Surah Fussilat (41) — Ayah 44

(Ayah 44) ➊ { وَ لَوْ جَعَلْنٰهُ قُرْاٰنًا اَعْجَمِيًّا … :} At the beginning of the Surah, it is mentioned that "This is a Book sent down from the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate, whose verses have been explained in detail, an Arabic Qur'an for those who know." The polytheists of Makkah, who were Arabs, had the right to listen to the Book revealed in their own language and to reflect upon it. As a result, they would have attained the blessing of faith. But despite it being in their own language, they closed the doors of their ears, eyes, and hearts to it and said: « قُلُوْبُنَا فِيْۤ اَكِنَّةٍ مِّمَّا تَدْعُوْنَاۤ اِلَيْهِ وَ فِيْۤ اٰذَانِنَا وَقْرٌ وَّ مِنْۢ بَيْنِنَا وَ بَيْنِكَ حِجَابٌ » [ حٰمٓ السجدۃ : ۵ ] "Our hearts are in coverings from that to which you invite us, and in our ears is heaviness, and between us and you is a barrier." In fact, they practically decided that they would neither listen to this Arabic Qur'an themselves nor let anyone else listen to it, as mentioned in this Surah: « وَ قَالَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا لَا تَسْمَعُوْا لِهٰذَا الْقُرْاٰنِ وَ الْغَوْا فِيْهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَغْلِبُوْنَ» [حٰمٓ السجدۃ : ۲۶ ] "And those who disbelieve say, 'Do not listen to this Qur'an and make noise during [the recitation of] it so that you may overcome.'" Now, to convince them, only one option remained: that the Qur'an be revealed in a language other than Arabic, so that they would be certain that this Arab Messenger, who does not know a non-Arabic language, has brought a non-Arabic Qur'an, and thus it is a miracle from Allah. In this verse, Allah Almighty said that even if this had happened, these people would still not have believed; rather, they would have presented another excuse for not believing, because for one who has already decided not to believe, there is no way to make him believe.

Our Shaykh Muhammad Abduh, may Allah have mercy on him, writes in the commentary of this verse: "These disbelievers of Makkah are indeed strange; if one of their own brings the Qur'an in Arabic, they say that there is no excellence in an Arab presenting an Arabic Qur'an. The real excellence would have been if this person had presented the Qur'an in some non-Arabic language—Persian, Roman, or Turkish. However, if we had accepted their demand and revealed the Qur'an to the Prophet (peace be upon him) in a non-Arabic language, these very people would have objected at that time, saying that it is strange that the Messenger has been sent to invite the Arabs, but has brought the Qur'an in a language that the Arabs cannot even understand." (Ashraf al-Hawashi)

➋ {قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا هُدًى وَّ شِفَآءٌ:} Its commentary has already passed; see Surah Yunus (57) and Surah Bani Isra'il (82).

➌ { وَ الَّذِيْنَ لَا يُؤْمِنُوْنَ فِيْۤ اٰذَانِهِمْ وَقْرٌ … :} That is, although the Qur'an is a source of guidance and right path, for these disbelievers it is a heaviness in the ears and a covering over the eyes. The reason is their own stubbornness and prejudice; there is no fault in the Qur'an itself. It is just like the sun, which is a source of light, but as soon as it rises, the eyes of the bat are dazzled.

➍ {اُولٰٓىِٕكَ يُنَادَوْنَ مِنْ مَّكَانٍۭ بَعِيْدٍ:} This is an idiom and is used for a person who does not understand anything. (Qurtubi) That is, these people do not try to listen to the Qur'an with their hearts; they only listen superficially, so they do not receive any guidance from it. It is just like when someone is called from afar and he hears the sound but does not understand the meaning or intent.

44. 1 That is, if the Quran had been revealed in a language other than Arabic.

44. 2 That is, why was it not explained in our language so that we could understand it, because we are Arabs and do not understand a non-Arabic language.

44. 3 This is also the saying of the disbelievers, that they are astonished that the Messenger is an Arab and the Quran has been revealed to him in a non-Arabic language. The meaning is that by revealing the Quran in the Arabic language, no excuse has been left for its primary audience, the Arabs. If it had been in a non-Arabic language, they could have made an excuse.

44. 4 That is, just as a distant person, due to the distance, is unable to hear the voice of the caller, in the same way, the intellect and understanding of these people do not grasp the Quran.

44. And if We had made this Qur’an in a non-Arabic language [55], the disbelievers would have said, “Why are its verses not explained clearly? What! A book in a foreign tongue and an Arab audience?” Say, “For those who believe, it is guidance and healing; but those who do not believe, there is heaviness in their ears, and it remains obscure [57] to them. They are like people who are called from a far-off place [58].”

[55]
If the Quran Had Been Revealed in a Non-Arabic Language, the Nature of the Disbelievers’ Objection Would Only Have Changed:

This stubbornness and obstinacy is another example of the evil nature of the disbelievers. When making objections, they do not even consider whether there is any rationality in their objection or not. Their objection was that this Messenger is an Arab and delivers speech in the Arabic language. So, from this, it seems that this speech is his own composition. What should have been the case is that this speech would have been in some other language, such as Persian or Roman, and he would have recited it fluently to us. Then we would have thought that he did not even know this language, so it is possible that he is Allah’s Messenger and an angel is teaching him such speech. The answer to this objection is given in this verse: if We had revealed the Quran in a non-Arabic language, then their objection would have been: “Wow! This is a strange matter. This Prophet presents speech in a language that we cannot even understand, so how can we believe in it?” The point is that these people will object no matter what the situation is, and this is exactly what they are doing.

[56] Say to such objectors that those who possess sound intellect are attaining guidance from this very Quran and are also finding healing from their spiritual ailments. If you yourselves do not wish to listen, see, or seek guidance, then what fault is there in Allah’s Book that you hold it responsible?

[57]
The Arguments of the Quran Always Remain Obscured to the Disbelievers:

There is a bird, the bat, whose eyes are dazzled by the sunlight, and it keeps its eyes closed in the daylight. Although the sun is a great blessing for everyone, the bat does not like it. This is the same condition of these disbelievers: when the sun of guidance rises, they do not like it. What fault is there in the fountain of the sun or the sun of guidance? Even if they hear some of the speech of Allah, they do not let it reach their ears, and the subjects of guidance and the arguments of monotheism and the Hereafter in the Quran are never clear to them; rather, they always remain obscured.

[58] The voice of someone calling from afar does reach the ears, but it cannot be understood what the caller is saying. This is the same condition of these disbelievers: even if the voice of the Quran reaches their ears, since they have no desire to attain any guidance from it, therefore the meanings and messages of the Quranic verses always remain obscured to them.