As-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmatullaah

I’ll be going back abroad for a few months inshaa’Allaah to complete some studies. I’ll try to keep up with the blog posts bi’ithnillaah until I return sometime in Ramadhaan.

Before I go however, I’d like to share a very interesting piece I came across a few days ago

What do you notice about the following verse in Soorah al-Baqarah?

The English translation of the meaning says,

“Allah is the Wali (Protector) of those who believe. He brings them out from darkness into light. But as for those who disbelieve, their Auliya (supporters and helpers) are false deities, they bring them out from light into darkness. Those are the dwellers of the Fire, and they will abide therein forever.” [al-Baqarah: 257]

If you look closely at the words in bold you’ll see there is a clear difference between the Arabic and the English. Light and Darkness are both usually singular, but in the ayah Allaah `azza wa jall has pluralized ‘darkness’ – dhulumaat. Why?

As explained by Shaykh Muhammad al-Maghaamisi, there is profound rhetoric behind this because it indicates that Allaah `azza wa jall (when comparing two opposites), He uses the singular of a word while pluralizing its comparative, to show an element of tafdeel (preference), unity, strength and absolute truth in that which He kept in the singular form. If something is singular, it is unique and can never cause confusion, whereas if something is plural there are many faces to it, it comes from many different angles & it’s confusing to distinguish one from the other etc.

So when Allaah says in the above verse that He “brings them out from darkness (many ‘darknesses’) into light (one unique light).” – He `azza wa jall is highlighting out the preference of the Light (guidance) over the darkness (misguidance) by simply pluralizing that which is inferior (darkness) to indicate a lack of جمع (unity, connection etc).

This is also present in the 1st verse of Soorah al-‘An’aam.

“All praise and thanks be to Allaah Who created the heavens and the earth, and orginated the darkness and the light. Yet those who disbelieve hold others as equals with their Lord.” [al-An’aam: 1] 

This amazing depth of language is further highlighted in the ayah where Allaah subhaanahu wa ta’aala says,

“And verily, this is my Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path. This He has ordained for you that you may become righteous.” [al-An’aam: 153]

The word ‘Siraat’ (singular) is used for the ‘Straight Path’ whereas the word ‘subul’ (plural of sabeel) is used to indicate all other ways that misguide a person.

 

A final example to drive home this profound concept:

What do you notice in this verse from Soorah al-Nahl?

“Have they not observed things that Allah has created, (how) their shadows incline to the right and to the left, making prostration unto Allah, and they are lowly?” [al-Nahl: 48]

The English translation has put the terms ‘right’ and ‘left’ as singular (mainly because there is no plural!), but Allaah `azza wa jall in the verse kept the word ‘yameen’ (right) as singular but has instead used ‘shamaa’il’ – which is the plural of ‘shimaal’ (left). This shows the preference of right (yameen) over the left (shimaal).

Subhan’Allaah just by simply changing the singular of a comparitive into a plural, Allaah subhaanahu wa ta’alaa opens up a whole new chapter of understanding that goes much deeper than what is first apparent. He `azza wa jall adds so much more meaning into an ayah without adding a single extra word or sentence – concepts are so eloquently contained into a single usage of a word.

May Allaah subhaanahu wa ta’aala give us a deep understanding of His Book, and may we derive full benefit from it. Ameen