Arabic language and culture
First of all, learning the Arabic language is to open up to a history, a culture, a civilization which, through their contributions in various fields of knowledge, have contributed to the universal heritage.
This language’s borrowings are manifested in many areas such as Alchemy, Algorithm, algebraic terms or numbers. Today, Arabic is asserting itself as a modern language of communication and culture. It is found in magazines, newspapers, computer programs, on websites and television channels. This testifies to the existence of this language and its ability to adapt to the demands of modernity.
It is the religious language for more than a billion people worldwide and spoken by nearly 300 million people. Imposed by the Qur’anic revelation, which gave it its status as a sacred language when it was before only a language of poetry and literature used by the tribes of pre-Islamic Arabia.
Its beauty and uniqueness made it easy for all Muslims to admire it despite its geographic and ethnic disparities. But we have seen various events through history that have influenced its evolution: Orientalism, Arab Conquests, scientific development, Western colonization and attempts at its reform.
The evolution and history of the Arab
Since it comprises over three hundred languages, it belongs to the Afro-Asian language family and ranks with Hebrew as two living Semitic languages. At the same time, Hausa and Berber are examples of Hamite languages.
The first inscription found in the Syrian desert, dating from the 4th century AD, is considered the oldest known example. In contrast, the pre-Islamic Arab tribes lived a flourishing period of poetic oral tradition influenced by other neighbouring religions. But unfortunately, this heritage was not recorded and collected until the eighth century AD. It ended up being considered as a literary style representing a relationship between the different tribes.
Stay updated with our latest offers, latest blog posts, and promotions.
The influence of the Arabic language on other languages and cultures
For five centuries, the Arabic language as a medium of culture and language of Islam. She entered into interaction with several languages such as African, Asian, Farsi, Turkish, and Hausa.
These languages contain many Arabic words which have a direct relation with various aspects of the cultures.
Following the Arab conquest, the Spanish and Portuguese peoples contacted Muslims, which fostered cultural exchange. In contrast, the peoples of Europe interacted with the Arabs through translation.
The Arabs were brilliant at the time in science and maritime commerce. Even the English language, which has relatively little direct contact with the world, borrowed, according to one study, around 2,000 words that were assimilated before being transmitted into another language.
At the start of the 21st century, the Arabic language was accepted as a bond that unites Arabs despite their ethnic and economic diversity and a language with which one can open up to the world.
The Al-dirassa Center offers online Arabic, Quran and Islam courses for non-Arabic speakers. If you would like to join our class, please get in touch with us.
