Is Qur’an for Everyone?

Qur’an is the word of Al-lah, Bismillah-e-Rahman-e-Rahim. Everything that has been written is said by the God and delivered by the angel to the prophet. Each chapter of it has been written in the name of god, the lord of Mercy, the giver of Mercy. Qur'an is the basis for Islam. However, is Qur’an and by deduction Islam for everyone in the world? 

Qur'an does mention Mecca, Yathrib (modern Medina), Israel, Babylon (Iraq), Egypt (reference to Pharaoh), Turkey (Byzantine) and Persia (war with Byzantines and Magian people). Curiously though there is no mention of Indonesia or India or Afghanistan or Chinese or Japanese or Americans (Red Indians or the Peruvians). Primary focus of the text is on the region in and around Mecca while other regions are quoted as part of stories from the past. It is not difficult to guess then why these prominent places were not mentioned or referred to in any of the 114 chapters.  

            Looking closely, there are several verses where it talks about the people Qur’an is referring to. It will be useful to look at these verses in detail. Sura 2 is Al-Baqara, the chapter of The Cow. Verse 2:151 makes it clear that the messenger is one of their own(Arabic) and 12:2 says that Qur’an is Arabic so you(Arabic) people may understand. 

2:151 - just as We have sent among you a Messenger of your own to recite Our revelations to you, purify you and teach you the Scripture, wisdom, and [other] things you did not know.

12:2 - We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an so that you [people] may understand.

            Sura 13 is Al-Ra’d, the chapter of the thunder. Verse 13:37 says

13:37 - So We have sent down the Qur’an to give judgement in the Arabic language. If you were to follow their desires, after that knowledge that has come to you, you would have no one to guard you or protect you from God.

There are two messages here: First, Quran has been sent in the Arabic language. Second, if Prophet does not go by what Allah has said, no one can protect him from Allah. So even Prophet is not free from Allah’s commands. Second sentence “if you were to follow their desires” refers to Sura 13:36 and is warning the prophet from going astray. Reproducing verse 13:36 for reference.

13:36 - Those to whom we sent the Scripture rejoice in what has been revealed to you [Prophet]; some factions deny parts of it. Say, ‘I am commanded to worship God, and not join anything with Him in worship: to Him I call[others] and to Him I shall return.’

Sura 14 is Ibrahim, the chapter of Abraham. 14:4 says 

14:4 - We have never sent a messenger who did not use his own people’s language to make things clear for them. But still God leaves who He will to stray and guides whoever He will: He is the almighty, the All Wise.

So, Firstly, Allah sent messenger to speak in people’s own language and so there is no ambiguity and Allah’s message is crystal clear. Second, God (Allah) does let people go astray and guides who he would like to on the right path. This also indicates that if there are disbelievers (Kaafirs) it is because God has willed it to be so. Because ultimately, he is the all-knowing, the wisest and the most powerful. Let us look at a few more verses of Quran

19:97 We have made it easy, in your own language [Prophet], so that you may bring glad news to the righteous and warnings to a stubborn people.

20:113 - We have sent the Qur’an down in the Arabic tongue and given all kinds of warnings in it, so that they may beware or take heed

All the above verses stress that Quran has been sent in people’s own language, more specifically, Arabic and that the messenger is not a foreigner but one among them so he can speak their own language to keep the message easy and clear. So not only does the Quran not talk about people of all countries, it also does not refer to any other language. Rather it stresses the use of Arabic and how it is crystal clear meant for Arabic speakers. The messaging does not end there but continues to reinforce in following chapters again and again.

26:192 - Truly, this Qur’an has been sent down by the Lord of the Worlds:193 the Trustworthy Spirit brought it down 194 to your heart [Prophet], so that you could bring warning 195 in a clear Arabic tongue. 196 This was foretold in the scriptures of earlier religions.197 Is it not proof enough for them that the learned men of the Children of Israel have recognized it? 198 If We had sent it down to someone who was not an Arab, 199 and he had recited it to them, they still would not have believed in it.

39:27 In this Qur’an, We have put forward all kinds of illustration for people, so that they may take heed–28 an Arabic Qur’an, free from any distortion– so that people may be mindful.

41:2 - A revelation from the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy; 3 a Scripture whose verses are made distinct as a Qur’an in Arabic for people who understand,4 giving good news and warning.

Sura 26, Sura 39 and 41 repeat the message, repetition is a consistent style of the holy book where the same point is repeated to make the message clear. 

 

Verse 41:44, takes the negation style to make the point i.e. if Qur’an was not in Arabic, people would have questioned its validity and so it is a deliberately intended for Arabic people who know Arab and don’t need to learn a foreign language.

41: 44 If We had made it a foreign Qur’an, they would have said, ‘If only its verses were clear! What? Foreign speech to an Arab?’ Say, ‘It is guidance and healing for those who have faith, but the ears of the disbelievers are heavy, they are blind to it, it is as if they are being called from a distant place.’

             Verses in Sura 42, 43 and 46 repeat the message found elsewhere i.e. the Qur’an is Arabic for the Arabic people so they may understand.

42:7 So We have revealed an Arabic Qur’an to you, in order that you may warn the capital city and all who live nearby. And warn [especially] about the Day of Gathering, of which there is no doubt, when some shall be in the Garden and some in the blazing Flame

43:3 - We have made it a Qur’an in Arabic so that you [people] may understand.

46:11 Those who disbelieve say of the believers, ‘If there were any good in this Qur’an, they would not have believed in it before we did,’ and, since they refuse to be guided by it, they say, ‘This is an ancient fabrication.’ 12 - Yet the scripture of Moses was revealed before it as a guide and a mercy, and this is a scripture confirming it in the Arabic language to warn those who do evil and bring good news for those who do good.

It is a consistent and repeated message of the Qur’an to remind people that the messenger is one among them, the Meccan people. 

Quran's message seems to be that it was sent in Arabic and it was sent in people’s own language and to one of their own. For the Arab, via an Arab and in the Arabic language!

A natural question that comes up then is – “Is Quran for Everybody”?

PS. It is not the intent of the author to hurt feelings of anyone, any such happening is sincerely regretted.

Bibliography

1.       “The Qur’an” by MAS Abdel Haleem, Oxford University press. www.oup.com/worldsclassics