The Beauty of the Arabic Language
- In the Arabic language, meanings stand before the speaker, allowing them to choose expressions that best convey their thoughts and satisfy their imagination, appearing as a string of pearls when selection is made wisely.
- The Arabic language, enriched by the Quran, has achieved an expanse that few other languages in the world can rival.
- An Arabic phrase resembles a musical instrument; when one string is struck, all resonate in harmony, stirring deep emotions and imagery within the soul that transcend direct meaning.
- Arabic has introduced the Western world to the art of scientific expression, standing out as one of the purest languages with unique methods for scientific and artistic communication.
- Differences among people and misunderstandings often arise from a drift away from the Arabic tongue, in favor of Aristotle’s language.
- Anyone who fails to grasp the broad spectrum and nuanced meanings of the Arabic language is unaware of its richness, while those who understand it find themselves free from the misconceptions rooted in ignorance of the language.
- It is indeed astonishing how this national language has flourished to great heights amidst the deserts, given that it offers an unparalleled vocabulary and precise meanings, showing no signs of decline or immaturity throughout its existence—no known childhood or old age, but only its unparalleled expansions and victories.
- Arabic is the best of all languages, and understanding it is a religious duty. Even understanding the characteristics and nuances of Arabic serves to strengthen one’s conviction in the miraculous aspects of the Quran and enhance the insight needed to substantiate prophethood, which is central to the matter at hand.
- It is well-known that both learning and teaching Arabic are communal obligations. Early scholars educated their children to avoid grammatical errors, and we are urged, either mandatorily or as a recommendation, to preserve the rules of Arabic, correcting any deviations. This understanding ensures our comprehension of the Quran and Sunnah and allows us to emulate the eloquence of the Arabs. Neglecting this language would be seen as a deficiency.
- Islam provides vital support for the Arabic language, preserving its beauty and continuity despite the challenges faced by successive generations—a stark contrast to ancient languages like Latin, which have all but vanished. The transformative power of Islam affected many new adherents, fuelling a deep imagination influenced by the Quran, resulting in thousands of Arabic words integrating into their native languages, thereby enriching them. Furthermore, Arabic’s unparalleled flexibility ensures that contemporary Germans cannot comprehend a single word of their ancestors’ dialects from a millennium ago, while modern Arabs can still engage with literary works from pre-Islamic times.
- When Allah revealed His message to His Prophet Muhammad, it was in eloquent Arabic, emphasizing the importance of the language as a vehicle for conveying divine knowledge.
- No language rivals Arabic in its nobility; it has been selected to carry the final message from God, not only because of its spiritual significance but also due to its vastness. There is no language that can compare to Arabic in richness, complexity, and melodic beauty, resulting in a profound treasury of synonyms. The precision and conciseness in Arabic expression also stand unmatched, as it excels in metaphor usage, idiomatic expressions, and figures of speech, raising it above all other human languages. Additionally, its many stylistic and grammatical features find no parallels elsewhere. Despite its vastness, Arabic remains one of the most concise languages in transmitting meanings, often allowing for shorter expressions than equivalent ones in other languages.
- How can one resist the allure and innate logic of this language, with its unique charm? Even the neighbors of the Arabs in conquered lands have succumbed to the beauty of Arabic.
- The Quran embodies a linguistic identity that unites its people with Arabic, setting them apart through this profound connection.
- Arab intellectuals who are not proficient in their own language are not only culturally deficient but also lack a significant aspect of their identity.
- It is essential to acknowledge that familiarity with a language profoundly impacts one’s intellect, character, and religion, promoting similarity to the early followers of this nation—the Companions and their successors. Such resemblance enhances intellect, faith, and ethics. Arabic itself is a part of religion, and knowledge of it is an obligatory duty. Comprehending the Quran and Sunnah is essential, and this can only be achieved through an understanding of the Arabic language. Anything necessary to fulfill an obligation is, by extension, also an obligation.
- The Arabic tongue symbolizes Islam and its adherents, and languages are among the greatest symbols of nations, as they delineate the straight path.
- The Arabic language remarkably emerged in a state of completeness, an extraordinary phenomenon in human history—lacking both infancy and old age.
- Arabic is a complete and enchanting language, capable of vividly depicting natural scenes and emotional nuances, with its meanings ringing true in the sounds of its words, as if reflecting the footsteps of the conscience and the heartbeat of life.
- One can recognize the greatness of the Quran only after understanding the speech of the Arabs, involving the study of linguistics, Arabic grammar, and rhetoric, as well as exploring their poetry and oratory that highlight their pride and correspondence.
- The Arabic language possesses a pliability that enables it to adapt in accordance with contemporary needs.
- The Modern Standard Arabic still holds its global status as a vital symbol of the unity of the Arab and Islamic worlds in culture and civilization. The enduring strength of the Arabic heritage has proven stronger than any attempts to diminish the stature of Modern Standard Arabic, and if current signs are valid, this esteemed status will guard the Arabic language as the tongue of Islamic civilization.
Poem: I Returned to Myself
The poet Hafiz Ibrahim expresses his admiration for the Arabic language in the following verses:
I returned to myself and accused my talents,
And called upon my people, considering my life.
They accused me of barrenness in my youth, and I wish
I had been barren, for I did not despair at the words of my enemies.
I was born, and when I could not find fit men
To marry for my daughters, I buried them.
I embraced the Book of Allah in its words and meanings,
And I did not feel confined by any verse or exhortation.
How could I today feel constrained in describing a device,
And in arranging names for inventions?
I am the sea, and within me lies hidden pearls;
Have they asked the diver about my shells?
Woe to you, my critics! My virtues may fade,
And from you, though the cure may be rare.
Do not abandon me to time, for I fear
That I may pass away before you.
I see the men of the West in honor and might,
And how nations thrived through the might of their languages.
They brought forth miracles for their people, innovatively,
O, how I wish you would come with the revered words!
Does a crow from the West captivate you with its call,
Calling for my demise in the spring of my life?
And if you were to shoo the birds away, you would understand
What lies beneath, in terms of the stumbling and scattering.
May Allah bless the islands of my ancestors,
It is painful for them to let go of my patience.
They preserved my affection in decay, and I preserved it,
With a heart filled with perpetual longing.
I have taken pride in the learned of the West while the East is humbled,
Out of shame for those decayed bones.
Each day, I see in the newspapers a slip,
Leading me closer to the grave without hesitation.
And I hear writers in Egypt causing an uproar,
So I know that those lamenting are shouting my name.
Could my people abandon me, may Allah forgive them,
For a language that has not been connected with its narrators?
The foreign tongue has seeped into it like the venom of serpents,
Coming like a cloth made from seventy patches,
A mosaic of colors—all distinct.
To the collective of writers, amid a crowd,
I extended my plea after voicing my grievances.
So either I receive a life that revives the dead in decay,
And brings forth my remnants from their graves,
Or a death from which there is no resurrection,
A death that, I swear, does not suffice your deaths.