Learning Arabic & understanding the Ayahs

The Arabic language present in Quran is classic Arabic. It is based on the medieval dialects used by Arab tribes. Those who can read and understand Arabic can appreciate the excellence of the literature structure of the Quran. The modern Arabic used by people in common day to day activities today, is slightly different to the classic Arabic of Quran.

Arabic language is very rich and very nuanced (characterized by subtle shades of meaning or expression). It has complex system of grammar and word formation. One word or one sentence could have multiple meanings, interpretations, lessons. For example, the word Rabb, could have multiple meanings. A direct translation to English would be difficult.

Motivation to learn Arabic language:

The Quran contains the exact words which Allah revealed to our beloved Prophet [S.A.W] and the exact words which the Prophet recited; the original words of the Quran have been preserved as they were revealed.

Quran contains Allah's words, Allah's sayings in Arabic. Just Imagine!. This by itself should be a good motivation for us to learn the language in which Allah spoke.

Allah mentioned about the Arabic language in the following verses.

Allah says..."Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an that you might understand".

~Surah Yusuf 12:Verse 2

Allah says..."Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Qur'an that you might understand".

~Surah Zukhruf 43:3

The benefits of learning Arabic:

1. We will know what we are reading/reciting in our daily salah and adhkaar (tasbeeh). It increases the pronunciation of the words and the understanding of their meanings. It improves the way we recite Quran.

2. We will be able to understand directly when we recite the Quran and when the recitation is heard. We need not refer the translation every time we recite it.

3. Scholars say the beauty, the Eloquence, the Miracle and the Divine Wisdom of the Qur’an will penetrate the innermost depth of our hearts and we will experience the joy and happiness which cannot be expressed but can only be felt in our Hearts. They also say when we read a translation, it gives only something of the meaning of the Ayah.

4. We will be able to teach others who are of lesser knowledge than us. Teaching the words of Allah has its own reward.

5. We could become more closer to Allah, since its the language Allah chose to send His message and it was the language of our Prophet (S.A.W) and the language with which the angel Jibrael (AS) interacted with Prophet (S.A.W).

6. It plays a great role in memorizing the Quran

Several studies have shown that someone who is bilingual or multilingual are better communicators, have sharper memories and have improved critical thinking abilities amongst other skills.

Importance of reading Tafseer/understanding the Ayahs:

To understand the advantage of learning the meanings/interpretations of the Surahs better,

lets take an example. We recite Surah Kauthar - 108th chapter more often in our salah but some may not know its meaning and the background, as to why it was revealed and when it was revealed.

Background: When was Surah Kauthar revealed?

The disbelieving Quraysh said to our Prophet (S.A.W) when he was preaching Islam to them: "Let him alone for he is only a childless man (abtar - cutoff from root) with no male offspring. When he dies, there will be no one to remember him and his memory will perish". The Quraysh were angry with him because he worshiped and served only Allah and publicly rejected their idol worship. Prophet's (S.A.W) two sons had already died at young age till this time. These were the disturbing conditions under which Surah Al-Kauthar was sent down. At this stage Allah just in this brief Surah gave him the good news (news which has never been given to any man in the world) and also he was informed of the decision that it will be his opponents who will be cut off from their root and not he.

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

Ayah 1: Indeed, We have granted you, [O Muhammad S.A.W], al-Kawthar (a river in Paradise).

Narrated Anas: When the Prophet (ﷺ) was made to ascend to the Heavens (Mi'raj), he said (after his return), I came upon a river the banks of which were made of tents of hollow pearls. I asked Gabriel. What is this? (river). He replied, 'This is the Kauthar.' ~ Sahih Bukhari 4964

Ayah 2: So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].

Ayah 3: For he who hates you (O Muhammad S.A.W), he will be cut off (from prosperity and every good thing in this world and in the Hereafter).

Narrated Anas: The Prophet (ﷺ) said "None of you will have faith till he loves me more than his father, his children and all mankind." ~Sahih Bukhari Hadith No: 15

Interpretation of Surah Kauthar: Meaning of Kauthar is abundance. Abundance of good, of spiritual benefits and blessings, and which is unbounded and limitless, and it does not imply any one good or benefit or blessing but abundance of countless benefits and blessings. This includes the matchless moral qualities which the Holy Prophet was blessed with; this included the great blessings of Prophethood and the Qur'an, the knowledge and wisdom that were granted to him; this included the blessing of Tauhid (Oneness of Allah) and also of such a system of life, whose simple and intelligible, rational and natural, and comprehensive principles had the potential to spread throughout the world and of continuing to spread for ever afterwards. This also included the blessing of the exaltation of renown because of which the holy Prophet's blessed name continues to be exalted throughout the world for the past 1400 years and will continue to be so exalted till Resurrection.

What the Holy Prophet said about the fountain of Kauthar:

1. This Fountain will be granted to him on the Resurrection Day when there will be the cry of al-atash, al-atash (thirst, thirst!) on every side. The Holy Prophet's community will gather together before him at it and will be watered thereby. He himself will be the first to arrive at it and will be occupying the central position.

2. He has said: "This is a Fountain at which my Ummah will assemble on the Resurrection Day." (Muslim: Kitab as- Salat Abu Da'ud: Kitab as-Sunnah).

3. He said: "I shall have arrived at the Fountain before you. I shall be there before you and shall bear witness on you, and by God, I am seeing my Fountain even at this time". ~Bukhari

4. He said: "I shall be near the middle of the Fountain on the Resurrection Day."~ Muslim.

5. He said: "Beware! your place of meeting me will be my Fountain." ~ Musnad Ahmad

6. According to the description of it given by the Holy Prophet its water will be whiter than milk (according to other traditions whiter than silver, and according to still others, whiter than snow), cooler than snow, sweeter than honey; the earth of its bed will be more fragrant than musk; the water jugs set at it will be as numerous as the stars in the sky; the one who drinks from it would never thirst; and the one who is deprived of it will never have his thirst satisfied. These things with a little variation in wording have been reported in numerous Ahadith ~Bukhari, Muslim, Musnad Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Abu Da'ud, Ahadith No. 995, 2135.

When a person learns about all the above background information, interpretation and relating ahadeeths of a particular Surah, only then he/she could feel the essence of reciting the Surah in his/her Salaah. Our Salaah is in the Arabic Language. We cannot have Khushoo and Khuzoo (focus of mind and humility before Allah respectively) in our Salaah until and unless we understand what we are saying in our Salaah.

To ponder over Quran and to implement its Guidance in our daily life we need to understand the language of the Quran and we need to understand its meaning. Quran was revealed to be a way of life for mankind.

Allah says..."This [Qur'an] is a clear statement to [all] the people and a guidance and instruction for those conscious of Allah". ~ Surah Ale Imran 3: Ayah 138

To know the pronunciation of the letters, watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2S91rWnMnY

The change of vowels on the arabic letters changes the complete meaning of an arabic word. To see an example of it, watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrjtCPQAvxk

To learn word to word meaning of the Surahs, go to this link http://corpus.quran.com/wordbyword.jsp