I graduated from the Bayyinah program, alhamdulillah. It would be incorrect to say that we’re doing Quranic exegesis (because we’re not) or that we’re only using linguistic analyses. 

The point of learning Arabic is that the Quran’s language strikes you before anything else. The article was to show how before one reads any tafsir or ahadith, we see how Allah’s mercy is embedded within the ayah, in the language itself. Tafsir helps us understand the Quran in a much deeper fashion. What the article provides above is simply what is within the Arabic language. I am not qualified to do “tafsir” per se nor are any of the students at Bayyinah.

Also, the Bayyinah program is simply a year long Arabic program. It would equate to 1 year studying Arabic overseas, in a Darul Uloom, or else where. 

I hope that helps :).

Good article by Nihal. I am highly encouraged by the sight of an increasing number of American Born Confident Desis who are turning to the religion of truth. By the way, what does Nihal mean, is it a derivative of ‘nahl’ (honeybee). Also, I know a new generation of writers are coming out of Bayyinah who perform Quranic exegesis using linguistic analysis only. It would be nice if the writers also used the words of our own Rasool and the words of our Sahaabah to color the meanings of the ayaat. This will result in a more rounded and love article.

Reminders like these need to be read every now and then, just to put everything back into perspective.
The second to last paragraph reminded me of something Br. Nouman Ali Khan said a while ago. He compared it to a child holding on to his mother even after she yelled at him, because he had no where else to go. Likewise, at the end of the day, we only have Allah to turn to.