QXP Introduction – Analysis Part –I

Assalam-o-A'leykum wa rehmatullah wa barakatuhu!!
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, the Exalted, May Allah Shower his Blessings & have mercy on Muhammad, his family and his companions.

 

Now this will be an interesting analysis of what Dr. Shabbir Ahmed wrote in the Introduction of his so called Translation QXP. The paragraphs written in red are the quotes taken from the QXP. While normal text are my comments.

 

Dr. Shabbir Ahmed wrote

QXP is a Tasreef-based understanding of the Qur’an presented in contemporary English that is easy enough even for teenagers. It is not a literal translation.

Tasreef is the Qur’anic process where verses in one part of the Qur’an explain or provide deeper understanding of the verses in other parts of the Book. Concisely, it means looking at the Qur’an in its Big Picture. The Qur’an,thus, lets us look at its terms and concepts from very diverse vantage points.This is how special care has been taken to explain every verse from within the Qur’an itself.

The respected reader should expect to find “The Qur’an As It Explains Itself”different from the prevalent translations and explanations because of the use of Tasreef and the Quraish dialect, and for rejecting extrinsic sources.

Now we will analyze the two different things stated above i.e, the Tasreef & The Quraish Dialect . We will see how Dr. Shabbir Ahmed use his half baked knowledge of Ulum Al Quran (Science of Quran) to delude those who have the half of his half baked knowledge of Quran or the science of Quran.

The Arabic meaning the word Tasreef (تصريف)

Google Translation Tags: تصريف

is Discharge , there is another meaning of Tasreef and that is related to a work in Arab Medical system.

As far as Ulum Al Quran is concerned there is no mention of any such Ulum or science, not even as a technique, but there is a technique which fits to the description of Tasreef by Dr. Shabbir Ahmed , which is there both in the Books of Ulum Al Quran and Usool At Tafsir, and i.e, Tafsir of Quran by Quran. But there is absolutely no name attributed to it, in the science of Quran or its interpretation, this is something invented by Dr. Shabbir Ahmed to confused all those who are ignorant about these sciences, and even if you google the word Tasreef , you will find nothing but the references from the Ourbeacon or Notes from the so called students of Dr. Shabbir, It seems he invented a new name to a technique which was already there, existent, now coming back to over argument of Tafsir of Quran by Quran, most of the translations available or the Books of Tafsir (exegesis) do include this technique, all most all the times, where you see either annotated descriptions, or the footnotes to the indicating the references of the verses which describe the verse in more detail, or clear the context as a whole. So there is nothing new or amazing Dr. Shabbir Had done in his QXP. Nothing revolutionary, but just a garb of technical jargon to deceive the half informed and ignorant reader.

Now coming to the second so called revolutionary notion i.e the Quraish Dialect. First of All we would like to everybody that the Arabic copy of Quran that we have in our Homes is the Uthmanic Mushaf , and the specialty of Utmhanic Quran is that it is in the Quraish Dialect, as we all know that all other Mushafs or Manuscripts which are not upto the standards set by Hazrat Uthman for the final manuscript of Quran were destroyed by the ijma of All most all the companions, and the Uthmanic Mushaf is in Quraish Dialect, (since Quran was revealed in 7 Dialects of the 7 Arab tribes).

For more about the significance of Quraish Dialect please see the following Video.

 

Now coming back to the Argument, even if the Quran that we hold was not (which is in fact is) in Quraish Dialect, that would have not changed the meaning of the Quran. The Quran was revealed in 7 Dialects and 7 Modes (ahruf) to facilitate the memorization , as not all of the companions of the Prophet were not from his tribe, nor all were literate enough to learn a new dialect for learning Quran. (more information in the video above).

These 7 Dialects or even 7 modes (in which synonyms of the words are used such as Salat ul Asr in Mushaf of ibn Masud instead of Salat ul Wusta in Uthmanic Mushaf) these 7 Dialects or 7 Modes do not represent the 7 meanings or 7 Aspects of the Quran. The Meaning is one, and it is preserved as per the promise of Allah in (Al-Hijr: 9), to understand more about Quran Dialects or Style, watch the below videos, although these are not the 7 Dialects but the ways or styles of recitation or Qiraat but give the enough understanding on what a Dialect means,

Al Fatiha in ten different recitations

 

Surah Al-Ikhlas in ten different recitations

The Video includes some of the Dialects also as transmitted by the Mutawatir chain of Narrators,

Notice the difference in recitation of words like Zirat al Mustaqim Instead of Sirat al Mustaqeem or Alyehumo instead of Aleyhuim.

It does not affect the meaning of the Quran.

 

Note: The different ways of Recitation includes both the 7 Dialects and 7 Modes (notice Malik e youm uddin  instead of Maalik e youm uddin ) , that is why the recitation are more than 7 (counted upto 14 by scholars) , all these are transmitted through the chain of Mutawatir Narrators Just like the Quraich Dialect or Uthmanic Quran.

Another confusing aspect which Dr. Shabbir use to deceive people is to write the word Lughat in braces after the word Dialect, people may confuse the Word Lughat to the Dictionary (which contain several meaning) , but the word Lughat in Arabic means Dialect while in Urdu it means a Dictionary.

He further try to confuse the reader in order to justify the notion of Quraish Dialect as something very new and revolutionary by Quoting the Verse 81:19 by doing the so called Tasreef from verses 44:58 & 69:40, I am Quoting the Arabic text & translation of all the three verses , you will never find the word lughat mentioned therin.

Indeed, this is the revealed Word in the dialect of a noble Messenger. (81:19 QXP)

81:19

إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ

[That] indeed, the Qur'an is a word [conveyed by] a noble messenger

44:58

فَإِنَّمَا يَسَّرْنَاهُ بِلِسَانِكَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ

And indeed, We have eased the Qur'an in your tongue that they might be reminded.

69:40

إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ

[That] indeed, the Qur'an is the word of a noble Messenger.

Now also see how Dr. Shabbir Had translated this verse 69:40 in QXP

Certainly, this is the utterance of a noble Messenger. [The Revelation is uttered through his tongue] (69:40 QXP)

Same Arabic text for both 81:19 & 69:40 but two different translation. For what ?? Just to undescore to his false notion of Tasreef.

May Allah save us all from the Deception of Devil.

Ameen

Exposing Dr. Shabbir Ahmed – Part I

Assalam-o-A'leykum wa rehmatullah wa barakatuhu!!
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, the Exalted, May Allah have Mercy on Muhammad, his family and his companions.

This is my first Refutation of the false claims by the so called Scholar and Hadith Rejector Dr. Shabbir Ahmed. First have a Look on the Below Video

Here in the Video Dr. Shabbir Ahmed Quoted One Surah of Quran , Surah Fil or Chapter Elephant. Let me Quote first the Surah from his Translation of Quran QXP

Are you not aware of how your Lord dealt with the Army of the Elephant?

Did He not bring their strategy to utter failure? And sent upon them swarms of flying creatures.

Then you showered them with hard stones earmarked with requital. [Sijjeel = Inscribed = Marked out] And made them like a field of grain eaten down to stubble. 

(QXP -105: 1-5)

Please Note the Colored Sections.

Now I can Provide you with more than 10 Translations , including from western Scholars (who are more unbiased according to you) but none of them translated the Verse 4 as Dr. Shabbir Ahmad Translated. Lets see what Other translations are of the verse number 4.

Yusuf Ali : Striking them with stones of baked clay.

Sahi International: Striking them with stones of hard clay,

Literal (Ahmad Ali & Samira) : It throws them with stones from dry and hardened mud .

John Arberry : hurling against them stones of baked clay

Daryabadi : They hurled upon them stones of baked clay;

Muhsin Khan: Striking them with stones of Sijjil.

Pickthall : Which pelted them with stones of baked clay,

Shakir : Casting against them stones of baked clay,

Ali Unal : Shooting them with bullet-like stones of baked clay (an emblem of the punishment due to them),

 

Now if you read the verse 4 in continuation with Verse 3 in all the above translations it will only mean that It was the birds who hurled the people of Elephants with stones rather than the Meccans itself as claimed by Dr. Shabbir Ahmad. Now even if we agree with Dr. Shabbir for the sake of Argument that it was Meccan who pelted the people of Elephants with stones, then please analyze this ,

Lets read what Dr. Shabbir wrote in the Introduction of the Surah Al-Fil

"As Abrahah’s army approached Makkah, the Makkans who had been alerted by some travelers beforehand, saw flocks of birds that normally fly over caravans in search for food. The Makkans mounted the hills around and threw stones on the troops. The elephants, and in turn, other rides panicked and trampled the soldiers."

Read the Bold and underlined part clearly, what Dr. Shabbir claims, according to him the birds normally fly over caravans in search of food. (This is also in the video). Mark these words carefully. "Normally" . hmmmm.... so if Flocks of Bird normally fly over the Caravans for the search of Food. Then Why Allah taking the Credit on himself in the First Verse of Surah Fil.

Are you not aware of how your Lord dealt with the Army of the Elephant? (QXP : 105:1)

So According to Mr. Shabbir Ahmed, flying of birds over Caravans is a Normal Phenomena and the stones were pelted by Meccans and Not by Birds (by the commandment of Allah). My Question is why Allah(S.W.T) narrating this story in the Quran, if he had no role in it ??? Why he said "how your lord dealt with the Army of Elephant"  If It was a normal phenomena according to Dr. Shabbir !! There millions of Normal things that would had happened in those days, then why Allah chosed to narrate a story which is as normal as other stories. Dr. Shabbir is doing nothing but playing with the verses of Quran according to his whims and desires, let him know what Allah say about such people who play with the word of Allah.

So woe to those who write the "scripture" with their own hands, then say, "This is from Allah ," in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn. (Al-Baqrah:79)

Now come to the Interesting foot note written by Dr. Shabbir Ahmed and as explained in the above Video too.

He wrote " An interesting footnote here might be appropriate. Three Arabs had guided Abrahah on his way to Makkah through the desert. The pre-Islamic Makkans humiliated the traitors and made out three statutes of them in today’s plains of Mina outside Makkah. Then they used to stone those statues every year at the time of Pilgrimage. This ritual was ‘Islamized’ by Muslim historians naming them as three places where the ‘Satan’ tried to prompt Prophet Abraham to defy God’s Command to ’sacrifice’ his son. And so, to this day during Pilgrimage, Muslims stone the three pillars calling them the Great, the Medium, and the Small Satan!"

First of All, Dr. Shabbir Ahmed Quotes very fluently from the Historical sources to support his argument which have no authenticity at all, Even Tabari in his history wrote a Disclaimer , that he narrated as it was narrated to him and he had not verified anything based on the principles of Hadith Science and Authentication process, So the thing to note is that, Dr. Shabbir Deny all the Ahadith which are autheticated by a large number of Scholars but he accept all the obscure history with no hesitation at all. or he create his history from himself. No Reference nothing, at all

Secondly he claims that Its a biblical story that Ishmael (in fact it was Isaac in the Bible) was replaced by a ram when Abraham(A.S) tried to sacrifice his only son Ishmael. But Quranically it was only a greater sacrifice, (As written in verse (As-Saaffaat: 107)) which is nothing but Abraham(A.S) leaving the seat of Chief Priest in the Temple of Namrood.

How stupid and ridiculous, even a child can debunk this stupid claim, And even a first time reader of the Quran can deduce from the Quran that, Incident of Abraham(A.S) leaving his father was an incident before the birth of Ishmael(A.S), because he was born to him in his very old age. Then how come a great sacrifice can occur before the alleged intended slaughtering of Ishmael(A.S) ??? I Ask How ???

Read As-Saaffaat Chapter 37 Verse 101-107 & (At-Tawba: 114),  (Az-Zukhruf: 26), (Maryam: 46), (Al-An'aam: 74), (Al-Mumtahana: 4)

Also the so called self styled scholar Dr. Shabbir Claimed that the age old practice of Animal Sacrifice has no Quranic basis and is added by later Imams, and it was nothing but a pre-islamic practice. And we are slaughtering the innocent animals in vain from past 14 to 13 Centuries. What should I say but to laugh at the Quranic Knowledge of Dr. Shabbir. If he had read the Quran carefully he must had not said it.

Allah says in Quran

For you the animals marked for sacrifice are benefits for a specified term; then their place of sacrifice is at the ancient House. (Al-Hajj: 33)

See how Dr. Shabbir played with this Verse in his own translation but even then he cannot fully disguise what is written in Arabic

"(Procuring livestock during Hajj is a symbol of devotion to God.) In them are benefits for you for a term appointed. (They carry you and your loads.) In the end, their place for sacrifice or donation is near the Ancient House. [The plains of Mina, and not Ka’bah] (QXP)

So much of inserting his own explanations in the Brackets, but he actually messed up all. read the above verse carefully , I can again quote numbers of translations but in no translation you can find such a stupid interpretation. Read specially the word sacrifice which he tried to normalize with another interpolation ‘Donation’.  May Allah curse the liar. who play with the word of Allah. I can challenge that such a translation is alien even in the Russian or Zulu translation of Quran.

But the Sacrifice of Animals is also their in Surah Al- Baqrah

And complete the Hajj and 'umrah for Allah . But if you are prevented, then [offer] what can be obtained with ease of sacrificial animals. And do not shave your heads until the sacrificial animal has reached its place of slaughter. And whoever among you is ill or has an ailment of the head [making shaving necessary must offer] a ransom of fasting [three days] or charity or sacrifice. And when you are secure, then whoever performs 'umrah [during the Hajj months] followed by Hajj [offers] what can be obtained with ease of sacrificial animals. And whoever cannot find [or afford such an animal] - then a fast of three days during Hajj and of seven when you have returned [home]. Those are ten complete [days]. This is for those whose family is not in the area of al-Masjid al-Haram. And fear Allah and know that Allah is severe in penalty. (Al-Baqara: 196)

Ha!! Now I wonder how Dr. Shabbir had done his hajj ritual (if he had done so) in his days spent in Saudi Arabia.

See how he played shamelessly with the word of Allah.

"(Peace cannot defend itself. Mankind have to guard it.) Therefore, observe the Hajj and ‘Umrah Convention for God. If you are stranded, send in gifts that the congregation would utilize. Do not consider that by doing so you have relieved yourself of duty. Be with them at heart until the gifts have reached their destination. If someone is sick or has other compelling burdens denying him sending any contribution, then Abstinence for a few days at convenience, or an act of charity or fulfilling someone’s need shall be in order. If a person is present at the Convention but cannot afford to contribute, he should exercise Abstinence for a total number of ten days, three days there and seven days after coming home. This is for him whose folk do not live in the vicinity of the Convention. Be mindful of God, remembering the noble objective. And know that God (His Law) is Strict in grasping. " (QXP)

And even if you paste these verses in Google translation it will translate it as Sacrifice and sacrificial Animals

This is what I obtained from google translation which is filled with Errors because its a Machine translation rather than the Human one.

"And completed the Hajj and Umrah Ohsrtm God the sacrifice of what Astisr not milling your heads until the sacrifice was replaced by one of you is ill or harmed by the head of the person in fasting, charity or rituals, if you believe it is the enjoyment of Umrah pilgrimage to what it is, the sacrificial animal Astisr not find a fast for three days during Hajj and seven if you go the full ten that those who were not family Attendees Sacred Mosque, and fear Allah and know that Allah is severe in punishment"

(google machine translation)

But please not, it translated Sacrificial Animals as Sacrificial Animal only.

May Allah save us from the Deception of Liars and those who ascribe false words to Allah according to their own whims and desires.

Ameen