Messages

91

General Discussions / Re: On reciting the Quran in Arabic without full understanding

« on: September 10, 2012, 06:12:50 PM »

What you are saying is the ideal solution of course.

I consider music to have a similar effect btw. I'm sure that many music lovers just listen for the purposes of invoking emotions such as happiness, sadness, enthusiasm, nostalgia etc. Music lovers may not necessarily remember the lyric meanings at the time of listening, but they are still emotionally changed at the end of it. It is the harmony (musical nature) of the song that perhaps takes precedence in the mind.

92

General Discussions / On reciting the Quran in Arabic without full understanding

« on: September 10, 2012, 02:19:08 AM »

Salaams to all,

I know a few short Surahs by memory. Like most Muslims I suppose, I've been brought up to recite Surahs, as part prayer, as a matter of ritual rather than with full understanding.

I know from 04:43 that repeating the Arabic words without understanding the meaning is not recommended. My understanding of Arabic is poor.

In order to solve the problem I have attempted to gain an understanding of the Arabic in Surahs I know in order that I may pray in Arabic whilst remembering the meaning simultaneously.

I prefer reciting the Quran in Arabic during prayer as it feels more pleasant. The memorized words just flow, especially when I don't concentrate too much, and it is possible for me to lose myself in the rhythm. I've always felt that the easy remembrance of the Quran in Arabic is evidence of it's divine origin. The recitation of the Quran in Arabic for me evokes feelings of harmony, solace, divinity and something extraordinary.

Unfortunately though the English meanings of many surahs can be complex, and it is difficult to recall a meaning exactly whilst praying in Arabic. I therefore end up just remembering the gist of a surah and less so the meanings of the individual Arabic words.

So my question is can the remembrance of the gist of a Surah, and the feelings evoked by reciting the Quran in Arabic, contribute to prayer? The Quran in Arabic seems to me to be so conveniently easy to repeat and rehearse without understanding, therefore I wonder if this form of prayer could have also been intended by God.

93

General Discussions / Re: On Surah Al-Tahrim Verse 3

« on: August 18, 2012, 06:30:14 PM »

@ Joseph Islam,

Thanks very much for the explanation.

@ Optimist

http://www.islamawakened.com/quran/66/3/default.htm

I'm not sure if the communication could have been indirect or through ordinary means for this case. The information was passed on to the wife in confidence. In the verse, the wife asks the prophet where he learned the information. This may have been because it was perhaps not probable that he could have learned of it through ordinary means.

Therefore I would bank on the prophet finding out through direct means from God - whatever those lines of communication may have been. Dreams perhaps?

94

General Discussions / On Surah Al-Tahrim Verse 3

« on: August 17, 2012, 03:40:17 PM »

Dear Joseph Islam,

A colleague of mine who believes in the hadith suggested to me that the Quran was not the only means by which information was transmitted to the prophet. He cites 66:03 of evidence of other communications to the prophet which, he believes, has been captured in the books of hadith.

This verse does seem to suggest to me that extra Quranic communications with the prophet has happened. I've always somehow assumed that the Quran was the only method through which information was transmitted to the prophet - that what we read and understood is what he and his people read and understood. But this seems to me to be not the case.

What is your opinion on this?

95

General Discussions / Re: On translations of the Quran

« on: August 14, 2012, 01:24:38 AM »

Ah! Thanks for your opinion on the translation, and also on the link about this site and yourself.

96

General Discussions / Re: On translations of the Quran

« on: August 13, 2012, 12:44:25 PM »

Ha! Your assessment of the Pharoah's "tent pegs" is brilliant.

Presumably you also disagree with Pikthal's translation of the word "layl" to "nightfall" as opposed to "night". See here:
http://www.islamawakened.com/quran/2/187/default.htm

You have said that you do not rely completely on translations. May I gather from this that you are a native Arabic speaker?

What little research I have done I have so far relied on the Yusuf Ali translation as a primary source - in combination with Pikthal and Shakir as secondary references. I usually refer to this website:
http://www.cmje.org/religious-texts/quran/

I suppose Yusuf Ali's language is more modern, direct, self assured, and even business like, allowing me (and I'm sure many others) to understand the Quran more readily. Although presumably this also leads to disadvantages such as that false sense of assurance that the translated words are very exact in meaning. Aside from this, and assuming that you've had the opportunity to read the translation, do you have any opinions or reservations regarding his work?

97

General Discussions / On translations of the Quran

« on: August 13, 2012, 12:21:08 AM »

Dear Joseph Islam,

I have been looking at the website: www.islamawakened.com which shows the various translations of the Quran.

I notice that the translations can be widely divergent. For example consider the end of the verse of:
http://www.islamawakened.com/quran/2/183/default.htm

The possibilities are:

1. "...so that you might remain conscious of God"
2. "...that ye may ward off (evil)"
3. "...that ye may (learn) self-restraint"
4. "... so that you may do your duty"
5. "...so that you might become righteous"
6. "...that you may increase awareness"
etc.

Each translation seems quite different from next.

I understand that the Quranic Arabic can be rich with meaning, but do you recommend any translators, in your opinion, that capture the meaning better than others?

Also what would be the best interpretation of the end of verse 183?

98

General Discussions / Re: Correct Time of Iftaar( breaking of the fast in Evening)

« on: August 11, 2012, 02:27:47 AM »

Btw. Thanks very much for clarifying my concerns.

All this is very interesting.

Do you have any guesses on what may have caused this variation from Quranic practice to have happened in history?

99

General Discussions / Re: Correct Time of Iftaar( breaking of the fast in Evening)

« on: August 09, 2012, 05:12:01 PM »

Salaam,

Thank you for your reply. I had read your posted article a while back but somehow missed the bit on the "gradual movement into the night". My mistake. Sorry for the trouble.

I have also now read your article on the start of the fast.

Based on your articles I conclude the following, and also have the following new questions.

1. The time of Fajr start is most likely not intended to be the Astronomical Dawn which is difficult to perceive, but rather the Nautical Dawn. On this basis the present time of Fajr start is too early and should be a short while later.

2. Am I correct in understanding that the time at which Sehri ends is actually independent of the time of Fajr start. Have you learned if the description "the white thread of dawn appear to you distinct from its black thread" coincides with Fajr start? If so for practical purposes can we assume that these times are close enough to establish an end time for Sehri?

3. The time at which the fast ends is not at the time of Sunset or Isha prayers (when there is no light in the sky), but somewhere in between. That is, the sky need not be fully dark, but the first stars may begin to appear. I have found this article on "Nautical Twilight":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twilight#Nautical_twilight

The article mentions that at the end of Civil Twilight (the start of Nautical Twilight) the stars may be visible. Can we approximate the time at which the fast may be ended is close to the "Nautical Twilight", as defined in this article?

4. Is there any Quranic support for the following of the community consensus over individual perception? For example assuming that the community (following Quran only) deems the time of Fajr start to be time of Astronomical Nautical Dawn, but you as an individual perceive that it is too dark outside and still wish to wait a little while longer.

100

General Discussions / Re: Correct Time of Iftaar( breaking of the fast in Evening)

« on: August 08, 2012, 10:58:02 AM »

@ Wakas,

Thanks very much for the interesting article.

@ Joseph Islam,

Have you had the opportunity to look through this article?

101

General Discussions / Re: Correct Time of Iftaar( breaking of the fast in Evening)

« on: August 04, 2012, 05:49:31 PM »

Salaams.

I have come across this article regarding the definition of "layl" (night) as in the Quranic context.

http://www.quran-islam.org/articles/part_3/night_start_%28P1369%29.html

Your comments on this article would be greatly appreciated.