30. Ar-Rum (The Byzantines)

Mecca Period [6-7 years before Hijra]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ خَلْقُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافُ أَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَأَلْوَانِكُمْ...

30: 22. And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and your colors:

C3527. The variations in languages and colors may be viewed from the geographical aspect or from the aspect of periods of time.

All mankind were created of a single pair of parents; yet they have spread to different countries and climates and developed different languages and different shades of complexions. And yet their basic unity remains unaltered. They feel in the same way, and are all equally under Allah's care.

Then there are the variations in time. Old languages die out and new ones are evolved. New conditions of life and thought are constantly evolving new words and expressions, new syntactical structures, and new modes of pronunciation. Even old races die, and new races are born.

... إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّلْعَالِمِينَ ﴿٢٢﴾

verily in that are Signs for those who know.

Asad’s Version:

(30:22) And among his wonders is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your tongues and colours: for in this, behold, there are messages indeed for all who are possessed of [innate] knowledge!