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Are you eager to learn the language of the Quran, practised by its community of believers in order to understand their conception of society?
The Prophet Muhammad is reported to have once said: "If the Quran were nestled in leather and then thrown into the fire, it would not burn."
You may or may not agree with this quote... But it does could be understood from the view that, in order to read the Quran, you will have to survive the fire beforehand.
This is an apt description of what learning Arabic is like. Overall it is not an easy process. There will be ups and downs, and some difficult moments. But ultimately learning to speak Arabic will be a thoroughly rewarding process.
There are many different ways to learn Arabic so here is a mini-guide on how to learn Qur'anic Arabic.
Classical Arabic is close in form to ancient classical Arabic, which exists in the liturgical literature of Islam. The purpose is to understand the sacred text of the Quran, and therefore, logically, it must be learned in order to study the Muslim Holy book.
Learning Arabic is a long a gruelling task for even the most gifted language students. If you want to progress your ability to speak and write the language then this might just be for you.
Despite all the time you have put aside to study Arabic verb declensions, you still aren’t able to communicate fluently?
In this article, I will break down how to get started learning the language so you can make your way through the Quran yourself.
Why you should learn Arabic to study the Quran
Don’t worry too much about your level of Arabic when you are starting out for the first time, most students take up the language n as an elective in college for extra credits or like yourself, for learning the Quran!
For many, learning a foreign language such as Arabic is nothing more than a bit of fun and as a result like to keep their learning light-hearted and enjoyable.
Ireland has some great Arabic teachers, many of whom are from the middle east but some great Arabic teachers in the country actually come from right here in Ireland! This just goes to show what is achievable with some hard work, you’ll definitely have access to plenty of instructive guidance along the way if you chose to learn right here in Ireland.
Let’s not forget that teachers will often have worked with countless students just like yourself in the past and will be tuned in to how to teach more difficult and dated components of the language as seen in the Quran.
Getting help with Arabic can have a big impact on the rate that your progress, not only could an Arabic tutor coach you through aspects of the Quran but they will also be able to tailor your lessons to target your areas of weakness. Practising with a tutor will work wonders for your confidence, luckily in Ireland, there are plenty of online alternatives for Arabic lessons.
Your understanding of the Quran is likely to improve substantially after learning to speak Arabic. Developing a strong level of the language would put you at a significant advantage and help you to progress through the text in the mother tongue. Just imagine how much easier it would be if you spent sufficient time learning the language!
| Tips for Learning Arabic | |
|---|---|
| No.1 | Get a conversation partner to practise with |
| No.2 | Practise speaking the language as often as you can |
| No.3 | Listen to Arabic music |
| No.4 | Watch Arabic films |
| No.5 | Get an Arabic tutor from Superprof! |
How to get started learning Arabic.
Besides Arabic classes at a local Mosque, you can also opt for Quranic Arabic lessons in an institute specializing in the language of the Holy Book.
If you are setting out on your journey learning Arabic in order to study the Quran then you will need to familiarise yourself with the difference between passive and active vocabulary, it is the difference between understanding and speaking the language.
It’s easier to understand something that is said because all you need to do is remember the vocabulary. Hopefully, your grammar lessons included enough examples of Arabic phrases that you can eventually comprehend automatically which word is the subject, object and verb.
However, when you try to speak yourself, you not only have to find the right words but also:
- arrange them in the right order
- decline the verb tenses,
- use the right gender,
- match adjectives in number and gender to the nouns, etc.
This may come easily when faced with words and more dated phrases from the Quran, but in front of a live person who is waiting for an answer, perhaps impatiently, whom you feel might be judging you, you often freeze up. Maybe you’re also afraid of getting it wrong and being misunderstood, of your pronunciation not being up to par.
Reading the language is important too, whether in the Arabic alphabet or transliteration and hearing it are two different things. Unless you really have an excellent ear, there will always be a certain variation in what you hear when you read a vocabulary list and what you hear when the words are spoken by a native speaker.
For one thing, someone with Arabic as their mother tongue will probably be speaking faster than you. When you read, you have all the time you need to consider the Arabic words and figure out their meaning. For another, he or she might be speaking a dialect that pronounces things slightly differently, whereas the words will always look the same when written down.
When learning Arabic, especially as an adult, consistency is key if you do not practice for several days or even weeks, you will notice a steep drop off in your retention of particularly difficult material that you might come across in the Quran.
Teaching Arabic to young children is important for many parents, and such classes are great as there are intended for both children and adults who would like to memorize and chant the verses of the Quran.
Learn Quranic Arabic in Ireland and Online
With a simple Google search, you can be introduced to many institutions offering Islamic science courses. The internet has a wider range because of all its distance learning courses.
Preparation for learning Arabic shouldn't be underestimated so in order to do further training, why not take a spiritual trip to the Arab countries of Lebanon and Morocco?
To memorize the Holy Book, the courses (called marakiz) of Qur'anic Arabic will have the double advantage of making you learn Arabic while learning the precepts of the Quran.
There are institutes across the world that you can enroll in at the beginning of the school year in order to learn the Islamic sciences.
Use the internet to find a local one in your town or city. Classes will often be mixed between student from Muslim backgrounds, and those who are just curious to learn more about the religion of Islam.
A good institute will promote a healthy and tolerant learning environment, whilst simultaneously aiming to move past the current divisions in the Islamic faith that we can see in the world today.
And if you are looking to learn Arabic fast, ask what intensive Arabic courses they offer. Often, these institutes will cater for students who have more time to study and therefore want to learn Arabic more quickly.
For this kind of intense learning program, your memorization skills will be solicited, so make sure you are fresh and ready to learn so as to maximise the experience of studying Classical Arabic.
If you can't find a language institute close by which offers the types of classes that you are after, then why not learn Arabic online?
Understanding the Quran by learning Arabic with Superprof!
The number of Arabic teachers offering their services across Ireland and online has never been higher and you’ll be pleased to hear that this number has been on an upward trajectory for some time. Finding the best mentor to help you along the way to improve your command of the language and understanding of the Quran might be easier than you thought.
Fortunately, the Superprof platform provides students with a great selection of professional tutors ranging in price, qualifications and proximity. The platform gives students some flexibility in how they choose to progress in the language.
Thanks to the platform, most Arabic tutors who list their services in Ireland, you will have the option to learn from the comfort of your own home, the home of the tutor or online via webcam.
For students who are unsure about how to study the language or have difficulty pronouncing particular words in the language, they could get some real value from an Arabic tutoring service.
Furthermore, the majority of Arabic tutors that offer their service on the platform offer a free trial session. This allows students to get a feel for the lessons before committing to any payment.
Having a tutor can certainly help put your mind at ease during the build-up to a language exam or conversation. These are just some of the benefits which surface with the assistance of an online tutor. You will also be able to practice speaking the language and build your communication skills incrementally as you progress through your Arabic lessons.
Rest assured that your Superprof Arabic tutor will have excellent teaching skills and know-how to get you started on working through the Quran, starting from the very first lesson. The right tutor for you may be waiting around the corner. kickstart your journey with a Superprof Arabic tutor today!
Or if you are easily bored with learning a language, there are plenty of fun ways to learn Arabic too.
The platform that connects tutors and students
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