Category: Faith & Spirituality, Life & Society Views: 817
817
The Word Game!
"We sent not an apostle except (to teach) in the language of his (own) people, in order to make (things) clear to them..." (14:4)
People generally refer to the language that is not theirs as "other." Dominant culture tends to dictate and proclaims itself as 'the' of everything and refuses to recognize others. Members of a society knowingly and/or unknowingly use the terms "theirs" and "others." Allah (swt) asks His Apostles to speak "the language of his (own) people" to make things clear to them.
It is imperative that we use every available language to convey 'the Message' but should be careful in using vocabulary of contemporary discourse. Vocabulary is not just defined by dictionary but each word carries within it a deeper world of meaning, acquired from the culture within which it develops. Words over time undergo changes in meanings, sometimes radically.
Until few years ago, 'family' was comprised of a man, a woman & kids born to them but the prevalent vocabulary does not recognize this age-old paradigm. 'Culture' meant 'tending of crops or animals' and now it stands for a 'way of life'. Meanings of terms such as State, Ideology, Politics, and so on, have drastically changed. Most interestingly even the Creator is treated differently today!
We should have the strength and confidence to converse on our own terms. We have to not only undo the existing vocabulary but also reintroduce the age-old vocabulary respected by all good people. There is also a need to change the direction of discourse and transform its thought and content. These areas of concern must be addressed individually and collectively.
But in the meantime, we must continue the mission of relaying the message (in any language). We at IslamiCity like to join you to invite our friends, neighbors and colleagues and convey the message. The rest is His responsibility!
