Dr. Muhammad Al-Khatib explains the secret of rhythm and the miracle of breaks in Quranic verses

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Video duration 53 minutes 34 seconds 53:34

Professor of Linguistics at Al-Azhar University, Dr. Muhammad Abdel Fattah Al-Khatib, says that the Qur’an was revealed in order to be read, and that it was recited by God Almighty, describing its rhythm as the first of His miracles because it is not possible to replace a comma (at the end of the verse) with another because this takes away the meaning.

This rhythm - which dominates the hearts of Arabs and non-Arabs, and even Muslims and non-Muslims - represents one of the most impressive images of the Qur’an, according to what Al-Khatib said during his participation in the “Sharia and Life in Ramadan” program. He cited this as evidence from the words of the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, in which he said: Everyone who addresses the masses must speak in Arabic or Persian.

According to the professor of linguistics at Al-Azhar University, Rousseau said that Arabic is a language that he enjoys hearing, even if half of it is in its tones, stressing that whoever hears the Qur’an from the Prophet Muhammad - may God bless him and grant him peace - in his voice and person has no choice but to respond to it.

Regarding this effect of rhythm in the Holy Qur’an, Al-Khatib gives an example in the Almighty’s saying at the end of Surah Al-Zumar: “And the earth shone with the light of its Lord, and the Book was established, and the prophets and martyrs were brought, and it was judged between them with justice, and they will not be wronged, and every soul will be fully compensated for what it has done, and He knows best what they do.” These are verses that Al-Khatib says confirm. The reality of the world, its fate, and what will happen to humans in the afterlife, in expressions that cannot be derived from humans.

In this miraculous context, Al-Khatib also refers to the miraculous challenge in both form and tone in the Almighty’s saying in Surat Al-Hajj: “O people, a parable has been set forth, so listen to it. Indeed, those whom you call upon besides God will not create a fly, and if they were gathered together, for him is the double of the seeker and the sought.”

The matter with regard to the use of the extended alif is as in the Almighty’s saying: “And hold fast, all of you, to the rope of God and do not become divided,” which Al-Khatib says carries a rhythm and pronouns that confirm that the nation cannot be strong except with this unity, stressing that Muslims are currently in dire need of this alif in all its extensions.

The miracle of pronouns and commas

Likewise, the pronouns in the Holy Qur’an carry a miracle, as in the Almighty’s saying, “Our Lord, indeed we heard a caller calling to faith, ‘Believe in your Lord.’ So we believed. Our Lord, so forgive us our sins and our extravagance in our affairs, and expiate from us our evil deeds, and cause us to die with the righteous.” Which Al-Khatib says is the word “Our Lord” in These verses “deepen the feeling of servitude to God and faith in Him,” which is what we also find in his saying, “My Lord, You have given me the power of dominion and taught me from the interpretation of the hadiths that my guardian in this world and the hereafter is that You cause me to die as a Muslim and join me with the righteous.”

Regarding the Qur’anic comma and its difference from the rhyme used by poets, Al-Khatib said that there is no comparison at all between the two matters, pointing out that the Arabs “never betrayed the statement,” which is what made the infidels prostrate before the greatness of the Holy Qur’an, pointing out that the Qur’anic comma is “the conformation of the last letters.” In the Qur’anic verses and their occurrence in one style and one meter, time and sound,” it does not appear except by pausing there, while not pausing does not affect the meaning.

Al-Khatib describes the rhythm of the Qur’an as his first miracle, stressing that removing commas from the text destroys the meaning and loses its intended meaning, and that it is impossible to replace one comma with another and achieve the same meaning.

Regarding the situation that the Palestinians are experiencing in the Gaza Strip, Al-Khatib said that when God Almighty spoke about the condition of Muslims in Surah Al-Ahzab, He said, “And when they came to you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes wandered and the hearts reached the throats and you harbored suspicions about God,” indicating that He Almighty said, Suspicions” and not “suspicions” because the alif here means that their fear is for the loss of religion and not a fear of death.

On the contrary, Al-Khatib says that God - Glory be to Him - used the same letter Alif at the end of Surat Al-Ahzab as well, but it indicates regret and sorrow, when He says, “On the day their faces are turned in the Fire, they will say: Oh, I wish we had obeyed God and obeyed the Messenger.” And they say, “Our Lord, indeed we obeyed our masters and our great ones, so they led us astray from the path.” ﴾.

Through these differences in rhythm, the Holy Qur’an reveals, in the same letters, the turmoil of the human soul in different situations: fear or contentment, bliss or hell, as Al-Khatib says.

As for the mention of Hell in the Qur’an, Al-Khatib says that it came with different names, none of which can be used out of place, including “Lamza,” which came with a comma that agrees with the word “Hattama,” meaning that it destroys everything that the disbelievers have done, indicating that the commas in the names of Hell express About the condition of those described in each verse in accordance with the reason for their entry into Hell.

In another reference to the greatness of expression in the Qur’an, Al-Khatib says that the use of “then” expresses denunciation and exclusion, as in the Almighty’s saying: “Leave me alone, and whoever I created alone, and made for him abundant wealth and sons as witnesses; then he hopes to increase.” Pointing out that when the rhythm is broken, it means transformation. To another meaning in the following verses.

Finally, Al-Khatib spoke about the variety of commas in verses, such as “Indeed, You are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, the Mighty, the Most Merciful, the Forgiving, the Most Merciful,” saying that they agree with the attribute of God that is intended to be emphasized and His wisdom in the decree that the verse stated.

Source: Al Jazeera