Continuation of my Contentions Series.

Link to Shaykh Abd al Hakim Murad’s Contentions part 1.

38. Annunciation vs. enunciation: the word is best made word.

Terms:

Annunciation- a festival commemorating the announcement of the Incarnation by the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary; a quarter day in England, Wales, and Ireland

Enunciation- the articulation of speech regarded from the point of view of its intelligibility to the audience

Interpretation:

The first part pits two like-sounding words against each other.

“the word is best made word”

This part seems open for the most interpretation. If we relate the first reference of “word” to “Annunciation”, and the second reference of “word” to “Enunciation”, then we begin to see something form here. I feel its legitimate to replace them as I do, since both refer to forms of speech or announcements/pronouncements.

“The Annunciation is best made Enunciation”

A verse to keep in mind here is, Sura 3:59 Translated as:
“The similitude of Jesus before Allah is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him: “Be!” And he was.”

We might understand this contention better if we associate “enunciation” as the reference to this concept of “Be!”. Obviously wary of the fact that enunciation could be miscontrued as a bit anthropomorphic so I wonder if this is really where the Shaykh was going with this.

So.. finally, I would understand this as:

“The announcement of Isa’s (AS) birth (Annunciation) should best be understood through the acknowledgement of Allah’s ability to say “Be!” (enunciation), and it is. “

Perfect time to remind everyone that I’m no expert and I have never even met Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad, so any interpretations you have, feel free to post about them.