Words: Wounds or Wonder

By: Sharmeen Ilyas

Do you remember the pain if someone hits you or strike you even in your childhood or do you have shattered memories of those words which have pierced your soul and somewhere lingering in your memory and from time to time their echoes are clearly loud and clear in your lost lane of memory. The thunder and roar of those words often peek from the cracks and chambers of past. Sometimes, words just not remain words but their prickness always seems to be fresh .The wounds from the harsh words never get healed. On the other hand the world of words can do wonders. Very often, the word power can conquer the whole world. It can shake the strongest soul and it can create a cosmic chaos in a conscious world. Why only words just combination of some letters can be so powerful and pounding. Yes the ability of words and expression is not a child’s play. Certainly, it does wonder. As the importance of expressing oneself through speech or writing can’t be underestimated. As in Surah Rahman Allah mentions the importance of ’bayaan’ .

Chapter (55) sūrat l-raḥmān (The Most Gracious)

The Most Merciful

Taught the Qur’an

Created man

He has taught him speech (and intelligence).
The above verse indicates how Allah created Man and then taught Quran and then taught him to express. Therefore, after the creation of mankind, Allah laid out the plan, the blue print for our guidance beautifully explained by Nasir Jhangda in his tafsir of Surah Rahman and then creation of mankind is mentioned. Another marvel was bestowing him the gift of expression, the ability to explain which should not be taken as granted. Moreover, this gift has been mentioned after the dignified blessing of Quran has been mentioned. Consequently, one can imagine how important this gift of expression is. We can’t reach the peak of humanity if we don’t learn Quran and then explain it to others. Furthermore, we have to explain it to others in any way of expression: expression from your actions, from your writings, from your art , from your gestures from your language or any style of presentation. Sadly but truly, how we use this gift along with the gift of Quran, how we belittle the honor of this Ni’maa. Additionally, how we use this faculty which is mentioned after mentioning the Quran. Therefore, there has to be a relation between Quran and the quality of Bayaan. No wonder the first thing to utter , the first words we should say is Alhumdulillah, all praise to Allah and these words are the beginning of Quran in Surah Fatiha. No doubt, the importance to utter or to speak is not a small thing, it is to remember Allah, it is to speak the words of Allah , words of your Lord, your creator, your planner, your sustainer and then when you absorb it well then explain it to others. Without explaining it to others we won’t be able to fulfill the right of Quran and the ability of Bayaan.The word ‘Bayaan’ also has immense depth in it, it doesn’t say speak, it says Bayaaan which means eloquent speech and ability to express oneself. The dynamics between the words are highly inpressive and thought provoking.

If I give you the four words:

REHMAAN, QURAN, INSAAN, BAYAAN.

What relationship one can draw from the above. How would you connect the above four? Surely, it shows first Allah is Merciful. it is due to His mercy that he taught Quran ,the plan for the creation, then the creation, Insaan, then the purpose of the creation thereby smoothing the path between the speech of Lord and speech of a mankind. The relation is crystal clear. Allah has given Quran to Insaan to bayaan, to express oneself clearly not just to speak but to explain in any form, speak or write.

Therefore, after teaching Quran to Prophet Muhammad and then to us, it should be explained eloquently to others and that should be the prime focus of our speech. The tongue and the ability to speech is the ni’mah and every ni’mah comes with responsibility. Therefore, we have to use this nimah in the path of our creator. But let’s be honest and examine ourselves. Let’s take a sneak preview of what we say in our everyday routine conversation. Honestly, how many words of Quran or message of this divine book has been uttered from our tongue, how many times we praise Allah, we glorify it and convey His message to others. On the contrary, how much gossiping, chattering and cackling we do throughout the day. Ahh, the Most Merciful, the Rehmaan created us and taught His Noble Book and then taught us the ability to express and explain but it is generously wasted and manipulated by us. We don’t realize the importance and worth of our words. We randomly say things we never think of and we never think after we say something. How unfortunate we are to undermine the importance of this bounty and being playful and neglectful with it.
The reason is nothing again but to be heedless of this message, His book. Once we understand the message profoundly, we’ll never be negligent. Not only that, in Surah Qaaf Allah mentions how cautious one has to be in speech while making the best out of this blessing.

Chapter (50) sūrat qāf

Sahih International: Man does not utter any word except that with him is an observer prepared [to record].

Everything is recorded but we are still unmindful. The ability to speak is a gift but with every gift, there is a payback. One has to be very careful of what we say as every single word is noted down, it is recorded. Even the hadith explain the same dilemma.
Abu Huraira (RA) narrated: The Prophet(S.A.W) said, “A slave (of Allah) may utter a word which pleases Allah without giving it much importance and due to that Allah will raise him to degrees. A slave (of Allah) may utter a word which displeases Allah without thinking of its gravity and due to that he will be thrown into the Hell fire.”(Narrated by Bukhari).
Similarly, in other narration terrors of useless speech has been emphasized in these words:

Abu Thaalbah Al-Khushani (RA) narrrated: Allah’s Messenger (S.A.W) said, “The dearest to me among you and nearest to me (on the Day of Standing) will be one who is the best of you in conduct; and the one who is most disliked by me among you and furthest from me (on the Day of Standing) will be those who are worst of you in conduct, those who talk with pretence, the boastful, the talkative.”

Finally, our Lord’s bounties are countless yet the consequences should be calculated. The quality of bayaan should be used wisely to realize the right of a Creator otherwise one can return to ‘Asfala Safileen’ اسفل سافلىىن instead of gaining the state of احسن تقوىم ‘Ahsana Taqweem’. If we want to maintian the status of Ashraf ul Makhlooqaat, the supreme being, then the creation has to spread the speech of the Creator through the quality of bayaan given to us by the Creator.

Poem in Urdu

sikhaya jis hasti nay tuj ko parhna parhana

usi kay kalam ko hai tujh ko logo tak phuchana

jis nay tujh ko quran ki nai’mat say nawaza

us hasti ko tu nay ab tak kiyo na jaana

chahta hai agar tu us ni ‘mat kaa haq ada karna

to bas is kitab kay zarya hai har aik ko jagaana

har dil har dharkan har nafs ka yahi rahay tarana

kay sirf teri zaat, teri hasti, teri raza ko hai paana

agar tu nay yeh paay liya to sab kuch hai paaya

agar ye naa paaya to kuch bhi nahi hai paaya

سکھایا جس ھستی نے تجھ کو پڑھنا پڑھانا
اسی کے کلام کو ہے تجھ کو آگے پہچانا
جس نے تجھ کو ہے قران کی نعمت سے نوازا
اسی ہستی کو تو نے اب تک نہ جانا
چاہتا ہے اگر تو اس نعمت کا حق ادا کرنا
تو بس اس کتاب کے ذریعے ہے ہر اک کو جگانا
ہر دل ہر دھرکن ہر نفس کا یہی رہے ترانہ
کہ صرف تیری ذات، تیری ہستی،تیری رضا کو ہے پانا
اگر تو نے یہ پالیا تو سب کچھ ہے پایا
اگر یہ نہ پایا تو کچھ بھی نہیں ہے پایا

Tagged: Guest Authors, Spirituality