Problems with Why We Should Pray in Arabic?!

[XSãoXLuisX]

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!

 

[duran]

Is it not enough that Allah said "And if We had made it a non-Arabic Qur’an, they would have said, "Why are its verses not explained in detail [in our language]? Is it a foreign [recitation] and an Arab [messenger]?" Say, "It is, for those who believe, a guidance and cure." And those who do not believe – in their ears is deafness, and it is upon them blindness. Those are being called from a distant place." 41:44

Is it not that the prophet (pbuh) was an arab and we should always make him as our example on everything.

As Muslim, (and non Arab), I am 100% proud and happy that our religion was revealed in arabic language. Alhamdulillah

If anyone has problem that Islam was revealed in arabic, he or she should check their iman (faith) because you questioning what Allah has chosen.


Peace

 

[Clutch]

Because you are confusing "prayer" with "worship".

Pray is commonly confused with Salah (Worship).

You worship Allah they way Allah wants you to Worship him the way it has been ordained.
As a Muslim, our purpose in this World (meaning of life) is to Worship Allah.

That’s why we follow a certain routine (Rukuh, Sujdah etc) because we are worshiping him... Allah chose the Language of Worship to be Arabic, & the Language of the Quran Arabic.

On the other hand, prayer (which is what you mean) is DUA... it can be done in any language you want.

You are confusing Prayer (DUA) with Worship (SALAH).

Salam.

 

[Basicofislam]

:salam2: You have to say the Qu'ran parts of the Salah in Arabic... because the Qu'ran is only in Arabic... there is no such thing as a translation of the Qu'ran.. there are books called "the meaning of the Qu'ran" but it should never be called "Translation." There is only ONE Qu'ran and that is in Arabic. The prophet taught us how to pray.
As far as du'a [supplication, where you are asking God and beseeching Him for your needs] you can do that in whatever language you like.

 

[XSãoXLuisX]

That quote & what you said, seems to have nothing to do with the questions I asked. And if the the fact that Muhammad was Arab and the fact that "we should always make him as our example on everything.", then wouldn't that mean that Islam only accepts one culture, the Arab culture???? To convert to Islam is to convert to the Arab culture??

When I look up information on Islam I have the hardest time understanding, because everyone uses Arabic terminology. Arab culture is fused into so many parts of Islam.

I've no problems with the language of the Quran & I've no problem with the ethnicity of the prophets, but why does it seem that Arab culture is forced upon Muslims??

 

[Basicofislam]

:salam2:brother. No one forces arab culture to be a muslim.There are more muslim outside of middle east then in middle east. And when you want to learn about islam you have to have a open heart and mind. And not sound a little like islam hater. Please forgive me if i have hurt your feelings.And by the way i am not an arab.

 

[Basicofislam]

:salam2:Also your past posts have been about BEARD< MUSIC<AND THIS. I feel as a person who is trying to learn about islam there are much more important stuff like read the Quran first.

 

[duran]

If you don't have problem with the prophet (pbuh) being arab, then you shouldn't have problem with the culture of the prophet (pbuh) which was the culture of Islam. Islam's language is Arabic, and if you want to learn islam better, you should know arabic, but nobody is telling you to be ARAB, we telling you to take the culture of Islam.

the 1.57 billions Muslims out there, there is less than 20% of arabs in them. Do you think those 80% are now arabs?

Islam has principals, if you follow them, it doesn't matter where you come from.

 

[XSãoXLuisX]

This reply is directed at "Basicofislam".

First, you say no one forces Arab culture on anyone to be a Muslim, but from what I have learned, Arab culture seems to be a major part of Islam. Some people change their names to re-identify themselves as Muslim, and the name they almost always change it to, is an Arab name. Almost all non-arab muslim people know some Arabic. And even the clothing some people where is of Arabic or African descent.

Now I'm not saying these people are being forced to do these things, I'm merely saying from a non-muslim perspective, it seems as if you have to accept and become a part of Arab culture to become Muslim.

And let's please not resort to name calling. Any queries I've raised were all done in a respectful manner. Though I know you can't detect tone through text, everyone should be given the benefit of the doubt.

And the reason I harp on seemingly trivial subjects such as, music, beards, and names, is because almost all the more important aspects of Islam that I have learned, I already agree with. And just because subjects like music and culture seem insignificant to you, does not mean they are insignificant to all.

And like I've stated before, I have no Quran to read. And even if I did, in every religion there is almost always a difference between what people do in that religion and what their books and teachings tell them to do. I am using this website as a compensation for my lack of having the Quran. I'm trying to learn about Islam from Muslims.

 

[Isra]

As salamo alaikome

I am a Muslim. I am not an Arab and I dont have a typical "culture" or what I would consider a culture anyway. When I heard about Islam for the first time I was afraid and didnt want to know anything about it. That was due to ignorance and media hype. When I actually became intrigued I first READ QURAN to decide for myself if it was the truth or fiction. I can tell you that even if you do not have access to a hard copy of Quran you can find it online using "google" and type in Quran download. It will take you to the website that you are able to download Quran and read it whenever you are able. That is what I did. The important thing is READ QURAN and decide for yourself if it is the truth. Allah guides whomever he chooses. If you are seeking information and answers that is the place to begin. Some questions can only be answered by Allah's guidance. READ QURAN and find the answers to your questions if you are serious about wanting the answers that is.

 

[XSãoXLuisX]

This reply is directed at “duran”

First of all, thank you. Your second reply actually answers one of my concerns.

You're wrong on something though. I never said Islam asks people to be “Arab”.
I merely said it seems like in order to be a Muslim you have to accept and be a part of Arab culture.

And you essentially answered my concern, through your own words and explanations and not literally, with an emphatic Yes!!!

Yes, you have to accept Arab culture, to be a Muslim.

In your own words and what you literally said was, “...if you want to learn islam better, you should know arabic...” and “we telling you to take the culture of Islam.”

Now see, my simple mind thought that Islam had no culture. I, personally, have no beef with Arab culture, but what I've heard from other people is that Islam embraces other cultures and does not tell you to take a culture other than your own. Now, obviously if your native culture has some negative aspects of it, it is understandable to ask someone to forget that part of their culture, but never go as far as to tell someone to participate in a culture other than their own.

For the sake of my own interest in Islam, I'm going to assume that what you said was either a mistake or unrepresentative of what Islam truly is.

 

[Basicofislam]

:salam2: Islam never asks you to change your name unless it has a bad meaning. If people change there name i feel it is more cause they want to start there life with a new chapter. Also remember you can never learn Islam from muslims you will have to read the Quran yourself.Cause there are good muslims and bad muslim and how can you tell what are they till you dont read the book. And if you want a good english translation i can recommend a website.

 

[BrotherInIslam7]

:salam2:

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Please skip to minute one for the video below. [This is a video log and the presenter might drift off topic at times]
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I wish you the best in your quest for truth. May Allah Almighty guide your heart towards Islam. Ameen.

 

[Waseem203]

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!

Salam alaykum

I will try to answer your questions to the best of my ability, inshallah(God Willing).



Quote #1: “...if we all prayed in our own languages but there would be no unity.”

This is true in the regard of LANGUAGE, not worship or belief. We are already unified in belief in a one god in our salat and the use of one language to worship that one god merely reinforces this unity. I'll talk about why this is important in a bit. *IN MY OPINION* it gives the non-Arabs a way to struggle for the cause of Allah. (in this case to learn the prayers in Arabic, which is not their native tongue)



Quote #2: “the reason we pray in arabic...is symbolic of muslim unity “

Your response to this one sort of confused me. From where do you get the idea that the language we use to worship Allah proves something to mankind? It really doesn't, we do it for the sake of Allah SWT. Fatwas state, with the evidence of the Prophet's hadith (PBUH) that you must recite the prayers in Arabic. Thus, we obey the prophet for whoever has obeyed him as obeyed god. (In accordance with his hadith)


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 ”

Yes, it is true translated words are not infallible as God's word is. But overall you'll find the English version is pretty close to meaning compared to the Arabic one. Despite this, none can be compared to the original as Arabic is a very poetic language and some English words just cant fit the Arabic word used. I suggest you talk to your mosque and ask them personally for help when you don't understand something or want clarification on meanings. (I know your still wondering why its preferable to use Arabic in the first place....coming soon to a paragraph near you!)

To answer the second part of your question, Allah is a very powerful word. The arabic word for god is "elah". At the time of idolatry (ie. era of ignorance) there where many "elahs" in Makkah, in the form of idols. When you speak of just the term elah, you could be referring to the sun god, moon god, god of love and so on. When you say Allah, you are referring to the supreme deity, essentially (To Makkans before Islam) the god of gods. Of course this is not true, there is only one God. But I presume you see the significane of the word? In English, you cannot verbally signify if you are talking about a lesser god (lower-case G) or the supreme God with a capital G whereas in Arabic you can.

And the word Allah in arabic can not be made neither male or female (god; male noun goddess; female noun) and something more fascinating is that it cannot be made plural (gods) When you say Allah, you are also indirectly referring to his 99 names. (You can look those up). I suppose this also ties in to why we use Arabic to pray.

Quote #4: “also the arabic language is much more powerfull than other languages.”

You are correct, language is not related to God. However, the language and ORIGINAL text in which God's word was revealed is related. When you read Quran in any language, you are surrendering the divinity of the words he revealed. You are merely reading a translation, which is not actually the word of God rather the meaning of it. In that regard, yes, Arabic is much more powerful than other languages. You will feel much closer to the Creator when you worship him in the language of his holy book. You can learn the meaning and still read it in Arabic, even though you are not Arab, which is essentially the same thing.

Quote #5: “we will use Quran language (high arabic) in the Paradise (Jannah)..no English or other languages 'here after'”

This is a saying in the hadiths of Prophet Muhammed pbuh. We are not one to profess what language will be spoken in Jannah but God is. I presume it is because the language of the Quran; the final testament to mankind. I must say, the Arabic of the Quran is very eloquent and beautiful. Perhaps we use this language in Jannah because it is fitting for the environment? Allah knows best.


Final Quote: “...if we do our daily prayers on Arabic it is much better...it is also better for our unity ”
I think I answered something pretty similar above.



I hope this helps. Please, anyone correct me if I have wrote anything wrong.

Wasalam.

 

[a_stranger]

Peace XSãoXLuisX and you are most welcome , I think that we shold be proud that one like you is visiting our site , reasoning is kind of worship in Islam .

I have one comment concerning this issue if you study history you find that Arabs ( which i am a memeber of them) has no culture and history before Islam they were tribes which used to fight each other ., kill and steal ......It was Islam which made their culture : Islam taught them all the high values that can build high pure noble civilization ....that is why you feel so otherwise arabs are not the magority of muslems ( and now they are not representing true Islam in any means since they are borrowing other values in their life......We use arabic because our creator used it in his finial revealation otherwise arabic would have been Perished ...It`s true importance because it is the language of Quran.

With respect

 

[XSãoXLuisX]

So I have to say thank you, to "BrotherInIslam7", for that second video explaining why Muslims pray in Arabic. I understand a little bit better now why that's done, but I still have some questions.

Is the difference between "Worship" & "Prayer" that worship is done in a group and prayer is done by yourself?????

In the video(3:54) that guy said that "Salah" can be done isolated or alone, but it's not recommended. Is this true??

 

[XSãoXLuisX]

This reply is directed to "a_stranger".

Thank you very much for your warm welcome, it is greatly appreciated!!!

And if I understand your statement correctly, are you saying that, much of what is considered to be "Arab culture" today is actually the teachings of Islam?????

 

[Tabassum07]

To answer your question, the the actual worship (salat) is done in Arabic, because we recite from the Quran which is in Arabic. It's prescribed this way. The prayers, are the things *you* are asking in your own language from Allah.. like "Oh Allah, please forgive my sins." Can be said in any language you choose. You can *talk* to Allah in any language, but the actual routine prescribed worship is in Arabic.

And yes, most of Arab culture is Islam.. But first I have to ask you: what do you consider Arab culture? Any specific aspects??

 

[XSãoXLuisX]

To "Tabassum07"

The only things I know to be a part of Arab culture is, speaking in Arabic, the taking of names from Arabic origin, and some of the clothing.

But without having read the Quran, I cannot differentiate between Arab culture & tradition and Islam.

Oh and to the people that tell me to read the Quran, what would be the best English translation?

 

[a_stranger]

Not exactly ...we can say that arabic culture is a mixture .......Islam promotes pure moral values which arabs don`t represents nowadays ......I am sorry i have to leave now but inshaAllah i shall make by point more clear later