6:20

Salaam all,


Allatheena ataynahumu alkitaba yaAArifoonahu kama yaAArifoona abnaahum allatheena khasiroo anfusahum fahum la yuminoona

The Aya says:
Those to whom We gave the book, they recognize it as they recognize their children. Those who lost themselves, so they do not make themselves safe (in Allah and his messages).

My personal note:
This Aya is very interesting and very important. It suggests that if a person has knowledge of “the book” then he or she will recognize any work that is “of the book”.

The Question is then what does the word “book” mean in this context? The answer in my view is that the book in here points to any form of knowledge that is of divine provenance and that a person has received in one way or another. This is specifically pointed, but not necessarily limited, to the person who is Jewish or Christian and who was blessed with the ability to understand the scripture in the best way possible. This person will then recognize any work that is related or that comes from the same source. This is likened to the person who read lots of works of a particular author and who will recognize his work even if he was not told that this work was authored by so and so.

The message is that if a person had knowledge of “the book” then he or she will also recognize that the Qur’an is “of the book” or comes from the same author, God.

Translation of the transliterated words:
Allatheena: those who
Ataynahumu: made come to them/ brought to them
Note: ATAYNA is derived from the root Hamza-T-Y and it means in concrete the water that comes from the rain of another land. In concrete it means the coming of something or someone with many of it’s implications. ATAYNA is an action that is completed. It means: the action of making come of an object (ALKITAB= the the book) to another object (HUM= them) happened by the subject (first person plural).

Alkitaba: the book
Note: the root K-T-B and it means putting things together as in grouping the herd together or closing the lips or writing (the most common use), because in writing, one puts the letters and the ideas together. ALKITABA means, the process of writing or the book or anything related to it from the ideas to the ink and paper to the place where all is put together.

yaAArifoonahu: they recognize Him(the book)/ they know Him
Note: the root is Ain-R-F and it means the elevated place that will be known or recognized from a distance. MaAAROOF is what is recognized. This is also used to mean what is good or recognized as being good or appropriate. YaAARIFOONA is an action that is being completed or will be completed. It means the action of recognizing or knowing (in this context) is happening or will be happening by the subject (third person plural).

Kama: as/ like
yaAArifoona: they recognize / they know
Note: the root is Ain-R-F and it means the elevated place that will be known or recognized from a distance. MaAAROOF is what is recognized. This is also used to mean what is good or recognized as being good or appropriate. YaAARIFOONA is an action that is being completed or will be completed. It means the action of recognizing or knowing (in this context) is happening or will be happening by the subject (third person plural).
Abnaahum: their children
Note: the root is B-N-Y and it means building and it also mean son or child or offspring. The relationship between the two meanings is that the son is the product of building the family. Here, it is used to mean child or son. ABNAAHUM means their children or offspring.

Allatheena: those who
Khasiroo: lost/ defeated
Note: the root is KH-S-R and it means to lose or become defeated. KHASIROO is an action that is completed. It means: the action of losing or becoming defeated happened by the subject (third person plural)
Anfusahum: themselves
Note: ANFUSAHUM is derived from the root N-F-S and it means to breath but is extended to mean self since the self breathes and that defines her existence. ANFUSA is a noun that is derived from this root and it means Selves of. HUM means them.

Fahum: so they
la yuminoona: do not make themselves safe/ trust
Note: LA is for negation of the coming action. YUMINOONA is derived from the root Hamza-M-N and it means safety. Conceptually, it can also be extended to trust as well, because we feel safe in the entity we trust. YUMINOONA is an action that is being completed or will be completed. It means: the action of making oneself safe is happening or will be happening by the subject (third person plural).

Salaam all and have a great day.

Hussein