ISLAM FOR ENGLISH SPEAKERS

One of the most obvious ways in which Islam could improve its public face in the West is through better communication, and one of the most obvious ways to do this is to de-jargonize Islam so as to make it more accessible to Westerners. This is especially important in the Anglosphere (of English speakers) because English is the modern European language with the greatest reach and cultural penetration worldwide. Too often language is a barrier that prevents even well-meaning Westerners from appreciating the riches of Islam. Too often, as well, it is a barrier that prevents Westerners from coming into Islam. Becoming a Muslim does not mean becoming an Arabic speaker and it does not mean "going ethnic". Islam is for everyone. An Islam that is at home in the English-speaking world is a matter for urgent reform if we are to bring down the barriers that create hatred and misunderstanding.

No one denies that Arabic is the sacred language of Islam. The sacred text - Koran - is in Arabic and has no liturgical validity in any other language. Arabic is to Islam what Hebrew is to Judaism. But other than the sacred text (Koran) it is not necessary to indulge in Arabic (or quasi-Arabic) at every sentence. Inevitably, there is a certain amount of technical terminology (jargon) associated with Islam, just as there is with other religions, but it can often seem excessive in the case of Islam. Take, for example, the following sentence:

Sayyidina Rasulullah, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, in a ahadith made attending khutbah at Jumu'ah in a masjid wajib.

This is barely qualifies as an English sentence. It has an English structure and conjunctions but is actually in quasi-Arabic. Here is the same sentence in plain English:

The Prophet - peace be upon him - in a reported tradition made attending the sermon at the Friday prayers in a mosque compulsory.

Jargonized quasi-Arabic Islamo-babble is all too common among Muslims in the English speaking world. It alienates people and creates barriers. It is also unnecessary because perfectly acceptable English alternatives are available in a large number of cases.

Arabic is the sacred language of Islam. It is in pure Arabic, through His prophet Muhammad - may peace be upon him - that Allah Almighty spoke to mankind. The Koran was revealed in Arabic and it can never be "translated" into any other language. Other languages can only give an impression of the Arabic of the Koran. The Arabic Koran is sublime. No profane language can ever equal it.

Nevertheless, it is ridiculous to suppose that Allah Almighty only understands Arabic. He speaks all tongues, of course, for He is the author of them all, and just as He has sent prophets and messengers to all nations, so His message to man must be rendered into all languages.

There have been many saints in Islam who hardly spoke a word of Arabic.

The canonical prayers (salat) are a ritual recitation of the Koran. The essential components of the salat, and especially the recitation of the Koran, must be done in Arabic. There is no avoiding this. Arabic is sacred and liturgical. One must say the takbir (Allahu akhbar!) in Arabic, for example. One cannot substitute the English (God is most great!) . The takbir must be in Arabic. So must the Fatihah. And so must some other elements in the salat. Let us be very clear about this:

The ritual recitation of the Koran in prayer (salat) MUST be in Arabic. It is not legitimate in any other language. Arabic is the sacred and liturgical language of the Islamic faith.

Nevertheless, there are portions of the salat prayers that may be done in English. The various "dua" (supplications) need not be done in Arabic, and one can speak directly to Allah in English at any time.

Muslims are obliged to learn as much of the Koran in Arabic as they are capable of memorizing.

They are obliged to be able to read and pronunciate the Arabic script of the Koran to the best of their abilities.

The recitation of the Koran, and other essential elements of the salat, must be done in Arabic.

Islamic life is punctuated with formulae and phrases from the Arabic Koran. These are forms of dhikr. Muslims pepper their speech with these formulae as a means by which God is remembered at every turn in daily discourse. The Koran permeates Islamic life.

In post-Caliphate Islam we have witnessed a vigorous "re-Arabizing" of Islam as part of the fundamentalist agenda. Salafis, Wahabis and other modern fundamentalists insist on re-Arabizing Islam. Part of their agenda is to eliminate any vestiges of the Turkish and Persian and Indian contributions to Islam and to reassert the Arabic nature of Islam. This agenda is inseperable from Arab nationalism.

For converts, the vast number of Arabic formulae and catch-phrases, along with elaborate Arabic versions of the salat prayers, are daunting and overwhelming. It is common for converts to be completely overwhelmed by the Arabic jargon that many of the faithful speak.

To over-Arabize Islamic speech is to create barriers for others. Many Muslims indulge in an over-use of Arabic jargon to the point that others can hardly understand what they are saying. Sometimes zealots will be overheard trying to out-Arab each other with hamdullahs and inshallahs. This is a very superficial form of piety and it has the added effect of alienating English speakers - like any jargon it creates barriers. One of the most pressing challenges for Western Muslims is to stop the re-Arabizing process that is promoted by the fundamentalists.

There are many Arabic terms for which a perfectly accurate and appropriate English word will suffice. There is no need to speak of a "masjid" because English supplies the entirely adequate equivalent "mosque" - it is readily understood by all English speakers.

An example of superfulous Arabic is the names of the prayer times. Muslims will speak of the "zuhr salat" or the "maghrib salat" when they could as easily refer to the "noon prayer" and the "dusk prayer" just as easily and without losing any nuance or subtle meanings. English speaking Muslims should be able to speak of the "dawn prayer" and the "afternoon prayer" and the "night prayer" in their natural manner. Talking in pseudo-Arabic as in the sentence "Let us make the asr salat" is an in-group idiom that by definition excludes outsiders. It creates barriers. It is better if English speakers talk naturally as in the sentence "Let us make the afternoon prayer." Similarly, English speaking Muslims "do ablution" (or "wash") rather than "do wudu".

When we talk of "Anglocizing" Islam we do not mean removing Arabic as a sacred and liturgical language. We merely mean expressing all the non-essential verbal elements of the faith in the vernacular - Arabic remains the language of God.

But English is, and is likely to continue to be, the pre-eminent language of the globalized post-industrial world. Certainly, for so long as the USA remains a super-power English will be an important global language. The accomodation of Islam into English is therefore a matter of priority. English is still the language of the future. It is very important that Islam is settled into English and that it can be explained to and understood by English speakers. It is important that Islam is accessible to speakers of English and also that English-speaking converts can know their religion in their native tongue.

Above all, let us remember that the Prophet of Islam - may peace be upon him - was Muhammad the Eloquent, so contemporary Muslims should strive to speak eloquently, clearly, in an unaffected manner, about his religion. Whether they use an English or an Arabic word or phrase in any given instance, they should always strive for clarity and beauty of tongue. The speech of Allah is clear and beautiful. The Holy Koran is the paradigm of human speech. Muslims must guard their speech as a spiritual asset and refrain from jargon,jibberish, and hybrids of Arabized English just as they should shun obscenities and foul talk.

The golden rule:

If you are going to write in English, then write in English. If you are going to write in Arabic, then write in Arabic. Avoid hybrids of English and Arabic wherever possible.

A GLOSSARY OF SOME ISLAMIC TERMS

abd = slave, a slave to God. The English word "slave" or "servant" is entirely adequate.

Man is Allah's abd on earth
Man is God's servant on earth.

aya = a verse of the Koran. The English word "verse" is adequate in most instances.

I have memorized an aya of the Quran.
I have memorized a verse of the Koran.

Hajj = the pilgrimage to Mecca. The English word "pilgrimage" is an adequate replacement in most instances but the word "Hajj" is increasingly familiar to educated English speakers.

I am going on the Hajj to Makka.
I am going on the pilgrimage to Mecca.

khalifah = deputy, God's representative. The English word "deputy" or "representative" is an adequate substitute in most cases, but "caliph" with a "c" is an established English word, especially when used to refer to the institution of the Caliphate.

Man is Allah's khalifah on Earth.
Man is God's representative on earth.

masjid = a place of assembly for prayer, a mosque. The word "mosque" is well-established in English and is usually preferred to the Arabic "masjid".

Muslims make salat in a masjid.
Muslims pray in a mosque.

mu'min = believer, a Muslim. The English word "believer" is a ready substitute.

He is a true mu'min.
He is a true believer.

mushallah = a prayer room. A place of prayer. In most cases "prayer room" is an adequate replacement.

I am going to the mushallah.
I am going to the prayer room.

qu'ran = Koran, the Recitation. The spelling "Koran" is well-established in English and is preferred to pseudo-Arabic renderings such as "quran".

raka = a unit of salat prayer. The English word "unit" or "cycle" is an adequate replacement in most cases.

salat = liturgical prayer, the formal prayer of Islam. There is no single English word that is a perfect replacement but "prayer" is usually adequate.

Mu'min make salat five times a day.
Believers pray five times a day.

surah = The major division of the Koran. A collection of verses. There is no completely satisfactory English equivalent but the word "chapter" is adequate in most cases. The plural in Arabic is surat but "surahs" is commonly used by English speakers.

zuhr = noon, the noon prayer. The English word "noon" can be used in most cases.

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