Allah
Made it Easy
The
Noble Qur'an: Ad-Dukhân 44:58
Certainly,
We have made this (Qur'ân) easy in your tongue, in order that they may
remember.
The
Status of the Arabic Language in Islam
By:
Shaykhul-Islaam Taqiyyud-Deen Ibn Taymiyyah (d.728H)
As for becoming accustomed to talking to one another in a language
other than Arabic, which is the symbol of Islaam and the language of
the Qur‘aan, so that this becomes a habit in the land, with one’s
family and household members, with one’s friends, in the marketplace,
when addressing government representatives or authority figures or when
speaking to people of knowledge, undoubtedly this is makrooh
(disliked), because it involves being like the non-Arabs, which is
makrooh, as stated previously.
Hence when the
early Muslims went to live in Syria and Egypt, where the people spoke
Byzantine Greek, and in ’Iraaq and Khurasaan, where the people spoke
Persian, and North Africa (al-Maghrib) where the people spoke Berber,
they taught the people of those countries to speak Arabic, so that
Arabic became the prevalent language in those lands, and all the
people, Muslim and kaafir alike, spoke Arabic. Such was also the case
in Khurasaan in the past, then they became lax with regard to the
language and got used to speaking Farsee until it became prevalent and
Arabic was forgotten by most of them. Undoubtedly this is disliked.
The best way is
to become accustomed to speaking Arabic so that the young people will
learn it in their homes and schools, so that the symbol of Islaam and
its people will prevail. This will make it easier for the people of
Islaam to understand the Qur‘aan and Sunnah, and the words of the
Salaf, unlike a person who gets used to speaking one language, then
wants to learn another, and finds it difficult.
Know that being
used to using a language has a clear and strong effect on one’s
thinking, behaviour and religious commitment. It also has an effect on
making one resemble the early generations of this Ummah, the Companions
and the Taabi’een. Being like them improves one’s thinking, religious
commitment and behaviour.
Moreover, the
Arabic language itself is part of Islaam, and knowing Arabic is an
obligatory duty. If it is a duty to understand the Qur‘aan and Sunnah,
and they cannot be understood without knowing Arabic, then the means
that is needed to fulfil the duty is also obligatory.
There are things
which are obligatory on all individuals (fard ’ayn), and others which
are obligatory on the community or Ummah (fard kifaayah, i.e., if some
people fulfill them the rest are relieved of the obligation).
This is the
meaning of the report narrated by Aboo Bakr Ibn Abee Shaybah who said:
’Eesa Ibn Yoonus told us from Thawr from ’Umar Ibn Yazeed that ’Umar
wrote to Aboo Moosa al-Ash’aree () and said: “Learn the Sunnah and
learn Arabic; learn the Qur‘aan in Arabic for it is Arabic.”
According to
another hadeeth narrated from ’Umar (), he said: “Learn Arabic for it
is part of your Religion, and learn how the estate of the deceased
should be divided (faraa‘id) for these are part of your Religion.”
This command of
’Umar, to learn Arabic and the Sharee’ah combines the things that are
needed, for Religion involves understanding words and actions.
Understanding Arabic is the way to understand the words of Islaam, and
understanding the Sunnah is the way to understand the actions of
Islaam…” [1]
Footnotes:
[1]
Iqtidaa‘us-Siraatil-Mustaqeem (2/207)
What's
In a Number?
By Khalid Baig
A
quiet revolution is taking place in the Arabic language; it is
fast losing the character set used to represent numbers. Arabs gave the
Arabic numerals to the world, thereby making the tremendous advances in
mathematics and science possible. But today they are giving them up in
favor of the European ones.
The
Arab contribution was the symbols for numbers one through nine,
the concept of and the symbol for zero, and the idea of the place value
of numbers that made it possible to write all numbers, no matter how
big or small, using these ten symbols alone. All of these remain valid
today and are the essential elements of the Arabic numbering system.
However the symbols themselves changed upon their arrival in Europe.
While the European numerals are Arabic in their genesis, their shapes
are not the same as those of the Arabic numerals that have been used
for centuries in the Arabic world.
First
it was the newspapers, magazines, and web sites. Then
textbooks. And now even the religious books --- the last refuge of the
historic numerals --- are slowly giving way to the European onslaught.
There are notable exceptions but the general trend is very clear.
The
same is true of Urdu. Its numerals, which are the same as the
Arabic ones (with the exception of 4 and 7), have rapidly joined the
endangered species list. Today they are absent from all printed matter
in mass circulation. In religious books one finds a hodgepodge of the
Urdu and European symbols sitting uneasily next to each other,
symbolizing the confusion of the writers or publishers.
While
Farsi is holding its ground better than either Arabic or Urdu, signs of
change are visible there as well.
The
computers and the Internet, with their built in bias in favor of
English at the current state of their evolution, have a lot to do with
this cultural sea change. But there is also a misconception that the
European numerals are actually Arabic or that this is a change for the
better or at least that it does not matter.
In
1403 AH, the organization of senior ulama in Saudi Arabia, in its
21st congress (Riyadh, 17-28 Rabiul Akhir 1403) reviewed the then
emerging trend and passed a resolution addressing these misgivings. It
declared that changing Arabic numerals to the prevalent European ones
in Arabic was not right. Among the reasons it cited were the following:
- The claim that the presently used
European numerals are the real
Arabic ones is neither well known nor true. Centuries of use give
legitimacy and authenticity to the Arabic symbols that are now being
replaced.
- The change will have ill
consequences as it is a step in the direction of Westernization of the
Islamic society.
- It is a reflection of the blind
following of the West.
- The Arabic numerals have been used
in all written works for
centuries. If they are now replaced, it will handicap the new
generation in benefiting from this great treasure, and cut it off from
its history.
A
year later (1404 AH) the Islamic Fiqh Academy in Makkah reviewed
the issue and issued a fatwa fully supporting the resolution of the
ulama. It declared it impermissible to use the European symbols while
writing Arabic and warned about very serious consequences of this move.
Today
the fears expressed by the Islamic Fiqh Academy can be seen in
stark reality. In Pakistan, people are not only using the new symbols
for writing, they are increasingly using English when expressing
numbers in words in everyday usage. (Example: "Yeh Jora aap ko four
seventy five main laga donga."). This Urdish language now evolving is a
seriously handicapped language that cannot count, do math, express
colors, name an organization, or discuss politics, business or culture
without resorting to English. The resulting chaos has not improved
their command of English, but it has seriously endangered their
language, culture, and civilization.
A
similar fate may await Arabic if steps are not taken to reverse
the trend. Writers and publishers in Urdu and Arabic need to pause,
reflect, and stop this mad rush into numerical disaster. Twenty years
later the call of the Islamic Fiqh Academy remains as relevant as ever.
And even more urgent.
Related Links:
Action
Items for the 
uttaqun:
-
Learn
a little bit of Arabic at a time, such as one new word per week or work
on 3 verses per month, and build from there.
-
Learn
the Arabic numbers and use them often.
Remember... Allah, subhana
watala, sees everything we do!
