Learning Islam Parrott Fashion

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Re: Learning Islam Parrott Fashion

**Actually Arabic is the language of the Quran. Translations are fine, but they should always be looked upon as a secondary reference and nothing more. Reason being...there are many words, hundreds of them, for which there are no exact words available in English. Hence translators choose the closest word for it and when they do that they loose part of the meaning of the word.

Compare different copies of the English translations and you would find that there is absolutely no uniformity. The sentences, though, still having the same meanings are constructed differently in each copy. Thats not the case with the Arabic copies. This is the sole reason why so much emphasis on Arabic, to preserve the Quran, word by word as it was revealed.**

If this is true, then we need to build in our curriculum a place for learning the Arabic langauge. Which Pakistanis really haven't done. If this was true, then why haven't we done that? :o

Here's what I understand - in order of the wisest things to do depending upon if a person has the resources to do this:

  1. Learn the Quran in Arabic - having knowledge of Arabic (which means either you speak it as a native language, or you learn it as a language)

  2. Learn the Quran in Arabic with a translation next to you as you read. USE the translation.

  3. Read the Quran in Arabic not knowing one ounce of the knowledge that you are reciting.

Option number 3 is pretty ignorant, and unfortunately, its been the encouraged option in OUR society.

Governement never made it mandatory for muslims to learn Arabic - which is what Pakistani gov't really should have done in the first place. So option one went out the window because of the "intelligence" of our buzurkh.

Option 2 is not encouraged by families as much, except as Suroor said, its not becoming a "trend". A positive trend, which is great. I think its been partially fueled by programs like Aalim Online and private channels bringing in Islam into educated public-viewed discussions via various programs (Alif is another example).

Option 3 is what is what you widely see today. It breeds only ignorance and dogma, which is the opposite effect of what reading the Quran SHOULD have.

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