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)
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