Connect with us

Quran and Sunnah

Muslim lecturer discusses importance of Quran and unique use of language

Published

Article from the Northern Star

By KATIE PETERS
For Shaykh Yaser Birjas, the Quran features some of the world’s most unique language.

The world-renowned Muslim lecturer and teacher delivered a speech titled “Quran: Book of Guidance” to the Muslim Student Association Monday night.

Muslims’ love of the Quran is similar to the way most people dote on a letter from a loved one they rarely see, Birjas said. He added that a letter will be continually reread because it embodies the person who sent it. The words of the Quran embody God.

Keep supporting MuslimMatters for the sake of Allah

Alhamdulillah, we're at over 850 supporters. Help us get to 900 supporters this month. All it takes is a small gift from a reader like you to keep us going, for just $2 / month.

The Prophet (SAW) has taught us the best of deeds are those that done consistently, even if they are small. Click here to support MuslimMatters with a monthly donation of $2 per month. Set it and collect blessings from Allah (swt) for the khayr you're supporting without thinking about it.

Birjas encouraged the audience to lead an upright life and follow God’s guidance evident in religious texts like the Quran.

“If you don’t follow the instructions, blame no one but yourself,” Birjas said.

The unique linguistic style of the Arabic language used in the Quran was also discussed.

“The Quran has wonderful, wonderful style,” Birjas said. “The Arabic language is so unique because Arabs were isolated in the desert.”

Birjas said the Arabic people had limited outside influences and didn’t have written records. He added that because all communication was done orally between the same group of people.
Over time, a unique language was developed.

Arabic is the only language where one single letter can be an entire sentence, Birjas said. He added that discourse became compressed and musical for easy memorization.

“The Arabic language became perfect in a sense,” Birjas said. “If you get the message in few words, it’s a very, very powerful message.”

Learning to read and understand the Quran takes a lot of devotion.

“If you’re going to learn the Arabic language, good luck,” Birjas said. It’s going to take some time.”

Birjas said that in Arabic, the way individual letters are stressed and the scale they are spoken in are as important as the way words are pronounced.

“If you use the wrong letter, it won’t sound right and will send the wrong message,” Birjas said.
A person doesn’t have to speak Arabic to feel the impact of the Quran.

“Even if you don’t understand the Arabic language, just listening to it will bring you peace,” Birjas said.

Audience members found the speech to be beneficial.

“I think it was really informative because some of the things said here tonight were unique and unheard of,” said graduate student Ishak Shaik. “There were questions about how the Quran was revealed, and these things are not talked about generally.”

Others from the audience complemented Birjas’ speaking abilities.

“I think it was very elaborate the way he spoke,” said junior biology major Lalarukh Mukhtar. “Personally, I’d love to have him again.”

Keep supporting MuslimMatters for the sake of Allah

Alhamdulillah, we're at over 850 supporters. Help us get to 900 supporters this month. All it takes is a small gift from a reader like you to keep us going, for just $2 / month.

The Prophet (SAW) has taught us the best of deeds are those that done consistently, even if they are small. Click here to support MuslimMatters with a monthly donation of $2 per month. Set it and collect blessings from Allah (swt) for the khayr you're supporting without thinking about it.

Sh. Yaser Birjas is originally from Palestine. He received his Bachelors degree from Islamic University of Madinah in 1996 in Fiqh & Usool, graduating as the class valedictorian. After graduating, he went on to work as a youth counselor and relief program aide in war-torn Bosnia. Thereafter, he immigrated to the U.S. and currently resides in Dallas, Texas. He is also an instructor at AlMaghrib Institute, where he teaches popular seminars such as Fiqh of Love, The Code Evolved, and Heavenly Hues. He is currently serving as an Imam at Valley Ranch Islamic Center, Irving, Texas. Sh. Yaser continues to enhance his knowledge in various arenas and most recently obtained a Masters of Adult Education and Training from the University of Phoenix, Class of 2013. In addition to his responsibilities as an Imam, Sh. Yaser is a father of four children, he’s an instructor at AlMaghrib Institute, and a national speaker appearing at many conventions and conferences around the country. He is very popular for his classes and workshops covering a wide range of topics related to the youth, marriage, parenting and family life among other social matters related to the Muslim community. His counseling services, in office and online, include providing pre-marital training, marriage coaching and conflict resolution for Muslims living in the West.

4 Comments

4 Comments

  1. Arif

    November 24, 2009 at 6:17 AM

    Masha’Allah, that was amazing! It’s amazing to see a journalist of another faith write in such detail.

    …now only if she could write all our AlMaghrib notes :)

  2. Muslim007

    November 24, 2009 at 8:29 PM

    Alhamdulillahi rabbal ala’meen. may Allaah azza wajal reward all our sheikhs for their efforts

  3. Abu Aaliyah

    November 24, 2009 at 9:59 PM

    Asalaamu Alaikum,
    Is there an audio clip for this lecture?

  4. Mohsin

    December 1, 2009 at 2:30 AM

    I had heard this in another seminar:: Arabic language (or poetry) has around 17 styles & the Holy Quran matched none of them. It brought a new style in itself and this baffled the people. It baffled them cuz they thot their language was already perfect & there possibly could not be another style – but there it was.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending