I know, I know. This verse is presently not applicable since we as a nation, now, enjoin evil, forbid good, and believe in America instead of Allah. Consequently, we have become the worst nation possible.
But the point of contemplation is, who is meant by the word ‘nation’ here?
Pakistanis? Afghanis? Saudis? Iranis? Iraqis? Which of the fifty-seven Muslim ‘nations’ of the world is the Holy Quran addressing?
By a worldly definition, a nation is a tightly-knit group of people which share a common culture. Also, by a worldly definition, a culture is a set of shared values which does not evolve from biological inheritance but rather from ideology and behavioral patterns. Our biological structures are more deeply connected to us than the soil we walk on. If biological inheritance does not form a culture, what makes us think geographical soil, terrain or boundaries define culture and thus nations? It is certainly an error.
Well, ideology it is then? Choosing between human ideology and Divine ideology, Divine ideology would definitely supersede the human ideology for humans may err while God certainly does not err. Another word for Divine ideology is, yes the fashionably most disdained word and discarded guidance, religion.
Let us think critically once again. In our current frame of mind and definition of nationality, a person belonging to Pakistan would be recognized anywhere in the world as a ‘Pakistani’. No matter which part of the world s/he lives in. Even if he has obtained the formal citizenship of another country, s/he is still referred to as ‘of Pakistani origin’. Then, why cannot a Muslim living in any part of the world belong to the same Muslim nation?
The answer lies in the conditioning of the Muslim minds under the divide-and-rule policy of the non-Muslims and the dismemberment of the Muslim Caliphate after World War I. However, the scope here is not world politics but rather identity of a Muslim, his/her culture and language.
Hence, religion, being the most authentic ideology, is the most apt parameter to define a culture, and hence demarcate a nation. That is why the Holy Quran refers to the Muslims as a nation, and Jews, Christians and the pagans as other nations. Having chosen religion as the deciding factor between the different nations of the world, we can now talk about national languages.
All languages are the creation of Allah Almighty as said so in the Holy Quran,
“And yet other of His signs are the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colors; surely there are signs in this for the knowledgeable.” [The Holy Quran, (30) Surah Ar-Rum, Verse 22]
Many a times, I have seen talk-shows debating about English being the official language of Pakistan with national indignation. The programs question as to why we cannot have Urdu, our ‘national’ language as the medium of communication for offices and academics? It is possible because China, Israel and some other countries are practically doing it with respect to their national languages and are progressing very well.
Also, when I travel down roads and highways and see most of our billboards and shop signposts written in English, I am strongly reminded of the British colonial rule of the sub-continent and how we are still enslaved to them in so many ways. It also is a glaring reminder of the current American supremacy worldwide.
I understand that it is a necessity to have an international language. Yet, the fact that English today is an international language is an everyday reminder to us of our lost glory. However, we have none to blame but ourselves. For they are a nation who have worked hard and achieved much, and the victorious deserve and naturally get to decide the rules of the game.
However, for us the key question remains, is our immense pride in Urdu being our ‘national’ language justified? And the effort to shift towards it as the single official language of Pakistan, to be used in offices and academics, worth it?
Why? We have just brainstormed and realized that we are unknowingly ignorant of the real boundaries of nationhood and are blindly following the nation-demarcations as instructed by our colonial masters, while the Holy Quran demarcates nations by their religions. It has been sixty-six years since Pakistan gained independence. It is about time we gained mental independence as well. We need to break the shackles of foreign thinking and start thinking by the Holy Quran.
Then, by definition of the Holy Quran, our national language becomes Arabic.
While Urdu, like other regional languages such as Punjabi, Sindhi, Balochi, and Pashto, would be viewed as a regional language.
What? How can we switch to Arabic in our official, academic and personal lives?
Well, have we not made that transition from Urdu to English already? Yes, we have. It has taken us only about fifty years. For there was a time that the Muslims of the subcontinent stopped sending their children to school in resentment of the British taking over the school systems and replacing the in-use Persian language with English. After the initial resentment and rejection, Muslims at length accepted the use of English, and today in our country, it is a sign of being educated, up-to-date and fashionable to be able to converse in English fluently. Not only that, people consider it really cool if anyone knows some other European language as well, like French. The determination of the Muslims does stop just here. If Muslim students today find admission, scholarship or job in countries like China, Spain or Germany, they quickly take the pre-requisite language course and equip themselves with language of that country too.
No objection. As said afore, all languages are the creation of Allah Almighty and there is no sin in speaking any of them. However, just like all fruits are the creation of Allah Almighty, but some are more delicious than others, and just like all colors are the creation of Allah Almighty but some are more flashy than others and just like all personalities are the creation of Allah Almighty but some are more charismatic than others, accordingly, all languages are the creation of Allah Almighty but the most eloquent language, the chosen language and the national language of the Muslim nation is Arabic.
It is the language of the Holy Quran. It was the language of our Holy Prophet Pbuh. It was the language of the chosen people. It will be the language of the QA session in the grave. And it will be the language of Jannah.
Sadly, this very special language is considered relevant only for recitation, neglected otherwise and even made fun of with imitation of its strong pronunciations. Even in the relevance of recitation, we do not bother to understand the few words we are reading by connecting it to its translation.
We need to take out one summer vacation and start learning and conversing in Arabic. Try it. I promise you it will be real fun.
It will be a small step on our part but a giant step of the nation in the right direction. We need to change our Qibla, once again, from Bait-ul-Muqadas to the Holy Kabah.
O’ Muslim, the next time you face a quiz question, ‘What is our national language?’, try the answer ‘Arabic’. In the non-Arab states, you will most probably get your quiz wrong but you will set thinking and set straight the concept of many among your audience. And that is, the lasting victory.
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