Muslim Prayer in English
-
I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. If you speak English only, then pray in English. If you speak Arabic only then pray in Arabic. God understands all languages. If you are praying, why say what someone else tells you to say? Especially if you don't understand it. Why not say what YOU want to say in your own language and in your own way? Wouldn't that make you feel closer to God?
if you speak english only, you can go and learn Arabic . Yes God understand all the languages but when he sent Quran in Arabic, it means that you should learn Arabic until speaking it very well and until learning it very well.
-
I am a native English speaker but I 'recite' the prayer (al Fatiha) in Arabic. I 'worship' in both and I also 'pray/plead' in English.
The question is about the 'muslim' prayer which is al fatiha. It flows much better in Arabic than it does in English and because of that I found it easy to learn. i did learn with the English next to it so I know what I am saying, no point in saying it otherwise.
Zulu you seem to be pushing verses that say it was recited in Arabic, no argument there as Muhammed was an Arab after all, no sense in reciting it to him in Chinese is there? But I disagree that these verse mean all communication with God has to be in Arabic.
Thereformer, you say one should learn Arabic to pray. Should one also learn Arabic before converting too? I read Quran in English the first time. Everything that brought me to Islam was in English, my own language. If it had been only in Arabic it would have passed me by and many others too. One does not want to learn another very difficult language before one makes a decision that religion is right or not, one needs to know this in their own language BEFORE one tries to learn the language it came in originally.
Rev John as this is about the recited prayer, the recital is in Arabic. I think you are thinking of any prayer, any time one communicates with God and in that I agree it should be in your own language as all languages belong to God and one can only express what they really feel in their hearts in their own language.
the 'recited' prayer is actually easy to learn, especially if one is praying 5 times a day then the recital is done 17 times in a day. It flows like poetry and can be learnt like poetry is learnt. within a week you can recite AND understand exactly what you are reciting. For all other communication with God then native languages are best. He listens anyway in whatever language it is in and I would doubt you lose points for not knowing Arabic, Aramaic, Hebrew or Greek. peace
-
Thereformer, you say one should learn Arabic to pray. Should one also learn Arabic before converting too? I read Quran in English the first time. Everything that brought me to Islam was in English, my own language. If it had been only in Arabic it would have passed me by and many others too. One does not want to learn another very difficult language before one makes a decision that religion is right or not, one needs to know this in their own language BEFORE one tries to learn the language it came in originally.
Yes, I didn't say the opposite, I suggest to learn Arabic. You have took Islam by your own language and this is a good thing but in the other hand you have to learn Arabic to approach what you got by your own language as we said before some words are not translated very well and I doubt it'll be a good trnaslation.
-
Rev John as this is about the recited prayer, the recital is in Arabic. I think you are thinking of any prayer, any time one communicates with God and in that I agree it should be in your own language as all languages belong to God and one can only express what they really feel in their hearts in their own language.
Yes you are right, that is what I was thinking of. I am not a great fan of recital prayers unless the person fully understands and "feels" the prayer (which I have no doubt you do).
-
if you speak english only, you can go and learn Arabic . Yes God understand all the languages but when he sent Quran in Arabic, it means that you should learn Arabic until speaking it very well and until learning it very well.
And then we can argue about what it means in Arabic? 100% I guarantee people with your view would then say I would have to be a native speaker and so on.
-
Ah, but Zulu, just because the discourse is written in the clear Arabic tongue, does not imply that prayer need be in the Arabic tongue. Furthermore, regarding differing translations of al Quran, because it is written in a clear tongue, the issues with translation should be significantly less than translations from Aramaic to Hebrew to Greek to Latin to English...blah blah blah...
Dear Wakas
I will refrain from explaining in terms that you may find difficult to understand or terms that you perceive to be 'red herrings' and will cut to the chase. It is a universally accepted fact from the beginning of the human race, that one cannot be a specialist or even explain something in simple terms of which they have absolutely no idea or knowledge. How can you then give any insight of Quranic Arabic if you do not speak, write or understand the language in any way or form and have neither studied the subject? Period.
122 behold, We have bestowed it from on high as a discourse in the arabic tongue, so that you might encompass it with your reason.
1337 Thus, then, have We bestowed from on high this as an ordinance in the arabic tongue. And, indeed, if thou shouldst defer to men's likes and dislikes after all the knowledge that has come unto thee, thou wouldst have none to protect thee from God, and none to shield thee .
16103 And, indeed, full well do We know that they say, "It is but a human being that imparts this to him! - the tongue of him to whom they so maliciously point is wholly outlandish, whereas this is arabic speech, clear and clearly showing the truth .
20113 AND THUS have We bestowed from on high this as a discourse in the arabic tongue, and have given therein many facets to all manner of warnings, so that men might remain conscious of Us, or that it give rise to a new awareness in them
26195 in the clear arabic tongue.
3928 as a discourse in the arabic tongue, free of all devious?ness, so that they might become conscious of God.
413 a divine writ, the messages whereof have been clearly spelled out as a discourse in the arabic tongue for people of knowl?edge,
4144 Now if We had willed this to be a discourse in a non-arabic tongue, they would surely have said, ?Why is it that its messages have not been spelled out clearly? Why - a non-arabic tongue, and an Arab?? Say ?Unto all who have attained to faith, this is a guidance and a source of health; but as for those who will not believe - in their ears is deafness, and so it remains obscure to them they are being called from too far away.
427 and so We have revealed unto thee a discourse in the arabic tongue in order that thou mayest warn the foremost of all cities and all who dwell around it to wit, warn of the Day of the Gathering, which is beyond all doubt some shall find themselves in paradise, and some in the blazing flame.
433 behold, We have caused it to be a discourse in the arabic tongue, so that you might encompass it with your reason.
4612 And yet, before this there was the revelation of Moses, a guide and a grace; and this is a divine writ confirming the truth in the arabic tongue, to warn those who are bent on evildoing, and a glad tiding to the doers of good
If you believe otherwise, I implore you to gain a Harvard University Degree in say a PhD in Biological Sciences in Dental Medicine, without studying the subject and just a phone call to the Dean stating that you have read a book on Japanese Sushi and feel you are now fully experienced, specialised and competent in the field of Dentistry. Therefore, not only do you require acknowledgement of the PhD but you are in a position to publicly debate and teach the professors everything about Dentistry because they are wrong and you are right based on your Sushi. Because this is exactly what you are saying about the Quran and Quranic Arabic.
Anyway, once you complete this task, I will accept everything you say without question. My incline is that the Dean will do exactly what I will do. Laugh at your claims over the phone and after putting the phone down, walk away nodding his head in disbelief chuckling to himself and asking the question 'is this dude on crack or something' and then cite this incident at dinner parties to entertain all his guests each time and everytime. In other words, the butt of all jokes!
Good luck.
Peace
-
if you speak english only, you can go and learn Arabic . Yes God understand all the languages but when he sent Quran in Arabic, it means that you should learn Arabic until speaking it very well and until learning it very well.
I heard that Arabic has changed a lot since Mohammad's time? How different is modern Arabic and can Allah understand it