Benefits of Learning The Arabic Language
Indeed we have revealed this book in the Arabic language so that you may learn wisdom/use your intellect (Surah Yusuf: 2)
'It is compulsory upon every responsible Muslim to study the Arabic Language'
Imam Shafi (Ar-Risalah)
Imagine how you’d feel if you could understand the words of Allah in the form in which they were sent down and not just rely on a translation of the meaning in English. Imagine the power of the words and the directness of the message then! The potency would be awesome! There are many verses from the Holy Quran that mention the importance of the Arabic language:
"Indeed we have revealed this book in the Arabic Language so that you may learn wisdom/use your intellect" (Surah Yusuf: 2)
And like wise the Most-High said:
"This (Qur’ān) is the revelation of the Lord of the worlds. The Trusted Spirit has brought it down upon your heart, so that you become one of the Warners, in plain Arabic language. (Surah ash-Shura: 192-195)
And likewise the Most-Glorious said:
"Thus have We sent by inspiration to thee an Arabic Qur’an:" (Surah Shura)
And He the Most High also said:
"A book whose verses are elaborated in the form of an Arabic Qur’ān for a people who understand" (Surah Fussilat: 3)
Arabic has been a means and the key to Islamic knowledge since the time of the Prophet (pbuh) and pre-Islamic era. No Scholar of Islam has been able to obtain knowledge without first obtaining the knowledge of the Arabic language.
Scholars throughout the ages, from the Companions to the present day, encouraged the Ummah to learn the Arabic language.
Ubay ibn Ka’b (radiallaahu ‘anhu) said,
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“Teach Arabic like you teach the memorization of the Qur’an!” |
Abu Bakr (radiallaahu ‘anhu) said,
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“That I recite and forget (a portion of the Qur’an) is more beloved to me than to make a grammatical mistake!” |
And ‘Umar (radiallaahu ‘anhu) once passed by a group of archers who missed their targets.
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He admonished them and they responded that they were only beginners, but in answering back they made a grammatical mistake in their wording. He told them, “Indeed, your mistakes in Arabic grammar are more difficult to bear than your mistakes in archery!” |
May Allah help us all to master the language of the Qur’an and to aid its spread throughout the Ummah.
