Should learning Arabic be mandatory for Muslims?

Most of the more than one billion muslims world over can read the Quran to an extent, and gather its meaning from translations, but many have questioned the authenticity of translations although they can provide the overall meaning they in most cases are not literal translations.

Throughout the 25 Arabic speaking states, all people must learn Modern Standard Arabic, in so that they can understand news, and speak formally when necessarilly and of course understand the Quran. We must also realise for the Arabs themselves the Quranic Arabic is not easy even for them as native speakers.

I have been learning Arabic since a young age, from home as well as living abroad in an Arabic speaking country, and I can say that it has taken a few years and I am now able to understand most modern standard texts, news and to an extent the Quran. Alhamdulilah nothing is impossible with hard work comes success.

Another problem is the various dialects in Arabic, the most famous two Egyptian and Levant (Syria, Jordanm Palestine) are understood today due to films, drama and music, but for non-native speakers it seems another language but bearing in mind dialects are rooted from Standard Arabic.

Learning Arabic needs time and patience and thats what nowadays holds back people, but if someones wants to learn they will do without hinderance. The Quran refers to the Arabic language such as:
"We have sent it down as an Arabic Quran, in order that you may learn wisdom." (Quran 12:2), and : "And certainly We have set forth to men in this Quran similitudes of every sort that they may reflect. An Arabic Quran without any crookedness, that they may guard (against evil)." (Quran 39:27-28).

Some also think The Arabic language will be the language spoken by all on the day of judgement. Anyhow whats important to most muslims and myself is the meaning of the Quran, the translations provide easy access to non-native speakers, in today's world it seems that reading and understanding Quran is a must secondly it would be highly desirable to know the quranic verses meanings as they are read in daily prayer and this can be sought over time.

Arabic Calligraphy

Comments

When Muslims first spread, (I think) the Qur'an was translated for the new converts etc. Even the arabs would read it in their own dialects instead of the one it was revealed in.

However when Islam left the Arabian peninsula, this caused problems as non-arabs did not know all about arabic, so it was decided to have the Qur'an in just one dialect and all the translations as just that - translations.

So the Qur'an being in arabic could be mere pragmatism.

As for everyone speaking arabic in the afterlife - whatever language people speak, everyone will know it, so there is no point preparing beforehand.

A question I have is why do Muslims use arabic greetings? Where is it written down that it has to be in Arabic? Surely the reason they started off in arabic was that the people there spoke arabic.

Going further, same question with things like prayer. Would it not be better to actually perform it in a language in which you understand all the words and can attach greater meaning to the rituals?

"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

You wrote:

A question I have is why do Muslims use arabic greetings? Where is it written down that it has to be in Arabic? Surely the reason they started off in arabic was that the people there spoke arabic.

You can't get an 'ought' from an 'is'... but I've always liked the way any two Muslims from different parts of the world (I'll use the example of one from Russia and another from Indonesia) will be able to share a greeting of peace and pray together, without having to be able to speak ANY of each other's language.

Don't just do something! Stand there.

Even the arabs would read it in their own dialects instead of the one it was revealed in.

The Quran has never been written in dialect (unless you can provide evidence), dialect is only spoken in the Arab world, never written or used in formal conversations such as in government or news and newspapers.
Maybe what you mean is at the start people or individuals were taught it in dialect if they didnt get the meaning, such as a mother explaining to her child would find it easier in dialect than MS Arabic as the child is still in the process of learning it.

Going further, same question with things like prayer. Would it not be better to actually perform it in a language in which you understand all the words and can attach greater meaning to the rituals?

No because the Quran is in Arabic and its superiority is much as the prophet (PBUH) stated those who preach the language of the Quran will have much reward in the hereafter why do you think then most arabs are very proud of the Arabic langauge furthermore mostly reverts at the start do it in their mother tongue as they are very new to the language until they grasp Arabic and plus the salaah is not expected without surah fatiha.

Saad wrote:

Even the arabs would read it in their own dialects instead of the one it was revealed in.

The Quran has never been written in dialect (unless you can provide evidence), dialect is only spoken in the Arab world, never written or used in formal conversations such as in government or news and newspapers.

You sure about that?

Why then were other other dialects destroyed in the time of Khalifah Uthman (ra) so as to prevent confusion. :

Narrated Anas bin Malik: Hudhaifa bin Al-Yaman came to 'Uthman at the time when the people of Sham and the people of Iraq were waging war to conquer Arminya and Adharbijan. Hudhaifa was afraid of their (the people of Sham and Iraq) differences in the recitation of the Qur'an, so he said to 'Uthmfin, 'O chief of the Believers! Save this nation before they differ about the Book (Qur'an), as Jews and the Christians did before'. So 'Uthman sent a message to Hafsa saying, 'Send us the manuscripts of the Qur'an so that we may compile the Qur'anic materials in perfect copies and return the manuscripts to you'. Hafsa sent it to 'Uthman. 'Uthman then ordered Zaid bin Thabit, 'Abdullah bin Az-Zubair, Sa'id bin Al-'As and 'Abdur Rahman bin Hari-bin Hisham to rewrite the manuscripts in perfect copies. 'Uthman said to the three Quraishi men, 'In case you disagree with Zaid bin Thabit on any point in the Qur'an, then write it in the dialect of Quraish as the Qur'an was revealed in their tongue'. They did so, and when they had written many copies, 'Uthman returned the original manuscripts to Hafsa. 'Uthman sent to every Muslim province one copy of what they had copied, and ordered that all the other Qur'anic materials whether written in fragmentary manuscripts or whole copies, be burnt. Zaid bin Thabit added, 'A verse from Sura al-Ahzab was missed by me when we copied the Qur'an and I used to hear Allah's Apostle reciting it. So we searched for it and found it with Khuzaima bin Thabit Al-Ansari'. (That verse was): 'Among the Believers are men who have been true in their convenant xwith Allah' (33: 23). [Bukhari, VI, No. 510]

Besides modern arabic, modern governments are... modern. they did not exist back then.

Saad wrote:
Maybe what you mean is at the start people or individuals were taught it in dialect if they didnt get the meaning, such as a mother explaining to her child would find it easier in dialect than MS Arabic as the child is still in the process of learning it.

And those that were taught in dialect, when writing, would they not write it in their own dialect?

"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

Clicked on the site and dislike it already - it showed a loading screen! how rude.

The beep sound when clicking on answer is also annoying.

Saying that, it could turn out into a good resource some day, but at the moment I can't see how this helps teach arabic... its a multiple choice test where you will just guess at some words.

You will need to know arabic syntax etc and word construction before hand too.

(that post is also spam like...)

"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

One of worst sites I have seen for learning arabic, definitely not for beginners or even intermediate, you would need to know the root of the verbs plus they are all in masculine past if you learn anything its just masculine verbs past tense.
Im sure theres better sites, a book would be even better

I think mosques should teach children how to understand arabic
when I went to mosque, this is gonna sound bad so I apologise, I never felt any desire to read the qur'an because I thought whats the point? I dont understand what im reading
now obviously I dont think that way but ppl should be taught arabic too so they know what theyre reading
otherise really, what is the point then, theyre not gonna learn anything