Posted by Muslims are taught to say our prayers in Arabic in order to facilitate a level of camaraderie between people of different linguistic backgrounds and to minimize the errors that inevitably occur with translating a form of Arabic that is over 1,800 years old1. Most non-Arabic speaking people probably memorize the meanings at the time of learning but I wonder how many remember those meanings. Only 20% of the world’s Muslim population is Arab. And Qur’anic Arabic is sufficiently different from Modern Standard Arabic that probably less than 20% even understand it in the first place.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been going to functions which involve some amount of prayer. Of course in Arabic. The commandment to worship 5x/day as well as various other religious events such as funeral services, weddings, house-warmings, holidays, etc. all call for prayer. It’s not uncommon for an imam or a few of those well-schooled in Qur’anic recitation to recite from the good Book. With little or no attempt unless pressed to translate. For all we know and for all that the reciters may know, they could be expounding on the importance of boogers. And they go on and on and on. It’s like a piety pissing contest to see who can recite the most.
Sheep. I have a huge problem with people who think that reciting passage after passage after passage of the Qur’an is a pious action without knowing or explaning what the hillel they’re talking about. The genius of Islam, one of the reasons it spread like wildfire through the Middle East, is an intensely personal, simple relationship with God. When we turn our faces towards Mecca, we have a one-on-one conversation with the Almighty. What use is our prayer, what good is our intention if we cannot understand the meaning, the purpose, the wisdom of such prose.2
I’m not proposing that every non-Arabic-speaking Muslim learn the language nor am I even saying that we should abandon Arabic altogether. Heck, I sometimes forget the meaning of prayers. But there are good translations available in almost every language. I can’t imagine ignoring the Prophet’s command to seek knowledge, esp. of our very own religion, our deen, our way of life.. This isn’t about faith, an elusive mistress to be sure. It’s about getting down in the grime and the grit and trying to grasp the Mantle of Heaven even if we recognize that we’ll never quite get there.
Arabic is a beautiful language but it is not divine. Even in Arabic, the Qur’an is translated from the mind of God into the languages of man. Everyone deserves to hear the word of God in the language they speak in their heart.3
Update: Though I may have my doubts, it’s not really my intent to question the veracity of another’s faith. After considering the matter some more, I would say that given the way that some Muslims are raised, simply the chanting of the Qur’an can be of comfort in times of distress. To those anguished souls, I especially render no judgment whatsoever.
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1 …though I’m not sure Prophet Muhammad, a man of practicality we are taught, would have insisted on the primacy of Arabic had he realized Islam would spread so deeply to non-Arabic speaking lands.
2 …here I part ways with those who recognize the existence and thus codify the power of a formal clergy. We are no different from the Christian laity if we allow this to happen. And any group, such as a clergy, can be corrupted.
3 …credit to Orson Scott Card for those last two sentences.
