I don't expect it to appeal to everyone, especially non-native speakers. Heck, Qur'anic recitations don't even appeal to all native Arabic speakers. Doesn't make the Qur'an any less linguistically valuable, though.
-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
I have successfully produced a surah equal to that found in the Koran
- Thread starter -Peacemaker-
- Start date
I don't expect it to appeal to everyone, especially non-native speakers. Heck, Qur'anic recitations don't even appeal to all native Arabic speakers. Doesn't make the Qur'an any less linguistically valuable, though.
The "challenge" itself is kind of open to interpretation, since I have seen scholars claim that the challenge is about the content of the Qur'an and its linguistic prowess, whereas others have focused on the linguistic part because they know that the content wouldn't really impress non-Muslims.
If we focus on the linguistic aspect or even include it as part of the challenge, there are many ways to measure that objectively in Arabic. There are, for example, literary and poetic devices that express different meanings more concisely or thoroughly. It's kinda hard to explain in English; the nature of the two languages is quite different.
A few years ago, one of the Egyptian presidential candidates said that he was in favor of removing Qur'anic verses from all Arabic school curricula. Even some Christians were opposed to that, because many of us non-Muslims realize that even without the religious aspect, the Qur'an is the best and most reliable source of sound Arabic language.
I think many things beat the Qur'an in terms of intellectual content. Many, many things. Not the linguistic content, though.
My farvorite recite of Maher Mueaqly, almost every night I listen to it,before I sleep
Your language is strange
What about the first one? It rhymes the same word 5 times in a modified repetitive pattern. What makes it amazing in Arabic?
According to one analysis I have read of that surah, the first three instances of rhyming the word nas, meaning people (translated as men in your translation), are used to emphasize Allah's dignification of humans. In Arabic, when you add Allah's name to any word, like "Allah's word," "Allah's messenger," etc., the word to which Allah's name is added is dignified by this addition. This is why "Lord of men," "King of men," and "God of men" signal dignification of humans.
The last two instances contain two different rhetorical devices: the first here:
"from the evil of the slinking whisperer (4) who whispers in the breasts of men"
This emphasizes the devil's "wrongdoing" and strength of his whispering to humans. The rhetorical device used here is called majaz mursal in Arabic, where something is mentioned when something else is intended to be understood. In this case, a place ("breasts") is mentioned when what is meant is what resides inside said place (the heart). So "breasts" here is mentioned metaphorically when "hearts" is what is intended.
The second rhetorical device is this:
"(5) of jinn and men.' (6)"
Juxtaposing antonyms in Arabic emphasizes their meaning. "Jinn" and "men" are considered opposites here, so juxtaposing them gives extra emphasis to the meaning of the verse.
FearGod
Freedom Of Mind
FearGod
Freedom Of Mind
You need more practice.
Hello!
Is it me you're looking for?
I can see it in your eyes
I can see it in your smile
You're all I've ever wanted
And my arms are open wide
'cause you know just what to say
And you know just what to do
And I want to tell you so much
I love you
My favorite reciter is Ali Jaber. His quicker recitations are the most beautiful of the ones I've heard.
FearGod
Freedom Of Mind
If anyone is learning Arabic or already knows Arabic and wants to compare some great poetry to the Qur'an, I recommend reading some of the works of Al-Mutanabbi and Ahmed Shawqi. These two are considered to be among the best Arabic poets—if not the best two.
... and their best works still pale in comparison to the Qur'an.
... and their best works still pale in comparison to the Qur'an.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Proof is the problem.
YmirGF
Bodhisattva in Recovery
Hehe. I already have enough peace to satiate a small village. Any more and I'd be being greedy.It means you felt secure and peace.
-Peacemaker-
.45 Cal
Seems like an awfully strange way for God to prove himself. 'Hey look how many literary devices I can cram into one verse. Surely no man can do that.' One would think the profoundness of the ideas would be where God really proves himself. Is there any way to really measure how beautiful something is? So we count literary devices? Maybe we give bonus points for rhyming?
-Peacemaker-
.45 Cal
Do these reciters have the book memorized or are they simply reading off the page?
Hey, you're going to have to ask a Muslim about that. I don't believe it proves the existence of any god; I believe it proves that the author—not a god, in my view—was an outstanding poet.
The vast majority have the book memorized.
Sabour
Well-Known Member
The Quraan is in Arabic.
This is in English.
Quraan was revealed in Arabic and the challenge in the Arabic language, The English version is not the Quraan, nor it is a translation. I would call it an interpretation. For instance take the opening chapter of the Quraan. In Arabic, it is 29 words, in any "translation" it is between 65 and 75. Nevertheless, the meaning is not completely delivered.
Those who translated the Quraan are people who there first language is not Arabic, or their first language is not English. In both cases there is a high possibility that some verses wouldn't be understood, or translated properly.
Last edited:
