Under the topic “The Literary Elegance of the Noble Qur’an,” on the sixth night of Ramadan, we are gathered for the sixth session.
When something is not expressed in its direct literal meaning but instead conveyed in an alternate sense, we call that literary usage. Arabs have long used such expressions to convey additional layers of meaning, and this exists in all world languages. In the Qur’an too, this literary style is used in a purposeful way — to communicate not just meaning, but depth.
The Town of Yunus (10:98)
In Surah Yunus, verse 98: “Why was there not a town that believed, so its belief would benefit it — except the people of Yunus?”
The people of Prophetﷺ Yunus (Alaihi Salam) (Jonah) believed at the last moment when they saw signs of impending punishment. Yunus (Alaihi Salam), thinking they would be destroyed, left the town. When he returned expecting destruction, he found them celebrating. Why? Because after he left, they saw signs of punishment in the sky, repented sincerely, prayed to Allahﷻ, and Allahﷻ removed the punishment.
Now notice the wording: Allahﷻ says “the town believed.”
Does a town believe? Is a town a human being? Belief requires intellect — humans or jinn can believe, not buildings or land.
Allahﷻ could have said: “The people of the town believed.”
But instead He says: “The town believed.”
Why?
This is literary usage. The word “town” is used to refer to its people. This is common in every language. We say:
- “The whole town is laughing at you.”
- Is the soil laughing?
- No — the people are laughing.
So here too, when belief is attributed to the town, it clearly means the people of the town.
How do we know this is not literal? Because belief cannot be attributed to land. The verb “believed” itself prevents a literal meaning.
Where the Qur’an says:
- “Enter this town” — that is literal.
- But when it says “The town believed” — it must mean the people.
The context itself blocks literal interpretation.
“Ask the Town” — Yusuf (12:82)
In Surah Yusuf, verse 82: “Ask the town in which we were…”
This is said by the brothers of Yusuf (Joseph) to their father Yaʿqub (Jacob). They tell him: “Ask the town we came from.”
Can you question a town? You question people.
So “ask the town” clearly means “ask the people of the town.”
Again, the verb “ask” prevents literal meaning. This is not rare poetry. This is common speech in all languages.
The Secure and Ungrateful Town (16:112)
Allahﷻ gives the example of a town: “Allahﷻ presents an example: a town that was secure and content…”
Was the soil secure? Was the land content?
No — the people were.
Then it says: “It became ungrateful for Allahﷻ’s blessings.”
Can land show gratitude or ingratitude? No. So here too “town” means its people.
“How Many Towns We Destroyed”
This phrase appears repeatedly (21:11, 22:45, 65:8 and others): “How many towns We destroyed…”
That could be literal — buildings can be destroyed.
But then Allahﷻ adds:
- “They were wrongdoing (Lulm) ظلم”
- “They disobeyed commands”
- “They committed evil”
- “They denied”
- “They were arrogant”
- “They lived extravagantly”
Can a town commit (Lulm) ظلم wrongdoing?
Can buildings disobey commands?
Can land commit immoral acts?
No.
So, the added descriptions force the meaning to shift: It means the people of those towns.
The literary style becomes clear because the context blocks literal meaning.
The People of Lut (21:74)
Allahﷻ says: “We saved Lut from the town that committed wicked deeds.”
Did the town commit immoral acts? No — its people did.
Thus “town” means “people of the town.”
“They Were Sleeping” (7:4)
Allahﷻ says: “How many towns We destroyed while they were sleeping…”
Towns do not sleep. People sleep. Thus, the meaning is clear.
“We Will Punish the Town” (17:58)
Punishment (ʿadhāb) can only be felt by those who have perception. A stone does not feel pain.
So, when Allahﷻ says He will punish a town, it refers to its people.
“They Lived Luxuriously” (28:58)
“How many towns lived in luxury…”
Does a town live luxuriously? No. Its inhabitants do. Again, context shifts meaning.
The Town That Expelled You
When addressing Prophetﷺ Muhammad ﷺ, Allahﷻ says: “How many towns stronger than your town that expelled you…” Did Makkah expel him?
No — the leaders of Makkah did.
But Allahﷻ says “your town expelled you.” It is more powerful, more emphatic.
Why This Style?
It makes speech:
- Stronger
- More vivid
- More emotionally powerful
- More concise
Saying “the town expelled you” carries more weight than “some leaders expelled you.”
This literary compression is part of Qur’anic eloquence.
Another Literary Usage: “Blind, Deaf, Dumb”
Now another example.
A person who loses:
- Sight → blind
- Hearing → deaf
- Speech → mute
We do not call someone blind if he sees well. We do not call someone deaf if he hears well.
Yet Allahﷻ calls disbelievers:
- Blind
- Deaf
- Dumb
Why?
They physically see. They physically hear. They physically speak.
But:
- They refuse to see truth.
- They refuse to hear truth.
- They refuse to speak truth.
They look at idols carved by their own hands and call them gods. They see the sun and call it divine. The problem is not lack of eyes. The problem is refusal to use them correctly. So, Allahﷻ calls them blind — not physically, but morally and spiritually.
That is literary power.
In all these cases:
- Literal meaning is the default.
- If the literal meaning becomes impossible because of the context,
- Then we move to figurative meaning.
- The Qur’an itself provides the indicator that prevents literal interpretation.
This is not arbitrary. It is not imagination. It is guided by context.
So, because a person refuses to see certain truths, Allahﷻ describes him as blind. Even in Tamil we say, “He has eyes, yet he is blind.” This is not a literary device unique to the Qur’an; it exists in all languages.
We say:
- “Eyes, yet blind.”
- “Ears, yet deaf.”
- “Tongue, yet mute.”
He hears songs, he listens to cinema music, he listens to many things — but when religion is mentioned, and he closes his ears. Even if the words enter his ears, he does not pay attention. So, he is like a deaf person.
If we present a beautiful message of God-consciousness and he remains unaffected, what does that mean? It means he did not truly hear it. He is deaf in that sense.
Thus, Allahﷻ calls people:
- Blind
- Deaf
- Mute
Even though, they are not physically disabled.
There are many verses where Allahﷻ uses these descriptions for people who reject the truth. In only a few places are these words used in their literal sense. Most often, they are used in this literary sense.
Surah Yunus 10:42–43
Allahﷻ says: “There are among them those who listen to you.”
Then immediately asks: “Will you make the deaf hear?”
What does “deaf” mean here?
Not physically deaf — because Allahﷻ already said they listen. They hear with their ears, but they do not absorb what they should absorb. Good things they ignore; false things they accept.
Then in the next verse: “There are among them those who look at you.”
Then Allahﷻ says: “Will you guide the blind?”
If they look at him, how are they blind?
They are blind in understanding. They see the Prophetﷺ ﷺ physically, but they refuse to see the truth in what he says. Allahﷻ consoles the Prophetﷺ: You cannot guide the blind.
Meaning: those who choose not to see cannot be forced to see.
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:18
Allahﷻ says about certain disbelievers: “They are deaf, dumb, and blind.”
All three qualities are mentioned together. If someone were truly blind, deaf, and mute — what reaction would he have to anything around him? None. He would sit like a statue.
That is how these people are described — no response to truth.
Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:71
Allahﷻ says they became blind and deaf.
Not physically — but spiritually. They refuse to understand, so they are called blind and deaf.
Surah Al-An‘am 6:39
Those who deny Our signs are deaf and dumb. They hear physically, but not in the sense that matters.
Surah Al-Anfal 8:22
“The worst of creatures in the sight of Allahﷻ are the deaf and dumb who do not understand.”
Not literal deafness — but refusal to understand despite having intellect. Allahﷻ even compares them worse than animals, because animals lack intellect, but these people have intellect yet refuse to use it.
Surah Al-Anbiya 21:45
The Prophetﷺ ﷺ was deeply saddened that people did not listen despite his sincere effort.
Allahﷻ consoles him: “Say: I warn you only by revelation. But the deaf will not hear the call.”
Meaning: If they refuse to hear, do not grieve. It is like speaking to the deaf.
This gives emotional relief to the Prophetﷺ ﷺ.
Surah Az-Zukhruf 43:40
“Can you make the deaf hear or guide the blind?”
Again — metaphorical blindness and deafness.
Surah Muhammad 47:23 (implied reference)
Allahﷻ says He has cursed them and made them deaf and blinded their sight — meaning they refuse correction when told not to cause corruption or break family ties.
Surah An-Naml 27:81 & Surah Ar-Rum 30:53
“You cannot guide the blind from their misguidance.”
If someone is physically blind, you cannot show him directions visually. Similarly, someone blind in understanding cannot be guided.
Sealing the Heart
Allahﷻ also says He has placed a covering over their hearts.
Does the heart literally have a lid on it? No.
This means their ability to understand is sealed. Even if words enter their ears, they do not reach the heart. This appears also in Surah Al-Kahf 18:57.
Another Literary Usage: Expanding the Heart
Consider the word heart.
Physically, if a human heart enlarges, it is a disease (cardiomyopathy). It is dangerous.
Yet Allahﷻ teaches Musa (Moses) to say: “Rabbi ishrah li sadri” — “My Lord, expand my chest.”
Does he mean enlarge the physical organ? No.
He is asking:
- Give me courage.
- Give me clarity.
- Give me knowledge.
- Remove my hesitation.
He also says: “Untie the knot from my tongue.”
Was there a literal knot tied in his tongue? No.
It means remove my speech difficulty. This too is literary expression.
Surah Az-Zumar 39:22
“Is one whose heart Allahﷻ has expanded for Islam…”
The heart does not physically enlarge when someone becomes Muslim. Rather, his receptivity expands. His capacity to accept truth increases. If Allahﷻ wants to guide someone, He expands his heart for Islam. If He allows someone to go astray, He makes his chest tight — like someone climbing into the sky, feeling constricted.
This does not mean the organ shrinks. It means receptivity shrinks.
Surah Ash-Sharh (Alam Nashrah)
“Did We not expand your chest?”
The Prophetﷺ ﷺ endured immense hardship. Allahﷻ expanded his capacity to bear it.
In Tamil too we say: “He has a heart that can bear anything.”
Does that mean a large physical heart? No.
It means emotional strength.
Another Literary Example: “Assembly” (Nadi)
When Allahﷻ says in Surah Al-‘Alaq: “Let him call his assembly.”
Does an assembly walk on its own? No. It means let him call his supporters.
Similarly, we say: “The government will protect you.” The government is not a person — its officials act.
We say: “The party will support you.” The party itself does not act — its members do.
Likewise, when Allahﷻ says “let him call his assembly,” it means the people of his assembly.
Allahﷻ says: “Let him call his assembly — We will call the guards of Hell.”
This shows Allahﷻ’s severe warning to those who prevented the Prophetﷺ ﷺ from praying at the Ka‘bah. These literary styles are found in all languages. The Qur’an uses them with precision and depth.
There are many more examples. InshaAllahﷻ, we will continue in the upcoming posts.