Are There Non-arabic Words in the Quran?

Answered by Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Abu Bakr Badhib

Question

Are there any non-Arabic words in the Quran?

Answer

In the name of Allah, and all praise is due to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, his family, his companions, and those who follow him.

What you inquire about falls under what scholars term “Arabized words in the Quran.” “Arabized” refers to a term used by Arabs in a meaning that is attributed to it in a language other than their own.

The issue of Arabized words in the Quran is one of the linguistic matters related to the Quran, and scholars have been concerned with it for a long time. Imam Suyuti dedicated a separate treatise to it, which he named “al-Muhadhdhab fi Ma Waqa‘a fi al-Quran min al-Mu‘arrab.” [Muhammad Muhaysin, al-Qira’at wa Atharuhu fi ‘Ulum al-‘Arabiyya; Suyuti, al-Muhadhdhab]

Scholars have differed regarding the occurrence of Arabized words in the Quran. Some permitted them, some prohibited them, and some took a middle stance. The most likely opinion among the statements of scholars – and Allah knows best – is the middle opinion, which holds that both those affirming and those negating are correct.

This is because the words alleged to be Arabized have their roots in non-Arabic languages, but they were adopted by the Arabs who Arabized them using their tongues, thus transforming them from non-Arabic words into Arabic ones. Then, the Quran was revealed, and these letters became mixed with the Arabic language. So, whoever says they are Arabic is correct, and whoever says they are non-Arabic is also correct, as will be detailed later.

Taj al-Din al-Subki organized the words alleged to be Arabized in the Quran, and he counted them as twenty-seven words. [Barmawi, al-Fawa’id al-Saniyya fi Sharh al-Alfiyya; Suyuti, al-Muhadhdhab]

He said:

السَّلْسَبِيلُ وَطَهَ كُوِّرَتْ بِيَعٌ … إسْتَبْرَقٌ صَلَواتٌ سُنْدُسٌ طُورُ
والزنجبيلُ ومِشْكاةٌ سرادق مع … رُومٌ وَطُوبَى وسِجِّيلٌ وكافُورُ
كذا قَرَاطِيسُ ربَّانِيُّهُم وغَسَّا … قٌ ثُمَّ دِينارٌ القسطاسُ مَشْهورُ
كَذَاكَ قَسْوَرَةٌ وَاليَمُّ ناشِئةٌ … ويُؤْتِ كِفْلَيْنِ مَذكُورٌ ومَنْظُورُ
لَهُ مقاليدُ فِرْدَوْسٌ فَعُدَّ كَذَا … فيما حَكَى ابنُ دُريد مِنْهُ تَنُّورُ

Here are examples of what is said to be non-Arabic in the Quran, as mentioned by Suyuti in “al-Muhadhdhab”:

In verse [Quran, 19:24], “min tahtiha” is said to be Nabatean in origin.

In [Quran, 4:51], “al-Jibt” is said to be the name of Satan in Abyssinian.

In [Quran, 24:35], “duriyyun” is said to mean “illuminating” in Abyssinian.

In [Quran, 18:9], “al-Raqim” is said to be the tablet in Greek.

We will now explore the scholars’ opinions in three ways: those who deny it, those who support it, and the balanced perspective.

Firstly, Arguments of Those Denying Arabized Words in the Quran

Some scholars, including Imam Shafi‘i, Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Ibn Faris, Baqillani, and others, argue against the occurrence of Arabized words in the Quran. They base this on numerous verses indicating that Allah revealed the Quran in the Arabic language.

For example, Allah says, “Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Quran so that you may understand.” [Quran, 12:2], and “And so We have revealed it as an authority in Arabic. And if you were to follow their desires after (all) the knowledge that has come to you, there would be none to protect or shield you from Allah.” [Quran, 13:37]

Additionally, Allah states,

“(It is) a Quran (revealed) in Arabic without any crookedness, so perhaps they will be conscious (of Allah).” [Quran, 39:28], and “Had We revealed it as a non-Arabic Quran, they would have certainly argued, ‘If only its verses were made clear (in our language). What! A non-Arabic revelation for an Arab audience!’” [Quran, 41:44]

Allah also says, “We have not sent a messenger except in the language of his people.” [Quran, 14:4]

These, among other verses, affirm that the Quran is in Arabic, not sharing the language with any other nation. This is the language of the people to whom the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was sent so that he could communicate effectively and they could understand and reflect. [Ahmad bin Sulaiman Ayyub, Mawsu‘at Mahasin al-Islam wa Rad Shubahat al-Li’am]

Imam Shafi‘i said, “Some scholars have spoken about knowledge, that if one refrains from some of what they have spoken about, it would be better and safer for him, God willing. Some of them said that the Quran contains both Arabic and non-Arabic elements, and the Quran indicates that nothing from the Book of Allah is except in the Arabic language.” [Shafi‘i, al-Risala; Zarkashi, al-Burhan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran; Suyuti, Mu‘tarak al-Aqran fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]

Abu Ubaida Ma‘mar ibn al-Muthanna said in “Majaz al-Quran”: “The Quran was revealed in a clear Arabic language, so whoever claims otherwise has made a great statement. And whoever claims that (Taha) is Nabatean has made an even greater one…”.

Then he said: “A word in Arabic may coincide with another word and be similar in meaning, one being in Arabic and the other in Persian or another language. For example, ‘istabraq’ (brocade) in Arabic is the same as ‘istabrah’ in Persian.” [Abu ‘Ubayda, Majaz al-Quran; Zarkashi, al-Burhan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran; Suyuti, al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran, and al-Muhadhdhab]

Zarkashi said: Know that Allah revealed the Quran in the Arabic language, so it is not permissible to recite or recite it except in Arabic, as Allah says, “Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Quran so that you may understand.” [Quran, 12:2], and His saying: “Had We revealed it as a non-Arabic Quran, they would have certainly argued, ‘If only its verses were made clear (in our language). What! A non-Arabic revelation for an Arab audience!’” [Quran, 41:44]

These verses indicate that it is not anything other than Arabic. Allah made it a clear miracle for His Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) as clear evidence of its truthfulness. He challenged the Arabs with it and invited eloquent speakers, scholars, and poets with its verses. It would not be beneficial if it contained any language other than Arabic. [Zarkashi, al-Burhan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]

Ahmad ibn Faris mentioned what he sees as a reason for the absence of Arabized words in the Quran: “If there were anything in it other than the Arabic language, some skeptics would have suspected that the Arabs were incapable of producing something similar because it came in languages they did not know.” [Zarkashi, al-Burhan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran; Suyuti, al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Qur’an; Muhammad Muhaysin, al-Qira’at wa Atharuha fi ‘Ulum al-‘Arabiyya]

Some scholars justified the reason why some scholars attributed some words in the Quran to non-Arabic origins by saying: “All of these words are purely Arabic, but the Arabic language is very vast, and it is not far-fetched for some of the most prominent scholars to miss it. The meaning of ‘fatir’ was hidden from Ibn Abbas. Shafi‘i said in the Risala: ‘No one can fully comprehend the language except a prophet.’” [Suyuti, al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran; ‘Aqila, al-Ziyada wa al-Ihsan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]

Secondly, Justifications for Arabized Words in the Quran

Among those who asserted the presence of Arabized words in the Quran are Ibn Abbas, ‘Ikrima, Mujahid, Sa‘id ibn Jubayr, ‘Ata’, Suyuti, and others. They argued that there are specific terms in the Quran that some Arabs are unfamiliar with, and there were people from non-Arabic backgrounds who spoke Arabic.

Moreover, all the messengers were sent specifically to their own people, whereas Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) was sent to all mankind. Hence, the Quran should encompass languages as universal as the message it conveys. [Ahmad bin Sulayman Ayyub, Mawsu‘at Mahasin al-Islam wa Rad Shubahat al-Li’am]

Ibn Naqib said: “One of the distinguishing features of the Quran, compared to all other divine scriptures, is that it was revealed in the language of the people to whom it was sent, and nothing in it was revealed in a language other than theirs.

The Quran contains various Arabic words and was revealed in languages other than Arabic, such as Roman, Persian, and Abyssinian.” [Suyuti, al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Qur’an, and al-Muhadhdhab]

Suyuti commented on the previous statement of Ibn an-Naqib, supporting it, and said: “I say, also, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was sent to every nation, as Allah says: “We have not sent a messenger except in the language of his people.” [Quran, 14:4] Therefore, the Book sent with him must include the language of every nation, even if its original language was that of its people.” [Suyuti, al-Muhadhdhab]

Suyuti further said: “Others have also agreed on its occurrence in the Quran, and they responded to the saying of Allah: ‘An Arabic Quran’ by arguing that a few non-Arabic words do not negate its Arabic nature. This is evidenced by the fact that a Persian poem does not cease to be Persian because it contains an Arabic word…

The strongest evidence I have seen for its occurrence – and this is my choice – is what Ibn Jarir narrated with an authentic chain from Abu Maisara, the distinguished Tabi‘i, who said: ‘In the Quran are words from every language.’ Similar statements are narrated from Sa‘id ibn Jubayr and Wahb ibn Munabbih.”

Suyuti commented on this opinion by saying: “This indicates that the wisdom behind the occurrence of these words in the Quran is that it encompasses the knowledge of past and present, and reports everything. Thus, there must be references to various languages and tongues to encompass everything. The Quran was selected from each language, choosing the sweetest, the lightest, and the most commonly used words for the Arabs.” [Suyuti, Mu‘tarak al-Aqran, and al-Itqan]

Abu al-Ma‘ali Aziz ibn Abd al-Malik justified the presence of Arabized words by saying: “This is only found in the speech of the Arabs because it is the widest language with the most words, and it is possible that the Arabs preceded others in using these words.” [Zarkashi, al-Burhan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran; Suyuti, al-Itqan]

Ibn Jarir said: “What has been reported from Ibn Abbas and others regarding the interpretation of words in the Quran as Persian, Abyssinian, Nabatean, or similar languages, is only indicating the interchange of languages, where Arabs, Persians, and Abyssinians used the same word.” [Suyuti, al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran; Qurtubi, Ahkam al-Quran]

6- Suyuti remarked: “I have seen Khwayyi mention another benefit of the occurrence of Arabized words in the Quran. He said: ‘If it is argued that “istabraq” is not Arabic… then we say: Even if all the eloquent people in the world were to gather and wanted to abandon this word and come up with another word equivalent in eloquence, they would fail. For example, if the eloquent wanted to abandon the word “istabraq” and find another word, he would not be able to, because what can substitute it is either a single word or multiple words.

The Arabs did not have a name for thick brocade fabric, so they Arabized what they heard from non-Arabs, as they had little knowledge of it and rarely pronounced it.’” [Suyuti, al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran, and Mu‘tarak al-Aqran fi I‘jaz al-Quran; Muhammad Ali al-Hasan, al-Manar fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]

Thirdly, A Balanced View on Arabized Words in the Quran

This opinion combines the arguments of those who deny and affirm the presence of Arabized words in the Quran. They argue that languages often borrow from each other due to the interaction between individuals, communities, and nations, which is necessary in human social relations. Therefore, words shared between languages may be due to a common origin or other reasons, and sometimes, words are transferred from one language to another.

If there are non-Arabic words in the Quran, such as “abariq” (pitchers), “ara’ik” (couches), and “istabraq” (brocade), the Arabs adopted and familiarized them, applying their linguistic rules in grammar, derivation, singularization, pluralization, and other aspects. If the Arabs did not use or recognize these words, it would be inconceivable for God to address them with unfamiliar terms, and in that case, the Quran would not be clearly Arabic, and the Prophet would not be addressing his people in their language. [Qurtubi, Tafsir al-Qurtubi; Dar al-Ifta’ al-Misriyya]

Ibn Atiyya stated: “My belief and creed is that the Quran was revealed in clear Arabic, without any word beyond the comprehension of the Arabs. These words and their usage were due to the interactions of the Arabs with other languages through trade, the Quraysh’s journeys, and the travels of individuals, such as Abu ‘Amr’s journey to Syria… The Arabs assimilated these foreign words, modifying some by dropping certain letters, lightening their foreignness, and incorporating them into their poetry and discourse until they became part of eloquent Arabic and were used for expression.

Therefore, ignorance of these words is like ignorance of explicit non-Arabic words… The reality is that these words are originally non-Arabic, but the Arabs adopted and Arabized them, making them Arabic in this sense.” [Ibn ‘Atiyya, al-Muharrar al-Wajiz; Zarkashi, al-Burhan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran; Qurtubi, al-Jami‘ li Ahkam al-Quran]

Abu Ubayd al-Qasim ibn Salam, after mentioning the opinions regarding the occurrence of Arabized words in the Quran from both the jurists and those who deny it, stated: “The correct opinion, in my view, is a doctrine that affirms both opinions. This means that these letters have non-Arabic origins – as the jurists have said – but they entered the Arabic language and were Arabized by the Arabs, transforming them from foreign words into Arabic ones.

Then, the Quran was revealed, and these letters were mixed with the speech of the Arabs. So, whoever says they are Arabic is correct, and whoever says they are foreign is also correct. This is what Ibn Jarir confirmed, and it was also supported by Jawaliqi, Ibn Jawzi, and others.” [Suyuti, al-Muhadhdhab]

Note: Muhammad Muhaysin favored this opinion and said: “I believe that this is the sound opinion that the soul finds tranquility in because it is consistent with the explicit Quranic texts, and there should be no deviation from it, nor should attention be paid to anything else.” [Muhammad Muhaysin, al-Qira’at wa Atharuha fi ‘Ulum al-‘Arabiyya]

Conclusion

In conclusion, those who deny the presence of Arabized words in the Quran do so because of the verses affirming its Arabness, such as the saying of Allah, “Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Quran.” [Quran, 12:2]

Those who affirm it do not contradict these verses or the Quran itself; rather, they interpret them differently and align with the prevalent and well-known understanding, as we have clarified. However, the moderate opinion reconciling between the two views is the most appropriate, and Allah knows best.

The issue of Arabized words in the Quran is extensive, and what has been mentioned here is just a small part of what has been discussed on the topic. I advise the inquirer to refer to the book “al-Muhadhdhab fi Ma Waqa‘a fi al-Quran min al-Mu‘arrab” by Imam Suyuti, where he specifically addresses the issue of Arabized words in the Quran and arranges them alphabetically.

Additionally, one should consult books on the sciences of the Quran, such as “al-Burhan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran” by Zarkashi, and “al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran” by Suyuti, as well as refer to the book “al-Risala” by Imam Shafi‘i.

Finally, according to the proponents of this view, the existence of a small number, even if very rare, of words with non-Arabic origins from various ancient languages indicates the universality of the Islamic call and that the Quran encompasses the knowledge of the past and the future, narrating everything.

Therefore, it must include references to various languages and tongues to encompass everything. Thus, the most eloquent, subtle, and commonly used words from each language were chosen for it, especially those used by the Arabs. And Allah knows best.

May peace and blessings be upon our master and prophet, Muhammad, his family, and companions.

[Shaykh] Dr. Muhammad Abu Bakr Badhib