The linguistic meaning of salah

 

Answering Christianity - Jesus is not God

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The linguistic meaning of salah

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<><> The linguistic meaning of salah is to pray and to supplicate. The term ''al-musalli'' as a reference of the 'one that follows next after the foremost' applies only in the context of a horse in a race and only because the location of the horses ‘sallan’. (Sallan - The middle part of the back of a human being or of any quadruped)

This is well known to Arabic.

This is not the context in which the Quran uses the term. There are no horses or a race implied by the verses, nor can it be mataphorically or metonymically applied to an individual. As you will appreciate, a root meaning must never be considered devoid of context. Words have meanings in certain contexts.

The Arabic word 'Hur'

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<><> The Arabic word 'Hur' is the plural of both the word 'Ahwar' (Masculine) and 'Hawra' (Feminine). It literally translates as "white-eyed", or persons distinguished by 'Hawar', signifying the intense whiteness of the white of an eye and intense black of the pupils. ::-::Quran 44:54

“Even so (it will be). And We shall wed them to fair ones with wide, lovely eyes (Arabic: Hur'in)”

Generally, it has the significance of ‘whiteness’, ‘purity’, or ‘pure beings’. It is not ‘gender specific’ for a male. A better and correct rendering is ‘companions pure’. the ‘Houri’ are mentioned in several places in the Quran and though in plural, no specific numbers are allocated or mentioned. the term ‘Hur’ is for all companions of paradise and remains genderless. the best rendering of this term is ‘pure companions’. Both the men & women will get this ‘Hur’ in paradise in an easy language. 'Hur' are arguably not best understood in terms of earthly concepts of gender, physical attributes etc, especially when the Quran is explicit that we will be formed into a new creation (Quran 56:35-37) in a spiritual world.

‘ma malakat aymanukum’

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<><> the term ‘ma malakat aymanukum’ (Literally: What your right hands possesses) is not gender specific and as an idiomatic expression, applies to ‘those that one keeps in protection and honour’. This can include captives, slave girls, [(4:25; 4:36; 24:33)] maidens, servants (fatayatikum 4:25) etc. Please note that the ‘right hand’ has a somewhat glorified meaning in the Quran which is apparent from its usage in different contexts (e.g. those on the right hand in heaven [Quran 56:27-40]; books of one’s deeds given to the right hand etc[Quran 69:19-22, 87:7-9]). The following points must be noted with regards to 'those that your right hands possess' from the Quran.

(1) Be good to them as you are with your parents, orphans, needy, neighbours and free them if you can [Quran 4:36 ]

(2) Do no compel them to whoredom or force them [Quran 24:33 ]

(3) You can only live together with them through marriage / wedlock [Quran 4:25, 24:32]

the Arabic word 'Jinn'

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<> <> the Arabic word 'Jinn' from its root inherently implies something which remains hidden, covered or concealed from one's senses. Whereas the initial creation of man is described in terms of sounding clay (salsalin), black mud (ham'in) altered (masnun) (15:26) and thereafter, extract fluid (semen) 32:8, the Quran describes the creation of the Jinn from 'nare-sumun' (15:27) and 'mariji-min nar' (55:15). 'Sumun' (15:27) gives the reader a sense of ferocity, intensity and 'marij' (55:15) the implication of something which retains an unsteady composition, though flowing freely yet confused and somewhat impaired. In the context of fire, it is often interpreted as smokeless fire, a flame mixed with the black substance of fire, blast of hot, burning or scorching wind. • The Jinn have free will, volition and therefore subject to appropriate answerability. (7:179, 55:39, 6:128).

• They have the ability to discern truth (72:2) from falsehood (72:4) and understand that they will be judged (72:14-15).

• Each creation (humankind and jinn) has been sent its own guidance (rusulun minkum - 6:130). Therefore, there is no warrant for the understanding that human messengers were also sent for the Jinn's guidance. Although the Quran acknowledges an incident (72:1, 46:29) where the Jinn listened to (istama'a) a recitation of the Quran, this incident consisting of a mere group (nafarun 72:1) seems to be narrated as an exception rather than a rule. Certainly the Prophet had no expectation that any such creation would be privy to his recitation until he was informed after the event (uhiya ilayya - It has been revealed to me, 72:1).

• The ability of the Jinn to continue their progeny (dhurriyati - 18:50) has also been acknowledged by the Quran. Different creations (42:29) throughout the Universe can implicitly have their own manner of reproduction.

• The Jinn live and die (46:18).

• They are a separate creation from mankind (15:26-27) and the angels (34:40-41).

• There exists good and evil amongst them and they abide in divergent sects / ways (72:11).

• They have no knowledge of the future (72:10).

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