Is learning Arabic a requirement to become a Muslim?
Is Arabic the language of Islam?
Claiming that "Arabic is the language of Islam, and therefore one must learn Arabic to be a Muslim. One must read the Quran in Arabic and pray in Arabic," some Arab nationalists, obsessed with asserting the superiority of their own race and language, have alienated people from the Quran, and even from Islam itself. Those who remain are struggling in the grip of polytheism.
Before examining the above claims in light of the Quran, it is necessary to emphasize that those who make such claims first and foremost complicate religion unnecessarily.
Learning a completely new language is not easy for most people, and it makes it difficult for them to practice their religion. This completely contradicts the assurance that Allah does not impose any difficulties on people in practicing their religion.
And strive for Allah with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty. [It is] the religion of your father, Abraham. Allah named you "Muslims" before [in former scriptures] and in this [revelation] that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people. So establish prayer and give zakah and hold fast to Allah. He is your protector; and excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper.
Regarding non-Arabic speakers, the idea that they must learn Arabic to practice Islam would imply that Allah is being unjust (Allah forbid) to them compared to other people who were born into Arabic-speaking communities and therefore never had to bear this burden. Needless to say, this thought violates the Quranic assurance that Allah never does injustice to anyone.
An-Nisa, verse 40
Indeed, Allah does not do injustice, [even] as much as an atom's weight; while if there is a good deed, He multiplies it and gives from Himself a great reward.
Is learning Arabic a requirement to become a Muslim?
We see that the majority of Muslims are unaware of the information in the Quran regarding how ancient Islam is. The following verses shed light on this issue:
Prophet Noah was a Muslim.
71. And recite to them the news of Nuh (Noah). When he said to his people: "O my people, if my stay (with you), and my reminding (you) of the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah is hard on you, then I put my trust in Allah. So devise your plot, you and your partners, and let not your plot be in doubt for you. Then pass your sentence on me and give me no respite.
72. "But if you turn away, then no reward have I asked of you, my reward is only from Allah, and I have been commanded to be one of the Muslims."
Prophet Abraham was a Muslim.
Ibrahim (Abraham) was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim Hanifa and he was not of Al-Mushrikun (polytheist).
Moses was a Muslim.
And We took the Children of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them in tyranny and enmity until, when drowning overtook him, he said, "I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims."
Jesus was a Muslim.
(5:111)
And when I (Allah) put in the hearts of Al-Hawarieen (the disciples) [of 'Iesa (Jesus)] to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: "We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims."
Those who were given the Book by Allah were Muslims even before they knew the Quran.
52. Those to whom We gave the Scripture [i.e. the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel), etc.] before it, - they believe in it (the Quran).
53. And when it is recited to them, they say: "We believe in it. Verily, it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed even before it we have been from those who submit themselves to Allah in Islam as Muslims
As stated in the verses above, all of Allah's prophets were Muslims (those who submitted to Allah), and they called their people to become Muslims, to submit to the one and only Allah.
These verses also state that Islam is the only religion permitted by Allah for humanity, meaning that Islam is the religion of all previous scriptures, not just the Quran:
Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam. Those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) did not differ except, out of mutual jealousy, after knowledge had come to them. And whoever disbelieves in the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah, then surely, Allah is Swift in calling to account.
Islam, which means submission to Allah, is the only religion accepted by Allah.
And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.
As we have seen, all of God's prophets and messengers followed the religion of Islam, but none of those before Prophet Muhammad spoke a single word of Arabic.
Furthermore, none of the Holy Scriptures given to the prophets who came before Prophet Muhammad and preached Islam were written in Arabic.
The above Quranic evidence refutes the false claim that knowing Arabic is necessary to understand Islam or to become a Muslim.
And if We had sent this as a Quran in a foreign language other than Arabic, they would have said: "Why are not its Verses explained in detail (in our language)? What! (A Book) not in Arabic and (the Messenger) an Arab?" Say: "It is for those who believe, a guide and a healing. And as for those who disbelieve, there is heaviness (deafness) in their ears, and it (the Quran) is blindness for them. They are those who are called from a place far away (so they neither listen nor understand).
The words in this magnificent verse declare that whether Allah revealed the Quran in Arabic or any other language, it will always be a source of guidance and healing for true believers. This implies that Arabic is merely a tool for conveying Allah's message, not an end in itself. Believers, regardless of the language in which they read the Quran, will attain its guidance. Conversely, those with impure hearts, even if they know Arabic well, will never reach the true message of the Quran. We see examples of this before our very eyes today.
All the prophets who came before Muhammad, and the believers who followed them, were all Muslims who worshipped only Allah, but none of them knew a single word of Arabic. Therefore, to say that knowing Arabic is necessary to worship Allah implies that none of those who came before Muhammad knew how to worship Allah!
The language spoken by the prophets sent to Abraham and his sons, and to the Israelites, was Hebrew. The Holy Scriptures they received from Allah were in Hebrew.
The language Jesus spoke was Aramaic. The Gospel(Injeel) given to Jesus was in Aramaic.
Can we say that the Holy Scriptures given to these prophets are incomplete or worthless simply because they were not written in Arabic?
And We sent not a Messenger except with the language of his people, in order that he might make (the Message) clear for them. Then Allah misleads whom He wills and guides whom He wills. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
We see a verse that explains the situation quite clearly regarding the issue we mentioned above. It states that revelation came to each messenger specifically in their own language, and the reason for this was so that they could explain it to the people around them.
Therefore, new converts to Islam should dedicate their time to understanding the Quran, following its teachings, and applying them to their lives. No matter what language they read the Quran in, anywhere in the world, if their hearts are truly devoted to Allah, Allah will convey its meaning to them, and the Quran will guide them. When we stand humbly before Allah on the Day of Judgment, He will not test our knowledge of Arabic, but He will reward our faith and our deeds.
This doesn't mean that no one in countries where Arabic is not the native language should learn Arabic. Anyone who wants to can do so, but imposing it on the masses as if it were a religious decree or a command from God is meaningless. Furthermore, just as not everyone who speaks Turkish in Turkey knows Turkish well—meaning not everyone can understand and interpret a paragraph—it's clear that not everyone who learns to read Arabic has actually learned Arabic. Reading the Quran isn't just about reciting it aloud. We see that people don't understand how Allah wants them to read the Quran. Completely dedicating one's religion to Allah isn't something that can be achieved by simply reciting the Quran like a beautiful hymn without understanding its meaning.
Despite numerous Quranic verses stating that the sole duty of all messengers is to convey Allah's message and that religion belongs exclusively to Allah, the fact that the majority of people have tainted their religion with polytheism is a sad consequence of their attempts to practice their faith in a language they do not understand.
Tilawah, Qiraat and Tartil
However, the words the Quran uses for reading are: "tilawah" , meaning pronunciation with the tongue ; "qira'at" , for reading with understanding; and "tartil" , to describe reading slowly and deliberately .
When you recite(qiraat) the Quran, seek the protection of Allah against the outcast Satan.
In the verse above, which commands seeking refuge in Allah from Satan while reciting the Quran, the word "qira'at" is used, not "tilawat". This magnificent detail alone constitutes a miracle of divine word for humanity. That is, Satan distorts the act of reading the Quran with understanding—that is, qira'at—but not the act of "tilawat" itself. It conveys how much those who recite the Quran with understanding disturb Satan, and the necessity of seeking refuge in Allah from the expelled Satan to protect oneself from his evil.
3. Half of it, or a little less than that,
4. or add to it; and recite the Qur’an calmly and distinctly, with you mind attuned to its meaning(tartīlan).
5. Indeed soon We shall cast on you a weighty discourse.
And those who disbelieve say: Why has not the Quran been revealed to him all at once? Thus, that We may strengthen your heart by it and We have arranged it well in arranging(tartīlan).
The two verses above mention reciting the Quran with proper intonation (tartil). To recite the Quran with proper intonation, one must understand it, feel it in their heart, and internalize it in every fiber of their being. In other words, it means reading the Quran slowly, word by word, understanding and absorbing what one reads, and then applying it to one's life.
And the Messenger has said, "O my Lord, indeed my people have taken this Qur'an as [a thing] abandoned."
The word used in the verse above , translated as "abandoned," referring to the Prophet's complaint, is "mahjūran". This means abandonment both in the heart and in the tongue. Therefore, it goes beyond simply abandoning the recitation of the Quran; it clearly demonstrates that something recited without understanding cannot take root in the heart, and thus cannot be abandoned from the heart either.
Arabiyyen (Clear and Understandable)
The word عَرَبِيًّا ('arabiyyen), which appears in the verses as an attribute of the Quran, signifies both that the Quran is a divine message "in the Arabic language" and that it has been made "clear and understandable."
That is how We have sent down this (Qur'an) as a code of clear judgement (ḥuk'man ʿarabiyyan). But if you follow their caprices, now that you have been given knowledge, you will have no friend or protector against Allah.
Every reference to the Quran being in Arabic, both literally and implicitly, emphasizes that "Allah addressed humanity in the language that humans speak." This aims to highlight the comprehensibility of the revelation. It is repeatedly emphasized to invalidate any excuses from the recipients that it is "incomprehensible" or "difficult to understand."
In his work al-Mufradat, Raghib al-Isfahani, in the entry for "Arb, " gives the meaning of the word "arabiyyen" and cites examples from the verses he refers to with their clear meanings:
عَرَبِيّ : Eloquent, clear speech.
Allah says: إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ قُرْآَنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ: We have sent it down as a clear Quran so that you may understand (12/Yusuf 2);
بِلِسَانٍ عَرَبِيٍّ مُبِينٍ : In clear language (26/Shu'arâ 195);
كِتَابٌ فُصِّلَتْ آَيَاتُهُ قُرْآَنًا عَرَبِيًّا لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ: It is a clear book , the verses of which are explained for a people who know (41/Fussilet 3);
أَنْزَلْنَاهُ حُكْمًا عَرَبِيًّا : And We have revealed it as a clear decree. (13/Ra'd 37).
The Quran has once again demonstrated its magnificent content here, expressing both its "Arabic language" and its "clear and understandable" nature with the same word.
The fact that their incomprehensible objections are merely an excuse is revealed in the following verse:
198. And if We had revealed it (this Quran) unto any of the non-Arabs,
199. And he had recited it unto them, they would not have believed in it.
The verse states that even if the Quran had been revealed to a non-Arab in their own language, and the Prophet had recited the revelation to them, they would still not have believed. It doesn't mention reciting the Quran in Arabic to a non-Arab. It's obvious that a non-Arab wouldn't understand the Quran if it were recited to them in Arabic. This is addressed in verse 44 of Surah Fussilat.
And if We had sent this as a Quran in a foreign language other than Arabic, they would have said: "Why are not its Verses explained in detail (in our language)? What! (A Book) not in Arabic and (the Messenger) an Arab?" Say: "It is for those who believe, a guide and a healing. And as for those who disbelieve, there is heaviness (deafness) in their ears, and it (the Quran) is blindness for them. They are those who are called from a place far away.
The following verse, which contains Arabic and differs in meaning from the others, was revealed to prove that the Quran is not a human teaching, and, contrary to claims, to demonstrate that the accused individual was not a speaker of Arabic:
And indeed We know that they say: "It is only a human being who teaches him (Muhammad SAW)."The tongue of the man they refer to is foreign, while this (the Quran) is a clear Arabic tongue.