Umm Ahmed
26th December 2006, 03:29 AM
A Non Arab Appreciation of the Quranic Miracle:Al Walid's Verdict
What is new in the language of the Qur’an is that in every purpose the Qur’an tackles, it
selects the best material and the closest to the meaning intended, bringing together all
required shades that can readily be mixed together. It puts every little elements in its
most suitable and fitting place. Its meaning is reflected superbly in its words, as if the
words return a mirror image depicting its complete and true picture. To a word, its
meaning is its secure home where it is permanently settled. The home does not look for
a different dweller, and the resident does not aspire for a better home. The Qur’anic
style gives you this perfect example of literary excellence
Proof of this is in abundance, but we will not look into such evidence now. We will come
to it later. We are only concentrating for the present on the point that not all Arabic
speech is the same. Linguistic and literary excellence may sink to the point of total
inadequacy or may rise to a most sublime standard defying all imitation.
If someone wishes to look for proof of the Qur’anic excellence in this respect, when he is
not qualified to be a judge of literary styles, the he has to realise that only through a fine
sense and a wealth of experience can judgment be fair. Hence, his only alternative is to
accept the verdict of other people and to be content with the testimony of those who are
qualified to so return one. Therefore, it is pertinent to give here one such testimony.
Al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah was on of the chiefs of the Quraysh tribe in Makkah. He came
once to talk to the Prophet, but the Prophet read a passage of the Qur’an to him. It
seems that al-Walid softened his hostile attitude to the Prophet as a result. When Abu
Jahl, the most unyielding opponent of Islam among the Quraysh, heard of this, he went
to al-Walid and said “Uncle, your people are collecting some money to give you,
because you went to Muhammad seeking what he may have to give to you.” Al-Walid
replied “The Quraysh is aware that I am among the richest people here.” Abu Jahl
suggested “Then you have to say something about him which would indicate to your
people that you are hostile to him” Al-Walid said “What can I say? There is none among
you who is a better judge of poetry, with all its forms and styles, including the poetry said
by the jinn, than me. By God, what Muhammad says is refinement. It is all light at the top,
shining at the bottom. It is surpassing, overpowering. Nothing can stand up to it.” Abu
Jahl insisted “Your people will not be satisfied until you have said something against it.”
Al-Walid asked for time to think, and when he had finished his thinking he said “This is
sorcery that he has learnt from someone else.”
In response to this, the following verses were revealed to the Prophet:
“Leave Me to deal with him whom I have created alone, and to whom I have granted vast
resources, and children as [love’s] witness, and to whose life I gave so wide a scope;
and yet, he greedily desires that I give yet more! No, indeed. It is against Our revelations
that he knowingly, stubbornly sets himself. So I shall constrain him to endure a painful
uphill climb! Behold, [when Our revelations are conveyed to him] he reflects and
meditates – and thus he destroys himself, the way he meditates. Yes, indeed, he
destroys himself, the way he meditates! Then he looks around [for new arguments], and
the he frowns and glares, and in the end he turns back and glories in his arrogance, and
says, “All this is mere spellbinding eloquence handed down to him [from olden times]!
This is nothing but the word of mortal human beings.”” [Qur’an 74: 11-25]
Consider for a moment how the Qur’an describes how hard the man labours in order to
reach his final verdict on the Qur’an; he reflects and meditates, looking around for
argument, frowning and glaring, turning his back and behaving most arrogantly. All this
shows how he struggles with his own nature, trying to come up with a verdict that his own
conscience is bound to disapprove of. This constrained him no end. Yet finally, he had
to succumb to his people’s desire and return to a hostile verdict. Consider also the wide
gulf between this arbitrary verdict and the one that comes naturally from the same
person when he expresses his opinion freely “It is surpassing, overpowering. Nothing
can stand up to it.”
That is the final testimony for anyone who does not have the qualification to distinguish
styles and judge literary expression. Sufficient to say that it is a testimony given by one
who knows, a person from among the people whose native language was the language
of the Qur’an. And yet he was as hostile to Islam as its hardest enemies.
Source: M. Draz. 2001. The Qur’an: An Eternal Challenge, p. 77 - 79.
What is new in the language of the Qur’an is that in every purpose the Qur’an tackles, it
selects the best material and the closest to the meaning intended, bringing together all
required shades that can readily be mixed together. It puts every little elements in its
most suitable and fitting place. Its meaning is reflected superbly in its words, as if the
words return a mirror image depicting its complete and true picture. To a word, its
meaning is its secure home where it is permanently settled. The home does not look for
a different dweller, and the resident does not aspire for a better home. The Qur’anic
style gives you this perfect example of literary excellence
Proof of this is in abundance, but we will not look into such evidence now. We will come
to it later. We are only concentrating for the present on the point that not all Arabic
speech is the same. Linguistic and literary excellence may sink to the point of total
inadequacy or may rise to a most sublime standard defying all imitation.
If someone wishes to look for proof of the Qur’anic excellence in this respect, when he is
not qualified to be a judge of literary styles, the he has to realise that only through a fine
sense and a wealth of experience can judgment be fair. Hence, his only alternative is to
accept the verdict of other people and to be content with the testimony of those who are
qualified to so return one. Therefore, it is pertinent to give here one such testimony.
Al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah was on of the chiefs of the Quraysh tribe in Makkah. He came
once to talk to the Prophet, but the Prophet read a passage of the Qur’an to him. It
seems that al-Walid softened his hostile attitude to the Prophet as a result. When Abu
Jahl, the most unyielding opponent of Islam among the Quraysh, heard of this, he went
to al-Walid and said “Uncle, your people are collecting some money to give you,
because you went to Muhammad seeking what he may have to give to you.” Al-Walid
replied “The Quraysh is aware that I am among the richest people here.” Abu Jahl
suggested “Then you have to say something about him which would indicate to your
people that you are hostile to him” Al-Walid said “What can I say? There is none among
you who is a better judge of poetry, with all its forms and styles, including the poetry said
by the jinn, than me. By God, what Muhammad says is refinement. It is all light at the top,
shining at the bottom. It is surpassing, overpowering. Nothing can stand up to it.” Abu
Jahl insisted “Your people will not be satisfied until you have said something against it.”
Al-Walid asked for time to think, and when he had finished his thinking he said “This is
sorcery that he has learnt from someone else.”
In response to this, the following verses were revealed to the Prophet:
“Leave Me to deal with him whom I have created alone, and to whom I have granted vast
resources, and children as [love’s] witness, and to whose life I gave so wide a scope;
and yet, he greedily desires that I give yet more! No, indeed. It is against Our revelations
that he knowingly, stubbornly sets himself. So I shall constrain him to endure a painful
uphill climb! Behold, [when Our revelations are conveyed to him] he reflects and
meditates – and thus he destroys himself, the way he meditates. Yes, indeed, he
destroys himself, the way he meditates! Then he looks around [for new arguments], and
the he frowns and glares, and in the end he turns back and glories in his arrogance, and
says, “All this is mere spellbinding eloquence handed down to him [from olden times]!
This is nothing but the word of mortal human beings.”” [Qur’an 74: 11-25]
Consider for a moment how the Qur’an describes how hard the man labours in order to
reach his final verdict on the Qur’an; he reflects and meditates, looking around for
argument, frowning and glaring, turning his back and behaving most arrogantly. All this
shows how he struggles with his own nature, trying to come up with a verdict that his own
conscience is bound to disapprove of. This constrained him no end. Yet finally, he had
to succumb to his people’s desire and return to a hostile verdict. Consider also the wide
gulf between this arbitrary verdict and the one that comes naturally from the same
person when he expresses his opinion freely “It is surpassing, overpowering. Nothing
can stand up to it.”
That is the final testimony for anyone who does not have the qualification to distinguish
styles and judge literary expression. Sufficient to say that it is a testimony given by one
who knows, a person from among the people whose native language was the language
of the Qur’an. And yet he was as hostile to Islam as its hardest enemies.
Source: M. Draz. 2001. The Qur’an: An Eternal Challenge, p. 77 - 79.