Tyndale the Martyr

In Their Own Tongue: A Martyr’s Sacrifice to bring God’s Message to the masses.

Introduction:

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. We seek His guidance and forgiveness, and we send blessings and peace upon His final messenger, Muhammad (PBUH), who was sent as a mercy to all of mankind. Today, I invite you to reflect on a matter that speaks to the very heart of divine revelation: the importance of language in understanding God’s message, and the timeless struggle to make that message accessible to all.

Let us begin with a verse from the Holy Qur’an:

“And We sent not any messenger but with the language of his people so that he might make (the message) clear to them; then Allah leaves astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills, and He is the Mighty, the Wise.”
(Quran, Surah Ibrahim, Chapter 14, Abraham, Verse 4)

This verse establishes a fundamental truth: that divine revelation must be understood, and that understanding begins with language.

Part I: The Universality of the Message

When Allah sends a messenger to a people, He does so in their language—not to limit the message to one tribe or nation, but so that the initial recipients might comprehend it. No single prophet could speak every language of the world, so common sense and divine wisdom prevail: the message is delivered in the tongue of the people, and once embraced, it becomes a light meant to spread across lands, cultures, and generations.

Take, for instance, the Christian tradition. The call of Jesus (PBUH) was deeply spiritual and profoundly universal. Yet he is reported in the Gospel of Matthew as saying:

“I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
(Matthew 15:24)

Some take this to mean a narrow, ethnic mission which unfortunately has adopted negative connotations in current times. But another reading—one that resonates with the Qur’an’s message—is that the core identity of Israel is not bound by ethnicity, geography, or politics, but by covenantal relationship. It signifies a people called to embody the values and purposes of God which was demonstrated through the prophet Abraham (AS) and those who embraced justice, mercy, faithfulness, and a unique role in revealing the divine to the world. Whether in ancient times or today, this understanding invites us to see “Israel” as a spiritual designation, a calling to wrestle with, walk with, and reflect God in a broken world. In the Qur’an, Allah says:

“And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], ‘Worship Allah and avoid false gods (Taghut).’ Among them were those whom Allah guided, and among them were those upon whom error was decreed.”
(Quran, Surah An-Nahl, Chapter 16, The Bee, Verse 36)

The prophets come not only to introduce truth but also to restore it—to those who had once held it, yet drifted.

Truth can only be fully embraced when it is understood. And understanding begins with language.

Part II: The Legacy of William Tyndale

Let us now journey through time to 15th-century England, to the life of a scholar and martyr—William Tyndale. Born in Gloucestershire in 1484 and educated at Oxford, he came to believe passionately that the Bible alone should determine the practices and doctrines of the Church, and—most importantly—that all believers should be able to read it in their own language.

One day, in a fiery discussion with a clergyman who declared, “We had better be without God’s laws than the Pope’s,” Tyndale responded with fearless conviction:
“I defy the Pope and all his laws, and if God spares my life, I will cause a boy that driveth the plough to know more of the Scriptures than thou dost.”

His passion was not welcomed. In London, he found no support. The clergy were filled with pomp, pride, and ignorance. He could not translate the New Testament in any safe corner of England. So he traveled to Germany and later Antwerp, in the Netherlands, where he quietly began his mission. But even there, trials awaited. A shipwreck on his way to Hamburg destroyed his manuscripts and nearly claimed his life.

Where many would have surrendered, he began again.

Eventually, his English translation of the New Testament was printed. It spread swiftly—kindling hope in the hearts of the people, and fury in the hearts of the prelates. The authorities condemned the translation, condemned the man, and persuaded the King to persecute him.

Finally, he was betrayed, imprisoned, and after a long trial, he was tied to a stake. Strangled. Burned. But not before crying out:

“Lord, open the King of England’s eyes!”

His last breath was a prayer that the word of God might live.

Part III: A Call to the Muslim World

Brothers and sisters, this is not merely a Christian story. This is the story of every sincere believer who has understood the power of divine revelation—and who has paid a price to make it known.

Tyndale was executed for translating scripture into English. In that era, even memorizing the Bible in English was illegal. But he believed that every “ploughboy” deserved to understand the Word of God.

Now we must ask: what lesson does this hold for us, the Muslim ummah?

We who carry the Quran—the final revelation—what are we doing to ensure that it is accessible to the hearts and minds of every soul?

Are we content to let it remain locked in Arabic for those who do not speak it? Are we prioritizing the recitation of the Quran while neglecting its comprehension?

Are we willing, like Tyndale who stood firm in what he believed to be true, to sacrifice comfort, reputation, or even safety, to ensure that the message of Allah reaches those hungry for guidance?

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was not sent to one tribe or one people. He was sent, as the Qur’an declares:

“And We have not sent you [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.”
(Quran, Surah Al-Anbiya, Chapter 21, The Prophets, Verse 107)

Let us ask ourselves: Are we acting in his spirit?

What is our mission?

We live in an age of immense opportunity. The Qur’an can now be translated, printed, shared, accessed digitally, and explained in every language. But the ease of access must not lull us into passivity. The mission is not over.

May we take inspiration from the martyrs of truth—past and present—who understood that the Word of God is not meant to be hidden, confined, or ritualized, but understood, lived, and loved.

May we be among those who act to bring God’s guidance to every heart in every tongue.

And may we never forget the power of language, the courage of conviction, and the mercy of revelation.