Defensive

I met a local lady the other day. She told me that she has visited Msia (along with the mass exodus or arabs who come and visit Msia). And then she told me that she is sad with the Msians.

Err I asked why. Because, she said the msians can really read the Quran very well but they do not understand a thing they read.

Hmmm. OK I know this fact already because I am one of the statistics.

Well first of all it is the different culture. We just are not born speaking in arabic. It requires one to actually learn it. And really there are quite a large number of us who can not only recite but also understand the language and on top of that write and speak it too. Too bad you didn't meet these people in the mall or in genting or langkawi.

Also most of us use the translation and read the tafsir book to understand the quran. We may not be able to speak the language, but it does not mean we do not understand anything from the quran. And many people attend tafsir class for deeper understanding.

But i didn't say this to her lah.

I did tell her what I have written in this blog though. I told her first of all praises to Allah that my husband come here to work so I have the opportunity to learn the language. Then she said, perhaps mixing with the society helps you.

Heh heh I said. Actually not so much. It helps that my teacher is an arab so she can point out the way I pronounce a letter. But the society is not of much help.

First of all, the local ladies don't really speak to the foreigners. Perhaps there are a lucky few. But otherwise they just don't speak to us. Nor even smile at us. Especially if you are an asian whose facial feature is very similar to her helper.

And if we do meet some arab, most of them want to practise their English anyway. But mostly are men.

Or if we try to shuay shuay speak arabic, they think our arabic is funny because we sound ancient or we sound like a newscaster. No one speaks the Fus-ha yaani the quranic arabic.

Of course we can try to speak arab to the guy in the souq when we shop. But they actually speak the worse arabic. Sometimes mixing arabic with their own language. No arab work in the souq nowadays. Mostly are the indians or the bangladeshis or pinoys.

None of this helps you with the understanding of the quran.

So i was just a bit defensive. Even though, sadly i know she is right. But making a general remark about us I feel is unfair.

Ya ka unfair? Hmm..

Anyway, days later while I was chatting with my friend, I was suddenly reminded of this verse in Al baqarah 2:78

وَمِنۡہُمۡ أُمِّيُّونَ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ إِلَّآ أَمَانِىَّ وَإِنۡ هُمۡ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ (٧٨)

Among them (the Jews) are unlettered folk who know not the Scripture except trusting from desires. They but guess.

ummiyeen - unlettered folk (buta huruf).

Not just unlettered but also common people and those not from people of knowledge.

This verse is actually describing about some of the Children of Israel who can only read the tawrah but do not know what it means. They are only following presumptions and blind following the scholars.

Let us not be one of them.

---

Just some suggestions.

I found this link that Insya Allah may help us understand the translation of the quranic words. As Quran are highly repetitive, if we are disciplined enough, Insya Allah we can learn more Quranic words.

Go to this link. UNDERSTAND QURAN. Check out the courses they offer. Can start with the kids one if you wish. They are free by the way. Barakallahufikum to them.

Of course just knowing the meaning of the words are not enough. Accompany ourselves with good tafsir books. I am using Ibn Kathir. It can also be accessed HERE.

May Allah make it easy for us.