Addressing the Inner Self

From: http://www.quranicstudies.com/articles/language-of-the-quran/addressing-the-inner-self.html

The miraculous features of the language of the Qur'an are not limited to the accuracy of its words and letters or to their suitability of meaning. They are also exhibited in its unequaled ability to reach the deeply-hidden desires and tendencies of human nature, thus illustrating the all- encompassing and perfect knowledge of its true Maker.

Allah, throughout the Qur'an, always addresses human attributes and tendencies, accurately answering any uncertainty that His injunctions may arouse in the minds of His worshippers. But this accuracy may, sometimes, require some modification in the use of one word in order to convey a new, broader and more apt meaning. This unsurpassed dexterity of language is a dominant feature of the language of the Qur'an, as can be observed in the following verse in which Abraham says,
Lo! They are (all) an enemy unto me, save the Lord of the worlds, Who created me, and He does guide me (Qur'an 26:77-78).

Here a question could be raised as to why Abraham said "Who created me," and not 'He is the One Who created me," which would emphasize the notion of creation. The answer is that creation does not require confirmation or assurance, for no one except Allah has the power to create a human being, and, therefore, no confirmation of this power is necessary or needed. But as far as guidance is concerned, there many people who pretend to posses this power or talent. Some have constructed disciplines along the lines of religion, while others have distorted them.

Both have declared that their purpose was to guide mankind. Thus anyone could set out his own views and pretend that they are the worthiest disciplines of guidance for humanity to follow. It was therefore necessary to stress that guidance is in the hands of Allah and is bestowed upon mankind according to His will and design. The situation required that the pronoun Huwa ('He') be introduced in the phrase Fa Huwa Yahdini ('and He does guide me'), in order to stress this fact and remind worshippers that guidance is a blessing that only Allah can bestow. The verse goes on to confirm this precept, "And Who feeds me and waters me, and when I sicken, then He heals me, and Who causes me to die and then gives me life (again)." (Qur'an 26:79-81).

The pronoun huwa ('He') was introduced in the above verse because the actions needed confirmation that Allah was behind these blessings. It is only by His will that we are able to attain them. Both sustenance and cure from sickness are made possible by His will and providence. In contrast, the pronoun 'He' was omitted in the last sentence because no one could pretend to posses the power of giving life or taking it away. The exclusiveness of this attribute to Allah needed no justification or confirmation.

Thus, Allah adds one word or omits another according to the needs of the situation, so that the precise and desired meaning be accurately and adequately expressed. If Allah had added the pronoun 'He' to the above verse, or omitted it altogether, it would have passed unnoticed, and the controversy that the Qur'an was man-made would have continued unabated.

The accuracy of meaning and expression may sometimes require the restructuring of words; changing them from transitive to intransitive verbs and vice versa. The verb Saqa ('to water') for instance, is sometimes used in four forms. This multiple and varied usage can be observed in the following verse:
... Their Lord will slake their thirst with a pure drink (Qur'an 76:21).

In another passage, we notice that the verb Saqa ('to water, to give a drink, or quench thirst') is used to denote an entirely different meaning:
If they( the idolaters) tread the right path, We shall give them to drink of water in abundance (al-Jinn 72:16).

Although the two words stem from the same root, the omission or addition of a letter gives the modified word an entirely new and different meaning. The addition or the omission is not used for the sake of expediency or to avoid repetition of the same word. Actually each word has a definite meaning that cannot be substituted by any other word. Thus, the expression in the second verse "We shall give them to drink" means that although Allah has provided water in abundance for man, he has to look for its source, whether it is a well, a spring or river. In contrast the expression 'Their Lord will slake their thirst' entails no effort on the part of man, for in Paradise water will automatically come to the lips of the thirsty whenever they wish. There is no toil or effort for the dwellers of Paradise

All their wishes are answered instantaneously in response to their thoughts. This differentiation in the use of words and their correspondent meanings is well demonstrated throughout the whole of the Qur'an, as can be remarked in the following verses:
... What! Even though their fathers had no knowledge whatsoever, and no guidance? (Qur'an 5:104).
...What! Even though their fathers were wholly unintelligent and had no guidance? (Qur'an 2:170).
Whereas to the casual reader the two words La Ya'lamun (no knowledge) and La Ya'qilun (unintelligent) may seem to refer to the same thing, a thorough examination of their full context will reveal their entirely different and true meaning:
And when it is said unto them: Follow that which Allah has revealed, they say: We follow that wherein we found our fathers. What! Even though their fathers were wholly unintelligent and had no guidance? The likeness of those who disbelieve (in relation to the messenger) is as the likeness of one who calls unto that which hears naught except a shout and cry. Deaf, dumb, blind, therefore they have no sense." (Qur'an 2:170-171) and, " When it is said unto them: Come unto that which Allah has revealed and unto the messenger, they say: Enough for us is that wherein we found our fathers. What! Even though their fathers had no knowledge whatsoever, and no guidance? O ye who believe! He who errs cannot injure you if you are rightly guided... (Qur'an 5:104-105).

Orientalists contend that the two words are synonymous in meaning; that knowledge and intellect are one and the same thing; and that an intelligent person is capable of gaining knowledge and comprehending it. This contention is far from accurate as far as the meaning of the two words, as expressed in the above passages, is concerned. In fact, each word has its distinctive and intrinsic meaning. When Allah used the word La Ya'qilun ('unintelligent'), He meant that the idolaters did not understand anything about this universe and its divine portents, because they did not use their minds properly, and that if they had used their intellect, without bias or prejudice, they would have ultimately seen the truth. Thus, in using the word La Ya'qilun ('unintelligent') Allah deemed them to be lacking in both reason and wisdom in matters of worship, as well as failing to perceive the true meaning and indication of the various divine portents in the universe and how it operates. In contrast, by using the words La Ya'lamun ('have no knowledge'), Allah deemed the idolaters to be lacking in both knowledge and intellect which means that in addition to their lack of reasoning and inability to perceive the true meaning of this universe and the power that governs it, they were ignorant of what others have learnt or acquired. For a man who lacks intellect does not reason or see the link between universal phenomena and their Creator and co-ordinator.

But a man who has no knowledge does not use his mind, nor does he even try to acquire knowledge from others who have the insight to see Allah's might through His portents and His universe. The acquisition of meaning could be accomplished from someone else's recording of knowledge or the elucidation of the phenomena of the universe. This kind of learning happens all the time. For instance, when one reads a book written by a scientist or a scholar, he learns from what they have been able to record or discover, or from the product of their thinking. Thus he can learn about gravity or astronomy or any other field without actual research or experimentation.

The word 'unintelligent', therefore, referred to those persons who were reluctant to exert any worthwhile and purposeful mental or contemplative effort over Allah's portents and their meanings. They expressed this reluctance when they said, "Enough for us that wherein we found our fathers." To which Allah commented, "Even though their fathers were wholly unintelligent?" (Qur'an 2:171)

He describes those insensitive to His revelations as the deaf, dumb and blind. But the idolaters deemed by Allah to have no knowledge are those who refused to think or learn from others and were content with the religion of their forefathers.
... and that ye slay not your children because of penury - We provide for you and for them... (Qur'an 6:151)
It is also demonstrated in the following verse from the passage of al- Isra' which deals with the same issue:
Slay not your children, fearing a fall to poverty. We provide for them and for you... (Qur'an 17:31)
On the surface there seems to be no difference in meaning between the sentences `We provide for you and for them' and `We provide for them and for you'. But a close examination of the two verses will soon reveal that the first refers to poverty which already exists, for a poor man's primary concern is how to provide for himself and his wife. He is in constant fear of the hardship he is bound to face if the size of his family increases. Hence came Allah's assurance "We provide for you and for them" (i.e. when they are born).

He is telling him not to worry in advance about the difficulties of providing for his future children, because He alone determines the sustenance of all His creatures. In the second verse the persons referred to are not poor, but although they are well provided for, they are still apprehensive that the birth of more children may create new difficulties, and eventually poverty. Here again Allah assures them that the birth of children will not take away any part of their parents' sustenance, and that each child's sustenance is being determined by Him at birth. Some may ask, why did Allah not say, " We provide for all 'instead of 'for you and them,' or ' for them and you'? The reason is that He wanted to make it clear that every creature on this earth has its own share of His bounty, which is divided among them according to His will and wisdom, and that no one can take even the smallest part of the other's share, nor does the birth of a new child diminish what had already been decided for his parents.