#146 The Precision of Every Word
Amazed By The Quran #1
Howzit, my bru? — in South Africa that's a way of endearment [to say] "How are you doing, my brother?"
One of my favorites is when I go to Europe and sometimes people say, “Ustadh Nouman, how you going?”
I'm thinking, by car, by bus? What do you mean?
But that's just their way of saying, “How are you?”
Every language has its own patterns.
And every language has certain words that are almost interchangeable between one another.
Think of happiness/joy, or anger/rage.
These words, even though they may have some nuances and they mean different things, in many cases, they are actually used almost exactly the same way, interchangeably.
Similarly, there are words that are the full version of something or the lesser version of something, like demo, as opposed to demonstration, which, in casual speech, you can kind of use interchangeably.
Now, bear in mind that as I share this example with you, the entire Quran is an oral tradition.
It was revealed verses by verses over 23 years, and it was memorized as it was sent down. It wasn't documented the way that a book is written down.
It was passed down primarily as an oral tradition, and later on, it was put into writing.
So, let’s start with this:
1. Wassa and Awsa (Counsel)
The Arabic language actually has two words for giving counsel.
One of those words is Wassa, and the other word Awsa.
Wassa is used in Arabic when you give counsel that is of a spiritual nature, or that when you give it over and over again.
And Awsa is counsel that's given one time.
I'll repeat that again.
'Wassa': over and over again.
'Awsa': one time.
Remarkably in the Quran, counsel is mentioned several times.
If you take tally of all those times, like in Surah Al-Baqarah, Ash-Shuraa, Nisa, Maryam— all these different places where counsel is discussed using this language, you’ll notice something.
Every time Allah ﷻ talks about spiritual counsel; counsel to do good, counsel to worship Allah ﷻ, counsel to pray, this kind of counsel, He'll uses Wassa, which is actually the word used for over and over again (repeated counsel)
Every time the counsel is about financial matter, like inheritance (when the deceased leaves counsel on how wealth should be distributed, He uses Awsa.
For financial or inheritance type matters, Awsa is used— leaving a will, leaving counsel behind, leaving advice behind, instruction behind; Awsa.
Which is beautiful because Allah ﷻ is saying, think about it, how many times is inheritance going to be distributed?
One time.
It's a one-time thing.
However, spiritual counsel: be mindful of Allah ﷻ, be truthful, be kind, pray— this is not the kind of counsel you give somebody once.
You have to give it over and over again.
That's the nature of spiritual counsel. It must be repeated. So, Allah uses the word Wassa.
Now, think about that.
In the Arabic, Wassa and Awsa are interchangeable with a subtlety, one is repeated, the other is not.
But the Quran is very precise about where it uses each one.
With one amazing exception—when Prophet Isa (Jesus) was born. The Quran has a unique narrative about Jesus that the Bible doesn't have, that he spoke the day he was born.
(p.s: The Quran describes that when Maryam (Mary) was accused by her people of wrongdoing, baby Isa (AS) miraculously spoke to defend her, declaring his servitude to Allah and his role as a prophet.)
And his part of his speech was, وَأَوْصَانِي بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ مَادُمْتُ حَيًّا [19:31]
“He counseled me to pray and to charity so long as I'm alive.”
Meaning, Allah ﷻ counseled Jesus—Jesus says, Allah ﷻ counseled me to pray and to give charity.
The word used for counsel here is the word that you typically find in the Quran for financial matters (Awsa).
Why, though?
This is a spiritual counsel—to pray, to give charity.
Some argue that perhaps this word is used here because charity was mentioned, which is financial. But there's something more going on.
Remember in the beginning of this explanation, I told you that Awsa is for one time, and Wassa is over and over again.
How old was Isa (AS) at that time?
One day.
He couldn't possibly have been given counsel over and over and over again.
He was only given the counsel to pray and give charity one time.
So he says: أَوْصَانِي بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ [19:31]
23 years of oral revelation of the Quran, and the only time the pattern is broken is when the one-time advice is given—that's what you have to call amazing.
2. A’yun and Uyun (Eyes vs Springs of Water)
We'll compare two words; A'yun, and Uyun.
Each one of these words means two things.
A'yun can mean “eyes”, and A'yun can also mean “springs of water.”
On a side note, the Arabs have the same word for these because anything that pleased their eye, they use the word “eye” for it.
Waterfalls were also called “eye”, because it pleases their eye.But regardless, A’yun can mean eyes, and it can also mean springs of water.
Uyun could also mean either one of these things.
It can mean eyes, and it can also mean springs of water.
But the Quran has a particular signature.
So for 23 years of Quran revelation, every time A'yun was used, it was about the eyes.
Every time Uyun was used, it was about the springs of water.
Even though in Arabic, both words could carry both meanings, the Quran maintained a consistent pattern;
A'yun consistently will be talking about eyes and
Uyun consistently is going to be talking about springs of water.
That kind of consistency in oral speech is impossible to keep up with.
It's just impossible.
3. Matar and Ghaith (Rain)
Finally, let’s look at two words for rain: Matar and Ghaith.
In Arabic, both words mean rain.
Interestingly, in the Quran,
Every time rain is associated with punishment or destruction— like a flood, Matar is used.
Every time rain is associated with mercy, bringing life and vegetation — Ghaith is used.
The Arabs themselves did not distinguish between these two words—they used Matar and Ghaith interchangeably.
To them, rain was just rain.
But the Quran made a clear distinction:
Good rain, Ghaith.
Terrible rain, Matar..
…over and over again, again for 23 years.
The purpose of this short session was to show you how the Quran carefully selects words and sticks to a pattern throughout its 23 years of revelation, creating a unique literary signature.
And remember Quran was not revealed as a written book; the entire Quran is an oral tradition.
It was revealed gradually over a period of 23 years, and it was memorized as it was sent down, and it wasn't documented the way a book is written.
It was passed down primarily as an oral tradition, and later on, it was put into writing.
May Allah give us a genuine appreciation of His beautiful word.