AL MUNJID, A dangerous Arabic Dictionary to Learn

Al-Munjid – If you’ve ever studied in traditional or modern Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, or even studied in any Islamic universities such as the Islamic State University of Jakarta (UIN, Indonesia), you must have known Al Munjid Dictionary. It is considered as one of the most complete and comprehensive dictionary; one of the cause is that it is supplemented with pictures; and as the main dictionary in various Islamic campuses and boarding schools across the world.

Even, in several boarding school such as The Darunnajah Ulu Jami Boarding School of Jakarta, there is a particular lesson to use Al Munjid Dictionary, which is termed as The lesson of Fathul Munjid. But do you know that Al Munjid Arabic dictionary that is used in all boarding schools and Islamic campuses was composed by two Catholic priests (monks) named Fr. Louis Ma’luf al-Yassu’i and Fr. Bernard Tottel al-Yassu’i, and it has been printed, published, and distributed by a Catholic printing house since 1908.

The long history of Al Munjid dictionary usage that still occurs until today actually has been receiving many resistances. Some scholars considered the dictionary as a part of the orientalist’s works, that has a hidden agenda toward the Islamic world.

There are at least two books written by Islamic scholars that contain disagreement of Al Munjid dictionary, that is:

1. ‘Atsrat al-Munjid fi al-adab wal ulum wa a’lam (Author: Prof. Ibrahim al-Qhatthan, 664 pages, published in 1392 H), this is the most prominent book that criticizes Al Munjid Dictionary.

2. An-Naz’ah an-Nashraniyah fi Qamus al-Munjid (Author: DR. Ibrahim Awwad, 50 pages, published in 1411 H)

Al Munjid dictionary itself possess several weakness, if not said as a deliberate act, that is:

– The entry of “The Qur’an” is never combined with the word “Al Kariim” (The Noble) but the entries of the holy books of the Christian and The Jew are added with “Al Muqaddas” (The Purified one)

– The entry of “Prophet Muhammad” is never followed by the title of “Shalallahu alaihi wa Sallam” (peace and prayer of Allah be upon him), also the entries of the companions are not followed by “Radiyallahu ‘anhu” (may Allah be pleased with him).

– There is no a “Basmallah” sentence ‘In the name of Allah’ on the head every chapter just as written in the other Islamic books.

– The entry of “Al Basmallah” originally belongs to muslims, but in the explanation it is written as “Bismil ab-wal ibn wa Ruhil Quds” which meaning is “By the name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.” And the entry of “Bismillahirrahmanirrahim” afterwards.

– This dictionary also doesn’t discuss about Islamic credo, but discusses many things that contains deviation of creed.

– The names of the main Islamic figures such as the companions, the student of the companions, and the scholars are also not contained in it, but in the other hand, it contains many names of the Christian of the westerns.

– This dictionary never refer to the authentic sources of Islam, but in contrary, it refers to the western sources, and it is evidently seen in the entry of ‘worship’, and the names of the prophets and the messengers in Christian version.

– There are numerous mistakes in the writing of the figures’ names and their relations to the history.
– It mentions that the pork is very delicious.

– It contains many pictures and paintings from western world that has no basis at all, such as the picture of Prophet Isa (Jesus) and the other prophets. Even worse, there is a naked picture of an adult pair crying, that is said as the picture of Adam and Eve.

– Prophet Noah, Lot, and Solomon (Nuh, Luth, and Sulaiman) are said to be non prophets, but Luqman is dubbed as a prophet. Noah is termed as ‘The First Man of the Torah”, Lot is referred as ‘the nephew of Prophet Abraham/Ibrahim, and Solomon as a ‘King’ and not a prophet.

– Prophet David (Daud) is said as a killer of many men in order to marry their widows, whereas he had had 100 wives.

There are still many notes about this orientalist-made dictionary which, to our confusion, is still used in various Islamic educational institutions until now. It is the time for the muslims to realize the danger in it and stop to use it. And the MUI (Indonesia Islamic Council) is supposed to ban the distribution and the usage of this dictionary across Indonesia. (Rz)

***

FATWA OF SHEIKH MASYHUR HASAN SALMAN ABOUT THE USAGE OF ARABIC DICTIONARY OF “AL MUNJID”

السؤال: ما رأيكم في قاموس “المنجد”؟

Question: What do you think about the dictionary of A Munjid?

الجواب: للأسف أقول: إن هذا القاموس غزا؛ لا أقول المدارس والجامعات والمكتبات، بل للأسف غزا البيوت، وفي كثير من البيوت يعتمد على هذا القاموس لأنه سهل

Answer: Too bad that I have to say that this dictionary has invaded… I’m not saying that it (only) invades the schools, universities, and the libraries, but it is too bad that it has invaded even the houses too. It is easy to find houses that depend to this dictionary due to it’s handiness (of usage).

لكن هذا القاموس فيه سموم عظيمة ولا يجوز لأحد أن يقرأ فيه، إلا إن كان شبعان ريام من علوم الشريعة، يعرف من خلال ما وهبه الله إياه من علم الصحيح من السقيم، والجيد من الرديء، والأصيل من الدخيل

But it contains a terrible poison, that no one should be allowed to read it, unless those who has mastered the knowledges of shari’a that Allah has bestowed upon them, thus they can differ between the valid and invalid data, the right from the wrong, the authentic or the already contaminated ones.

هذا القاموس وضعه النصارى ،وأول ما طبع سنة 1908، وكتبه راهب نصراني هو الأب لويس معروف اليسوعي، ووضع قسم الأعلام منه، راهب نصراني آخر، هو الأب فرَانْديد توت ، يسوعي أيضاً، وطبع أول ما طبع في المطبعة الكاثوليكية

This dictionary was made by the Christians and it was first published in 1908. It was written by a priest (monk) named Fr. Louis, a famous Jesuit who opened an information section in it, and another priest named Fr. Frendid Tut, also a Jesuit. It was first printed in a Catholic printing house.

هذا القاموس فيه بعض الآيات خطأ ولا يوجد فيه ((قال الله)) ويقولون أحياناً ((في القرآن)) ولا يوجد فيه صفة للقرآن بأنه مقدس أو عظيم، ويكثرون من ذكر الأسفار والتوراة والإنجيل خاصة، ولا يوجد فيه حديث نبوي واحد، ونحن نعرف لغة العرب من القرآن والحديث والشعر الجاهلي، وللآلوسي كتاب حول ما يستشهد به على كلام العرب

In this dictionary, there are:

– Several mistakes in verses.
– It contains no saying of “Allah’s decree”, but sometimes the authors wrote, “In the Qur’an.”
– It doesn’t contain the attributes of the Qur’an, that is Holy or Great.
– Many news from the Holy Book of Torah and Gospel in particular.
– It contains no saying of the Prophet, even just one saying, whereas we know that the Arabic language comes from the Qur’an, hadith (saying of the Prophet), and the poets of Arab in the time of the ignorance. Al Alusi has written a book about the deriving of indication from Arabic saying.

وهذا القاموس فيه إرجاع إلى مجلات النصارى ،ولا يوجد فيه إرجاع إلى مجلة قام عليها المسلمون أبداً

It merely refers to the Christian magazines, never to the magazines published by muslims.

وهذا القاموس لا يوجد فيه ذكر للمصطلحات الإسلامية فمثلاً: كل أعياد النصارى كالشعانين والفصح وغيرها كلها موجودة فيه بالتفصيل، أما المصطلحات الإسلامية فغير موجودة فيه، حتى البسملة يقولون هي(بسم الأب والابن والروح القدس) فهذه البسملة الموجودة عندهم

It doesn’t mention Islamic terminologies, for example all celebrations of the Christian, such as the Easter, etc. All of it is written in detail. As for Islamic terms, it has no place in it. Even the saying of “Basmalah” is changed into “In the name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit”. This is the “Basmalah” in their version.

فهذا القاموس خطير جداً لا يجوز لأحد أن يقرأه وقد وجدت رسالة نافعة طيبة للدكتور إبراهيم عوض سماها: “النزعة النصرانية في قاموس المنجد” فمر بهذا القاموس ودرسه دراسة جيدة، وذكر في هذه الرسالة النزعة النصراينة بتأصيل وتمثيل، من قرأها يعلم علم اليقين أن هذا القاموس وضع للتبشير، ووضع لتروج بضاعة النصارى وعقائدهم على المسلمين

It is a very dangerous dictionary, thus none should be allowed to read it. I have got a very good and useful writing, by Dr. Ibrahim ‘Awudh, titled “An Naz’ah An-Nashraniyyah fii Qaamus Al Munjid”. He also explained about this dictionary with an excellent explanation. It also mentioned in this book that the dictionary contains tendency to the Christian based on it’s sources and examples. Thus, whoever reads it, will know for sure that this dictionary was composed in the missionary mission (the spreading of Christian).

فينبغي أن يقاطع هذا القاموس وهناك بديل عنه مثل “القاموس المحيط” و”المعجم الوسيط” وغيرها ، والله أعلم

Hence, it should be left since we already have the substitutions for it, such as the dictionary of Al Muhith and Al Mu’jam Al Wasith and the other dictionaries.

And Allah knows best.

Article of www.whatisquran.com