English Language

Why should a
Muslim learn
Arabic?
 A Muslim is not far from the two
things that guide his life, that’s the
Qur'an and Hadith.

‫ُّل‬ ‫َل‬ ‫َأ‬

‫ ْن ِض وا َم ا َم َّس ُتْم‬، ‫َتَرْك ُت ِفيُكْم ْم َرْيِن‬
‫ْك‬ ‫َت‬ ‫َت‬
‫ ِكَت اَب ِهَّللا َوُس َّنَة َنِبِّيِه‬:‫ِبِه َم ا‬

“I leave with you two things, if you hold fast to them, you will not be lost forever:
the Book of Allah and my Sunnah.”
And also the words of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
in surah Yusuf verse number 2:

‫ُل‬ ‫ُك‬‫َّل‬ ‫َل‬ ‫ًن‬ ‫ُق‬ ‫ْل‬ ‫َأ‬

‫ِإَّنا َز َناُه ْر آ ا َع َرِبًّي ا َع ْم ْع ِق وَن‬
‫َت‬ ‫ْن‬
“Indeed, We have made the Quran in Arabic so
that you may think about it.”

Ibn Kathir, when explaining the verse number 2

of surah Yusuf, said:

‫ وأكثرها‬،‫ألن لغة العرب أفصح اللغات وأبينها وأوسعها‬

‫تأدية للمعاني التي تقوم بالنفوس‬
“Because Arabic is the most eloquent language,
the clearest, the most vocabulary, and the most
meaning that reassures the soul.”
 First
Arabic is a straight language, easy to understand and easy to use
as a law for humans. Allah says in the Qur'an surah Az-Zumar
verse number 27 and 28:

. ‫َو َلَق ْد َض َرْبَنا ِللَّناِس ِفي َه َذ ا اْلُق ْر آِن ِم ْن ُكِّل َم َث ٍل َلَع َّلُه ْم َيَت َذ َّك ُروَن‬
‫ُق ْر آًنا َع َرِبًّي ا َغ ْي َر ِذي ِع َو ٍج َلَع َّلُه ْم َيَّتُق وَن‬

“Indeed We have made for mankind in this Quran every kind of

parable that they may learn. (It is) the Quran in Arabic, in which
there is no crookedness, that they may fear.”
 Second
Using the Arabic language is one of the
ways to preach Islam.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may

Allah have mercy on him) said:
‫َأ‬
‫الِّلَس اُن الَع َرِبي ِش َع اُر اِإلْس َالِم َو ْه ِلِه‬
“Arabic is the preaching of Islam and the
preaching of the Muslims.”
 Third
Learning Arabic makes it easier to memorise,
understand, teach and practice the Qur'an. It is also
easier to understand the hadiths of the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), memorise,
explain and practice them.
Fourth
People who understand Arabic,
especially understand the methods in
the science of nahwu will find it easier
to understand Islam than those who do
not learn it at all. Moreover, if one's job
is as a preacher, of course it is even
more urgent to learn it so that it is easy
to provide the correct understanding of
religion to many people.
Fifth
People who understand Arabic will easily explore
knowledge from scholars directly or read various
works of scholars that have been widely spread to
date. Meanwhile, those who do not understand
Arabic can only rely on translated books and that is
limited.
 Sixth
Arabic is the most honourable language.

Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) also said:

“Because the Qur'an is the noblest ‫فلهذا أنزَل أشرف الكتب بأشرف‬
book, revealed in the noblest language,
taught to the noblest Messenger,
،‫ عىل أشرف الرسل‬،‫اللغات‬
delivered by the noblest angel, revealed ‫ وكان ذلك‬،‫بسفارة أشرف المالئكة‬
in the noblest place on earth, also ‫ وابتدئ‬،‫في أشرف بقاع األرض‬
revealed in the noblest month, namely
the month of Ramadan. From these
‫إنزاله في أشرف شهور السنة وهو‬
various sides, we can judge how noble ‫ فكمل من كل الوجوه‬،‫رمضان‬
the Holy Qur'an is.”
 The Hope
May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala make us
understand the Arabic language through
which we can understand the Qur'an and
hadith.
 Conclusion
Arabic is the language of Islam and the language of
the Qur'an. We will not be able to understand the
Qur'an and As-Sunnah with a correct understanding
and safe (from deviations) except with the provision of
Arabic. Underestimating and taking Arabic for granted
will lead to a weak understanding of religion and
ignorance of religious issues.