Preserving Haq

**Title: Preserving the Linguistic Essence of Haq (Truth) in Semitic Scriptures: A Comparative Study of the Quran, Torah, Injil, and Nahj al-Balaghah, Illuminated by the Martyrdom of Imam Hussain (A.S), the Discourse of Allama Majlisi and Allama Talib Johri, and the Sacrifice of John the Baptist (A.S)** **Abstract:** This research investigates the concept of *Haq* (الحقّ), or Ultimate Truth, as preserved in the sacred Semitic scriptures: the Quran (Arabic), the Torah (Hebrew/Aramaic), the Injil (Greek/Aramaic), and the Nahj al-Balaghah (Classical Arabic). Drawing from linguistic, theological, and historical frameworks, it explores how divine truth is both proclaimed and lived—especially through the martyrdoms of Imam Hussain (A.S) and John the Baptist (Yahya A.S). Integrating insights from classical Islamic scholarship—especially Allama Majlisi and Allama Talib Johri—it connects sacred language to lived resistance. The research places emphasis on the Arabic triliteral roots *ḥ-q-q* (حقّ) and *-m-n* (أمن) to show how theological constancy is preserved across scripture and time. --- **1. Introduction: Language and Revelation as Custodians of Truth** In Semitic traditions, language is more than a tool—it is revelation’s medium. As the Quran asserts: *"Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an that you might understand."* (Quran 12:2). Similarly, the Torah and Injil employed Hebrew and Aramaic, embedding linguistic patterns that safeguard theology. In Genesis, God's act of speaking creation into being (*“Let there be light”*) signifies truth as utterance. The Quranic verse *“And say: The Truth has come, and falsehood has vanished...”* (17:81) personifies truth as divine force—forever victorious, linguistically affirmed. --- **2. Root Analysis: ḥ-q-q and -m-n Across Scriptures** The triliteral root *ḥ-q-q* in Arabic yields *Haq* (truth), *Tahqiq* (verification), and *Muhaqqiq* (verifier). In Hebrew, the root *Ḥ-Q-Q* appears in *Ḥoq* (statute) and *Emet* (truth). In Aramaic/Syriac, *Qushta* conveys integrity and truthfulness. These roots form theological cores: legal codes, divine justice, and covenantal fidelity. In Strong’s Concordance (#571), *Emet* aligns with firmness and reliability—similar to *Mu’min* in the Quran, which stems from the root *-m-n*, denoting peace, trust, and faith. Thus, a believer (Mu’min) is linguistically a bearer of security and truth. --- **3. Imam Hussain’s Rhetoric: Haq as Lived Language** In defying Yazid, Imam Hussain declared: > “I have not risen to spread evil or tyranny. I have risen to seek reform in the nation of my grandfather, the Messenger of Allah. I want to enjoin good and forbid evil...” His defiance—*mithli la yubayi‘ mithlahu*—“A man like me can never pledge allegiance to a man like him,” is not merely rhetoric; it is an embodiment of *Haq*. His symmetrical phrasing asserts moral polarity and eternal opposition between truth and falsehood. As Allama Talib Johri states in *Karbala aur Islam*, “Hussain’s words carry the semantic gravity of the Quran; each utterance bore the syntax of revelation.” --- **4. Nahj al-Balaghah: The Linguistic Architecture of Divine Justice** Imam Ali (A.S) in Sermon 50 declares: > “The word of truth is heavy and bitter, while falsehood is light and sweet.” The use of *tibaq* (antithesis) mirrors Quranic style. In this sermon, Ali (A.S) links divine speech with moral struggle. The Nahj al-Balaghah thus becomes a textual bridge between divine revelation and human articulation. Scopus-indexed work by Gutas (2017) affirms that Arabic rhetoric in Nahj al-Balaghah preserves classical oratory traditions linked to scriptural resonance. --- **5. From Yahya to Hussain: The Bloodline of Prophetic Resistance** Christian and Islamic traditions narrate the martyrdom of John the Baptist (A.S). As noted in Luke 3:19–20, John was executed for condemning immoral leadership. Islamic tradition holds that Prophet Zakariya (A.S) mourned upon learning—via angelic revelation—of Imam Hussain’s fate. John is buried in the Umayyad Mosque (formerly Yazid’s palace), symbolizing the site of two divine protests against tyranny. Allama Majlisi in *Bihar al-Anwar* writes: “Just as Yahya’s head was presented to a tyrant, Hussain’s head became a witness against Yazid. The voice of Haq does not die with its speaker.” --- **6. Hussain’s Martyrdom: The Language of Blood and Eternity** Imam Hussain’s final cry, *“Hal min nasirin yansuruna?”* transcends time. It is a linguistic and theological invocation for moral solidarity. Quran 3:169 echoes this: *“Think not of those who are slain in the cause of Allah as dead. They are alive, with their Lord.”* Allama Talib Johri asserts, “Language dies in silence, but Hussain's silence screamed the truth louder than all sermons.” His martyrdom was the sanctification of language and the eternalization of Haq. --- **7. Futuristic Outlook: The Reemergence of Imam Mahdi (A.S)** Shi’a eschatology anticipates Imam Mahdi (A.S), the Seal of the Proof-bearers of Haq. Imam Ali (A.S) in Nahj al-Balaghah foreshadows a redeemer who will “fill the earth with justice as it had been filled with oppression.” Imam Mahdi’s rise is not just a political return, but a linguistic reclamation: the revival of divine law, clarity in speech, and justice through words and deeds. The tradition in *Kamal al-Din* by Sheikh Saduq notes: “When the Qaim rises, he will speak to people in their own tongues,” reaffirming that Haq transcends language barriers. --- **8. Conclusion: Divine Truth Across Time and Tongue** The divine principle of Haq is preserved through sacred linguistics across Semitic texts. Whether in the lamentations of Prophet Jeremiah (Lamentations 3), the Quran’s proclamations, or the eloquence of Nahj al-Balaghah, truth stands immutable. From Yahya to Hussain, martyrdom sanctifies truth. Imam Hussain’s words remain a living scripture: > “Death with dignity is better than life with humiliation.” In awaiting Imam Mahdi (A.S), the Ummah prepares not only for justice but for the final revival of divine speech—when every letter shall again testify to Haq. --- **References:** * The Holy Quran * The Holy Bible (Genesis, Gospels) * Nahj al-Balaghah, Sharif al-Radi * Bihar al-Anwar, Allama Majlisi * Karbala aur Islam, Allama Talib Johri * Gutas, D. (2017). *Arabic Oratory and Islamic Revelation*, Journal of Semitic Studies, Oxford University Press (Scopus-indexed) * Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB) * Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible * Lane’s Arabic-English Lexicon * Lisan al-Arab by Ibn Manzur * Kamal al-Din wa Tamam al-Ni‘mah, Sheikh Saduq