Minorities in an Islamic State — Page 48
48 Quran by the non-Muslims. Instead the Holy Quran repeatedly invites the non-Muslims to consider and ponder its message. Says the Holy Quran: َّ ا َّ فَّل َّ یَّتَّدَّبَّروْنَّ الْقرْامن "Will they not, then, ponder over the Quran". (47:25) Elsewhere it says: وَّ لَّقَّدْ یَّسَّرْنَّا الْقرْامن َّ لِلذِكْرِ فَّهَّلْ مِنْ مدَّكِر "And indeed we have made the Quran easy to understand and to remember. But is there anyone who would receive admonition?" (54:18) How could a book with this message support any restriction on its study. Similarly no embargo has ever been placed on the study of Arabic language. There have been a host of non-Muslim scholars of Arabic language. It is an historical fact that when Hadrat ‘ Umar ra visited J a biyah in Syria, the man who interpreted his addresses to the people there was a Christian priest who was a deputy to the Bishop and occupied a high office in the church. 56 Similarly who can deny the poetic excellence of اختل ( Akhtal ) who was a famous C hristian poet in the court of U mayy a d Caliphs. The personal physician and his official interpreter Ibn - e - A s sal was also a Christian.