Arabic language in Islam

In Islam, the Arabic language is given more importance than any other language, because it is the language of Qur'an and Hadith, the main religious sources of Islam, which is called Quranic Arabic.

Arabic is Islam's standard liturgical language and is generally given a special role in education and worship. Many Muslims see the Quran as divine revelation — it is believed to be the direct word of God as revealed to Muhammad in Arabic. Translations of the Quran into other languages are therefore not treated as the Quran itself; rather, they are seen as interpretive texts, which attempt to communicate a translation of the Quran's message. Regardless, they are generally accepted by Islamic religious authorities as interpretive guides for non-Arabic-speakers, despite their illegitimacy for religious practice. Scholars of Islam must learn and interpret the Quran in classical Arabic. According to the four accepted Sunni schools of jurisprudence, it is a requirement for the khutbah to be delivered completely in classical Arabic.

The historical source of Islam's focus on Arabic may have been from the pre-Islamic tradition of Arabic poetry, in which the literate poets believed the language had an exceptional poetic quality that was untranslatable. This tradition survives today in the belief that Classical Arabic as spoken by Muhammad was "pure" and "undefiled."

Muslims believe in a command to pray five times per day, known as salah, which often consists partially of recitation of passages from the Quran. The vast majority of Muslims, however, do not speak Arabic natively and so many believe in the necessity to learn the language to participate in daily prayer. Almost all Muslims believe that the Quran in Arabic is an exact duplication of the transcript that Muhammad received by dictation from God by way of the angelic messenger Gabriel and found in Heaven at Miraj. However, this belief is not universal to all Muslims and has only emerged over time through the development of Islam.

In the Qur'an

It is said in the Qur'an, Allah says,

'I have sent down the Qur'an in clear Arabic.'

— Surah Shu'ara : 195

In the explanation of this verse, Allama Abul Hussain Ahmad bin Fares said,

'Allah has called the Qur'an a clear word. This means that other languages do not have this feature and the Arabic language is superior to all other languages. As Sahib fi Fiqhil Lugah: 4/1

In the hadith

The Prophet (PBUH) said,

مَنْ ‌قَرَأَ ‌حَرْفًا ‌مِنْ ‌كِتَابِ ‌اللَّهِ ‌فَلَهُ ‌بِهِ ‌حَسَنَةٌ، وَالحَسَنَةُ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا، لَا أَقُولُ الم حَرْفٌ، وَلَكِنْ أَلِفٌ حَرْفٌ وَلَامٌ حَرْفٌ وَمِيمٌ حَرْفٌ

‘Whoever recites a letter of the Book of Allah Ta'ala has its reward. And the reward is tenfold. I do not say that Alif-Lam-Meem is a letter, but Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter and Meem is a letter.' [Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 2910]

As most Muslim scholars cite the hadith of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad as saying that every letter of the Qur'an brings ten unit of piety (Sawab). That's why, they encourage to pronounce original Islamic Arabic word "Allah" (ﷲ),,Nabi" (نبي), "Rasul" (رسول), "Malaika" (ملاءكة‎)"jannah" (جنّة‎), "jahannam " (جهنم‎) etc., as an argument they say, the word Allah is used in the Qur'an, so when saying the word, ten unit of sawab or neki will be obtained, which cannot be gotten by the pronunciation of Khuda, Creator, Ishwara, God, payambar, Farishta, Behesht, Dujokh or other non-Quranic and non-Arabic synonyms.

Language of Quran and Hadith

The Arabic language is considered a part of Islam's religion, and learning it is not just an educational goal but also an essential means for understanding and deep knowledge of Islamic sources. Classical scholars and intelligentsia recognized its importance, with Omar Ibn Al-Khattab stating it is essential for understanding the Quran. Ibn Al-Jawzi asserts that Arabic grammar and language are integral to Islamic sciences, providing a clear understanding of the Quran's meaning. Ibn Jinni argues weak Arabic knowledge leads to deviation from Islamic Sharia. Ibn Taymiya considers Arabic knowledge a religious obligatory must for understanding the Quran and Sunnah.

Arabic linguistics has its roots in the Quran and pre-Islamic poetry, with the first reliable book of Arabic grammar "Sibawayh" appearing by the end of the second century of Hijra. Before the advent of Islam, Arabic tradition was mainly oral, with the writing tradition beginning with the Quran. This written tradition was inspired by the religious challenges of the new era, pen and book. Despite the shortcomings of the pre-Islamic Arabs in documenting their oral tradition, the Islamic written recovery of this oral tradition allows us to appreciate the linguistic supremacy of the Arabs before Islam. The Quran challenged the linguistic shrewdness of the first Muslim generations, as it was revealed in the language of the Arabs, allowing them to understand and know its meanings both in vocabulary and syntax. Narratives often show Muhammad giving an exegesis of verses or words that were not clear enough for their companions or had an allegorical meaning.

Quran has significantly influenced the bond between Islam and the Arabic language, leading to the development of various Islamic sciences, particularly in Arabic literature and literature. Muslim scholars like Fazlur Rahman Malik claim that all non-secular sciences in Islam owe their origin to the Quran. The doctrine of 'inimitability' of the Quran is common across Muslim schools and has been a key factor in Arabic literature.

John Penrice emphasizes the nature of the Quran's language calling it "miraculous" as a standard for Arabic literature. He believes that a competent knowledge of the Koran is essential for understanding Arabic literature, even without belief in its divine origin. He states, Quran contains transcendent excellencies and poetic ideas, with rich and appropriate language that transcends translation.

During the early years of Islam, Arabic was crucial in its Quranic level. As Islam expanded, the dangers of misreading and misunderstanding the Quran's text increased. Ibn Khaldoun discussed the importance of Arabic in the Muslim world and the mixing of Arabic with non-Arabic languages due to foreign invasions. Quranic sciences emerged, leading to the establishment of tafsir-schools in Mecca, Medina, and Iraq. The emergence of a tafsir methodology in Islam aimed to protect the "divine word" from human language variability. The diachrony of Arabic language remained a significant factor in human interaction with the Quranic text.

Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali explains how Islamic terms like salah, hajj, sawm, and zakat evolved from their original linguistic meanings. Islam added religious preconditions to these terms, including kinetic activities like kneeling and prostrating, and incorporating religious practices like circling the Kaba and standing on the Arafa mount.

Use of the word "Allah"

A calligraphic rendition of the Bismillah

Hamid Nadim Rafiabadi claimed the word "Allah" as untranslatable as a "good" or "God." It is distinct from all names and cannot be derivated. According to Abdul Majid Daryabadi the English word "God" is a common German word to refer any superhuman figures from pagan mythologies who possess authority over both nature and humans, as an object of worship, but the word Allah is totally unique to it.

Allah, originally al-ilah, is derived from alaha (we worshiped) or aliha (he was bewildered). Al-ilah means al-Matuh, the object of worship or the object of confusion for minds. The verb aliha signifies looking for safety, support, and sanctuary in order to survive, saving, rescuing, or delivering from evil. Adding the definite article "al" results in the word "Allah." According to Abdullah Ibn Abbas, Allah is the One Everyone takes as its god and worships, possessing the attributes of divinity and being worshiped. Alaha means to worship, it gives rise to the verbal noun ilaha.

There is a disagreement on the etymological aspect of the Islamic Quranic word "Allah," including its origin, origin, and usage. Some scholars believe it originates from the term Ilahia in Chaldean and Syriac, which became Allah in Arabic later on. Others believe it is a Hebrew word, Iloha, used by Jews and Christians. The original form of the word was LAHA, which later evolved into Gabriel, Michael, Ismael, and Israel. When Arabicized, the final Alif was left out and replaced with LAM, making the sound of Lam more prominent. In Hebrew, words like "Eli" and "Elah" are conspicuous, indicating that God is exalted, and the words "Eliyahu" and "Eliyahu" signify worship of the deity. The Arabicization of these words has led to a debate on its origin and meaning.

Marmaduke Pickthall notes that since the word Allah is neither feminine nor plural and has only ever been used to refer to the unfathomable supreme being, there is no equivalent term for Allah in English. The word "God" was used in old English, Icelandic, Danish, Swedish, and German, but from a monotheistic viewpoint, it represents the supreme being, all-powerful, omniscient, eternal, infinite spirit, and creator and ruler of the universe, whom humans worship. The word can also be found with the small letter "g," which indicates a male who is considered to be immortal and endowed with supernatural abilities. It also refers to anything or anyone who has been the subject of extreme or unrestrained devotion; the old English word for this is godship. These characteristics of the term "god" or "God" are not appropriate for "Al-lah" because they are associated with the polytheistic, Trinitarian, or dualistic nature of the deity.

The concept of Allah and related terms are discussed in Fakhruddin Razi's Tafsir, wherein it is argued that the word Allah is a proper noun rather than a derivative. La ilaha illallah, in his opinion, suggests the total unity of God and rejects identification with numerous other gods. Since Allah is a proper name that captures the essence of Allah uniquely, derivatives are not appropriate. His well-known statements shed important light on the idea of God's distinct essence.

The term "Allah" is more appropriate than the term "God," which is frequently linked to aspects of polytheism, trinitarianism, and dualistic thinking. According to the Quran, there is only one God, and anyone who believes that Allah has partners will not be allowed to enter paradise and will not have any support. There is only one God, thus the Quran forbids disbelieving that Allah is the third of three gods. The pagan Arabs also referred to their gods as "Allah," allocating a portion of their altruistic duties to both Allah and their gods. According to Hamiduddin Farahi, the Arabic word "Al" (the) is used specifically for "Allah," and it is only used for Allah, the one who created the earth, the heavens, and all living things. This word has the same meaning among the Arabs.

Rahman is described as a forgiving being who desires goodness and the betterment of all creatures in the Tafsir al-Jalalayn. On the other hand, Rahim is a common term but lexically specific, whereas Rahman is specific in meaning but common in literal sense. Al-Rahman is the universal kindness that Allah bestows on all beings, good and bad, believers and unbelievers alike. The limitless benefits of life are bestowed upon all people, and they provide them with sustenance in abundance. Ar-Rahim, on the other hand, speaks exclusively of the special mercy given to believers and submissive servants. Although Rahim is indeed occasionally used with this same the meaning of an endless kind of mercy, Rahman focused in the Quran meaning.

The words Rahman and Rahim, which are generated from the root Rahmat, signify gentleness and affection. Rahman is the precursor to the Arabic verb, meaning the highest importance in divine mercy, whereas the latter makes use of the infinite supply of grace from the divine being. Both Rahman and Rahim are active participle nouns with distinct paradigms; Rahman represents the highest form of Arabic verb, while Rahim expresses how that grace manifests itself in and affects his creation.

Opinion of Salaf and Scholars

Umar Ibn Khattab said,

Learn Arabic language. That is part of your deen.

— (Masbuquz Zahab fi Fadlil Arab wa Sharful Ilmi ala Sharfin Nasbi:1/9)

Ibn Taymiyyah said,

Arabic language is the symbol of Islam and its people (Muslims).

— Last quote from Iqtida al-Sirat al-Mustakim, 1/519

He further said,

Allah revealed the Qur'an in Arabic andd instructed the beloved Prophet (PBUH) to preach the Qur'an-Sunnah in Arabic. The first followers of the religion were Arabic speaking. Therefore, there is no substitute for mastering this language for deep knowledge of religion. Practicing Arabic is part of religion and a symbol of respect for religion.

— ' Majmu'ul Fatwa: 8/343

According to Islamic scholars, "The reason for the importance of the Arabic language is that the Arabic language has many advantages and characteristics, but what has given it the greatest importance is its connection with the religion of Islam revealed in this language. The connection of the Arabic language with the revelation of the Qur'an, which came to all mankind. The rituals of Islam are performed only in the Arabic language. The Arabic language is characterized by sophistication of expression, eloquence in speech and abundance of artistic imagery. According to scholars, to preserve the Arabic language is to preserve the religion of Islam. A complete statement of a written text can only be made in Arabic, And so the Qur'an was not revealed without it. Constantly speaking Arabic has a positive effect on the mind, religion and morals. Ignorance of Arabic is one of the causes of deviation from the true religion. Arabic is an ancient, stable and historically well-established language."

Reasons for praying Salat in Arabic

Ahmed Hussain Sharif in his book "Why Pray in Arabic" (Why is prayer offered in Arabic?) reasons for praying in Arabic are:

1. Arabic is a deep and wide language
2. A common and universal language for prayer
3. Connecting the Islamic brotherhood (via Arabic)
4. Quran is the creation of Allah
5. It is impossible to translate the complete and complete Quran
6. Quran is the only (divinely) preserved revelation
7. Quran has its own rhythm
8. The difference between Dua and Namaz is: Dua is an invitation or supplication, which is optional, so it is relaxed and can be done in any language, and Salat is a prayer, which is obligatory and its principles are strict. Besides, there is an obligation to maintain the social relations of Muslims in the case of obligatory prayers in congregation, therefore, prayers must be read only in Arabic.
9. Learning to understand Arabic prayers is not difficult and it is easy.

Finally he says, "Thus we see that the sweetness, dignity, beauty and spirituality of the prayer depend on the prayer being recited in the original Arabic; and if the prayer is recited in translation, the literary and artistic value of the Qur'an is bound to be lost; and by the translated prayer is the first to suffer will be the Islamic brotherhood."

Art and literature

Main articles: Islamic art, Islamic literature, and Islamic calligraphy

For many centuries, Arabic served as the linguistic vehicle through which many of Islamic civilization's religious, cultural, and intellectual achievements were articulated and refined. Recitation of the Quran is an artistic tradition similar to that of opera singing, where a singer (known as a qāriʾ) is expected to have mastery of vocal skills. Outside daily prayer, recitations of the Quran in Arabic play a large role in major rituals such as marriage or funerary rites.

The Muslim world is known for a tradition of calligraphy, where handwritten copies of the Quran are revered or preserved as museum pieces. The visual tradition of depicting Muhammad, in particular, is to represent his name in calligraphy rather than depict him visually as a human figure.

Nationalism and Islamization

See also: Arabization and Arabic alphabet

Arabic's role in Islam has been a major contributing factor to nationalist projects, both within and without the Arab world. Arab nationalists have supported the development of Modern Standard Arabic as an official state language in the Arab world, often making a direct connection between the language and the Islamic faith. Nationalist projects in individual Arab nations often seek to implement the local vernacular dialect as the official language, but are met with religious opposition for "separating the Arabs from their one divine language."

Arabic script was first used to write texts in Arabic, most notably the Quran, the holy book of Islam. With the religion's spread, it came to be used as the primary script for many language families, leading to the addition of new letters and other symbols. Such languages still using it are: Persian (Farsi and Dari), Malay (Jawi), Cham (Akhar Srak), Uyghur, Kurdish, Punjabi (Shahmukhi), Sindhi, Balti, Balochi, Pashto, Lurish, Urdu, Kashmiri, Rohingya, Somali, Mandinka, and Mooré, among others. Until the 16th century, it was also used for some Spanish texts, and—prior to the script reform in 1928—it was the writing system of Turkish.

Algeria

Modern Standard Arabic, as the Quran's language, has been widely used in Algeria due to its opposition to neocolonial language and religion. Algerian nationalists' enthusiasm for Islam and Arabic, and rejection of French-associated language and culture, has led to sociolinguistic chaos, with many Algerian speakers lacking proper command of either language.

Egypt

The Islamization of Egypt occurred after the 7th century Arab conquest of Egypt, in which the Islamic Rashidun Caliphate seized control of Egypt from the Christian Byzantine Empire. Egypt and other conquered territories in the Middle East underwent a large scale gradual conversion from Christianity to Islam, accompanied by jizya for those who refused to convert. Islam became the dominant faith by the 10th to 12th centuries, and Arabic replaced Coptic as the vernacular language and Greek as the official language.

Iran

The Islamization of Iran was the spread of Islam in formerly Sassanid Iran as a result of the Muslim conquest of the empire in 633–654. It was a long process by which Islam, though initially rejected, eventually spread among the population on the Iranian Plateau. Iranian peoples have maintained certain pre-Islamic traditions, including their language and culture, and adapted them with Arabian Islamic codes, specially using Arabic script in Farsi language. These two customs and traditions merged as the "Iranian Islamic" identity.

Pakistan

Main articles: Islamization in Pakistan, History of Hindustani language, and Persian language in the Indian subcontinent

In Pakistan, where Arabic is not a native language of the country's ethnic groups, Arabic has still held a role in the state's religious nationalist project. Arabic is mentioned in the constitution of Pakistan. It declares in article 31 No. 2 that "The State shall endeavour, as respects the Muslims of Pakistan (a) to make the teaching of the Holy Quran and Islamiat compulsory, to encourage and facilitate the learning of Arabic language ..."

The Senate of Pakistan passed the Compulsory Teaching of the Arabic Language Bill on February 1, 2021, making Arabic teaching compulsory in Islamabad's primary and secondary schools.

After the creation of Pakistan in 1947 during East Pakistani language movement, many advocated to Muhammad Ali Jinnah making Arabic the state language of Pakistan as a Muslim nationalist country, which was later supported and reiterated by many, but the proposal ultimately did not gain popular support and popularity. These proposals to make Arabic the state language failed to gain substantial support in any part of Pakistan. However, as this demand is linked to the question of the development of Islamic culture, it indirectly reinforced the demand for the introduction of Arabic script in the state language Urdu and Bengali (Dobhashi) in some quarters.

Turkey

See also: Islam in Turkey and Islam in the Ottoman Empire

Ottoman Turkish (Ottoman Turkish: لِسانِ عُثمانى, romanized: Lisân-ı Osmânî, Turkish pronunciation: [liˈsaːnɯ osˈmaːniː]; Turkish: Osmanlı Türkçesi) was the standardized register of the Turkish language in the Islamic Ottoman Empire (14th to 20th centuries CE). It borrowed extensively, in all aspects, from Arabic and Persian. It was written in the Ottoman Turkish alphabet. During the peak of Ottoman power (c. 16th century CE), words of foreign origin mostly from Arabic and Persian, heavily outnumbered native Turkish words in Turkish literature in the Ottoman Empire, with Arabic and Persian vocabulary accounting for up to 88% of the Ottoman vocabulary in some texts.

Related pages

• Sacred language
• Modern Standard Arabic
• Jewish languages
• Ecclesiastical Latin
• List of Islamic texts

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