Did the Arab Environment Influence Companions’ Understanding of the Quran?
Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa
Question
Did the Arab environment influence the Companions’ interpretation of the Quran?
Answer
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and his Family and Companions.
Yes, there is no doubt that the Arab environment had an impact on the Companions’ interpretation of the Quran. The Quran was revealed in the Arabic language, as Allah (Most High) said:
“Which the trustworthy spirit (Gabriel) brought down into your heart (O Prophet)—so that you may be one of the warners—in a clear Arabic tongue.” [Quran, 26:193-195]
The Companions (Allah be pleased with them) spoke Arabic fluently, which made it easier for them to understand the meanings of the Quran. Allah also said:
“Certainly, We have made it a Quran in Arabic so perhaps you will understand.” [Quran, 43:3]
It is natural that someone unfamiliar with the intricacies of the Arabic language and its structures will not fully understand the Quran or comprehend Allah’s intent. Therefore, scholars have concluded that anyone who is not proficient in the intricacies of the Arabic language and its specificities should refrain from interpreting the Quran.
Importance of Arabic Mastery in Interpretation
The Quran was revealed in Arabic, and a superficial knowledge of the language is not enough; a word in the Quran could have multiple meanings, and the interpreter might know only one, while the intended meaning could be another. This is why some Companions hesitated to interpret certain words, such as when ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab hesitated to explain the word “al-abb” in the verse:
“And fruit and fodder” [Quran, 80:31]
Imam Malik Ibn Anas said:
“I will punish anyone who interprets the Book of Allah without knowing Arabic.” [Zarkashi, al-Burhan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]
The renowned scholar, Mujahid Ibn Jabr, stated:
“It is not permissible for anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day to speak about the Book of Allah without knowledge of the Arabic language.” [Suyuti, al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]
Examples from the Companions
One example that shows the influence of Arabic on the Companions’ understanding of the Quran is when Ibn ‘Abbas said:
“I did not know what the verse ‘In Allah we trust. Our Lord! Judge between us and our people with truth. You are the best of those who judge.’ [Quran, 7:89] meant until I heard a daughter of Dhu Yazan (from the tribe of Himyar) say, ‘Come, I will open the matter with you,’ meaning, ‘I will litigate with you.’” [Ibn Abi Shaybah]
Ibn ‘Abbas also said:
“I did not know what ‘Fatir of the heavens and the earth’ meant until two Bedouins came to me disputing over a well, and one said: ‘I am the one who initiated it (fatartuha),’ meaning, ‘I initiated it.’” [Abu ‘Ubayd, Fada’il al-Quran]
Role of Poetry
Arabic poetry played a significant role in helping the Companions understand the Quran, especially for Ibn ‘Abbas, who relied extensively on Arabic poetry to explain the Quran. His understanding, transmitted through the well-known “Questions of Nafi’ Ibn al-Azraq,” highlights this relationship between poetry and the Quranic interpretation.
For example, in his explanation of the verse:
“From the right and the left, in groups (to mock you)?” [Quran, 70:37], Ibn ‘Abbas said that ‘Izin refers to “small, thin groups” and supported this with a verse by Ubayd Ibn al-Abras:
“They came rushing toward him, forming small groups around his pulpit.” [Husayn Dhahabi, al-Tafsir wa al-Mufassirun; Suyuti, al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran; Nur al-Din ‘Itr, ‘Ulum al-Quran al-Karim]
Summary
Mastery of the Arabic language is crucial for understanding the Quran, and anyone who seeks to interpret it must be sufficiently knowledgeable in the language to ensure accuracy in their interpretations.
And Allah knows best.
May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and give him peace, and his Family and Companions.
[Shaykh] Anas al-Musa
Shaykh Anas al-Musa, born in Hama, Syria, in 1974, is an erudite scholar of notable repute. He graduated from the Engineering Institute in Damascus, where he specialized in General Construction, and Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Usul al-Din, where he specialized in Hadith.
He studied under prominent scholars in Damascus, including Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri and Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, among others. Shaykh Anas has memorized the Quran and is proficient in the ten Mutawatir recitations, having studied under Shaykh Bakri al-Tarabishi and Shaykh Mowfaq ‘Ayun. He also graduated from the Iraqi Hadith School.
He has taught numerous Islamic subjects at Shari‘a institutes in Syria and Turkey. Shaykh Anas has served as an Imam and preacher for over 15 years and is a teacher of the Quran in its various readings and narrations.
Currently, he works as a teacher at SeekersGuidance and is responsible for academic guidance there. He has completed his Master’s degree in Hadith and is now pursuing his Ph.D. in the same field. Shaykh Anas al-Musa is married and resides in Istanbul.