XSãoXLuisX
Member
As a non-Muslim I know nothing about prayer. So, recently I've been looking up info on it. I came across a thread on this site called “why do we need to pray in arabic?”. This is a question I've been asking myself lately. The responses to that question kind of surprised me. Some I agreed with and some I most certainly did not. So I have some questions about the accuracy of some of these replies to that question.
I'll only quote the parts I was confused on.
Quote #1: “...if we all prayed in our own languages but there would be no unity.”
I understand this statement very well, but it implies that the belief & praise of God alone, isn't enough to unify people. It implies that it's the language we speak, NOT the God we praise together, that is the key to our unification. As a believer in God, I personally disagree with that statement. If the belief and praise of God cannot unify people of faith, then I honestly believe nothing else can.
Quote #2: “the reason we pray in arabic...is symbolic of muslim unity “
The keyword in this statement is the word “symbolic”. In turn I must ask, Symbolic to whom?? Man?? God??? If it's to show the world the unity of Muslims by speaking in a unified language, then I must say that, as people of God we should not live to please man or to prove anything to mankind. The people outside our beliefs and their perceptions of us, should not concern us. We live to serve God. And God does not need to hear, from our tongues, unity, he needs to see it through our actions and what is in our hearts. If unity is truly there, God will see it.
Quote #3: “also when words are translated, they are not completely accurate...if everyone started praying or reading the Quran in their own language, its not completely accurate ”
This statement does hold some validity, but not completely. Yes, if we kept translating the Quran into different languages it wouldn't be completely accurate, but even when learning a language, such as Arabic, you still have to have many things translated to you to understand what words &/or phrases mean. Even then, those translations can also lack complete accuracy. So, using the logic of this quote, for people like me, whose native language is not Arabic, we can never fully or accurately comprehend the Arabic language or Quran. We can only trust that the translations we were given in learning the language or of the Quran were accurate. As far as praying is concerned, I personally believe that God does not care what language we pray in. More importantly, I believe God cares about what is in our hearts. Does the man who prays using the word “Allah” receive greater graces from God than he who prays saying, “God” or “Deus”???
Quote #4: “also the arabic language is much more powerfull than other languages.”
This is simply a matter of opinion and the powerfulness of a language has nothing to do with God.
Quote #5: “we will use quran language (high arabic) in the Paradise (Jannah)..no english or other languages 'here after'”
So, I'm very ignorant to what the Quran says, because I don't have one, it's hard for me to understand, and I'm not Muslim. With that said, does the Quran say that we will speak “high arabic” in “paradise”?? If not, who are we to profess to know what language will be spoken and/or not spoken in “Paradise”???
Final Quote: “...if we do our daily prayers on arabic it is much better...it is also better for our unity ”
After reading this quote I would ask, “Why is it better?” and “For whom or what is it better?” In this quote the person says it is “also” better for our unity. Again, do we need to prove unity to ourselves?? Can you not feel unity when you all profess your faith & belief in the Oneness of God and the finality of the prophet Muhammad. Can you not feel unity when you all pray amongst you brothers and sisters? Can you not feel unity when you all give to the needy? Can you not feel unity when you all purify yourselves through fasting. Can you not feel unity when you all make your pilgrimage to Mecca???
It seems to me that Islam is already so rich and full of unity, that it should not be dependent on all it's people praying in the same language. A lot of this is simply my own personal beliefs. If anything I've said is inaccurate or if there's something I just don't understand, please feel free to correct me and help me understand. Thanx!
I'll only quote the parts I was confused on.
Quote #1: “...if we all prayed in our own languages but there would be no unity.”
I understand this statement very well, but it implies that the belief & praise of God alone, isn't enough to unify people. It implies that it's the language we speak, NOT the God we praise together, that is the key to our unification. As a believer in God, I personally disagree with that statement. If the belief and praise of God cannot unify people of faith, then I honestly believe nothing else can.
Quote #2: “the reason we pray in arabic...is symbolic of muslim unity “
The keyword in this statement is the word “symbolic”. In turn I must ask, Symbolic to whom?? Man?? God??? If it's to show the world the unity of Muslims by speaking in a unified language, then I must say that, as people of God we should not live to please man or to prove anything to mankind. The people outside our beliefs and their perceptions of us, should not concern us. We live to serve God. And God does not need to hear, from our tongues, unity, he needs to see it through our actions and what is in our hearts. If unity is truly there, God will see it.
Quote #3: “also when words are translated, they are not completely accurate...if everyone started praying or reading the Quran in their own language, its not completely accurate ”
This statement does hold some validity, but not completely. Yes, if we kept translating the Quran into different languages it wouldn't be completely accurate, but even when learning a language, such as Arabic, you still have to have many things translated to you to understand what words &/or phrases mean. Even then, those translations can also lack complete accuracy. So, using the logic of this quote, for people like me, whose native language is not Arabic, we can never fully or accurately comprehend the Arabic language or Quran. We can only trust that the translations we were given in learning the language or of the Quran were accurate. As far as praying is concerned, I personally believe that God does not care what language we pray in. More importantly, I believe God cares about what is in our hearts. Does the man who prays using the word “Allah” receive greater graces from God than he who prays saying, “God” or “Deus”???
Quote #4: “also the arabic language is much more powerfull than other languages.”
This is simply a matter of opinion and the powerfulness of a language has nothing to do with God.
Quote #5: “we will use quran language (high arabic) in the Paradise (Jannah)..no english or other languages 'here after'”
So, I'm very ignorant to what the Quran says, because I don't have one, it's hard for me to understand, and I'm not Muslim. With that said, does the Quran say that we will speak “high arabic” in “paradise”?? If not, who are we to profess to know what language will be spoken and/or not spoken in “Paradise”???
Final Quote: “...if we do our daily prayers on arabic it is much better...it is also better for our unity ”
After reading this quote I would ask, “Why is it better?” and “For whom or what is it better?” In this quote the person says it is “also” better for our unity. Again, do we need to prove unity to ourselves?? Can you not feel unity when you all profess your faith & belief in the Oneness of God and the finality of the prophet Muhammad. Can you not feel unity when you all pray amongst you brothers and sisters? Can you not feel unity when you all give to the needy? Can you not feel unity when you all purify yourselves through fasting. Can you not feel unity when you all make your pilgrimage to Mecca???
It seems to me that Islam is already so rich and full of unity, that it should not be dependent on all it's people praying in the same language. A lot of this is simply my own personal beliefs. If anything I've said is inaccurate or if there's something I just don't understand, please feel free to correct me and help me understand. Thanx!