Importance of mother language and indigenous culture in Islam
There are many references in the Qur’an and hadiths that show the importance of preserving the mother tongue and indigenous cultures. Islam never allows the suppression of local cultures and languages. It is a pity that scholars in Pakistan never talk about the importance of mother tongue and indigenous cultures in Islam.
In this article you will find references from the Quran and hadiths about the importance of indigenous cultures and languages. To read this article in Urdu , please visit ” Mother Tongue in Islam “
Holy Quran tells that the indigenous language or the mother tongue is the best means of educating a nation. The following 44th verse of chapter number 41 Surah Hamim Sajdah of the Qur’an explains that all the heavenly books were revealed in the native languages of the nations to which Allah (SWT) sent His Messengers.
سُوۡرَةُ حٰمٓ السجدة / فُصّلَت : وَلَوۡ جَعَلۡنَـٰهُ قُرۡءَانًا أَعۡجَمِيًّ۬ا لَّقَالُواْ لَوۡلَا فُصِّلَتۡ ءَايَـٰتُهُ ۥۤۖ ءَا۠عۡجَمِىٌّ۬ وَعَرَبِىٌّ۬ۗ قُلۡ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ هُدً۬ى وَشِفَآءٌ۬ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمۡ وَقۡرٌ۬ وَهُوَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ عَمًىۚ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ يُنَادَوۡنَ مِن مَّكَانِۭ بَعِيدٍ۬ (41:44)
And if We had appointed it a Lecture in a foreign tongue they would assuredly have said: If only its verses were expounded (so that we might understand)? What! A foreign tongue and an Arab? – Say unto them (O Muhammad): For those who believe it is a guidance and a healing; and as for those who disbelieve, there is a deafness in their ears, and it is blindness for them. Such are called to from afar. (44)
These words of the Holy Qur’an are very important: “Is it a non-Arabic (book) and an Arab (messenger)?” This is a clear proof of the importance of human training in mother tongue.This verse is telling that Allah chose the indigenous language or the mother tongue to educate the people and guide them in the right direction. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is clearly telling us that the Qur’an is Arabic because it was revealed to Arabs. The medium of instruction should be Arabic for Arabs and non-Arabic for non-Arabs.
Allah(swt) sent Prophets speaking the indigenous language
It is clearly mentioned in the Holy Quran that all prophets were sent to their own nation , using the same indigenous language as the medium of communication with their nation.
سُوۡرَةُ إبراهیم : وَمَاۤ اَرۡسَلۡنَا مِنۡ رَّسُوۡلٍ اِلَّا بِلِسَانِ قَوۡمِهٖ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمۡؕ فَيُضِلُّ اللّٰهُ مَنۡ يَّشَآءُ وَيَهۡدِىۡ مَنۡ يَّشَآءُ ؕ وَهُوَ الۡعَزِيۡزُ الۡحَكِيۡمُ (4)
سُوۡرَةُ إبراهیم : اور ہم نے کوئی پیغمبر نہیں بھیجا مگر اپنی قوم کی زبان بولتا تھا تاکہ انہیں (احکام خدا) کھول کھول کر بتا دے۔ پھر خدا جسے چاہتا ہے گمراہ کرتا ہے اور جسے چاہتا ہے ہدایت دیتا ہے اور وہ غالب (اور) حکمت والا ہے(14:4)
And We sent not a Messenger except with the language of his people, in order that he might make (the Message) clear for them. Then Allâh misleads whom He wills and guides whom He wills. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. (14 : 4)
indigenous Languages and cultures are signs of Allah (SWT)
It is clearly mentioned in the Holy Quran that different languages and races are among the signs of Allah
سُوۡرَةُ الرُّوم : وَمِنۡ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ خَلۡقُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱخۡتِلَـٰفُ أَلۡسِنَتِڪُمۡ وَأَلۡوَٲنِكُمۡۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَأَيَـٰتٍ۬ لِّلۡعَـٰلِمِينَ (22)
And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. Lo! herein indeed are portents for men of knowledge. (30 : 22)
سُوۡرَةُ الرُّوم : اور اس کی نشانیوں میں سے آسمانوں اور زمین کا پیدا کرنا اور تمہاری زبانوں اور رنگتوں کا مختلف ہونا ہے بے شک اس میں علم والوں کے لیے نشانیاں ہیں (۲۲)
All these indigenous languages and cultures are the identity given by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, so on what basis can anyone eliminate the signs created by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala.
indigenous Languages and cultures are the hallmarks granted by Allah (SWT)
It is clearly mentioned in the Holy Quran that languages and cultures are the attributes given by Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. These are our identifications granted by Allah Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.
سُوۡرَةُ الحُجرَات : يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَـٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ۬ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلۡنَـٰكُمۡ شُعُوبً۬ا وَقَبَآٮِٕلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ أَڪۡرَمَكُمۡ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتۡقَٮٰكُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ۬ (١٣)
O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allâh is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa [i.e. he is one of the Muttaqûn (pious – see V.2:2). Verily, Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Aware. (49:13)
سُوۡرَةُ الحُجرَات : لوگو! ہم نے تم کو ایک مرد اور ایک عورت سے پیدا کیا اور تمہاری قومیں اور قبیلے بنائے۔ تاکہ ایک دوسرے کو شناخت کرو۔ اور خدا کے نزدیک تم میں زیادہ عزت والا وہ ہے جو زیادہ پرہیزگار ہے۔ بےشک خدا سب کچھ جاننے والا (اور) سب سے خبردار ہے (49:13)
This clearly shows that Allah (SWT) encourages us to maintain our cultural and linguistic identity. Do not erase your identity which is a gift from Allah subhan wa ta’ala. So teach your children your own language, like Punjabi, Pashto, Sindhi, Balochi, Kashmiri,Saraiki etc. Love your identity, your mother tongue and culture. This is a gift from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala. And this is one of important sign among the signs of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala which is mentioned in many places in the Qur’an and hadiths.
Here it is also clear that the basis of superiority is not language and race, but its basis is only piety. There is no denying this. But it is a pity that in Pakistan, if someone refers to these Quranic teachings and only talks about the protection of his language and culture, then the so-called scholars accuse him of bias. On the other hand, these scholars prove Urdu language as the language of Islam and declare the voice of protecting all mother tongues as racism. My question to these Mullahs is only that, where in Sahih Sita and any book of hadith Urdu is called the language of Islam. It seems that tomorrow when Imam Mahdi and Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) speak any other language than Urdu or Arabic, fatwas will be prepared against them too. By the way, Jesus’ language is neither Urdu nor Arabic.
Allah (swt) commanded Prophet Musa to maintain the distinct identity of the 12 tribes
The Holy Qur’an tells us that God made 12 rivers of water flow from one stone for the 12 different tribes of Israel.
سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة : وَإِذِ ٱسۡتَسۡقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوۡمِهِۦ فَقُلۡنَا ٱضۡرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلۡحَجَرَۖ فَٱنفَجَرَتۡ مِنۡهُ ٱثۡنَتَا عَشۡرَةَ عَيۡنً۬اۖ قَدۡ عَلِمَ ڪُلُّ أُنَاسٍ۬ مَّشۡرَبَهُمۡۖ ڪُلُواْ وَٱشۡرَبُواْ مِن رِّزۡقِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَعۡثَوۡاْ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مُفۡسِدِينَ (60)
سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة : اور جب موسیٰ نے اپنی قوم کے لیے (خدا سے) پانی مانگا تو ہم نے کہا کہ اپنی لاٹھی پتھر پر مارو۔ (انہوں نے لاٹھی ماری) تو پھر اس میں سے بارہ چشمے پھوٹ نکلے، اور تمام لوگوں نے اپنا اپنا گھاٹ معلوم کر (کے پانی پی) لیا۔ (ہم نے حکم دیا کہ) خدا کی (عطا فرمائی ہوئی) روزی کھاؤ اور پیو، مگر زمین میں فساد نہ کرتے پھرنا(60)
The Israelites had 12 tribes with different cultural identities. Allah Almighty did not order Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) to unite them and eliminate their different cultural identities. On the contrary, Allah (SWT) sent orders to Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) which clearly shows the protection of his identity. For example,when Israelites were escaping from the Pharoah’s army ,Allah (SWT) opened 12 passages in the sea one passage for each of the 12 tribes. Similarly, Allah (SWT) made 12 streams of water out of the stone. Allah (SWT) never ordered Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) to crush their identity and gather them together as one big tribe.
Dear Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) protected ethnic identities
The following Hadith shows, how different tribes fought in seperate groups with their own flags duding Jihad in the of Holy Prophet Muhammad (صلي الله عليه وآله وبارك وسلم).
مسند احمد: : عبداللہ بن عباس کی مرویات: حدیث نمبر: 3306
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ الْجَزَرِيِّ عَنْ مِقْسَمٍ قَالَ لَا أَعْلَمُهُ إِلَّا عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ رَايَةَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَعَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَرَايَةَ الْأَنْصَارِ مَعَ سَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ وَكَانَ إِذَا اسْتَحَرَّ الْقَتْلُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِمَّا يَكُونَ تَحْتَ رَايَةِ الْأَنْصَارِ
It was narrated on the authority of Hazrat Ibn Abbas that the flag of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (صلي الله عليه وآله وبارك وسلم) was held by Hazrat Ali from the side of the emigrants (Mohajir), and from the Ansar side,the flag (of Ansar )was held by Hazrat Saad bin Ubadah .When the war was in full swing, The Holy Prophet Muhammad (صلي الله عليه وآله وبارك وسلم) used to be under the flag of the Ansar.
Beloved Prophet Muhammad PBUH taking care of the culture of the Arabs
The following hadith shows how our Dear Prophet Muhammad ((صلي الله عليه وآله وبارك وسلم) took care to adopt the indigenous Arabic culture. In the following hadith, a man was using a Persian bow in Jihad and Holy Prophet Muhammad (صلي الله عليه وآله وبارك وسلم) asked him to use the Arabic bow instead of the Persian bow.
مسند احمد: : عبداللہ بن عباس کی مرویات: حدیث نمبر: 3306
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ الْجَزَرِيِّ عَنْ مِقْسَمٍ قَالَ لَا أَعْلَمُهُ إِلَّا عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ رَايَةَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَعَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَرَايَةَ الْأَنْصَارِ مَعَ سَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ وَكَانَ إِذَا اسْتَحَرَّ الْقَتْلُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِمَّا يَكُونَ تَحْتَ رَايَةِ الْأَنْصَارِ
علی ؓ کہتے ہیں کہ رسول اللہ (صلي الله عليه وآله وبارك وسلم) کے مبارک ہاتھوں میں ایک عربی کمان تھی، اور ایک شخص کے ہاتھ میں آپ(صلي الله عليه وآله وبارك وسلم) نے فارسی کمان دیکھی تو فرمایا: یہ کیا ہے؟ اسے پھینک دو، اور اس طرح کی رکھو، اور نیزے رکھو کیونکہ اللہ تعالیٰ تمہارے لیے ان دونوں کے ذریعہ سے دین کو ترقی دے گا، اور تمہیں دوسرے ملکوں کو فتح کرنے پر قادر بنا دے گا ۔ تخریج دارالدعوہ: تفرد بہ ابن ماجہ، (تحفة الأشراف: ١٠٣٢٦، ومصباح الزجاجة: ٩٩٥)
Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) says that there was an Arabic bow in the blessed hands of the Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وآله وبارك وسلم), and when he (صلي الله عليه وآله وبارك وسلم) saw a Persian bow in the hand of a person, he (صلي الله عليه وآله وبارك وسلم) said: What is this? Throw it away, and keep it like this, and keep the spears, because Allah will advance the religion for you through these two, and will enable you to conquer other countries. Reference : Takhrej Dar al-Dawa: Tafrid by Ibn Majah, (Tahfah Al-Sharaf: 10326, and Masbah Al-Ghizzah: 995)
Allah sent the Qur'an in Arabia not only in the local Arabic language but also with the 7 dialects of the present Arab tribes.
مشکوٰۃ المصابیح : کتاب: علم کا بیان باب: علم اور اس کی فضیلت کا بیان حدیث نمبر: 227
وَعِنْ ابْنِ مَسْعُوْدِ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اﷲِ صَلَّی اﷲُ عَلَیْہٖ وَسَلَّمَ اُنْزِلَ الْقُرْاٰنُ عَلَی سَبْعَۃِ اُحْرُفِ لِکُلِّ اٰیَۃِ مِّنْھَا ظَھْرٌوَّ بَطْنٌ وَلِکُلِّ حَدِ مُطَّلَعٌ۔ (رواہ فی شرح النسۃ)
ترجمہ: اور حضرت عبداللہ ابن مسعود ؓ راوی ہیں کہ سرکار دو عالم نبی پاک (صلي الله عليه وآله وبارك وسلم) نے ارشاد فرمایا۔ قرآن کریم سات طرح پر نازل کیا گیا ہے ان میں سے ہر آیت ظاہر ہے اور باطن ہے اور ہر حد کے واسطے ایک جگہ خبردار ہونے کی ہے۔ (شرح السنۃ)
تشریح : دنیا کی ہر زبان میں فصاحت و بلاغت اور لب و لہجہ کے اعتبار سے مختلف اسلوب اور مختلف لغات ہوتی ہیں۔ اسی طرح عربی زبان میں بھی سات لغات عرب میں مشہور تھیں، اس کے بارے میں فرمایا جا رہا ہے کہ قرآن کریم سات طرح یعنی سات لغات پر نازل ہوا ہے۔ اس سات لغات کی تفصیل اس طرح ہے۔ لغت قریش لغت طی، لغت ہوازن، لغت اہل یمن، لغت ثقیف، لغت ہذیل اور لغت بنی تمیم۔ قرآن کریم سب سے پہلے قریش کی لغت کے مطابق نازل ہوا تھا جو سرکار دو عالم ﷺ کی لغت تھی لیکن جب تمام عرب میں اس لغت کے مطابق قرآن کا پڑھنا جانا اس لئے دشوار و مشکل ہوا کہ ہر قبیلہ اور ہر قوم کی اپنی ایک مستقل لغت اور زبان کے لب و لہجہ کا الگ الگ انداز تھا تو سرکا دو عالم نبی پاک (صلي الله عليه وآله وبارك وسلم) نے بارگاہ الوہیت میں درخواست پیش کی کہ اس سلسلہ میں وسعت بخشی جائے تو حکم دے دیا گیا کہ ہر آدمی قرآن کو اپنی لغت کے مطابق پڑھ سکتا ہے
Translation: And Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Masoud (RA) is a narrator that the Prophet (PBUH) said: The Holy Qur’an has been revealed in seven ways, each verse of them is apparent and inward, and for each limit there is a place to be warned. (Sharh al-Sunnah)
Interpretation: Every language of the world has different styles and different dialects in terms of eloquence and tone. Similarly, in the Arabic language, seven dialects were known in Arabia, it is being said that the Holy Quran was revealed in seven ways, that is, in seven dialects. The description of these seven dialects is as follows.
The Quraysh dictionary
- The Quraysh dictionary.
- Tay dictionary.
- Hawazin dictionary.
- Ahl Yemen dictionary.
- Thaqif dictionary.
- Hazil dictionary and
- Bani Tamim dictionary.
The Holy Quran was first revealed according to the dialect of the Quraysh, which was also the dialect of Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), but when it became difficult to read the Quran according to this dialect in all of Arabia, it became difficult because every tribe and every nation had its own permanent language. The vocabulary and the tone of the language were different.So the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) submitted a request to the Supreme Court of Allah (swt) to expand in this regard, so it was ordered that every person who read the Qur’an can read according to his own (Arabic) dictionary
Explanation of the 7 dialects of reading Quran
This video explains the 7 dialects (Harfs) of the Quran.
