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Iltifat (التفات, ''iltifaat''), also known as grammatical shift or grammatical errors, refers to cases where the Quranic text doesn't follow the rules of grammar or makes some strange grammatical change for no apparent reason.
{{QualityScore|Lead=1|Structure=3|Content=3|Language=2|References=2}}
Iltifat (التفات, ''iltifaat''), also known as grammatical shift or grammatical errors, refers to cases where the Quranic text makes strange grammatical shift in point of view or addressee for no apparent reason.
 
The Islamic interpretation is that the so called "iltifat" is intentional and that it makes the Quran better. Critics, however, suggest that iltifat is the result and evidence of an imprecisely produced or preserved Qur'an.
 
Professor Suleiman Mourad comments on this phenomenon, "There are a few grammatical mistakes in the Qur'an - sometimes a sentence starts in the singular and ends in the plural (e.g., 9:49-50), or two particles are connected when they should not be (e.g., 3:178), or some vowels go wrong in the declensions (e.g., 22:78). This from the viewpoint of a strict linguist. From the traditional vantage point, since the Qur'an is miraculous, these are not errors."<ref>Mourad, Suleiman (2016) ''The Mosaic of Islam: A Conversation with Perry Anderson'', London: Verso, p.7</ref>


The apologetic interpretation is that the so called "iltifat" is intentional and that it makes the Quran better. And the critical interpretation is that the author of the Quran made mistakes or he suffered from a language disorder or  that the Quran was poorly preserved.
==Examples==
==Examples==
* This is not a complete list of examples. Every category has only one example
 
* Some examples are debatable, but the purpose is to show all kinds of iltifat that were suggested
*This is not a complete list of examples. Every category has only one example
*Some examples are debatable, but the purpose is to show all kinds of iltifat that were suggested


===In pronouns===
===In pronouns===
The Quran in some verses switches [[Arabic pronouns and the Quran| pronouns]] in a strange way. The most remarkable are switches between the 1st and the 3rd person.
The Quran in some verses switches [[Arabic pronouns and the Quran|pronouns]] in a strange way. The most remarkable are switches between the 1st and the 3rd person.


====Change from 1st to 2nd person====
====Change from 1st to 2nd person====
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It would make more sense in the context to say "who created me and to whom I will be returned".
It would make more sense in the context to say "who created me and to whom I will be returned".


But it was also interpreted as "why should I not worship He who created me" being the reason for the belief and "and to whom you will be returned" as a warning to the people. Although from the verse it doesn't sound like warning, it looks more like "you will be returned" is connected to the "why should I not worship".
But it was also interpreted as "why should I not worship He who created me" being the reason for the belief and "and to whom you will be returned" as a warning to the people. Although from the verse it doesn't seem like a warning, it rather seems as if "you will be returned" is being given as a reason for why the ''speaker'' should "worship He who created" him, which proves to be an awkward, ''impersonal'' justification for his ''personal'' devotion to God.


====Change from 1st to 3rd person====
====Change from 1st to 3rd person====
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So it begins by "I am the messenger" (1st person) but ends up referring to himself in the 3rd person ("his messenger the unlettered prophet who believes in allah..").
So it begins by "I am the messenger" (1st person) but ends up referring to himself in the 3rd person ("his messenger the unlettered prophet who believes in allah..").


As we've seen, translators "solved" (interpreted) it by adding quotation marks. "He gives life and causes death" is the speech of Muhammad (which god commanded him to say) and "So believe in Allah and His Messenger" is the speech of.. Allah?? They're both mentioned in the 3rd person, so who's speaking here? Also there's no reason to break the two parts, it would make sense to say it together: "He gives life and causes death, so believe in Allah and His messenger".
As we've seen, translators "solved" (interpreted) it by adding quotation marks. "He gives life and causes death" is the speech of Muhammad (which god commanded him to say) and "So believe in Allah and His Messenger" is made out to be the speech of Allah. They're both mentioned in the 3rd person, so who's speaking here? Also there's no reason to break the two parts, it would make sense to say it together: "He gives life and causes death, so believe in Allah and His messenger".
====Change from 3rd person to 1st person====
====Change from 3rd person to 1st person====
This example is clear. "We" refers to Allah in 1st person, although Allah was in 3rd person in the beginning:
This example is clear. "We" refers to Allah in 1st person, although Allah was in 3rd person in the beginning:
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====Change from 3rd person to 2nd person====
====Change from 3rd person to 2nd person====
Again it's not easy to see it in the translation, but the people are referred to as "they", but then then next verse says to them "you". The "[And it will be said]" and quotation marks were added by translators:
Again it's not easy to see it in the translation, but the people are referred to as "they", but then the next verse says to them "you". The "[And it will be said]" and quotation marks were added by translators:
{{Quote|{{Quran|76|21-22}}|
{{Quote|{{Quran|76|21-22}}|
76:21 Upon the inhabitants will be green garments of fine silk and brocade. And '''they''' will be adorned with bracelets of silver, and their Lord will give them a purifying drink.
76:21 Upon the inhabitants will be green garments of fine silk and brocade. And '''they''' will be adorned with bracelets of silver, and their Lord will give them a purifying drink.
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76:22 [And it will be said], "Indeed, this is for '''you''' a reward, and your effort has been appreciated."
76:22 [And it will be said], "Indeed, this is for '''you''' a reward, and your effort has been appreciated."
}}
}}
Without the translation patch it would be just "and they will be adorned.. indeed this is for you a reward".
Without the interpolation introduced in the translation, it reads "and they will be adorned.. indeed this is for you a reward".
====Change from 2nd person to 1st person====
====Change from 2nd person to 1st person====
This example is debatable. "The Lord" is in the 3rd person the whole time. The difference is only in the possessive pronouns:
This example is debatable. "The Lord" is in the 3rd person the whole time. The difference is only in the possessive pronouns:
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}}
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It seems that the verbs are both in future tense, however, the first one is in the present <ref>present - imperfect http://corpus.quran.com/wordmorphology.jsp?location=(27:87:2)</ref> and the second in the past <ref>past - perfect http://corpus.quran.com/wordmorphology.jsp?location=(27:87:5)</ref>. So "the day the horn is blown, they were terrified".
It seems that the verbs are both in future tense, however, the first one is in the present <ref>present - imperfect http://corpus.quran.com/wordmorphology.jsp?location=(27:87:2)</ref> and the second in the past <ref>past - perfect http://corpus.quran.com/wordmorphology.jsp?location=(27:87:5)</ref>. So "the day the horn is blown, they were terrified".
===In number===
Arabic words have singular, dual and plural forms.
====Change from singular to dual====
{{Quote|{{Quran|10|78}}|
They said, "Have you come to us (أجئتنا) to turn us away from that upon which we found our fathers and so that you two may have (لكما) grandeur in the land? And we are not believers in you."
}}
"You come to us" is singular <ref>http://corpus.quran.com/wordmorphology.jsp?location=(10:78:2)</ref>, but "you have" is dual <ref>http://corpus.quran.com/wordmorphology.jsp?location=(10:78:9)</ref>.
====Change from singular to plural====
When the light of the fire lighted around ''him'', Allah took ''their'' light:
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|17}}|
Their likeness is as the likeness of '''one who kindled a fire; then, when it lighted all around him, Allah took away their light''' and left them in darkness. (So) they could not see.
}}
====Change from dual to singular====
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|117}}|
So We said, "O Adam, indeed this is an enemy to you and to your wife. Then let him not '''remove you''' (يخرجنكما) from Paradise so '''you would suffer''' (فتشقى).
}}
"remove you" was dual <ref>http://corpus.quran.com/wordmorphology.jsp?location=(20:117:9)</ref>, but "you would suffer" was singular <ref>http://corpus.quran.com/wordmorphology.jsp?location=(20:117:12)</ref>.
This also seems to suggest, strangely, that if Adam and Eve were removed from paradise, then only Adam would suffer.
====Change from dual to plural====
{{Quote|{{Quran|10|87}}|
And We inspired to Moses and his brother, "Settle (تبوءا) your people in Egypt in houses and make (واجعلوا) your houses [facing the] qiblah and establish (أقيموا) prayer and give good tidings (وبشر) to the believers."
}}
It starts in the dual, "settle" is dual. Then "make your houses" is plural. And "give good tidings" is singular.
The change to plural could be interpreted that it's a command for the two and their people, but still it's a little strange. Since it begins with "We inspired to Moses and his brother", god doesn't talk to their people, so we would expect that the commands would be for them two.
====Change from plural to singular====
Both "we" and "me" refers to god:
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|38}}|
'''We said''', "Go down from it, all of you. And when guidance comes to you '''from Me''', whoever follows My guidance - there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.
}}
====Change from plural to dual====
55:33 is in the plural, 55:34 in the dual:
{{Quote|{{Quran|55|33-4}}|
55:33 O company of jinn and mankind, if you are able (استطعتم) to pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth, then pass. You will not pass except by authority [from Allah ].
55:34 So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny (تكذبان)?
}}


==See also==
==See also==
* [[Spelling Inconsistencies in the Quran]]
 
*[[Spelling Inconsistencies in the Quran]]
*[[Tadmeen]]


==References==
==References==
<references />
[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Arabic]]
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