The Beauty of the Arabic Language
Below are some of the most beautiful reflections on the Arabic language:
- The Arabic language emerged fully formed, which is one of the most remarkable occurrences in human history, exhibiting no childhood or old age.
- Arabic is the root of all languages.
- What comes from the speech of the Arabs is indeed their own words.
- Unlike other languages, Arabic does not become trivial through repetition; each repetition enhances its depth.
- Arabic introduced the method of scientific expression in the West, standing out as one of the purest languages known for its unique ways of scientific and artistic expression.
- Arabic is not inherited from one’s parents; rather, it belongs to the tongue—anyone who speaks Arabic can call themselves an Arab.
- The Arabic language possesses a remarkable flexibility and adaptability, allowing it to evolve with the times.
- Mastering Arabic enhances wisdom and enriches character.
- Excluding China, no other nation can pride itself on a wealth of linguistic literature as the Arab world does.
- Arabic serves as a vast emotional repository, embodying the characteristics, beliefs, and history of its people, while learning other languages remains an essential skill for contemporary Muslims, provided it does not overshadow their native tongue.
- The resilience of the Arabic heritage has proven stronger than any attempts to displace Modern Standard Arabic from its esteemed position.
Beautiful Phrases About the Arabic Language
Here are some beautiful phrases about the Arabic language:
- Like a musical instrument, the Arabic phrase resonates; when one string is struck, all others respond, stirring deep emotions that transcend mere words.
- Arab intellectuals who fail to master their language are not merely culturally deficient, but also lack a significant aspect of their dignity.
- How can one resist the charm and logical clarity of this language? Even the neighbors of the Arabs in the lands they conquered fell under the spell of its unique beauty.
- The expansiveness of Arabic in its names, verbs, and unique grammatical structures highlights its richness and creativity.
- The Arabic language is a complete and enchanting entity, capable of reflecting the nuances of nature and the depths of the soul, with meanings echoing in the cadences of its words.
- The Arabic language possesses a remarkable fluidity that enables it to adapt to contemporary demands while retaining its essence.
- The attributes that enrich languages make the beauty of articulations find its most profound expression in Arabic.
Scholarly Opinions on the Arabic Language
Here are some notable scholarly opinions regarding the Arabic language:
- Imam Al-Shafi’i said: “People have never been ignorant nor disagreed except for their abandonment of the Arabic tongue and their leaning towards the language of Aristotle.”
- Al-Shafi’i also stated: “No one can fully comprehend the complexities of the Book’s explanations unless they grasp the vastness of the Arabic language and its many interpretations.”
- Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah stated: “The true merit of the Quran is known only to those who understand the words of the Arabs, those who delve into the science of language, eloquence, and the poetry and speeches of their ancestors.”
- Ibn Taymiyyah stated regarding the importance of learning Arabic: “The Arabic language is part of our faith; it is necessary to understand the Book and the Sunnah, which can only be comprehended in Arabic. Therefore, that which is essential for fulfilling an obligation is itself obligatory.”
- The French scholar William Marcy said: “The Arabic expression is like a musical instrument; when you strike one string, all resonate, stirring deep emotions that go beyond straightforward meaning.”
- German Orientalist Ziver Honche remarked: “How can one resist the inherent beauty of this language, its logic, and its enchanting quality? Even the neighbors of the Arabs in conquered lands have succumbed to the allure of this language.”
Noteworthy Quotes About the Arabic Language
Here are some noteworthy quotes about the Arabic language:
- Arabic cannot become trivial through repetition, unlike many other languages where repetition inevitably leads to absurdity.
- The Arabic language exhibits unmatched flexibility, allowing it to adapt seamlessly across different eras.
- Arabic emerged fully developed; it has never known childhood or senescence.
- The Arabic language is recognized as superior and more beautiful than other languages in its strength, clarity, expression, and detail.
- Arabic has instilled values of nobility in its speakers; those who study their poetry, speeches, and correspondence will discover how this magnificent language refined the characteristics and softened the hearts of ancient Arabs.
- Arabic is both simple and profound, offering versatility that allows speakers to convey thoughts in numerous ways.
- An Arab cannot help but take pride in belonging to the Arabic language—the language of the Holy Quran and the speech of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
- The Arabic language represents the long history of the Arab people, embodying the magnificence of their civilization, forming the core of that heritage.
- Arabic is vast in its names, verbs, adjectives, forms, and linguistic expressions.
Poetry Celebrating the Arabic Language
Here are some poems that celebrate the Arabic language:
“The Impossible Language” by Nizar Qabbani
The writer in my country
Speaks all the languages of the world,
Except Arabic…
For we have a language that terrifies,
And in which they have closed all the doors of freedom!
“Language of Al-Dhad” by Sabah Al-Hakim
I do not write to gain fame,
Nor do I write to ascend to the moon,
I write only in a language
That has dwelled in my heart since childhood.
O Language of Al-Dhad, how beautiful you are!
I will sing of you until I fade away.
As I roam through your meadows in admiration,
Carving the stone, and my letters flourish.
I care not for those who hurt me,
For I see in their scars a fresh thought.
I challenge anyone who forbids me,
For they possess a taste that is tarnished.
I am a soldier, and my sword is my pen,
In the letters of Al-Dhad, it finds solace.
My pen will wage war with ink,
Fearing neither death nor danger.
My captivated heart, for you, my nation,
Is intoxicated by your love to the point of delirium.
In the pursuit of knowledge, I do not feel shame;
I seek wisdom everywhere among people.
I am like a bird singing my pain,
And my poetry plays a melody on the lyre.
Poem by Wadi’ Aql
O teacher of eloquence and its finest expression,
This is your position among the tribes of Qahhtan.
And they came as your representatives, princes and elders,
To pledge allegiance to you, the unique of your time.
They called for the servant of Allah after Ziad,
To guard its glories and the honor of its status.
They called for the king of eloquence, and he arose,
On the platform inherited from Dhubyan.
And their envoy traveled to its poles,
With eloquence recited for the elites.
It reached its place in Egypt and the Levant,
In Iraq, Hijaz, and Yemen.
Conveying that its proof lies upon,
Its throne of eloquence in Lebanon.
In an Arab state, that ties together,
The branches and wombs of Ghassan’s lineage.
By this ancestry, Al-Arzi rises above,
Its lineage, proudly superior to its peers.
Lebanon was never truly independent,
Except as the refuge of Arabs since its inception.
Bound together by its tongue,
With its voice and heart in harmony.
It embraces the mother of languages, cautiously,
To keep anything else from settling upon it.
It is the house that gave birth to an Arab nation,
Which spread across the world its banner of eloquence.
Arabic is in their religion, and in Al-Dhad,
In its gospel and verses.
In its scriptures, traditions, and recitations,
And in its calls to prayer.
In its huts and its palaces,
All in the embrace of Al-Dhad.
In a dictionary that safeguards its roots,
To repel the malice of time from its edifice.
So let the noble Arabs understand,
That they have the strongest guardian of their tongue.
Arabic remains safe within its walls,
As long as it withstands foreign tongues.
It remains secure in the heart of Lebanon,
As it is in the hearts of Najran.
A language that allows its children to hold,
Such dignity on the Day of Judgment.
Both heavens are devoted to it, and both are
Graze upon her as she flourishes.
It shall not perish under the ravages of time,
For it is the language of angels beneath its shade.
The language that resonates with Gabriel,
Its words and the delight of its listeners.
A language born of nature, its mother,
For only Al-Dhad has been raised in her lap.
Spoken by its birds and beasts,
And its clouds, winds, and shadows.
Carved from the whispers of its breezes,
And the gentle touches of its grazing deer.
And the sorrows of the bereaved, the unfolding of its age,
And the longing for its beloved.
Its lamentation points from its boughs,
And the singing nightingale among its branches.
It is the thought of ages wrapped in its secrets,
And the foster child of princes in its gardens.
Bedouin, and the wandering from its outskirts,
Urban, and the Levant of its homelands.
Electricity rides upon its back,
And today, electricity rides upon its being.
And you see the boats and aircraft becoming,
Like the swift steeds of its herders.
Time will not harm it nor strip its crowns,
For it carries a legacy of enduring grandeur.
A throne endowed to no one but its sovereign.
This throne may collapse before anything else,
Before the world crumbles on its foundations.
Let us gaze at Riyadh, the garden of its flowers,
And breathe in the fragrance of its basil.
Let the Arabic language reveal its beauty,
Seeping like agate and pearls.
Send greetings to those fighting the good fight,
In the gatherings of the true contenders in their arena.
The scattered from its rubies,
The woven from its corals.
Warm fragrances shall adorn the air,
From its blossoms and melodies of its nights.
Time will strike innovations from its rhymes like,
The herd of wild beasts caught by its capture.
And protect the priceless language, yearning,
For the ranks upon ranks of its assistors.
The guardians of its vows and the publishers,
Of its objectives among its companions.
They called upon to convene, and they uproarious,
Like swords drawn from their scabbards.
Sprinkling flowers of eloquence in abundance,
Weaving crowns from their own fruits.
This is Ukaz with its market bolted,
And the wise has his palm resting on its scale.
If the Al-Dhad had no evidence,
Ukaz would not have transferred to the embrace of its cathedral.