Arabic vs Other languages?

abubaseer

tanzil.info
Staff member
As Salaam Alaykum,

Difference in languages is a sign from Allah SWT:
"And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. Verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge"

But, arabic has been chosen by Allah SWT as language of Quran, worship and paradise...which means it has definitely some thing great about it.

I'm looking for some information on uniqueness of arabic language in simple easy to understand language. Videos would be ideal.

Also looking for crtical comparison of it with other languages (sanskrit etc)
 

arsenalace

to allah i turn....
:bismillah1:
i dnt know if dis would help u but i tried 2 find sum info n got dis

The Arabic Language, the Root of all Languages
There are a lot of theories that talk about language and linguistics and the chronicle and synchronic linguistics. The Arabic Language has its own peculiarity and it has its own origin. What really bothers a lot of people is that it is on decline nowadays.

Its globalization and people who are the real driving force behind this deterioration of the Arabic Language. Parents and people in charge of education are asked to put Arabic back to the place it deserves that is at the top of all languages. It’s the language of people of Paradise. Lets see why Arabic is such a great language with all its meanings and structure and style.

In order to rest our case and prove the greatness of the Arabic language, we have been directed by some of the verses of the Holy Quran that are replete with wisdom. Among its other bounties the Holy Quran includes one whereby the true philosophy of the diversity of languages has been set forth, and we have been apprised of the deep wisdom underlying the source of all languages. We also learn there from how greatly are those people mistaken who do not admit that all languages have developed under divine direction. In a number of books, it has been established as the result of research that the Holy Quran is the only book which has come down in the language which is the mother of tongues, is revealed, and is the source and fountain head of all other languages. Not like all the Holy books the Holy Quran is cleared from any changes.

There are a lot reasons that can prove that Arabic has superiority over Other Languages. In contrast with Arabic words, the words of those languages appear lame, maimed, blind, deaf and leprous, and entirely bereft of a natural pattern. The vocabulary of those languages is not rich in roots which is a necessary characteristic of a perfect language.

If any Arya or other opponent is not convinced by our research, we wish to inform him by means of this announcement that we have set out in detail the reasons in support of the superiority, perfection and excellence of Arabic which fall under the following heads:
1. The perfect pattern of the roots of Arabic words.
2. Arabic possesses an extraordinarily high degree of intellectual connotations.
3. The system of elementary words in Arabic is most complete and perfect.
4. In Arabic idiom a few words convey extensive meanings.
5. Arabic has the full capacity for the exposition of all human feelings and thoughts.

Now everyone is at liberty after mentioning these reasons to try, if possible, to prove these qualities in Sanskrit or any other language.
In order to clear this more is to take a neutral look into the Holy Quran.The Holy Quran is such a brilliant ruby and a glorious sun that the rays of its truth and the flashes that indicate its Divine origin are being manifested not only in one aspect but in thousands of them.

The more the opponents of Islam strive to put out this Divine light, the stronger becomes its manifestation, and the more it attracts the hearts of those who possess insight, with its beauty and loveliness. Even in the dark ages, when the Christian missionaries and the Aryas had spared no effort to denigrate it and to bring it into contempt, and had on account of their sightlessness attacked this light in every form that could be employed by the bigoted and the ignorant, this eternal light has furnished every type of proof of its being from God.

One of its grand characteristics is that it sets forth its claims with respect to its guidance and its excellent qualities and itself furnishes the proof of those claims. This grand characteristic is not possessed by any other book. Out of the reasons and proofs that it has set forth in support of its Divine origin and its high-grade superiority as no human being could and can ever produce one single line that can be compare to it. It is a product of the holy spring of the mother of tongues, whose water shines like the stars and slakes the thirst of those who are thirsty for comprehension, and washes out the dirt of doubt and suspicion.

No previous book has set forth this proof in support of its truth. If the Vedas or any other book has set forth such proof, the followers of such a book should present the claim for such proof in the words of that book. The purport of this proof is that a comparative examination of different languages discloses that all languages are related to each other.

In order to do a practical and effective research, you have to pass through three stages:
First stage: Proof that all languages are interrelated.
Second stage: Proof that Arabic is the mother of tongues.
Third stage: Proof that on account of its extraordinary qualities Arabic is a revealed language.

The second issue is that out of interrelated languages Arabic alone is the mother of tongues, the proof of which has been set out in detail, and we have established that one of the special qualities of Arabic is that it possesses a natural pattern and displays the beauty of Divine manufacture in the same way as the other works of God Almighty.

We have also established that all other languages present a distorted picture of the Arabic language. To the degree to which this blessed language has been preserved in those languages in its true form, to that degree they shine like a ruby and attract the hearts with their beguiling beauty; and to the degree to which a language has been corrupted, to that degree its beauty and attractions have been reduced.
It is obvious that a thing that proceeds from the hand of God continues to display extraordinary characteristics so long as it retains its original form, and man is not able to produce its match. But as soon as it falls away from its original condition, its shape and beauty are debased. One more thing is that the Arabic language has the capacity to absorb all terms that are coming the world in the field of technology and make these words part and parcel of its inventory.

One of the characteristics of Arabic is that all the miscellaneous qualities of other languages are comprised in Arabic. Thus as careful study and deep research reveal that Arabic is comprehensive of all the miscellaneous qualities of other languages, it has to be acknowledged that all other languages are branches of Arabic.

Some people raise the objection that if one language is acknowledged as the root of all languages, it becomes difficult to accept that within three or four thousand years languages which had emerged from one root became so diverse. This objection is an instance of a fallacy upon a fallacy. In the first place it is not definitely established that the world is only four or five thousand years old and that heaven and earth had no existence before. On the contrary, there are clear indications that the earth has been peopled since a very long time.

Besides, distance in time or place is not the only cause of diversity in language. Special Characteristics of Arabic
There are five special characteristics of Arabic which prove conclusively that Arabic is a revealed language, which we shall expound in detail in their proper places. These are:
1. Arabic has a perfect pattern of roots which is suited to human needs. Other languages lack this pattern.
2. The names of God, and heavenly bodies, and vegetables, and animals, and solids and human limbs in Arabic comprise great wisdom. Other languages cannot compete with Arabic in this respect.
3. The Arabic system of elementary words is perfect, which comprises all nouns and verbs of the same roots, and illustrates their mutual relationship by arranging them in a wise pattern. This characteristic is not found in other languages in the same perfect degree.
4. In Arabic idiom a few words comprise extensive meanings. Arabic conveys extensive connotations through the use of the definite article and vowel points and sequence, for which purpose other languages have to employ several phrases and sentences.
5. Arabic possesses such roots and idioms as furnish a perfect means for the expression of the most subtle human thoughts and reflections.

As we have undertaken to prove and illustrate all these special characteristics of Arabic, it is necessary that we should do so in Arabic, thereby furnishing illustrations of all of them in that language, so that we might require anyone who may claim another language to be revealed and the mother of tongues, to illustrate these characteristics in the same way. If we should be proved false in our claim that Arabic possesses those five characteristics to a special degree, and any scholar of Sanskrit or any other language should succeed in proving that that language partakes of these characteristics to the same or even to a greater degree as Arabic, we make a firm and definite promise that we shall immediately pay him five thousand rupees.

What we demand from the advocates of other languages is that they should prove that their respective languages possess the qualities that we have established in the case of Arabic. For instance, it is indispensable that a language which is described as revealed and the mother of tongues should comprise a full stock of roots, for the purpose of transmuting human thinking into words, in such manner that when a person should desire to make a detailed exposition, for instance, of the Unity of God, or polytheism, or the obligations due to God, or the rights of man, or religious doctrines and the reasoning supporting them, or love and human intercourse, or rancor and hatred, or the praise and glory of God and His holy names, or the refutation of false religions, or stories and biographies, or commandments and penalties, or the hereafter, or commerce and agriculture and employment, or astrology or astronomy, or physics, medicine, or logic, etc., the roots of the language should be capable of helping him in such a way that there should be available a root apposite to every idea that may arise in his mind, so that it may be established that the Perfect Being Who created man and his ideas also created from the very beginning roots for the expression of those ideas.

Here after all what have been said, a call for all Arabic scholars, teachers, parents all people in charge, we have a language that can absorb and digest in it all new terms, use its potentials and develop it. We also demand to stop the boring way of teaching Arabic and use new methods that can teach the new generation about the greatness of the Arabic Language and how can it swallow up all other languages. We need to take pride in it and not to be deceived that it’s not important any more. Something has to be done as soon as possible.
 

umm hussain

Junior Member
As Salaam Alaykum,
But, arabic has been chosen by Allah SWT as language of Quran, worship and paradise...which means it has definitely some thing great about it.

Walaikum salam warahmatullah

Sorry to burst your bubble but

Question:
I would like to know what the language of the people of Paradise is. Is it Arabic?.

Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.

There is no mention in the Qur’aan or in the saheeh Sunnah – as far as we know – of which language is spoken by the people of Paradise. What is narrated concerning that is a hadeeth which is not soundly narrated from our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and some other reports (athaar).

It was narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Awsat, al-Haakim, al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ab al-Eemaan and others that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Love the Arabs for three reasons, because I am an Arab, the Qur’aan is Arabic and the speech of the people of Paradise is Arabic.”

Ibn al-Jawzi ruled that this hadeeth is fabricated. Al-Dhahabi said: I think that the hadeeth is fabricated (mawdoo’). Al-Albaani said in al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah (no. 160): (it is) fabricated.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Similarly, Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn ‘Abd-Allaah al-Haafiz al-Koofi, who is known as Mateen, told us: al-‘Ala’ ibn ‘Amr al-Hanafi told us: Yahya ibn Zayd al-Ash’ari told us: Ibn Jurayj told us, from Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Love the Arabs for three reasons: because I am an Arab, the Qur’aan is Arabic, and the language of the people of Paradise is Arabic.”

Al-Haafiz al-Salafi said: this is a hasan hadeeth. I do not know whether he meant that its isnaad is hasan according to the way of the scholars of hadeeth, or that its text is hasan in general terms. Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-Jawzi mentioned this hadeeth among the mawdoo’ (fabricated) texts and said: al-Tha’labi said: it has no basis. Ibn Hibbaan said: Yahya ibn Zayd narrated unsound ahaadeeth from sound narrators, so it is invalid to quote his reports as evidence. And Allaah knows best.

End quote from Iqtida’ al-Siraat al-Mustaqeem (1/158).

Al-Tabaraani narrated in al-Awsat that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I am an Arab, and the Qur’aan is Arabic, and the language of the people of Paradise is Arabic.”

Al-Albaani said in al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah (no. 161): it is fabricated.

The point is that there is no saheeh evidence to show which language is spoken by the people of Paradise. Hence we should refrain from speaking about this issue and not indulge in it, and we should refer knowledge of the matter to Allaah (may He be exalted), and focus instead on issues that will lead to good deeds in this world.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: in what (language) will Allaah address the people on the Day of Resurrection? Will Allaah address them in the tongue of the Arabs? Is it true that the language of the people of Hell will be Farsi and that the language of the people of Paradise will be Arabic? He replied: Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds. It is not known what language the people will speak on that Day, or in what language they will hear the words of the Lord, may He be exalted, because Allaah has not told us anything about that, nor has His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It is not true that Farsi will be the language of the people of Hell, or that Arabic will be the language of the people of Paradise. We do not know of any discussion of that among the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them), rather all of them refrained from speaking of that because speaking about such a thing is discussion of something unnecessary… but there was a dispute concerning that among later scholars. Some people said that they will be addressed in Arabic and others said that the people of Hell will respond in Farsi, which will be their language in Hell. Others said that they will be addressed in Syriac because that was the language of Adam and from it stemmed all other languages. Others said that the people of Paradise will speak Arabic. There is no basis for any of these ideas, whether on the grounds of common sense or in any report or text, rather they are mere claims that are devoid of any evidence. And Allaah knows best and is most Wise. End quote.

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (4/299)

And Allaah knows best.
 

uskupi

Junior Member
assalam alaikum ...just one fact.German language is second language with moust words in it.It has round 2 000.000 words and the first language is Arabic with incredible 12.000.000 words ...assalam alaikum
 

q8penpals

Junior Member
assalam alaikum ...just one fact.German language is second language with moust words in it.It has round 2 000.000 words and the first language is Arabic with incredible 12.000.000 words ...assalam alaikum


Salam

That is funny - the two languages with the most words are two of the most gruff and rough sounding languages! LOL!

Lana
 

justoneofmillion

Junior Member
Salam

That is funny - the two languages with the most words are two of the most gruff and rough sounding languages! LOL!

Lana
:salam2:what do you mean by rough sounding language please,explain!! and there is nothing funny about what you said,am sorry!am half Arab half German, i speak 6 languages till now inshallah more in the futur but there is one thing i can tell you for sure ... none of them comes close to the beauty and musicality of Arabic none,not even French or Italian keep that in mind!and when i say this am referring to the pure classical Arabic....

Thought this was interesting to share ,inshallah

Arab nations urged to preserve Arabic language for children
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A three-day conference on the language of the Arab child in face of globalization, which concluded on Monday, has urged Arab nations to do more in protecting the Arabic language from "language pollution" for their children.

The Arabic language, which has some 260 million speakers in total, is the largest living member of the Semitic language family in terms of speakers. It is widely used by Arab people living in the Middle East and North Africa.

The Arabic language, though, has many dialects that diverge widely from one another -- both from country to country and within a single country. Colloquial, or dialect Arabic refers to the many national and regional varieties derived from classical Arabic.

In a new study released on Monday, Arabic language experts warned that words used in advertisements and foodstuff packages had negative effect on the quality of the Arabic language that was used by Arab children.

"Using colloquial Arabic and foreign words written in Arabic letters leads to the introduction of wrong words to the language, something which can harm the language known for its beauty and richness," according to the study.

The study, carried out on Libyan children, expressed regret that Arab children prefer to use slang and foreign words than use classical Arabic.

This trend can harm the Arabic, which has been in use for 15 centuries, the study said, warning against what it termed " language pollution" that is created by cultural invasion of developed countries.

The conference was cosponsored by the Arab Council for Childhood and Development and the Cairo-based Arab League (AL), which boasts 22 Arab member states.

According to Egypt's MENA news agency, the three-day gathering will focus on the role of the Arabic language in shaping the identity of Arab children and ways to maintain the Arab identity and encounter dangers threatening Arabic.

AL Secretary General Amr Moussa, in his opening address on Saturday, said that preserving the Arabic language was "a national duty and a collective responsibility which should be shouldered equally by the family, educational institutions and the media."

Moussa said there were fears of language atrophy in cultural circles and among the Arab elites concerned of the Arabic language, urging all parties to set down a strategy to preserve Arabic and help the Arab children to be closely linked to it.

The AL chief also said that Arab children must realize the beauty of their native language and express themselves through it with full confidence and clarity in their mother tongue.

On Sunday, the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) called for creating legal regulations to protect Arabic against "language pollution."

ISESCO Secretary General Abdel-Aziz al-Twigri said such a mechanism needs a political decision from Arab governments, according to MENA.

"It is wrong that the colloquial language prevails at the expense of classical Arabic," said al-Twigri.

Source: Xinhua
wassalaam

jameel
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"We must put an end to anything which brings about any Islamic unity between the sons of the Muslims. As we have already succeeded in finishing off the Khilafah, so we must ensure that there will never arise again unity for the Muslims, whether it be intellectual or cultural unity"
The British Foreign Minister addressing the British Prime Minister shortly before World War II.

"The situation now is that Turkey is dead and will never rise again, because we have destroyed it's moral strength, the Khilafah and Islam" Lord Curzon, British Foreign Minister, infront of the House of Commons after the Lausanne Treaty of July 24th 1924
 

zainsmommy

Junior Member
I have a question...and please excuse my ignorance but...

If there is no proof anywhere that Arabic is the language spoken by the people of Paradise, then why is it stressed that we SHOULD pray in Arabic?

Is there a verse in the Qur'an that states that we should pray in Arabic..SPECIFICALLY???

Or is this from a Hadith that could be disputed for it's aunthenticity???

I am just wondering because if this is stated about the language here, then how can it be mandatory for prayer only??? WHY ONLY ARABIC? It would make sense if this is the spoken language of Paradise I guess..maybe... Understand what I am saying? I am not sure if I make sense.

Anyway, please if anyone can answer me I would appreciate it.
 

justoneofmillion

Junior Member
:salam2:





ARABIC

The Importance of Arabic
The Key to Understanding the Qur’an

We all feel touched when we open up a good translation of the meaning of the Qur’an and we ponder and wonder at the beauty of the words and the deep meanings within. But in reality we are just seeing a glimpse of the real treasure that the Qur’an is.

Imagine how you’d feel if you could understand the words of Allah in the form in which they were sent down and not just rely on a translation of the meaning in English. Imagine the power of the words and the directness of the message then! The potency would be awesome!

The Qur’an is the word of Allah; a direct message from Allah to us His creation and Allah chose the Arabic language as the language of this message. Indeed Allah tells us this in the Qur’an emphasising to us that to understand the message in its fuller form one must understand the language:

“Indeed we have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an, in order that you may understand” (Surah Yusuf, Aayah 2)

“And thus we have inspired to you an Arabic Qur’an so that you may warn the mother of towns and all around it” (Surah ash-Shura, 7)

Arabic and the message of the Qur’an cannot be separated and translators throughout the ages have tried to convey to the non-Arabic speaking people the beauty of the meaning of the Qur’an but have always called it ‘The translation of the meaning of the Qur’an’, emphasising the fact that the Qur’an’s direct translation is not possible, because so much of the potency and splendour of the words and their meanings which are inextricably linked to the Arabic language are lost in English or any other language. Indeed to even appreciate the poetic beauty of the Qur’an one needs to have an understanding of Arabic.

Remember that for the Arabs in the time of the Prophet (SAW) who were masters of eloquence and poetry, the words of the Qur’an itself were so unique compared to the poetry of the most eloquent of them that many came to Islam recognising that the Qur’an could not be the handiwork of even the best human poet, rather it could only come from Allah. The language itself was one of the miracles of the Qur’an. Allah challenges mankind:

“And if you are in doubt about what we have sent down to our servant, then produce a chapter like it and call your witnesses besides Allah if you are truthful. But if you do not do it, and you can never do it, then fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers” (Surah Baqarah, aayaat 23-24)

The Preservation of the Arabic Language
Languages usually evolve. Just look at the difference between Shakespearean English and modern day English. In many ways they seem like two totally different languages and a man from England in Shakespearean times and a man from modern day England would find it extremely difficult to communicate! But the Arabic language is not just ‘a language’. This is why the Sahabah and the early generations of Muslims strove to preserve the classical Arabic language. It was Ali (radi allaahu ‘anhu) who noticed on the tongues of some of the Arabs a slight change in dialect and ordered for the grammar rules of Arabic to be recorded in a universal form. He knew that the preservation of the Arabic language was part of the preservation of Islam itself.

Arabic unified the Muslim countries as it spread to every land that embraced Islam. This is why it is seen that those Muslim societies that are ignorant of Arabic are in general less knowledgeable about Islam. This ignorance has in turn made them more prone to stray from the straight path.

The enemies of Islam know this and have worked hard to tear the Muslims from the Arabic language and the Qur’an. During the French occupation of Algeria, the French government was advised, “We will never be able to overpower the Algerians as long as they read the Qur’an and speak Arabic. Therefore we must remove the Arabic Qur’an from their midst and abolish the Arabic language from their tongues.”

And unfortunately this is exactly what the secular leader of Turkey, Kamal Ataturk, who abolished the Islamic caliphate, did. He ordered that the Qur’an be recited in Turkish, even in prayers and changed the Turkish language which used to be written in Arabic into a Latin alphabet.

Today you will find that although Arabs throughout the world unfortunately have different colloquial dialects, they are still taught the Classical Arabic in their schools and Classical Arabic is the standard written Arabic in every Arabic newspaper and book. So it has been preserved by Allah as He(SWT) promised in the Qur’an:

“Indeed we have sent down the Reminder and surely we will preserve it.” (Surah Hijr, Aayah 9)

A Priority for all of us
Scholars throughout the ages, from the Companions to the present day, encouraged the Ummah to learn the Arabic language. Ubay ibn Ka’b (RA) said, “Teach Arabic like you teach the memorisation of the Qur’an!”

Abu Bakr (RA) said, “That I recite and forget (a portion of the Qur’an) is more beloved to me than to make a grammatical mistake!”

And ‘Umar (RA) once passed by a group of archers who missed their targets. He admonished them and they responded that they were only beginners, but in answering back they made a grammatical mistake in their wording. He told them, “Indeed, your mistakes in Arabic grammar are more difficult to bear than your mistakes in archery!”

Imam ash-Shaafi’ee said, "Therefore it is imperative that every Muslim should strive to learn Arabic as hard as he can, so that he can testify the shahada, and recite the Book of Allah and say the invocations that are mandatory upon him, such as the takbeer, tasbeeh, tashahud and other prayers. And the more he learns the language that Allah Himself chose to be the language of him who sealed the Prophets (SAW), and to be the language of His final revelation, the better it is for him!”

Imam ash-Shaafi’ee also said : "It is compulsory for every responsible Muslim to learn what they can of the Arabic language."

The great 8th century scholar Shaykul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (rh) even went so far as to say that, “The Arabic language is part of the Religion, and knowing it is an obligation.”

Unfortunately, we have become comfortable with simply relying on translations and spending all of our time and efforts in studying other things, (other languages even!) which may not even benefit us in the hereafter and have forgotten that the Qur’an is in a very approachable language and we all have the ability or rather the responsibility to study and understand it. If you knew that Allah (SWT) had a message for you, personally, then would you not want to understand it in its original form? Think about it…we have the last revelation to mankind, the only communication from our Lord and Master, which is preserved in its original form, and yet in a 70 odd year life we do not give it the attention, which it deserves. We should realise that Allah has honoured us with the Qur’an and chosen for us the noblest of languages. Attention to Arabic is attention to the Book of Allah so we should make learning it a priority.

I remember the feeling of tasting the sweetness of Allah’s words in my Salaah when I first embarked upon my Arabic studies. I just repeated the same aayah of the Qur’an again and again savouring the words and suddenly feeling a deep emotion that I’d never felt before though I had read the same aayah many times before studying Arabic, it was as though a light had been lit for me and I’d suddenly discovered a new part of a house that I’d been living in for years. One of the definite benefits of learning Arabic is that it aids Khushoo’ or consciousness in salaah and helps us to improve all of our worships. Taraweeh prayer in Ramadan becomes a new experience!

Practical steps towards learning Arabic
Alhamdulillah with all the teaching aids and easy access to information that we have, learning Arabic does not necessarily mean travelling on arduous journeys to distant lands as it once used to. With discipline and commitment, the student can study much in his own time

Here are some tips to help you along they way:

1. Make Du’a: As with everything we work towards, we should ask Allah to help us and make learning easy for us. We should ask Allah to purify our intentions so that we truly learn Arabic for the better understanding of the Qur’an and deen.

2. Discipline yourself! Put a set amount of time aside every day or twice a week for your Arabic studies and stick to it. Remember a little study regularly is better than hours of study once a month.

3. Know your basics well: going step by step is the best way to master any language, concentrating on improving your basic reading and writing is the first step in learning Arabic, even if it is repetitive. Then you can build on that firm foundation.

4. Invest in a good dictionary and Arabic books: A good dictionary is the Hans Wehr or Al-Mawrid dictionary, available in most Muslim bookshops and on the Internet too! Arabic words are usually arranged under their three letter roots. Get used to looking up words often and compile your own personal vocabulary dictionary. Some good three-book sets you can start working through are the three Madinah university books or the Kitaab-ul Asaasi books.

5. Enrol into a summer course: There are a few around every summer and they are a great way to kick-start your learning. They can be quite intensive so remember to revise and keep up your study afterwards.

6. Study Arabic as part of your full-time degree: If you are going to study a degree, why not study a degree in Arabic or one with Arabic as part of it?

7. Study under an Arab friend or tutor: The importance of a good teacher cannot be stressed enough. Although there is a lot of self-study involved, a friend who knows Arabic or an Arab brother or sister who you could go to regularly for guidance would be very valuable. You could even start going through your Arabic books with them.

8. Organise a class locally: There must be like-minded Muslims in your area who would like to study Arabic too. Maybe you could get together and pay for a teacher to teach you Arabic together at the local Masjid or in one of your homes. Studying with friends is a good way to stay motivated.

9. Study abroad in an Arab country: there are various good courses running in countries such as Egypt which really speed up your learning and can provide you with a nice experience. People have found that a few months in an Arab country can be more beneficial than a year or more of studying at home. Make sure you keep up your studying when you get back though!

10. Expose yourself to as much Arabic as you can: You can listen to Arabic lecture tapes, visit Muslim countries, read some Arabic everyday, and maybe get an Arab newspaper when you become more proficient.

11. Speak Arabic whenever you can: One of the biggest obstacles to speaking Arabic is being shy about making mistakes in speech and so not speaking at all. You must overcome this shyness and use whatever you know whenever you can. This is how you will eventually improve insha Allah. Maybe you could meet some Arab brothers or sisters who only speak Arabic. This way you’ll be forced to speak what you know and they’ll be pleased that you’re making the effort.

12. Relate your knowledge back to the Qur’an and other worships: Don’t forget that your aim is to understand what you recite of the Qur’an especially in your salaah and other adhkaar. Try to recognise Arabic words as you come across them in the Qur’an and apply your knowledge in understanding the Qur’an. Ponder over and pay attention to the words in your salaah.

May Allah help us all to master the language of the Qur’an and to aid its spread throughout the Ummah.

wassalaam
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"We must put an end to anything which brings about any Islamic unity between the sons of the Muslims. As we have already succeeded in finishing off the Khilafah, so we must ensure that there will never arise again unity for the Muslims, whether it be intellectual or cultural unity"
The British Foreign Minister addressing the British Prime Minister shortly before World War II.

"The situation now is that Turkey is dead and will never rise again, because we have destroyed it's moral strength, the Khilafah and Islam" Lord Curzon, British Foreign Minister, infront of the House of Commons after the Lausanne Treaty of July 24th 1924
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Mairo

Maryama
In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful...

Very interesting thread, thank you for starting it. I have also pondered the same questions as sister Zainsmommy, and have not yet found a verse from the Quran or Hadith which explicitly states that one must recite all prayers in Arabic. However, every Muslim I have encountered states that this is so, and so I do assume there is some direction somewhere that I just haven't found yet. I hope someone can provide the reference for us! Regardless, I can definitely recognize the benefits of encouraging everyone in the Ummah to learn Arabic to the best of our ability. For one thing, with a common language to unite us, at least in prayer, everyone can understand each other in spite of the divisions caused by the other languages we might speak.

I definitely intend to study Arabic thoroughly, for many of the reasons that have been cited above. I have also learned several languages in addition to my native English, including one language which is VASTLY different. I was surprised to find that in learning a language that varied so much from the languages I had grown up with, my perspective and understanding of the world was subsequently altered. Maybe there are others who can relate to such an experience as well. Language can be a very powerful thing! This is another reason why I want to learn Arabic - I have the feeling that by learning the language that Allah's last revelation was recorded in will similarly transform my understanding in a beneficial way.

In the meantime, I do have a hard time with reciting prayers in Arabic, since it is still a language that is so unfamiliar to me. I try to also make dua of the translated words after I complete the prayer, because English is currently still my main mode of expression and understanding. Insha'Allah one day it will all come together, I look forward to being able to memorize verses in Arabic, InshaAllah.

God bless
 

abubaseer

tanzil.info
Staff member
As Salaam Alaykum,

I always used to believe that Arabic was the language of the paradise :-( JazakiAllahuKhayran Sister UmmHusain for pointing out that.

Brother justOneofmillion, Good to know that you know so many languages. Could you point me to a reliable source about the number of words in German and Arabic Languages. Also, what are the points we need to taken into account while comparing two languages?
 
I have a question...and please excuse my ignorance but...

If there is no proof anywhere that Arabic is the language spoken by the people of Paradise, then why is it stressed that we SHOULD pray in Arabic?

Is there a verse in the Qur'an that states that we should pray in Arabic..SPECIFICALLY???

Or is this from a Hadith that could be disputed for it's aunthenticity???

I am just wondering because if this is stated about the language here, then how can it be mandatory for prayer only??? WHY ONLY ARABIC? It would make sense if this is the spoken language of Paradise I guess..maybe... Understand what I am saying? I am not sure if I make sense.

Anyway, please if anyone can answer me I would appreciate it.


Salaam,

There are many reasons and here are the few I can think of:

1) Unity - saying As'salaamalikum to a Muslim from another country easily establishes that you are Muslim and breaks all nationalistic barriers. Islam teaches us that we be more Allah-conscious than race or culture conscious.

2) It is the language of the Quran. Arabic is one of the few truly divine languages. It is the language that Allah created especially for revealing the Quran. It is a complete language because it is capable of holding and expressing all the subtleties of language by which Allah reveals His Will.

3) The words of the Quran are from Allah swt and they have their divine quality. They have very deep and profound meaning in their original Arabic form. It is very difficult to translate the full meaning of these statements in any language. For example when you say "Al-hamdulillah" you may translate this "Praise be to God" or "Thanks be to God" "All thankful praise belong to God" etc.

This is taken from another thread by a knowledgeable brother:

Ayman 1

Arabic is not the language of God, but is the language of the Quran. God does not have a language; He created language so He is beyond the language concept. He revealed the Torah in Hebrew and the Gospel in Aramaic.

More importantly the pagans of Mecca, who themselves were undisputed masters of Arabic language and literature did not even try to take that challenge. They recognized the superiority of the Quran instantly. One of them privately said, "By God, it has sweetness. On it is a polish. Its top is fruitful. Its bottom is flowing like a rich river. It dominates and will not be surpassed!"

4) Prophet Muhammad (saw or pbuh) who was the most devout and the most beloved human being to God and we follow his actions. There is a hadith which I can not recall that the Prophet (pbuh) said "pray as you see me pray" - something along those lines - which was in Arabic - so we must follow his instructions.

However you can perform your Dua (supplication prayers) in any language.

A better question would be- beside the lack of resources, time, etc- why shouldn't you learn/pray in Arabic? Why should you learn/pray in any language? Why should you learn to talk or read? Why should I type this in English? Answer is because language brings people together. Arabic is the divine language created by Allah swt to bring Muslims together!

And Allah Knows Best
 
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