One would think that peacefulness doesn't need an introduction. Under ideal circumstances people who read the title would anticipate most, if not all, of what will come next just from the title. Unfortunately, the evident lack of peacefulness amongst humankind may require at least a brief introduction.
Those who will read the title and anticipate what I am talking about will recognize that this is about understanding the meaning of the word "islam". The conclusion is in the title. This article will explain how this conclusion was reached and will explore some astonishing implications.
REVISITING THE NAME
22:78. And strive for the god his true striving. He has brought you and has made no hardship on you in the obligation, the creed of your father Ibrahim. He (the god) named you the peaceful ("al-muslimeen") before and in this, so that the messenger will be a witness against you and you will be witnesses against the people. Thus, persist in the learning connection and bring betterment and hold to the god. He is your protector, a most excellent protector and most excellent supporter.
Proper names are not translated. Hence, names such as Ibrahim/Abraham, Ismail/Ishmael Is7ac/Isaac and Maryam/Mary are similar in Hebrew, English and Arabic with some phonetic variations and cross-language mispronunciation. For example, Ibrahim is a proper name and hence in the great reading it is not translated into Arabic from what it meant in Canaanite, Old Akkadian or whatever ancient language Abraham spoke.
On the other hand, let's think about the word "al-muslimeen" in 22:78 for a minute. Were Abraham's followers named what would have been at their time a gibberish word from a future language that wasn't even invented yet? Of course not!
Proposing that "al-muslimeen" in 22:78 is a proper name is no different than proposing that 1400 years ago the followers of the prophet were actually called "The Submitters" long before Modern English was invented. Saying "The Submitters" to Arabs 1400 years ago or "Al Muslimeen" to Ibrahim's followers a few thousand years earlier would have sounded just as gibberish as saying "Qasdhwdkfvwdhcv" to people reading this article. It will still be gibberish to the readers even if thousands of years from now some yet to be invented language will have "qasdhwdkfvwdhcv" as a meaningful word. So definitely "al-muslimeen" is a common noun and thus should be translated.
The next question becomes what should the common noun "al-muslimeen" be translated as?
The word "al-muslimeen", when translated, is most commonly translated as "the submitters". In fact, a new sect named The Submitters has sprung and in their case the word reverted to becoming a proper name. But is "the submitters" the right translation for "al-muslimeen"? Rightly so, several thoughtful people have pointed out that the terms "submitter/submission" sound incomplete. In other words, the natural question that arises when one says "submitter/submission" is submitter/submission to what?
Since, "'al-muslimeen" is a common noun and there is no further explanation for the "to what?" given in 22:78, my first thought was that if a better translation is to be found, it must be a self contained word that doesn't require further explanation.
As usual, the next step for the study was to examine all the passages where the Arabic root "slm" and its derivatives occur to see the common thread that runs across most of the occurrences. In many of the passages, the meaning of "peace" seems to be prevalent. For example, 47:35, 8:61, 4:90-91, 4:92, 4:94, 5:16, 6:54, 6:127, 7:46, 8:61, 10:10, 10:25, 11:48, 11:69, 13:24, 14:23, 15:46, 15:52, 16:28, 16:32, 16:87, 19:15, 19:33, 19:47, 19:62, 20:47, 21:69, 25:63, 25:75, 27:59, 28:55, 36:58, 37:79, 37:109, 37:120, 37:130, 37:181, 39:73, 43:89, 50:34, 51:25, 56:26, 56:91, 59:23, 97:5.
It can be noticed right away that the same exact form "silm" is used in passages such as 2:208, 8:61, 16:87 and 47:35. However, all translators translated the same exact form in two completely different ways in those passages. In some instances it was translated as "submission" and in others it was translated as "peace". For example, let's consider 2:208 and 47:35.
002.208
YUSUFALI: O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of the evil one; for he is to you an avowed enemy.
PICKTHAL: O ye who believe! Come, all of you, into submission (unto Him) ; and follow not the footsteps of the devil. Lo! he is an open enemy for you.
SHAKIR: O you who believe! enter into submission one and all and do not follow the footsteps of Shaitan; surely he is your open enemy.
KHALIFA: O you who believe, you shall embrace total submission; do not follow the steps of Satan, for he is your most ardent enemy.
047.035
YUSUFALI: Be not weary and faint-hearted, crying for peace, when ye should be uppermost: for Allah is with you, and will never put you in loss for your (good) deeds.
PICKTHAL: So do not falter and cry out for peace when ye (will be) the uppermost, and Allah is with you, and He will not grudge (the reward of) your actions.
SHAKIR: And be not slack so as to cry for peace and you have the upper hand, and Allah is with you, and He will not bring your deeds to naught.
KHALIFA: Therefore, you shall not waver and surrender in pursuit of peace, for you are guaranteed victory, and GOD is with you. He will never waste your efforts.
Unlike "submission" which wouldn't fit in 47:35 or 8:61, "peace/peacefulness" fits well in all those passages. Hence, passages such as 2:208 and 16:87 make good sense when substituting "peace/peacefulness" in the translations. For example, here is 2:208:
002.208
YUSUFALI: O ye who believe! Enter into peacefulness whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of the evil one; for he is to you an avowed enemy.
PICKTHAL: O ye who believe! Come, all of you, into peacefulness; and follow not the footsteps of the devil. Lo! he is an open enemy for you.
SHAKIR: O you who believe! enter into peacefulness one and all and do not follow the footsteps of Shaitan; surely he is your open enemy.
KHALIFA: O you who believe, you shall embrace peacefulness; do not follow the steps of Satan, for he is your most ardent enemy.
If "islam" means peacefulness and "muslim" means peaceful or peacemaker then what are the implications? Why is the concept of peacefulness so important?
THE PREVALENCE OF PEACEFULNESS
In order to understand how the concept of peacefulness is prevalent throughout the great reading, even when not mentioned, let's take an example.
6:165. And He is the one who made you leaders of the earth and raised in grades some of you over others, to test you in what He gave you, indeed your Lord is swift in punishment and indeed He is forgiving and merciful.
35:39. He is the one who made you leaders of the earth, so whoever is ungrateful, on him is his ungratefulness. The ungratefulness of the unappreciative doesn't increase anything at their Lord except abhorrence and the ungratefulness of the unappreciative doesn't increase them anything except loss.
2:30. And when your Lord said to the controllers: "I am making in the earth a leader". They said: "Do you make in it one who corrupts in it and sheds the bloods, while we exalt with your praise and sanctify for You?" He said: "I know what you don't know."
With the understanding that "islam" means peacefulness, we can now see that since the very beginning, it was always about peacefulness. We can see that in 2:30, the general lack of peacefulness on the part of humans as foreseen by the controllers was the cause of their objection to making humans leaders of the earth.
With this understanding, let's reexamine 22:78. The clear signs were in it all along:
22:78. And strive for the god his true striving. He has brought you and has made no hardship on you in the obligation, the creed of your father Ibrahim. He (the god) named you the peaceful ("al-muslimeen") before and in this, so that the messenger will be a witness against you and you will be witnesses against humankind. Thus, persist in the learning connection and bring betterment and hold to the god. He is your protector, a most excellent protector and most excellent supporter.
We are told that the reason for naming us "the peaceful" is two fold:
1. The messenger will be a witness against us.
2. We will be a witness against humankind.
The definition of a witness can be summed up as one who testifies the truth in the case of a dispute. We know from the great reading that the messenger and the message are practically synonymous. What is the issue in dispute and how is the message a witness against us?
The issue in disputation is mentioned right at the beginning of the passage. By saying "true striving for the god", it is implicit in that statement that there is false striving for the god.
The message of the passage is us being named "the peaceful" by the god. This message will be a witness against us in the dispute of what constitutes true striving ("jihad") for the god as opposed to false striving ("jihad") for the god. Thus, we cannot corrupt and cause destruction in the earth and shed the bloods as the controllers foresaw in 2:30 and claim that we are doing it because we are striving for the god. By describing us as the peaceful in the god's message, it will be a witness against us. Similarly by being the peaceful, we will be witnesses against those who do not strive for the god the true striving and instead corrupt in the earth and shed the bloods while claiming to strive for the god.
Another interesting passage that can now be better understood is 37:103.
037.103
YUSUFALI: So when they had both submitted their wills (to Allah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (for sacrifice),
PICKTHAL: Then, when they had both surrendered (to Allah), and he had flung him down upon his face,
SHAKIR: So when they both submitted and he threw him down upon his forehead,
KHALIFA: They both submitted, and he put his forehead down (to sacrifice him).
Notice that Yusufali and Pickthal had to insert "to Allah" to have the passage make sense because "submitted" by itself is incomplete. An important word in the passage is the verb "tal". Here are what Classical Arabic dictionaries say about this word:
تَلَّ الشَّيْءَ في يَدِهِ" : وَضَعَهُ، دَفَعَهُ إِلَيْهِ
Translation: "tal" something in his hand: Place it on the hand or push/pull it to him.
For example, if I say ""tal" the object to me", this would mean I pushed/pulled the object to me.
So "tal" to my forehead: Place it against my forehead or pushed/pulled it to my forehead.
Now let's retranslate the passage with the new understanding about the meaning of "aslam":
37:103. So when they became peaceful and he (Ibrahim) pulled him (his son) to his (Ibrahim's) forehead.
Is having a knife and getting ready to slaughter someone and throwing him down "becoming peaceful"? Does the above passage give the image of someone with a knife who is pushing another person and is about to slaughter him? Of course not and a knife is not even mentioned!
Now with this improved translation, we can see that the passage actually gives the image of Ibrahim and his son becoming peaceful and Ibrahim lovingly hugging his son. This is an example of the application of 22:78. Ibrahim strives for the god the true striving by doing the peaceful thing even after believing that the dream was an order from the god.
Many evils in the world and lots of wars and destruction have taken place in the name of striving for the god. This goes against our most basic purpose to serve the god by being good leaders of the earth and not corrupting in it and shedding blood. With a single word, the god's message stands as an irrefutable witness against those who cause wars and destruction while claiming to strive for the god.
This is why in the great reading fighting is only prescribed in self-defense. Fighting is never prescribed to spread religion or conquer others. Our "deen"/obligation to the god is "islam"/peacefulness. This is what those who had faith are told in passages such as 2:193 and 8:39.
2:193. And fight them until there is no more persecution and the obligation is to the god (i.e. peacefulness is established), so if they desist, there should be no aggression except against the aggressors.
There are many implications to understanding "islam" as peacefulness. Now many things fall into place. Now we can see a behavior as trivial as calling each other bad names is strongly condemned in the great reading and made almost as important as having faith. It is because such behavior doesn't promote peacefulness between people.
049.011
YUSUFALI: O ye who believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others: It may be that the (latter) are better than the (former): Nor let some women laugh at others: It may be that the (latter are better than the (former): Nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other, nor call each other by (offensive) nicknames: Ill-seeming is a name connoting wickedness, (to be used of one) after he has believed: And those who do not desist are (indeed) doing wrong.
PICKTHAL: O ye who believe! Let not a folk deride a folk who may be better than they (are), not let women (deride) women who may be better than they are; neither defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. Bad is the name of lewdness after faith. And whoso turneth not in repentance, such are evil-doers.
SHAKIR: O you who believe! let not (one) people laugh at (another) people perchance they may be better than they, nor let women (laugh) at (other) women, perchance they may be better than they; and do not find fault with your own people nor call one another by nicknames; evil is a bad name after faith, and whoever does not turn, these it is that are the unjust.
KHALIFA: O you who believe, no people shall ridicule other people, for they may be better than they. Nor shall any women ridicule other women, for they may be better than they. Nor shall you mock one another, or make fun of your names. Evil indeed is the reversion to wickedness after attaining faith. Anyone who does not repent after this, these are the transgressors.
It is all about peacefulness as clear from 2:132 and 3:102.
2.132. And this was the legacy that Abraham left to his sons, and so did Jacob; "Oh my sons! The god has chosen the obligation for you, so do not die except while you are peaceful."
Peace upon everyone who follows the guidance.
CONCLUSION
In the international media we increasingly hear many untranslated Arabic words. Examples include words such as Islam, Muslims, Islamist, Jihad, Alqaida, etc... By taking such words as proper names or meaningless labels, those who spread corruption in the earth have been able to attach whatever meanings they want to those words. Both Arabic and non-Arabic speakers have been deceived by such tactics.
For example, when the word Jihad is mentioned, the first image that is evoked in the minds of the majority of Arabic and non-Arabic speakers is that of a religious holy war. This meaning has taken hold despite the fact that all Arabic dictionaries say that the word "jihad" simply means "striving". Of course, "striving" is a positive word that doesn't carry violent connotations in the minds of the audience. Being Arabic speakers has not helped people avoid this trap because the proper name blocks the true meaning of a word even in Arabic.
As we have seen, by transforming a word into a proper name, a new meaning has been attached to a neutral or positive word. This phenomenon has worked both ways and thus we also see Arabic words with a negative meaning being used as proper names whose inventors have intended as positive.
For example, ironically the opposite of those who strive ("al-mujahidun") in the great reading is the idle ("al-qaidun") according to passages such as 4:95. Those who lied to the god and his messenger are said to have been idle ("qaid") in 9:90. Generally the word "qaid" in the great reading has the meaning of "stop/idle/hinder". Thus, the "qawaid" are what stops a building from falling (2:127, 16:26) and "qawaid" are also women who stopped desiring marriage (24:60). We also hear about the descendents of Israel who disobeyed Moses as being idle ("qaidun") in 5:24. Even the devil himself is described as hindering ("qaid") humans from the straight path of the god (7:16). In Arabic, the feminine form has the same meaning as the masculine form but adds intensification. So in the context of striving, "al-qaida" actually is the opposite of the true striving and it means "the intensely idle/the intensely hindering".
Whoever chose the name Alqaida for an outfit that we often hear about on the news as a symbol of "extreme Islamic Jihad", must be completely clueless about the great reading and Classical Arabic. Whoever chose that name was certainly hopelessly ignorant of the connotation of the word in the great reading and the fact that it actually means the opposite of striving ("jihad"). Indeed, they scheme and scheme but the god is the best schemer. The god's message continues to be a witness against those who claim to strive for the god in order to commit corruption in the earth.
How do we strive for the god his true striving? The answer is given in 22:78:
22:78. And strive for the god his true striving. He has brought you and has made no hardship on you in the obligation, the creed of your father Ibrahim. He (the god) named you the peaceful ("al-muslimeen") before and in this, so that the messenger will be a witness against you and you will be witnesses against humankind. Thus, persist in the learning connection and bring betterment and hold to the god. He is your protector, a most excellent protector and most excellent supporter.
We strive for the god his true striving by continuing to learn and teach others about his message, bringing betterment as opposed to corruption in the earth, and holding on to him.
This is not really a conclusion but is a humble step forward in a long journey. It is a step for restoring the true meaning of the striving for the god. We can start by teaching people about the real meaning that was blocked by the proper names. When such barriers are removed, the world will be a better place. Suddenly, "extreme peaceful striving" doesn't sound so bad.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER:
2:2. This is the book no doubt in it, a guidance for the forethoughtful.
This article reflects my personal interpretation of the passages of the great reading as of November 19, 2006. I will try to improve my understanding of the great reading and the universe, except if the god wills and perhaps my lord guides me to what is nearer in rationality. Please verify all information within for yourself as commanded in 17:36, and remember that simply "none" is the forethoughtful answer to 45:6. If the god willed, the outcome of this article will be beneficial.
By Ayman (drayman@fast-email.com)
