Learning Arabic
Question
Title: Learning Arabic Question: I am a Pakistani I want to know that we read quran in urdu for understanding is it necessary for us to learn Arabic or it is not our responsibility to learn it as we can understand Quran in Urdu but what about the Arabic read in prayer. As i think most of people in Pakistan do not understand what is being said by imam. Do u think that there prayers are accepted without their understanding of what are they saying to God. Please advice in detail Thanks Anonymous Pakistan Answer: It is not compulsory for us to read the Holy Qur'an in Arabic. The basic purpose of the revelation of the Qur'an is providing guidance for mankind. Those who do not speak or know Arabic cannot benefit from this divine guidance without taking help from its translation in their own language. I would say that it is rather compulsory for people who do not know Arabic to read it in their own language to enable them to comprehend its message. There is hardly any use of reading it in Arabic when you do not understand the language. It is obligatory for us to recite the Holy Qur'an in the prayer in its original form. But it is not obligatory upon us to know the meaning of the parts of the Holy Qur'an the Imam recites during congregational prayer or when one recites in his individual prayer. However, it is extremely desirable that we know what we are saying and why we are saying it. Without being aware of what we say, the real purpose of the prayer diminishes. Through prayer we express our submission to the Almighty, express our thankfulness for H is innumerable favors befalling us and seek his guidance and help. Obviously, one cannot make a conversation meaningful without knowing what he is saying. Besides submission manifested through our physical being and the utterances made during prayer also have their significance since it is the package of language in which we deliver our feelings. Therefore we should try to learn the meanings of all the supplication made. We could also use our own language in parts where no legislation has been done by the Prophet (pbuh) for example we can offer supplications at the end of the prayer in our own language. I hope this helps. Tariq Mahmood Hashmi April 15, 2003
Answer
Title: Learning Arabic Question: I am a Pakistani I want to know that we read quran in urdu for understanding is it necessary for us to learn Arabic or it is not our responsibility to learn it as we can understand Quran in Urdu but what about the Arabic read in prayer. As i think most of people in Pakistan do not understand what is being said by imam. Do u think that there prayers are accepted without their understanding of what are they saying to God. Please advice in detail Thanks Anonymous Pakistan Answer: It is not compulsory for us to read the Holy Qur'an in Arabic. The basic purpose of the revelation of the Qur'an is providing guidance for mankind. Those who do not speak or know Arabic cannot benefit from this divine guidance without taking help from its translation in their own language. I would say that it is rather compulsory for people who do not know Arabic to read it in their own language to enable them to comprehend its message. There is hardly any use of reading it in Arabic when you do not understand the language. It is obligatory for us to recite the Holy Qur'an in the prayer in its original form. But it is not obligatory upon us to know the meaning of the parts of the Holy Qur'an the Imam recites during congregational prayer or when one recites in his individual prayer. However, it is extremely desirable that we know what we are saying and why we are saying it. Without being aware of what we say, the real purpose of the prayer diminishes. Through prayer we express our submission to the Almighty, express our thankfulness for H is innumerable favors befalling us and seek his guidance and help. Obviously, one cannot make a conversation meaningful without knowing what he is saying. Besides submission manifested through our physical being and the utterances made during prayer also have their significance since it is the package of language in which we deliver our feelings. Therefore we should try to learn the meanings of all the supplication made. We could also use our own language in parts where no legislation has been done by the Prophet (pbuh) for example we can offer supplications at the end of the prayer in our own language. I hope this helps. Tariq Mahmood Hashmi April 15, 2003
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