Omya, thankyou for your reply
Now, let me discuss the verses first and answer your question, then I'll ask you or anyone else who would like to reply another question in relation to my question re ummyia.
I'm not sure how you are tought to read the Qur'an, but when you read the Bible, it's very important that it's read in it's context and verses are not just read and commented on. many of the differences you have no doubt heard about in the Christian denominations, have occured because some people have done this and emphasised one teaching of scripture over another.
Now to understand the readings in Isaiah 29 you must see these verses in their position in Isaiah's prophecy.
Isaiah was given as a book of history and a book of prophecy. It was also a book of judgement, not only of nations around Israel, but of Israel as well.
These verses speak of Jerusalem being encircled and crushed (verses 1-4), but her conquerors will be destroyed (verses 5-10). Discipline was coming because God's people "come near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me" (Vs 13). In the Judgement, all who have an eye for evil will be cut down (14-21). Then the remnant will acknowledge the holiness of the God of Israel (verses 22-24)
Let's now focus on verses 9 and 10. these are the jeering reply of King Ahaz who was pro-Assyrian, and who saught to reduce the impact of Isaiah's warning. and completely rejected what Isaiah had said from God in warning.
Those verses you quoted speak of the response to the disbelief...
For you this whole vision is nothing but words sealed in a scroll! And if you give the scroll to somone who can read and say to him "read this please", he will answer I cannot, it is sealed". Or if you give this to someone who cannot read and say "Read this please" he will answer " I don't know how to read"
(notice in the preceeding verses it says "the Lord has brought over you a deep sleep .. He has sealed your eyes (the prophets) and covered your heads(the seers)"
There is no prophet prophesised specifically. These verses are telling the King and therefore the people that their refusal to see and hear and respond has led to the judgement that is to fall on them, as is again clarified in verses 13-16)
Read on now down to verse 17. Following judgement comes the promise that the deaf will oneday hear the words of the scroll and out of the gloom and darkness (speaking of the exile to Babylon) the blind will see.
the result of all of this is seen in verses 22 and 23 and is ALWAYS the reason why God acts in judgement
They will keep my name Holy: they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel"
Now my questions for furthur discussion
It's interesting to note that yes, ummiyya does mean illiterate, but cannot the word ummi as in "ummi prophet" also be derived from the word umma meaning nation?
If ummi is derived from ummiyya what sort of illiteracy is being referred to? Was Muhammed illiterate in the sense of not being able to read or write? Or illiterate in the sense of being religiously illiterate, that is, ignorant of Jewish and Christian Scriptures?
If the root word is actually from umma then cannot it also not mean that Muhammad was a ummi prophet, because being an Arab, he was from the Nations, as opposed from being from Israel?
Please can you explain your understanding of ymmiyyun in Surah 2:78
and there are among them (the Jews) ummiyyun, who know not the Book, but see therein their own desire, and they do nothing but make conjectures.
Sura 3:30
If they argue with you say "I have submitted my whole being to God and so have those who follow me," and say to those who have been given the Scripture and to the ummiyyun: "Do you submit yourselves (to God)?" If they do they are rightly guided, but if they turn away, your only task is to deliver the word.
Sura 3:75
There are those among the People of the Book, who if you entrust them with much treasure, will pay it back to you and there are those who, if you entrust them with a mere dinar, will not repay it and you will stand over them all the while. This springs from their saying "We are under no obligation to the ummiyyun" thus deliberately attributing a false thing to God".
Sura 62:2
It is He (God) who has sent the ummiyyun an Apostle from among them to rehearse His revelations, to sanctify them and to teach them the Book and wisdom, for they had indeed gone astray in former times."
Once you have described your understanding of the way ummiyyun is used in each of these examples, I'll ask more questions.
Thanks for your answers
Carol