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When Quranic Verses Quote the Speech of Human Beings, Does this Mean that Everyone Spoke Arabic?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Seekersguidance.org

Answered by Ustadh Nail Kadi

Question:

When Quranic verses quote the speech of human beings, does this mean that everyone spoke Arabic? Does the linguistic miracle apply to this speech?

Answer:

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful,  the Most Compassionate

I pray you are well.

Verses in the Quran mention the speech of human beings not as direct quotations but as Arabic renditions of the original.

For example, when the Queen of Shiba receives the letter sent by the Prophet Sulayman to her court, Allah conveys her reading of the letter, “It is from Solomon, and it reads: ‘In the Name of Allah—the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.” (27:30)

{إِنَّهُۥ مِن سُلَيۡمَٰنَ وَإِنَّهُۥ بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ} (27:30)

Ibn’ Ashur, the author of the well-known exegesis al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir, comments on this verse, “The word ‘inna’ in both places, indicates that their speech is translated from their Sabaean language [an Old South Arabian language] into expressions from the Sender of the Book which indicate their significance. And to indicate their importance, particles of emphasis are summoned to undoubtedly convey this meaning.” (Ibn ‘Ashir, al-Tanwir wa al-Tahrir)

In another example, in verse 9 of Sura Qasas, Allah says, “And Pharaoh’s wife said, ‘Here is a joy to behold for me and for you! Do not kill him: he may be of use to us, or we may adopt him as a son.’ They did not realize what they were doing.” (28:9)

{وَقَالَتِ ٱمۡرَأَتُ فِرۡعَوۡنَ قُرَّتُ عَيۡنٖ لِّي وَلَكَۖ لَا تَقۡتُلُوهُ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَنفَعَنَآ أَوۡ نَتَّخِذَهُۥ وَلَدٗا وَهُمۡ لَا يَشۡعُرُونَ} (28:9)

Explaining the metonymy of “coolness of the eyes,” Ibn Ashur comments, saying, “The Quran expresses the intending meaning of the Pharoah’s wife’s speech to convey happiness utilizing the best rhetorical device of the Arabs.” (Ibid).

From these examples, it is clear that the Quran:
(1) includes speech of human beings in a language other than the original
and (2) expresses it in Arabic as part of the overall rhetorical miracle of the Quran.

And Allah knows best.

[Ustadh] Nail Kadi

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

This answer was collected from Seekersguidance.org. It’s an online learning platform overseen by Sheikh Faraz Rabbani. All courses are free. They also have in-person classes in Canada.

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