From the Eloquence of Surah al-Kawthar

[Shajaa3ah]

From the Eloquence of Surah al-Kawthar

Translated and adapted from the works of Dr. Fadil al-Samira'i

http://www.islamiyyat.com/kawthar.png

Innaa - Indeed, We
A’taynaaka - Gave you

Arabic sentences usually start with a verb. When they are made to start with a noun, it is done for the purposes of emphasis or specification. So here, when we see that the sentence does not start with the verb (which would be a’taynaak) the first question we should ask right away is ‘Why?’

If you want to say ‘I did it’ in Arabic, you can either say Anaa fa’altu أنا فعلت or you can say fa’altuhu فعلته – the former being a nominal expression (it starts with a noun) and the latter a verbal expression. The nominal expression would be used to specify that it was ME (not anyone else) who did it. Other times, the nominal expressions would be used over the verbal expression to draw a person’s attention to the noun and highlight the importance of it.


In this verse, the nominal expression is used for both things - specification and emphasis.


Allah is saying that He is the One Who gave his Prophet al-Kawthar – it is Him and not anyone else - and also to emphasise the importance of it – that if Allah gave it to the Prophet alone, nobody can take it away from him.

Another question is why did Allaah use the word a’taynaaka instead of aataynaka to mean ‘give’ as He does elsewhere in the Qur’an [Please read this (http://talk.islamicnetwork.com/showthread.php?t=115) for an explanation of the differences between the two].


So it seems a correct usage, as a'taa is only used for material matters.


But if ataa can be used for BOTH material and non-material matters - why not use it here? It is because the meaning conveyed by ataa is not one of absolute possession - rather the thing may also be taken away [see 3:26]. But a'taa signifies absolute possession - so Allaah is telling his Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) that, "I have given you this thing, and it is Me Who gave it to you, and nobody can take it away, and it will forever be yours."


al-Kawthar

The word comes from the root kaaf-thaa’-raa’, which is a root that indicates plentifulness. So why did Allaah use the form al-kawthar (which is a hyperbolic form – used to indicate exaggeration in a thing) and not just say al-katheer (plentifulness)?

The difference is that al-kawthar can be used as an attribute or a noun in itself, but al-katheer can only be used as an attribute. So al-kawthar indicates a lot more than just a description of something that has been given, rather it is the thing in itself (which becomes clearer with the explanation given by some that it is a river in Paradise).

Linguistically also, the letter waw is stronger than the letter yaa’ in rank, so to indicate the greatness of this gift, Allah used the word with the letter waw – al-kawthar. In addition to which, Allah did not state what exactly is being given in ‘kawthar’ (plentifulness) – He did not say maa’an kawtharan (plentiful water) or maalan kawtharan (plentiful wealth) – rather He said AL-Kawthar (‘THE plentifulness’) to signify that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) has been given ALL that is good.

And it is only fitting that this goodness and greatness that has been given to the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) be emphasised and grandified, and for that reason Allaah said Innaa (Indeed, WE) instead of Innee (Indeed, I) - using the plural pronoun instead of the singular - as this pronoun reflects the greatness of the gift.



Verse 2 coming soon...

[Shajaa3ah]

http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/arabicscript/Ayat/108/108_2.gif
fa-salli li-rabbika – So turn in prayer to your Lord
wanhar – and sacrifice

After Allah the Exalted gave His Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) the good news that He had given him the Kawthar, what should follow this was then mentioned and indicated with the latter faa’ – so Allaah wanted the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) to be grateful for the blessing that He had given him.

All blessings should be received with thanks, but Allaah did not say to him ‘give thanks’, because thanks are given in different amounts – were he to only say ‘Alhamdulillaah’ that would be enough to give thanks. But this was a huge blessing and gift from Allaah so it necessitates a lot of thanks and praise, and thus Allaah the Exalted asked two things from His Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam): one is related to Allaah the Exalted, and it is the prayer; and the other is related to the slaves and it is the sacrifice. The prayer is the greatest pillar of Islam and it is the highest level of giving thanks to Allaah, and sacrifice includes having mercy to and being generous to the creation of Allaah. So being grateful for blessings takes two forms: thanking Allaah, and being good to His Creation which is also a form of thanks. When you are good to the Creation of Allaah, this is a form of being grateful to Allaah for His blessings.

Allaah mentioned the prayer before the sacrifice because the prayer is more important than the sacrifice, and it is one of the pillars of Islam and the first thing that the slave will be asked about on the Day of Reckoning. It should be performed five times in a single day and night and thus it is more general than the sacrifice, because the sacrifice is solely dependant on financial ability, while the obligation of prayer is never removed from the slave in any circumstance whatsoever, be it sickness, poverty, or anything else.

Salaah was mentioned in the Quran in a number of ways – if it is from Allaah then it is a mercy, if from the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) then it is a du’a, if from the slaves then it is a form of worship, an action, and a statement. Whenever prayer was mentioned alongside zakah in the Qur’an, the prayer was mentioned first because it is more important and more encompassing.

Why did Allaah say, "So turn in prayer to your Lord" and not, "to us", or "to Allaah”?

The letter laam in li-rabbika is mentioned for the sake of specification. It means that the prayer should be for none other than Allaah Alone. The surah that comes before al-Kawthar is al-Maa’oon, which contains the verses:

فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَاؤُونَ وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ

4. So woe unto those performers of Salat (prayers) (hypocrites),
5. Who delay their Salat (prayer) from their stated fixed times,
6. Those who do good deeds only to be seen (of men),
7. And refuse Al-Ma'un (small kindnesses e.g. salt, sugar, water, etc.).

So this verse in surah al-Kawthar was mentioned in opposition to them, telling the people to pray to Allaah alone; in other words, continue praying to your Lord and do not be like these people who desire to be seen by men.

So why did Allaah not say, “So turn in prayer to us” despite saying “We have given you al-Kawthar”? Linguistically, this phenomenon is known as switching from the 3rd person to the second person, or the opposite. Prayer is performed for the Lord, not for the giver, so had Allaah said, “Pray to us”, the connotations would have been that prayer is for the one who gives. But in reality, the giver should be thanked only, and not prayed to. So this wording was used to ensure that nobody thinks that anyone who gives should be prayed to, and that prayer is the right of Allaah Alone. Similarly, Allaah said in the previous verse “We have give you…” using the ‘royal We’ – but had He said, “So pray to us” then it may be thought that Allaah has a partner, wa’l-3iyaadhu billaah.

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N.B. – This ‘royal We’ has never been used in the Qur’an unless Allaah is mentioned in the singular before or afterwards, to emphasise the Oneness of Allaah. For example:

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوفْ وَالْجُوعِ ...قَالُواْ إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ
And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger....Who say: "Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return." [2:155-156]

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُلُواْ مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَاشْكُرُواْ لِلّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ
O you who believe! Eat of the lawful things that We have provided you with, and be grateful to Allah, if it is indeed He Whom you worship. [2:172]

أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ وَوَضَعْنَا عَنكَ وِزْرَكَ...وَإِلَى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ
Have We not opened your breast for you? And We removed from you your burden?...And to your Lord (Alone) turn your invocations. [al-Sharh]
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Allaah also chose to say ‘Pray to your Lord’ rather than saying ‘Pray to Allah’ because this verse shows the realization of what Allaah promised His Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) in surah al-Duhaa:

وَلَسَوْفَ يُعْطِيكَ رَبُّكَ فَتَرْضَى
And verily, your Lord will give you so that you shall be well-pleased.

So this means: Pray to your Lord who actualized the promise that He promised you. Giving is an aspect of guardianship, and the word ‘ataa’ only ever appears in the Qur’an with the word Lord (rabb) [e.g. see 20:50, 93:5, 17:20, 79:36]


Why did Allaah use the word wanhar to mean ‘slaughter/sacrifice’ and not wadhbah ('slaughter'), which seems to have the same meaning?

Linguistically, al-nahr is solely related to camel, and it is not used for sacrificing anything other than camels. The verb dhabaha is used for sheep, and for everything else such as cows, birds, sheep and camels. But nahara is specific to camels, because they are killed from their nahr, which is the throat. So Allaah the Exalted wanted the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) to offer the dearest of things to the Arabs as charity. Had He said ‘wadhbah’, it would have been permissible to offer even a bird in sacrifice, and it is known that camels are one of the best forms of wealth of the Arabs. So as Allaah gave His Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) such a great blessing of the Kawthar, the only befitting form of thanks for it would likewise be a large offering, and thus He chose prayer and the sacrifice of a camel to be the form of thanks, as they are the greatest forms of thanks.

...verse 3 coming soon in shaa' Allaah

[Shajaa3ah]

Btw, if this is not making sense, is not clear, or needs more explanation in places, please let me know so I can explain it more in shaa' Allaah.

Jazaakumullaahu khairan.

[ibn Hazm]

Btw, if this is not making sense, is not clear, or needs more explanation in places, please let me know so I can explain it more in shaa' Allaah.

Jazaakumullaahu khairan.


JazaakAllah Khairun. Very interesting to see the background into the linguistics. Yeah confused here and there posible due to the amount of info in such a small area. Anyways.

One question I had, as I am learning arabic, not going to well. Do you have any recomendations on any material, that is easy to understand and that one can teach onself?

[Shajaa3ah]

Wa iyyaakum.

How are you learning at the moment?

What books are you using, and what is your approach?

[Shajaa3ah]

Also, if you are confused in certain places on this post, others probably are too. So you can ask if you want and I will try and explain it more in shaa' Allaah.

[ibn Hazm]

How are you learning at the moment?

What books are you using, and what is your approach?

I did take some classes at my university a book called "Ahlan wa Sahlan" Though that was some time back.

Right now i am using a book from Bilal Philips : Arabic Grammar Made Easy Book One.

I also am trying to memorize the words from the Quran with the translation, a book set from Dar-us-salam.

My approach and I think time I spend is what is the main problem. The Grammar book is allright, though it seems very brief, and doesnt explain too throuroughly though its is allright.

Any help would be much appreciated.

[ibn Hazm]

Also, if you are confused in certain places on this post, others probably are too. So you can ask if you want and I will try and explain it more in shaa' Allaah.


I didnt fully understand the part about a’taynaaka and aataynaka. The added thread didnt expalin to clearly. Maybe something similar for those who no lil to no Arabic.

Also was wanhar referring to only sacraficing of the camel, as it seems that I understood from the explanation or did it mean to sacrifice something that is of great worth to us?

I just read ibn Katheers explanation allbeit it is the summarized version, does the explanation you have go into any more detail as far as the sacraficing goes or maybe ibn katheers explanation in arabic talk about it more?

[Shajaa3ah]

Please email me at

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/o1a/shajbanner.jpg

with more specific details of what your problems are, what your approach is and what level you are at in terms of how much you can understand and what level your grammar is at.

I will be able to help in shaa' Allaah [just dont want this thread to go in a different direction]

[Shajaa3ah]

I didnt fully understand the part about a’taynaaka and aataynaka. The added thread didnt expalin to clearly. Maybe something similar for those who no lil to no Arabic.

Also was wanhar referring to only sacraficing of the camel, as it seems that I understood from the explanation or did it mean to sacrifice something that is of great worth to us?

I just read ibn Katheers explanation allbeit it is the summarized version, does the explanation you have go into any more detail as far as the sacraficing goes or maybe ibn katheers explanation in arabic talk about it more?

1. Basically, both a3taa and ataa are used in the Qur'an to mean 'gave'. The main difference between the two, though, is that a3taa is used in relation to material things that have been given and so is more restricted in usage, whereas ataa can be used for material things and non-material things, such as wisdom, knowledge etc.

As the Kawthar is something physical and material, Allaah used the more precise word a3taa in relation to it - and the fact that He did use this word precludes any possibility of interpreting the Kawthar to be anything immaterial.

2. Yes, Dr. Faadil said that linguistically, al-nahr (from which wanhar stems) is used to refer specifically to the slaughter of camels, so by using this word instead of other possible 'synonyms', Allaah is telling the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) that he should sacrifice a camel as a token of thanks.

What I wrote is all that is mentioned in this particular explanation of the sacrifice, but I will see later if anyone like al-Qurtubi or Ibn Katheer mention any more on it in shaa' Allaah.

[Shajaa3ah]

I read the Tafseer Ibn Katheer online, and it really doesn't say much. The Arabic version has alot more, and basically briefly says what al-Qurtubi and al-Tabari say.

There's a few opinions apparently on what wanhar means:


Make a sacrifice to Allaah.
It is an explanation of how to perform the prayer: the nahr is the upper part of the chest, so it is saying to place the right hand over the left on the upper part of the chest when you are performing the prayer.
Turn your nahr to face the qiblah.
He says the correct opinion is the first one.

Ibn Jareer also said that the verse means: Pray to your Lord Alone, make your prayer solely for His sake and nobody else's, and also do the same for your sacrifices.

Btw, I have not seen anyone else talking about the camel specifically, but that is because Dr Faadil speaks usually from a linguistic point of view.

Wallaahu a3lam.

[Shajaa3ah]

1. Basically, both a3taa and ataa are used in the Qur'an to mean 'gave'. The main difference between the two, though, is that a3taa is used in relation to material things that have been given and so is more restricted in usage, whereas ataa can be used for material things and non-material things, such as wisdom, knowledge etc.

As the Kawthar is something physical and material, Allaah used the more precise word a3taa in relation to it - and the fact that He did use this word precludes any possibility of interpreting the Kawthar to be anything immaterial.


Just to expand on this in a slightly different direction [and because it is an opportunity too good to miss], I hope that this point gives a glimpse into how crippling it is to read the Qur'an in other than Arabic.

If you look at the examples quoted with regards these words in the post I linked to, then with regards the word ataa we have:


يُؤتِي الْحِكْمَةَ مَن يَشَاءُ
{He grants Hikmah to whom He pleases,}

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى تِسْعَ آيَاتٍ
{And indeed We gave to Musa (Moses) nine clear signs.}

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ رُشْدَهُ
{And indeed We bestowed aforetime on Ibrahim his (portion of) guidance}

وَآتَى الْمَالَ عَلَى حُبِّهِ ذَوِي
{…and gives his wealth, in spite of love for it}

وَقَدْ آتَيْنَاكَ مِن لَّدُنَّا ذِكْراً
{And indeed We have given you from Us a Reminder (this Quran).}

And for a3taa we have:



وَأَعْطَى قَلِيلاً وَأَكْدَى
{And gave a little, then stopped (giving)?}

فَأَمَّا مَن أَعْطَى وَاتَّقَى
{As for him who gives (in charity) and keeps his duty to Allah and fears Him}



So different translations for the same word aataa in the Qur'an are: grant, give, bestow,

And for the word a3taa: give (and I have also seen grant)

So if a person were to be gaining their meaning from the Qur'an in English, they would not really pay any attention to the fact that when the come across grant, give, or bestow, for example,it is all really the same word that Allaah said in Arabic.

He will not be able to think to himself, "Why does Allaah use one word one time and another word another time?" because in the English there are many different words, and they overlap in meaning.

He is depriving himself of a large portion of the meaning that Allaah intended to convey through the Qur'an, and by not exerting himself to read and understand the Qur'an in Arabic, he is in fact purposefully [or some may attribute it to the wonderfully useful phantom called 'laziness'] closing his eyes to the miracle that Allaah is presenting before him at least five times a day.

And the case of a man who cripples himself by choosing his own blindess is a tragedy none can deny.

[Shajaa3ah]

http://islamicity.com/mosque/arabicscript/Ayat/108/108_3.gif
For he who makes you angry is the one who is cute off
This verse was revealed when the two sons of the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) died, so the Quraysh said, “Muhammad has become abtar (cut off).”

What does al-abtar mean?

Linguistically, the word has a number of meanings:

1. Everything that has been cut off from good is known as abtar.
2. If the children of a person die, or he has no male children, he is called abtar.
3. The loser is known as abtar.

Huwa al-abtar

One uses the al- to say, for example, huwa al-ghaniyy (he is THE rich one). The use of the al- specifies further that this person is THE one who is xyz. If one simply said, huwa ghaniyy (without the al-), then it means he is one of the people who are rich, and there are others likewise.

So here, Allaah wanted to specify that the person who angers the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) is the one who is cut off, to specify and restrict it, as though saying ‘It is not YOU, O Muhammad, who is cut off as they claim, but rather it is the ones who anger you.”

Allaah made simply angering the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) a cause of loss in the Hereafter, and this applies only to the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).

Allaah did not say ‘your enemy’ is the one who is cut off, to highlight that simply angering the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) – even without being his enemy – is a cause of loss.




Why did Allaah not say, “We shall make the one who angers you cut off”, or “We shall make him be the one who is cut off” (using the future tense)?

Gifts are usually given according to one’s size and status – if the person receiving the gift is great, the gift will also be great. In terms of gifters, there is none greater than Allaah, and in terms of gifts the Kawthar. But as for al-abtar, then this is not something that has been given, rather it is a basic attribute of the person, for there is a difference between giving a person a specific attribute and between him actually having that attribute as part of his character and make-up; the latter is in a lowlier position.

shaani’aka

Rhetorically, this is a very strong word, and the form of the word reflects that the person who is al-abtar is one who has exceeded all bounds of hatred and causing anger. This links the end of the surah to the beginning of it, for in the beginning Allaah gave a huge amount of goodness, and in the end He used the word al-abtar to indicate the opposite – one who has lost everything and who has been cut off from every good.

The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) did not lose anything, neither in this Life nor in the Hereafter, and he is not abtar; he is not cut off. His name is mentioned every minute, and this is specific to our Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). Rather, the one who hates and angers him is the one who is abtar – cut off – in this world and the next, and he is the one who will incur both a material and a moral loss.

And Allaah truly does know best.

[AbuIlyaas]

Jazaakum Allaahu sister,

I'm still reading through this, but one question comes to mind so far.

http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/arabicscript/Ayat/108/108_2.gif

N.B. – This ‘royal We’ has never been used in the Qur’an unless Allaah is mentioned in the singular before or afterwards, to emphasise the Oneness of Allaah. For example:

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوفْ وَالْجُوعِ ...قَالُواْ إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ
And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger....Who say: "Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return." [2:155-156]

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُلُواْ مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَاشْكُرُواْ لِلّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ
O you who believe! Eat of the lawful things that We have provided you with, and be grateful to Allah, if it is indeed He Whom you worship. [2:172]

أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ وَوَضَعْنَا عَنكَ وِزْرَكَ...وَإِلَى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ
Have We not opened your breast for you? And We removed from you your burden?...And to your Lord (Alone) turn your invocations. [al-Sharh]


What to do mean by before or after, I mean how close to the We.

I was flicking through al-Hijr and found 'We's (in the translation of the meaning) in ayaahs 8,9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, then in 25 a reference to your Lord. Please could you expand your explanation of this point to help me better understand, in shaa' Allaah. Jazaakum Allaahu khairan.

[Shajaa3ah]

Jazaakum Allaahu sister,

I'm still reading through this, but one question comes to mind so far.

What to do mean by before or after, I mean how close to the We.

I was flicking through al-Hijr and found 'We's (in the translation of the meaning) in ayaahs 8,9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, then in 25 a reference to your Lord. Please could you expand your explanation of this point to help me better understand, in shaa' Allaah. Jazaakum Allaahu khairan.

Wa iyyaakum.

When the mufassiroon speak about the Qur'an in light of things like balaghah, you find it is not sometimes so defined. In the verses you pointed out in surah al-Hijr, for example, all of those verses are like one general theme speaking about the disbelievers, their misguidance, and how they are blinded to the clear signs in the universe, and then Allaah goes on to descibe some of these signs. So it is as though that is one unified theme, and then at the end of this theme, comes the shift from the plural 'We' to the singular.

So to answer your question, it does not have to be directly before or after every single instance of mention of the 'We', but rather it is a general guideline that if you look at the begining or end of the 'theme' in which the 'We' is mentioned to mean Allaah, you will see this shift.

I hope that makes it a little clearer.

On a similar note, there is a very interesting [albeit slightly long and academic] article on these kind of shifts that are used in the Qur'an for rhetorical purposes, that you may be interested in reading:

Grammatical Shift For The Rhetorical Purposes: Iltifāt And Related Features In The Qur'ān (http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/Text/Grammar/iltifaat.html)

And alot shorter and easier to digest [mainly examples] is:

Sudden Changes In Person & Number: Neal Robinson On Iltifāt (http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/Text/Grammar/robinson.html)

[AbuIlyaas]

Jazaakum Allaahu khairan sister.

I figured that it was in reference to the themes but thought to ask. I'll read through this properly later when I get home (and the article) in shaa' Allaah. Because it's hard to concentrate at the moment as one of my work colleagues is talking the biggest lot of nonsense I've heard in a long time and he won't let me get a word in edge ways. So I'm just looking at him taking hope in the knowledge that he'll go home soon. Everytime I look at the screen he starts again. Oh no! Here he goes again :( , (I hope he can't see this.)

[Shajaa3ah]

Wa iyyaakum khayr al-jazaa'.