Re: Learning Islam Parrott Fashion
i read the entire Quran in Arabic by the age of 7. im no hafiz. i can probably just about read 10 Surahs by heart. but learning in mother tongue is essential in understanding the meaning and beauty of the Quran.
after reading it in Arabic 3 more times to correct my pronounciation and grammar. i decided to read it in English AND Urdu. and reading Arabic helped me to read and write Urdu!!!
a few of my friends went and lived in Saudi/Lebanon/Syria/Jordan/Egypt for a few years to learn Arabic and Islam etc, and even thou the Arabic of today is not same as the Arabic of past. they 
have quite some idea about what the words mean.
my belief is that reading in Arabic first, is essential. then reading the Quran again in a more familiar language for its meaning is equally essential.