Arabic-speaking Muslims constitute the majority of the community. However, there is little serious effort among Muslims to learn the language of the Qur'an, without which we may never understand the words of Allah. Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah in Iqtida-us-Siraatil-Mustaqeem (2/207) explains the importance of the language. Becoming accustomed to talking to one another in a language other than Arabic – which is the symbol of Islam and the language of the Qur‘an – such that this becomes a habit in the land, with one's family, household members, with one's friends, in the marketplace, when addressing government representatives or authority figures or when speaking to people of knowledge is undoubtedly Makrooh (disliked). When early Muslims went to live in Syria and Egypt, where people spoke Byzantine Greek, and in Iraq and Khurasan, where people spoke Persian, and North Africa (Al-Maghrib) where people spoke Berber, they taught the people of those countries Arabic. So Arabic became the prevalent language in those lands and all people, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, spoke Arabic. Such was also the case in Khurasan in the past. Then the people became lax with regard to the language and got used to speaking Persian until it became prevalent and Arabic was forgotten by most of them. Undoubtedly this is disliked. The best way is to become accustomed to speaking Arabic so that the young people will learn it in their homes and schools, so that the symbol of Islam and its people will prevail. This will make it easier for the people of Islam to understand the Qur‘an and Sunnah, and the words of the Salaf, unlike a person who gets used to speaking one language, then wants to learn another, and finds it difficult. Know that being used to using a language has a clear and strong effect on one's thinking, behaviour and religious commitment. It also has an effect on making one resemble the early generations of this Ummah, the Companions and the Tabi'een. Being like them improves one's thinking, religious commitment and behavior. Moreover, the Arabic language itself is part of Islam, and knowing Arabic is an obligatory duty. If it is a duty to understand the Qur‘an and Sunnah, and they cannot be understood without knowing Arabic, then the means that is needed to fulfil the duty is also obligatory. There are things which are obligatory on all individuals (fard 'ayn), and others which are obligatory on the community or Ummah (fard kifaayah, i.e., if some people fulfill them the rest are relieved of the obligation). Caliph Umar wrote to Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with them): “Learn the Sunnah and learn Arabic; learn the Qur‘an in Arabic for it is in Arabic.” According to another Hadith narrated from Umar, he said: “Learn Arabic for it is part of your Religion.” __
