Prayer
The question some times is asked as to why should a Muslim pray only in Arabic language and not his mother tongue.
It may first seem logical that every Muslim should pray through his own mother language, so that he may understand what he say; but a little more thinking and study, we shall find that there are strong arguments in favour of only one common language and that also Arabic.
Arabic: A deep and vast Language
It is a fact recognized by the linguists that the Arabic language has the best ability to express wide and deep thoughts and to explain important subjects in short and precise words. Moreover, it has been proved that no language, except Arabic, is capable of presenting such deep spiritual, moral and ethical expressions in such an eloquent manner. Therefore the choice of Arabic for Islamic prayers is not to be wondered upon.
Veccia Vaglieri, an Italian orientalist in the University of Naples, writes in her book on Advancement of Islam, that in no literary work of the world can there be found such deep-meaning sentences with such beautiful words except in the Qur’an; and that depth of meaning is crowned with such eloquent language.
The late George Bernard Shaw, in the course of his discussion on Islam at Mombasa during 1943 said: “I also very much admire the forcible and striking diction of the Qur’an. What grace and beauty characterizes that passage which depicts the dreadful scene of the dooms-day field, and dealing with infanticide, dramatically leaves off at the question, ‘For what crime wert thou slain?’ to the innocent child that was buried alive or put to death. In my opinion it is the most effective way of creating an abiding impression on the minds of people.”1
Professor Arbury, the well known orientalist scholar (University of Cambridge), says that no language has and shall have the ability to put in a short sentence, the word ?? (Min) (which is repeated five times in an ayat of the Qur’an) without disturbing the eloquence and conveyance of its meaning, except the language (Arabic) which is chosen for the Qur’an to convey the message of Islam.
A Common Language for the Islamic Prayer
All Muslims perform their religious rites and worship of God, including the daily five time prayers, in Arabic. In the course of these prayers, some verses of the Qur’an and other sentences, are uttered so as to express the Greatness and Glory of Allah, the Creator, and the humbleness and insignificance of the human beings, the creatures.
This is done in the same wordings by all Muslims, Arabs and non-Arabs alike, even by those who do not understand Arabic. This system of prayers in one common language was in practice during the life time of the Prophet of Islam and has continued after him for more than 1400 years. In every country, Muslims have been praying in Arabic language.
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