There are many reasons why students prefer to read the Quran in Arabic. This is, after all, one of the most influential religious texts in the world, and, reading it in its original language can make sure nothing is lost in translation.
On top of that, though, trying your hand at Quranic Arabic may just be a great way to further improve your Arabic skills.
Let’s take a closer look at what, exactly, Quranic Arabic is and why it can help you improve your modern standard skills.
What Is Quranic Arabic?
The simple answer to this question is that it is the form of Arabic that is used in the Quran, the Islamic holy book. It is also referred to as “classical” Arabic.
While it retains most of the same structures and forms as modern standard Arabic – the form used predominantly in everyday life – there are some important differences in some of the wording. These differences are enough to make reading the Quran in Arabic a little more difficult for someone new to the language.
However, with a little extra effort, you can start to master this form of Arabic and start to get even more out of your studies.
Get a Foundation in Modern Standard Arabic
While we can’t recommend learning classic Arabic highly enough, we will also very strongly recommend a foundation in modern standard Arabic first.
There are a couple reasons for this.
First, since modern standard is the form that people use in everyday situations, you might stand out a little if you bring classical Arabic to the average conversation.
Second, when you have a grounding in the most commonly used form of the language, you can start to see exactly where the differences are and what is usable in daily conversations and what is tied to the
classic form of the language.
How Can Quranic Arabic Help Your Studies?
It’s hard to imagine anyone learning English for the first time and diving straight into Shakespearian sonnets and plays as a means to brush up on their vocabulary and grammar.
If such a student were to begin speaking with you in a social situation and started off with a good, solid “wherefore art thou,” you’d probably give them a strange look.
Sure, what they’re speaking is technically English, but it’s not something you’d expect to hear from someone at the local coffee shop.
Even so, if someone learning English as a second language was able to get into these classics, it would start to give them a whole new perspective on the language.
Why does this matter when you’re learning Arabic?
A new perspective on a language can be critical to your language studies because, just like any other skill you’re trying to acquire, you can practice and practice but, after a while, you may start to plateau.
When you hear the same words, the same phrases, and only put yourself in the same situations, your language skills will only go so far.
When you dive into another form of the language – one that has very clear ties to both the modern language usage and the culture at large – you can move past that plateau and discover new things about the language that will help you take your skills to new levels.
Mastering a New Language
Learning Arabic online should start with modern standard Arabic. From there, you can start learning different dialects and how the language changes from region to region. Then, when you’re really ready to dive deep into the language, take a look at our language program and decide if Quranic Arabic is the best next step for you.
