Choose Our Words Carefully (4:46 – 4:47)

[4:46] Among those who are Jewish, some distort the words beyond the truth, and they say, “We hear, but we disobey,” and “Your words are falling on deaf ears,” and “Raa’ena* (be our shepherd),” as they twist their tongues to mock the religion. Had they said, “We hear, and we obey,” and “We hear you,” and “Unzurna (watch over us),” it would have been better for them, and more righteous. Instead, they have incurred condemnation from GOD due to their disbelief. Consequently, the majority of them cannot believe.
*4:46 The word “Raa’ena” was twisted by some Hebrew speaking people to sound like a dirty word. See 2:104. 

[4:47] O you who received the scripture, you shall believe in what we reveal herein, confirming what you have, before we banish certain faces to exile, or condemn them as we condemned those who desecrated the Sabbath. GOD’s command is done. 

Anne Curzan: What Makes A Word “Real”?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6NU0DMjv0Y

Words don’t always carry the same definition. A word might mean something one day and later on mean the complete opposite of it. Modern examples is the word “bad” and “cool” etc.

“Words change meaning over time in ways that might surprise you. We sometimes notice words changing meaning under our noses (e.g., unique coming to mean “very unusual” rather than “one of a kind”) — and it can be disconcerting. How in the world are we all going to communicate effectively if we allow words to shift in meaning like that? The good news: History tells us that we’ll be fine. Words have been changing meaning — sometimes radically — as long as there have been words and speakers to speak them. Here is just a small sampling of words you may not have realized didn’t always mean what they mean today.

Nice: This word used to mean “silly, foolish, simple.” Far from the compliment it is today!

Silly: Meanwhile, silly went in the opposite direction: in its earliest uses, it referred to things worthy or blessed; from there it came to refer to the weak and vulnerable, and more recently to those who are foolish.

Awful: Awful things used to be “worthy of awe” for a variety of reasons, which is how we get expressions like “the awful majesty of God.””

“20 Words That Used to Have A Different Meaning”
http://ideas.ted.com/20-words-that-once-meant-something-very-different/

In September 1989, Dr. Rashad Khalifa changed the name of his publication from “Muslim Perspective” to “Submitters Perspective”. Below is the reasons explaining the name change.

http://www.masjidtucson.org/publications/books/sp/1989/sep/page1.html

“This marks the advent of momentous changes and ushers in a new era of unification. Henceforth, all believers who devote their worship to the One True God ALONE will join forces under the banner of “One True Religion” (Quran 2:62; 3:19, 85, 113; 5:69).

This is not simply a new bright idea of a human being or a collection of humans; this is a divine plan destined for inevitable enforcement – God will render the hearts of all believers receptive. The Most Merciful has sent His Messenger of the Covenant now to deliver God’s message of unification and purification (Malachi 3:1, Quran 3:81).

One of the most important items on the unification agenda is the name of God’s people; the unified believers. The words “Muslim” and “Islam” are NOT names; they are Arabic words meaning “Submitter” and “Submission,” respectively. When Noah, Abraham, Solomon, and even the jinns talked about “Islam” and “Muslim” they did not speak in Arabic; they used their own languages. Please read these verses: 2:131; 7:126; 10:72; 22:78; 27:31, 42; 28:53; 72:14. When Jesus’ disciples stated that they were “Muslims,” they did not say it Arabic (3:52). A Christian Arab is called “Nusraany” in Arabic. Yet, we do not use this Arabic word when we speak English. It has been Satan’s plan to transform these “descriptions” into “names” then to give “Islam” and the “Muslims” a bad name. We have now mobilized to pull the rug from under Satan’s feet.”