Tafsir of Ibraheem 14:4

Meaning: So that they may understand from him what he calls them to, so that they have no argument against Allah, and so they do not say: "We did not understand what we were addressed with," as He said: {And if We had made it a non-Arabic Qur’an, they would have said, "Why are its verses not explained in detail?"} (Fussilat: 44).

Objection: If you say: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was not sent to the Arabs alone, but to all people {Say, "O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all"} (Al-A'raf: 158), and indeed to the Jinn and Mankind (the two weights), who speak different languages. If the Arabs have no argument, then others do; and if others have no argument, then if it had been revealed in a non-Arabic language, the Arabs would have had no argument either.

Response: It must either be revealed in all languages or in one. There is no need for it to be revealed in all languages, as translation suffices and avoids unnecessary length. Thus, it must be revealed in one language, and the most appropriate is the language of the Messenger’s people, for they are closest to him. Once they understand it and it is transmitted from them and spreads, translations perform the task of explaining and clarifying it.

You see this in the role of translations among all non-Arab nations. Furthermore, this leads to the agreement of people in distant lands, disparate regions, and different nations upon a single Book, their striving to learn its wording and meanings, and the great benefits that branch out from this. It involves the exertion of souls and the sharpening of minds, leading to acts of obedience that result in great reward. It is also further from distortion and alteration, and safer from dispute and disagreement.

If it had been revealed in all the languages of the Jinn and Mankind, and it were independently miraculous in each, and the Arab Messenger spoke to every nation in its own tongue as he spoke to his own, it would have been a matter close to compulsion (forcing belief).

Linguistic Notes:

• {بلسان قومه}: In the language of his people.
• Readings: It is read as bi-lasani qawmihi. Al-lasan and al-lisan are like al-rish and al-riyash, meaning language. It is also read as bi-lusuni qawmihi (with the lam and sin dammah, or sin sukun), which is the plural of lisan, like ‘imad and ‘umud.
• Alternative Interpretation: It is said the pronoun in qawmihi refers to Muhammad (ﷺ), as narrated by Al-Dahhak, claiming all scriptures were revealed in Arabic and then each prophet delivered them in his people's language. This is incorrect, because the pronoun in li-yubayyina lahum (to clarify for them) refers to the "people" (the Arabs). This would imply Allah sent the Torah from heaven in Arabic to clarify it for the Arabs, which is a corrupt meaning.

{فيضل الله من يشاء ويهدى من يشاء} Like His saying: {Among you is the disbeliever and among you is the believer} (At-Taghabun: 2). Allah does not lead astray except those He knows will not believe, and He does not guide except those He knows will believe.

• "Leading astray" (Idlal): Means abandonment and withholding of divine grace (lutf).
• "Guidance" (Hidaya): Means granting success and grace.
• It is a metonymy for disbelief and belief.

{وهو العزيز} He cannot be overcome in His will.

{الحكيم} He does not abandon except those worthy of abandonment, and He does not grant grace except to those worthy of grace.