PRAYER IN THE VERNACULAR

The Quran was revealed in the Arabic language। Yet, Arabic never had the privilege of being a holy language as such। The Quran explicitly states that throughout the ages prophets had been sent to enlighten mankind in their respective languages। The Torah was revealed in the language spoken by the tribe of Moses, and Jesus addressed his people in his own tongue. Lot’s exhortations and Noah’s sermons were delivered in their respective tongues. What is holy about them is the fact that all had their origin in God. The Arabic language can be used to convey any message, both pagan and religious. Arabic is not the special language of God, nor is it the language spoken in paradise; the Arabic characters are not special to God and are not the characters employed in paradise, yet Arabic racism and nationalism have tried to represent them so. The reason why the Quran is in Arabic is the fact that it was first addressed to the Arab people. The conveyance of the message to the Americans or Englishmen can be only in the English language. Therefore, it has to be translated. On the other hand, words and concepts mentioned in the Quran existed long before the revelation of the Quran. What was holy was not the words or the concepts the Quran contained but what God had made of them. A curious instance of the misunderstanding due to ignorance of a language is the following: “The Bedouin women with tambourine and cymbals in their hands kept chanting. The theme was the delicious taste of the camel meat and the various methods of cooking it. Eþref Sencer Kuþçubaþý, head of the Ottoman Military Organization who had organized the ceremony, noticed tears in the eyes of some of the soldiers. Eþref Bey, who had perfect knowledge of the Arabic language,e asked them the reason of their affliction: “My boy! What can be the reason of your sorrow?” The soldier replied: “The beautiful melody and intonation of the Quran that is being recited.” Eþref Bey touched by the candidness of the man told him: “My boy, what you are listening to is not the Quran but the qasida about the delicious taste of the camel flesh to be presently served to them. So, wipe off your tear.” (Cemal Kutay, Türkçe Ýbadet, p. 61).

source :http://www.quranic.org/

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