Was the Quran sent to the Arab Peninsula only? Or is it universal?
There are some claims stating that Quran which is the word of Allah was sent just to the Arab peninsula and it is a book that concerns and encumbers the Arabs only …
The owners of this claim which is absolutely out of logic and good intention cite the 7th verse of Shurah Surah and 92nd verse of Enam Surah. In the traditional and wrong interpretations of these verses it is stated that Quran was sent to just Mecca and its surrounding and this is a serious mistake. When we analyze the Arabic original text of these verses we see that the word Mecca is included in the interpretations although it is not mentioned in the text and Quran which is a universal book is tried to be limited by a specific piece of land.
1).Let us check Sgurah 7 first…
Ve kezâlike evhaynâ ileyke kur’ânen arabiyyen li tunzire ummel kurâ ve men havlehâ ve tunzire yevmel cem’i lâ reybe fîh(fîhi), ferîkun fîl cenneti ve ferîkun fîs saîr(saîri).
- ve kezâlike : by this way, thus
- evhaynâ : we inspired
- ileyke : to you
- kur’ânen : Quran
- arabiyyen : Arabic
- li tunzire : so you warn
- umme el kurâ : mother of the cities
- ve men : and those
- havle-hâ : around it
- ve tunzire : and you warn
- yevme el cem’i : day of assembly
- lâ reybe : no doubt
- fî-hi : about it
- ferîkun : a group
- fî el cenneti : in heaven
- ve ferîkun : and a group
- fî es saîri : in the fire, hell
In the traditional interpretations the term ‘’umme el kura’’ is given the meaning of Mecca and its surrounding thus the meaning of the verse is being limited as follows. Some of those wrong interpretations are given below…
Religious Foundation: We inspired you this Arabic Quran so that you warn the people found in the mother of the cities (Mecca) and its surrounding and frighten them with the day of assembly which will occur by no doubt. A group (of the people) is in heaven and another group in hell.
The meaning in the interpretations where the word Mecca is not included, is as follows…
Yaşar Nuri Öztürk : That is it ! We inspired you the Arabic Quran, so you can warn the mother of the countries and civilizations and their surroundings. You also warn them about the day of assembly. There is no doubt in that day. A group is in heaven and another in hell.
2) Let us check Enam Surah verse 92 now…
Ve hâzâ kitâbun enzelnâhu mubârakun musaddıkullezî beyne yedeyhi ve li tunzire ummel kurâ ve men havlehâ, vellezîne yu’minûne bil âhirati yu’minûne bihî ve hum alâ salâtihim yuhâfizûn(yuhâfizûne).
- ve hâzâ : and this
- kitâbun : a book
- enzelnâ-hu : we sent it
- mubârakun : holy
- musaddıku ellezî : confirming, verifying them
- beyne : between
- yedey-hi (beyne yedey-hi) : his both hands: (between his hands (in front of them))
- ve li tunzire : and so you warn
- umme el kurâ : mother of the cities
- ve men havle-hâ : and its surroundings
- ve ellezîne : and them
- yu’minûne : those who believe
- bi el âhırati : the eternity
- yu’minûne : they believe
- bi-hi : to him
- ve hum : and they
- alâ salâti-him : their prayings
- yuhâfizûne : they preserve
As clearly seen, if the term ‘’umme el kura’’ is given the meaning of Mecca just like the previous verse, the same mistake is being repeated…
Religious Foundation (old) : This is a holy book that verifies the previous ones and warns the people in Mecca and around it. Those who believe in eternity believe in this fact and preserve their praying.
The meaning in the interpretations where the word Mecca is not included, is as follows …
Yaşar Nuri Öztürk : This is a book we sent you to warn the mother of cities/civilizations. It is holy and verifies the previous ones. Those who believe in eternity believe in it too and keep on praying.
While Quran clearly states that it is applied to all ages and sent to the whole humanity as a source of remedy, it is a very serious mistake to make such wrong and limited interpretations and think that it was just sent to the Arabs.
The 19th verse of Enam Surah is a proof that Quran was sent to warn the whole humanity. The Quran conveys each person to the divine truth no matter what his ethnic origin, color, language, sex is and contains the rules and realities that lead him to the true happiness in his both worlds.
19th verse of Enam Surah…
Yaşar Nuri Öztürk : Ask: “Which one is greater in terms of testimony?” Say: “Allah is the witness between me and you. This Quran is sent to me so that I can warn you and every possible person with it. Do you really testify that there are gods other than Allah?” Say: “I do not testify it.” Say: “He is only one God! And I, deny your claims!”