the greatest authority was the one who was most fair, like ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb who was able to exercise maximum authority through being most fair.13
We conclude this discussion by citing what the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself said about the moral values of the Arabs in their pre-Islamic days. A long Hadith describes how the Prophet presented Islam to the Banī Shaybān when he used to approach Arabian tribes during the pilgrimage season. He went, together with Abū Bakr and ‘Alī, and found the pilgrims from the Shaybān seated, calm and respectable. Abū Bakr started by offering a greeting: in this respect, ‘Alī said: ‘Abū Bakr was ahead in every good thing’. So, he introduced the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Mafrūq ibn ‘Amr, one of their chiefs, asked: ‘What are you advocating?’ The Prophet said: ‘I call on people to believe that there is no deity other than God and that I am God’s Messenger. And I ask you to accommodate and support me.’ He then recited: ‘Come, let me tell you what your Lord has forbidden to you: Do not associate partners with Him; (do not offend against but, rather,) be kind to your parents; do not kill your children because of your poverty – We provide for you and for them; do not commit any shameful deed, whether open or secret; do not take any human being’s life – which God has made sacred, except in the course of justice. This He has enjoined upon you so that you may use your reason’ (6: 151).
Mafrūq said: ‘What else do you advocate?’ The Prophet recited: ‘God enjoins justice, kindness [to all], and generosity to one’s kindred; and He forbids all that is shameful, all reprehensible conduct and aggression. He admonishes you so that you may take heed’ (16: 90).
Mafrūq said: ‘You certainly advocate good morality and fine action. Those who deny you and collaborate against you are in the wrong.’
Hāni’ ibn Qubayṣah, who was their religious chief, said to the Prophet: ‘I have heard what you said. I feel that if we were to abandon our religion and follow you after merely meeting you once would be unwise. It does not take into consideration all possible consequences. Error is often the result of hasty action. We left our people back home, and we do not like to conclude agreements without consulting them. I suggest that we and you go back, and each party will consider and weigh things up.’
Al-Muthannā ibn Ḥārithah, who was in charge of defence, said to the Prophet: ‘I have heard what you said. Our answer on the point of abandoning our religion is that expressed by Hāni’ ibn Qubayṣah. We have made a pledge to the Persian Emperor (as they had settled in an area between the rivers of Iraq and the springs in Arabia). This pledge requires us not to initiate action or give shelter to an offender. I feel that what you are calling on us to accept is something that kings dislike. If you wish that we accommodate you and help you against those who are beyond the springs in Arabia, we will do so.’
The Prophet said to them: ‘You have given a good reply as you stated the truth. God’s faith cannot be supported except by people who understand it fully. What would you say if it happens that before long God gives you their land and wealth...’.
The Prophet then rose up. He took Abū Bakr’s hand and said: ‘Abū Bakr, Abū Ḥasan: how splendid are these moral values that prevail in the time of jāhiliyyah! It is by such values that God protects some people from the tyranny of others, and they stand apart from each other.’14
This conversation is reported in full in books of the Prophet’s biography; we, however, have chosen to leave out some portions of it. Nonetheless, it is clear that at least this Arabian tribe had a system of authority and that their chiefs ruled on the basis of consultation. Mutual respect is evident in their talk, with everyone speaking about his area of responsibility. Moreover, they received their visitors well, and looked at the matter patiently, giving it due consideration and diligence. Honouring their pledges was paramount to them. Besides, Arabs placed bravery and support for those suffering injustices among their top priorities. In addition, they gave high value to clear expression and lucid speech.
To sum up: it was God’s will that He chose the Arabs and their language for His message. The Qur’an was revealed in their tongue and they were given the task of delivering its message to the world. This choice fits perfectly with the general and everlasting nature of this message. Indeed, the choice points to the human, not national, nature of the Islamic message. When we looked at Arabic, we found it a language for humanity, as al-Aqqad rightly described it. When we looked at the total picture of human virtues advocated in the Qur’an on the one hand and at the true moral motives, talents, psychological and rational qualities that enable people to undertake responsibility for the complete and balanced implementation of Islam on the other hand, we found ourselves facing that Arab generation. God knows best whom to choose to deliver His message.
1.The Qur’an uses the word lisān, which means tongue, in both its singular and plural forms. The word lughah, which means language, does not occur in the Qur’an. Hence, we can infer that the choice of lisān carries connotations of sound and meaning, which subsequently opens the way to the study of linguistics, particularly in the study of the Arabic language. The idea of using linguistics in the interpretation of the Qur’an is, however, something that we will not attempt in this study.
2.Al-‘Aqqād, Al-Lughah al-Shā‘irah, p. 11.
3.Ibid, p. 9.
4.Perhaps this explains why scholars differ in prescribing the place of articulation of the ḍ sound, or the part of the vocal tract where it is articulated. Ibn Abi Maryam (died 565/1170) said: ‘The ḍ sound is articulated with the edge of the tongue touching the molars next to it. Some scholars place it before the place of articulation of the group j, sh, y, which are articulated between the middle of the tongue and the hard palate... In articulating the ḍ sound, you may use either edge of the tongue, but using the left edge with the molars is easier.’ Ibn Abī Maryam, Al-Kitāb al-Muwaḍḍaḥ, vol. 1, p. 164.
5.This perhaps explains the enchantment one feels when merely hearing this language, as expressed by the German author Annemarie Schimmel: ‘We feel enchanted when we listen to music, but a Muslim is more enchanted by the mere sound of words.’
6.The root naẓara means ‘to look’ and these words mean: Yanẓur, he looks; nāẓir, on-looker; manẓūr, looked at; naẓīr, parallel or equal; naẓā’ir, things looking similar; naẓẓārah, spectators; munāẓarah, debate; minẓār, telescope or magnifying glass; manẓar, scene; muntaẓar, something yet to happen or awaited.
7.Al-Aqqad, p. 12. He adds: ‘English has words like Anne, pan, tan, ban, than, can, ran, fan and man, but these only accidentally have the same phonic pattern. Some of these words are nouns, some verbs and some prepositions. As such, the phonic pattern does not have any meaningful significance as is the case in the phonic patterns in Arabic.’
8.Some Arabic words, sentences or constructions are described as ineloquent, but this appears to be due to the fact that these, rare as they are, do not use the vocal tract properly. Such poor usage clearly appears in using several sounds that are close together in their places of articulation. An example is the word hu ‘khu‘, which includes three pharangeal sounds. Ineloquence may also be reflected in using similar sounds in consecutive words. This means that ineloquence is the result of bad usage, and not due to any poor quality of the language itself. One aspect of the inimitable musical pattern of the Qur’an is the splendid succession of Arabic sounds, regardless of their features and places of articulation, in an easy flow in the Qur’anic verses and surahs. This attains the summit of eloquence in all Qur’anic terms and sentences.
9.Annemarie Schimmel quotes the German poet Friedrich Ruchert as saying that poetry is the mother tongue of the human race. On this basis, can we say that poetic language is the mother of all languages, or the one that provides the example to follow? I think so.
