Arabic in Islam

Many Muslims view the Quran as divine revelation — it is believed to be the direct word of Allah (God) as it was revealed to Muhammad in Arabic.

[4] Almost all Muslims believe that the Quran in Arabic is an accurate copy of the original version received by Muhammad from Allah through the angelic messenger Gabriel during the ascension to heaven (Mi'raj).

[10][11] In Quran, it is clearly mentioned that it was revealed in Arabic so that its initial audience, who were predominantly Arabic-speaking, could fully comprehend its meanings and messages.

Classical scholars and intelligentsia recognized its importance, with Omar Ibn Al-Khattab stating it is essential for understanding the Quran.

Ibn Al-Jawzi asserts that Arabic grammar and language are integral to Islamic sciences, providing a clear understanding of the Quran's meaning.

The Quran challenged the linguistic shrewdness of the first Muslim generations, as it was revealed in the language of the Arabs, allowing them to understand and know its meanings both in vocabulary and syntax.

Muslim scholars like Fazlur Rahman Malik claim that all non-secular sciences in Islam owe their origin to the Quran.

[12] John Penrice emphasizes the nature of the Quran's language calling it "miraculous" as a standard for Arabic literature.

[12] Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali explains how Islamic terms like salah, hajj, sawm, and zakat evolved from their original linguistic meanings.

The verb aliha signifies looking for safety, support, and sanctuary in order to survive, saving, rescuing, or delivering from evil.

The word "God" was used in old English, Icelandic, Danish, Swedish, and German, but from a monotheistic viewpoint, it represents the supreme being, all-powerful, omniscient, eternal, infinite spirit, and creator and ruler of the universe, whom humans worship.

[13] Arabic holds a central role in Islamic rituals, especially in the daily prayers (Salah), which are performed five times a day by Muslims worldwide.

For instance, the call to prayer (Adhan) is always delivered in Arabic, starting with the declaration "Allahu Akbar" (God is Great).

[15] Arabic phrases are used in a variety of other rituals and religious acts, such as during the performance of Hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca.

[16] Arabic also plays a key role in the recitation of Du'a (supplications), which, while not obligatory, are strongly encouraged in a Muslim's daily life.

Many Muslims prefer to recite traditional Arabic Du'as that were said by Prophet Muhammad, although they can be made in any language.

Reciting Quranic verses in their original Arabic form is considered essential for preserving the divine message as revealed to Prophet Muhammad.

This view emphasizes that only the original Arabic captures the full depth, meaning, and beauty of the divine revelation, as intended.

For this reason, Arabic serves as a medium not just for communication, but for maintaining a direct link between Muslims and the divine message of Islam, transcending national, linguistic, and cultural boundaries.

[16] For many centuries, Arabic served as the linguistic vehicle through which many of Islamic civilization's religious, cultural, and intellectual achievements were articulated and refined.

Recitation of the Quran is an artistic tradition similar to that of opera singing, where a singer (known as a qāriʾ) is expected to have mastery of vocal skills.

[19] Outside daily prayer, recitations of the Quran in Arabic play a large role in major rituals such as marriage or funerary rites.

Such languages still using it are: Persian (Farsi and Dari), Malay (Jawi), Cham (Akhar Srak),[25] Uyghur, Kurdish, Punjabi (Shahmukhi), Sindhi, Balti, Balochi, Pashto, Lurish, Urdu, Kashmiri, Rohingya, Somali, Mandinka, and Mooré, among others.

Egypt and other conquered territories in the Middle East underwent a large scale gradual conversion from Christianity to Islam, accompanied by jizya for those who refused to convert.

[34] After the creation of Pakistan in 1947 during East Pakistani language movement, many advocated to Muhammad Ali Jinnah[35] making Arabic the state language of Pakistan as a Muslim nationalist country, which was later supported and reiterated by many, but the proposal ultimately did not gain popular support and popularity.

[36][37][38] These proposals to make Arabic the state language failed to gain substantial support in any part of Pakistan.