of people of the past, on presentation of information and invitation to adopt a different code and mode of life, depict that their doubt leading to disturbance, irritation and disconcert was not factual but volitional. The volitional doubt will cause disquiet and concern when there is conflict and clash between heart and mind; conflict between desire-emotion-passion-considerations of stakes and rationality. The passion overshadowed their rational intellect.

 

3. The reason of this unique feature of Grand Qur'aan.

 

Grand Qur'aan; ever since its introduction to humanity till date is the ONLY Book with the tallest claim:

This type of matter in books do cause psychological disturbance and disconcert to the active reader. This claim in itself assumes the position of a strong evidence/argument for an inclination to accept and believe in it since none of the countless books had the courage and confidence to claim about their contents as infallible fact. None of the other authors and books has ever claimed the contents of their work as absolute and proven fact.  

Grand Qur'aan is such a Book that the Great Person who introduced, recited and gave it in writing to the people did not claim to be its author but informed the people that it is sent-revealed upon him by his and the Sustainer Lord of universes-all that exists. This is the reason of its having the unique feature .

 

Only that book earns the title of "Sublime Book" which is a source of granting tranquility to mind and heart by providing tangible answers to all uncertainties and misconceptions. The uncertainties are satisfied only when the Book narrates nothing but the established and proven truths not merely in relations to time and space but such that are sustained and are facts not affected by time and space. We might call it the "Absolute Truth" or "established and proven fact in the whole realm of time and space".

 

The introduction of Book is conversely ascribed:

while that Grand Qur'aan is the Statement of Proven Fact and Absolute Reality, [Refer 2:91]

: Its Root is "ح  ق  ق".  The basic concept infolded in it is of becoming of something established or confirmed as a fact and truth; manifest-obvious, undoubted, authentic, genuine, sound, valid, substantial, real, certain, established and confirmed fact or event.

Firstly, the negation of presence of any conjectural, wishful-fake, non-substantiated, hearsay, and non-established, invalid, unsound, vague and opinionated substance in the constituent matter of the Book finds mention  and then is the description and ascription of the Book. Negation of negative aspect and then narrating the positive attribute by assigning it as a descriptive name doubly confirms and stresses double emphasis on the true nature of the Grand Qur'aan.

The ascription of and to describe the Grand Qur'aan manifests that it is the ever living Book; never ever to be outdated. The experts suggest that one of the criteria a book has to meet to earn title of a great book is that; "The book has to speak from an important original setting. But a great book is one that is not trapped in its original setting. It has to be written in a way that constitutes it a living experience for readers today."

[Note for Non-Muslims: I have started the Article with the Personal Name of Allah the Exalted, only because I am already a believer of the Book and  I am advised therein to do so. However, for those who are not believers and are reading this Book for the first time,  the words in the Heading do not appear in the Original Text of introductory chapter of Grand Qur'aan, beginning with for them.]