Islam does dominate the Arab lands, though. It is the dominant religion of the Arabs…what is the problem with that? (Well…the problem with
admitting that, I mean.
)
Because Arabs are less than 20% of Muslims. (That’s right, more than 80% of all Muslims are
not Arab.)
I am getting there, insha’Allah.
“Bismillaah”
… you can’t deny the fact that majority of the world’s Muslims are following a book written in a language that is not their own, reciting prayers in a language that is not their own, and in many cases adopting customs that are not their own, all in an effort to be better Muslims. Is it permissable, preferable, or not?
I’ve never heard that hadith. Not once. And it actually matters a tremendous deal whether or not a hadith is authentic. Let me take a moment to briefly explain why: there are two primary sources of Islam, of understanding Islam. There is the Qur’an, directly revealed to Muhammad, and there is the teachings of Muhammad. It would be very easy for someone to give credence to his non-Islamic opinion by simply saying that it was a teaching of Muhammad (i.e., a hadith). However, to do so undermines the authority of the actual true authentic reports. So to say something is a hadith that might not be authentic is basically saying, “this might be a lie, a fabrication, but I’m going to tell it to you anyway.” That’s how lies are spread… and that shouldn’t be done, except to confirm their deficiencies. So if a hadith is not authentic, it shouldn’t be considered authoritative.
And unless you can provide proof that the hadith you quoted is authentic, we (both of us and all readers) should assume that it is inauthentic. I really don’t mean to offend you, but this is a serious matter, or at least one that I take very seriously because of the weighty implications it has.
Now, there is a hadith which I know is authentic, it is from the farewell khutbah, where the Prophet Muhammad explicitly says that
an Arab is no greater than a non-Arab, and a non-Arab is no greater than an Arab. And he also says a white man is no greater than a black man, nor is a black man greater than a white man. Except in piety, and righteous deeds. Frankly, this thoroughly authentic hadith actually refutes the assumed superiority of the Arabs.
(Of course, some Arabs like to fancy themselves as somehow superior in understanding implementing Islam, or that they are blessed or elevated by their ethnicity… but they aren’t. It’s that simple.)
So, over 80% of Muslims are not Arabs, and they follow an Arabic book. Do they do that because they just think Arabic is superior? Or do they do it because God Almighty
chose Arabic to reveal the Qur’an, and they accept it as the revelation?
I would say you have it backwards: The Qur’an was revealed in Arabic because Muhammad was an Arab. What good would a reveleation that its own carrier could not understand be to anyone? So, yes, it still comes down to Muhammad’s Arab identity. I don’t mean that in a derogatory way.
And thus We have revealed to you an Arabic Qur’an that you may warn the Mother of Cities [Makkah] and those around it and warn of the Day of Assembly, about which there is no doubt. A party will be in Paradise and a party in the Blaze. (42:7)
How should I know? Ask one of them.
It could be both, or a combination of both or one and other factors.
I’m already learning it. I don’t need any Islamic reason to do so. Who cares what the Quran says? Muslims, e.g. not me.
I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you–please forgive me.
I am “one of them,” and I know the answer. I have never EVER heard anyone, Muslim or otherwise, advocate learning Arabic because Muhammad was an Arab. This is immense, really. Nobody says that. Nobody learns Arabic to imitate Muhammad. They really don’t.
They learn it to understand the Qur’an. The reason I quoted the article wasn’t to convince you to learn Arabic. It is an article written by a Muslim to other Muslims to encourage THEM to learn Arabic, and offer advice on how to do that. The underlying assumption is that all Muslims do want to learn Arabic for the same reason–which is to understand the Qur’an. That is the sole religious reason for learning Arabic–to understand the Qur’an. And never because of Muhammad or to imitate him.
Other people have other reasons–to talk to family, read the news. And a person who learns Arabic for those reasons, unfortunately, won’t be able to understand the Qur’an as it’s a different kind of Arabic.
But anyway, I’m telling you the answer to my question–that Muslims want to learn Arabic because they want to understand the Qur’an, and that is the sole religious motivation to learn the Arabic language.
), then Islam took these communities’ concept of “Allah” and refashioned it into something tailored for Islam, just like when Muslims are told that Jesus was a Muslim, and that He spoke approvingly of Muhammad’s arrival after Him…maybe it worked on some sixth century Christians just like it has worked on Sister Amy, American Revert, and all the other converts here…who knows. If not, there is/was always the sword once Islam had enough willing warriors. The Muslims gain either way, because Islam’s Allah apparently does not care about the circumstances under which he gains new followers.