Indeed your (plural) nurturing Lord is Allah who created the heavens and the earth in six days then He positioned Himself with balance above the Throne/ The outermost barrier. He makes the night lightly cover the day. It (the night) pursues it (the day) constantly. And the sun and the moon and the stars are all made to serve by His order. Indeed to Him belongs the creating and the ordering. Self blessed/glorified/ bountiful of good is Allah, nurturing Lord of all.
I did translate the term ARSH as throne. The term functions as a throne of a king but it also denotes the entity that acts as a barrier between what is above it or beyond it and what is below it. When it comes to a sphere, then the above is also beyond the spehere and unencumbered by it’s boundaries and what is below is limited within the sphere. So, the Throne is one of the greater of creation because it encompasses within it all creation and acts as a separation between Allah who is beyond it and the creation who are contained within it.
Inna: indeed
rabbakumu: your (plural) nurturing Lord
Note: RABBAKA is derived from the root R-B-B and it means nurturing and Lordship as two components of the meaning that can be present together or one at a time according to the context of the sentence. RABBA is nurturing Lord of. KUM means plural you.
Allahu: Allah
Allathee: the one who
Khalaqa: He created
Note: the root is KH-L-Qaf and it means creating and creation. The word has many little other meanings that revolve around that theme, in concrete, it means the smoothened rock that was shaped that way, so it has the cutting and shaping and making things as part of the meaning as well as creating out of nothing as well. KHALAQA is an action that is completed. It means: the action of creating or shaping happened by the subject (third person singular).
Alssamawati: the aboves / the heavens/ the beyond the earth
Note: the root is S-M-W and it means rising. This word is used to mean many things that are related to that meaning. One of the meanings is name because when a person’s name is called, he or she would rise and respond. ALSSAMAWATI are the aboves or what are above, that is the skies or the heavens or any entity from the atmosphere to beyond that.
Note: WA is a letter that links what is before with what is after. This link is through inclusion, either one is included in the other or they are all included in the bigger sentence or bigger picture. WA is often translated as an addition (and), but inclusion probably covers the meaning a little better. ALARDA is derived from the root Hamza-R-Dhad and it means earth or land. ALARDA is the earth/ the land.
Fee: in
Sittati: six
Ayyamin: days
Note: the root is Y-W-M and it means day. AYYAM means days.
Thumma: then
Note: this is a sequence and can be immediately or with a length of time/ space/ etc in between
Istawa: positioned self in balance
Note: the root is S-W-Y and it means position of balance or equality. ISTAWA is an action that is completed. It means: the action of positioning in balance happened by the subject for the subject (third person singular)
alAAarshi: the throne/ the outermost barrier
Note: the root is Ain-R-SH and it means arbor or the canopy of the tree in concrete and it is used to mean anything that is above other objects and casts shade on them including the roofs and ceilings of houses and buildings. It is also used for throne of a king because it usually is a barrier where the king is above it while the rest are below it. ALAAaRSHI in this context means the throne with that being the outermost end of the creation and being a separation between God and His creation or the vast majority of them
Yughshee: He makes cover/ He makes lightly cover
Note: the root is GHAIN-SH-Y or GHAIN-SH-W and it means in one concrete meaning GHISHA’, the thin cover or membrane over something. YUGHSHEE is an action that is being completed or will be completed. It means: the action of making one object (ALLAYLA= the night) cover lightly anther object (ANNAHAR= the day) is happening or will be happening by the subject (third person singular pointing to God).
allayla: the night
Note: ALLAYLA is derived from the root L-Y-L and it means night. ALLAYLA means the night.
Alnnahara: the day
Note: ALNNAHARA is derived from The root N-H-R and one of the concrete meanings of the word is running water or river. It is then used to mean running or glowing in many other meanings and contexts according to the nature of what is talked about. ALNNAHARA is the daytime and is related to the rivers possibly because of the flowing light or something to that.
Note: the root is Tta-L-B and it means pursuing something to take or take hold of. YATLUBUHU is an action that is being completed or will be completed. It means: the action of pursuing to overtake the object (HU= him pointing to the daytime) is happening or will be happening by the subject (third person singular pointing to the night).
Hatheethan: constantly/ insistently/ speedlily and constantly.
NoteL the root is HA-TH-TH and it means in concrete when the rain is falling constantly heavy but not pouring. Conceptually, it is used to point to constant action and insistent action or speed and constant in movement. HATHEETHAN means constant with speed. And it can mean insistently.
Note: WA is a letter that links what is before with what is after. This link is through inclusion, either one is included in the other or they are all included in the bigger sentence or bigger picture. WA often corresponds with “and/ addition” but the more encompassing meaning is in inclusion one in another or all in a bigger picture or sentence. ALSHHAMSA is derived from the root SH-M-S and it means sun. ALSHSHAMSA is the sun.
Waalqamara: and the moon
Note: WA is a letter that links what is before with what is after. This link is through inclusion, either one is included in the other or they are all included in the bigger sentence or bigger picture. WA often corresponds with “and/ addition” but the more encompassing meaning is in inclusion one in another or all in a bigger picture or sentence. ALQAMAR is derived from the root Qaf-M-R and it means moon. ALQAMAR is the moon.
Waalnnujooma: and the stars/ the stars and planets
Note: WA is a letter that links what is before with what is after. This link is through inclusion, either one is included in the other or they are all included in the bigger sentence or bigger picture. WA often corresponds with “and/ addition” but the more encompassing meaning is in inclusion one in another or all in a bigger picture or sentence. ALNNUJOOM is derived from the root N-J-M and in concrete it is used for any body in the sky that shines light including planets and stars. It is also used for plants that come out of the ground but do not have a stalk like a tree including grass and ground cover. Conceptually, it is used for anything that comes out and becomes apparent/ sprouts or is discovered or shows itself somehow. ALNNUJOOM in this context points to the stars and planets.
Musakhkharatin: made to work working/ made to function/ made to serve
Note: the root is S-KH-R and it means working for no pay or any other work where there is no payment nor response to it or a form of serving. It is used for mocking at time in conceptual uses according to the context, because the one that mocks does not expect to receive a negative response. MUSAKHKHARATIN means: were made to work or function or serve.
Biamrihi: by His order/ by his implement.
Note: Bi denotes that what comes after is a tool and/or an emphasized object of an action that was mentioned or in close association with the subject in the action. AMRIHI is derived from The root Hamza-M-R and it means ordering something and the implementation of it. Sometimes it attains the implementation part or matter as in personal matter and so forth, and at times it is the order and implementation of the order, depending on the situation in the sentence. AMRI in this context means an implementation of a decision and something like that or an order. HI means him and points to ALLAH.
Lahu: to him belongs
Alkhalqu: the creating
Note: the root is KH-L-Qaf and it means creating and creation. The word has many little other meanings that revolve around that theme, in concrete, it means the smoothened rock that was shaped that way, so it has the cutting and shaping and making things as part of the meaning as well as creating out of nothing as well. ALKHALQU means he act of creation and this can mean the creating or the products of creating or both.
Waalamru: : and the ordering/ the implementation/ the ordering and implementation/ the matter
Note: WA is a letter that links what is before with what is after. This link is through inclusion, either one is included in the other or they are all included in the bigger sentence or bigger picture. WA often corresponds with “and/ addition” but the more encompassing meaning is in inclusion one in another or all in a bigger picture or sentence. ALAMRU is derived from the root Hamza-M-R and it means ordering something and the implementation of it. ALAMRU is the order or the implementation or both at the same time.
tabaraka: He is already self blessed/ self anchored and bountiful of good
Note: the root is B-R-K and it means in concrete when the water is on the ground in a pool, or when the camel is sitting on the ground with his chest touching it. Conceptually, it is used for stability/ anchoring and plentifulness/ bountifulness of good since the water is a source for lots of good. The word is also used in Arabic and Hebrew to mean blessing with all the potential meanings that come with blessing. TABARAKA means: the act of bountifullness or blessedness already happened by the subject to the subject(third person singular pointing to Allah)
Allahu: Allah
rabbu : nurturing Lord of
Note: RABBU is derived from the root R-B-B and it means nurturing and Lordship as two components of the meaning that can be present together or one at a time according to the context of the sentence. RABBU is nurturing Lord of.
alAAalameena: the beings/ the factual entities/ all
Note: the root is Ain-L-M and it means knowing/knowledge or knowledge of facts. ALAAaLAMEENA are the knowns and that includes all factual entities.
Salaam all and have a great day.
Hussein
9 comments:
Salaam brother,
I have a question on the word tabaraka. I do not agree with the translation "blessed", because how or who can bless God?
Would it be correct to say that when baraka is used for God then it means acting with bountifulness? In this verse 7:54 for example we are given examples of blessings from Allah, then it ends with tabaaraka allah/God acted with bountifulness.
Is my understanding correct?
Salaam brother.
I have a question on the word baraka. I find it strange that it is rendered blessed because when or who blesses God? I understand the word as "acting with bountifulness". for example in this verse we are given examples of blessings and it ends with tabaraka allah/God acted with bountifulness.
Is this rendering and understanding correct?
Jazaka Allah kheir brother for this very interesting and important question. The answer to it is a little complex and may need to be divided into two parts:
1- the part of your question addressing "if it is blessed then who blessed Allah". The answer to this is that the word TABARAKA suggests an interactive action with oneself. So, if one is to understand the root BRK as blessing then it is a self blessing in a sense.
2- The harder part of your question is "Acting with bountifulness" is a reasonable way to understand the BRK since the root suggests bounty of Good, but also, blessing, glory, being above anything. So, it will always be a word that cannot be translated with one word or two since it carries many connotations.
I hope this helps a little and jazaka Allah kheir. You pointed to me a need to edit that statement a little.
Hussien
Thank you for the reply, this clears a few issues. And we have other examples in the Quran with Allah acting upon Himself, for example when He "kataba ala nafsihi al rahma".
I am Nader from the understanding Islam forum, 32 year old, Lebanese, alternate residency between Europe and Africa due to my work.
I found your site and would like to say it provides the best insight into the Arabic language and its application to the Quran i have ever seen.
May Allah reward you for the work, and have a good fast in this month of Ramadan
Thank you Nader for your kind words. I am glad that you are finding the site helpful and please do not hesitate to ask any question. Please give my regards to the people at understanding islam if you are still visiting.
Salaam
Allah is an Arabic word for Almighty God / God, not a word that should be left untranslated
peace be with you and thank you for your feedback.
Translators have different reasons for not translating a certain term Here are my reasons for not translating the word Allah:
1- Ancient Arabic language scholars differed on whether the word Allah is a construct of AL-ILAH= the entity worthy of worship or something totally different ALLAH and therefore not needing explanation because an Arabic speakers knows who Allah is.
2- ALLAH is a proper name and proper names are generally not translated except for a reason. When I introduce myself to any person who speaks other than Arabic, I do not introduce myself as Nice/ Good looking which are the translations of my name. I introduce myself as Hussein.
3- I do translate other names of Allah to introduce the idea and the concept. However, I do worry that translating Allah as the "entity worthy of worship" may lose something because names are supposed to be one word and not a sentence. The only way I can translate it is through a sentence.
4- I am not familiar with the etymology of the word GOD. So, That is one reason why I hesitate to use it. I also see that term abused a lot when someone talks about a good looking muscular man and calls them a "God". I wanted to avoid that abuse.
5- The word Allah made it to the English language and is widely understood by English speakers. The point of translating is explaining what is not familiar and this word is familiar.
Of course one can argue a real concern and that is if one insists on using Allah and not God then am I saying that the God of the Muslims is different from the God of the Christians? It is the same God. However, I do not believe that a christian who believes otherwise will be convinced just because I used the same word he or she is using. After all, Arab Christians use the same word Allah, yet some of them will insist that the Allah of the Muslims is different from their Allah
Take care and have a good day and thank you for bringing this issue up.
Hussein
Assalamu Alaikum. My question is that among the seven days we have which day is not among the days Allah creates the earth
Assalamu Alaikum. My question is that among the seven days we have which day is not among the seven days that Allah created the world
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