Does the revelation of the Qur'an in the Arabic language provide an excuse or a defense for non-Arabs because it is not in their language?
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The questioner : Does the revelation of the Qur'an in the Arabic language give non-Arabs an excuse or a defense, because the Qur'an is not in their language?
The Shaykh : Non-Arabs have no defense or excuse on the grounds that the Qur'an is not in their language. Rather, they must learn the language of the Qur'an. This is because if understanding the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) depends on learning Arabic, then learning Arabic is obligatory. Indeed, whatever is necessary for the completion of an obligatory duty is itself obligatory.
For this reason, some of the masters of the Arabic language were non-Arabs from Persia and other places. They became masters of Arabic because they recognized the importance of learning the Arabic language, so they learned it and became masters in it.
As for the stubbornness of some people to their own language and their failure to switch to Arabic despite their ability to do so, this is a remnant of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. The Qur'an, praise be to Allah, has now spread throughout the world, and its meaning has been translated into multiple languages, including living global languages and languages of specific regions. Therefore, no one today has a defense for saying, "My tongue is not Arabic, so I do not understand the Qur'an."
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Non-Arabs have no defense or excuse on the grounds that the Qur'an is not in their language. Rather, they must learn the language of the Qur'an. This is because if understanding the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) depends on learning Arabic, then learning Arabic is obligatory. Indeed, whatever is necessary for the completion of an obligatory duty is itself obligatory.
For this reason, some of the masters of the Arabic language were non-Arabs from Persia and other places. They became masters of Arabic because they recognized the importance of learning the Arabic language, so they learned it and became masters in it.
As for the stubbornness of some people to their own language and their failure to switch to Arabic despite their ability to do so, this is a remnant of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. The Qur'an, praise be to Allah, has now spread throughout the world, and its meaning has been translated into multiple languages, including living global languages and languages of specific regions. Therefore, no one today has a defense for saying, "My tongue is not Arabic, so I do not understand the Qur'an."
The questioner : May Allah bless you.